6 best self-directed IRAs—our top picks

• IRA and CryptoIRA
• 75+ investment partners
• Monthly and trading fees

Alto IRA is one of the more popular alternative IRA options, largely due to its low fees and ease of use. Along with self-directed accounts, it also lets you open a Traditional, Roth, or SEP IRA and invest through 75+ investment partners for categories like:

Cryptocurrencies, Farmland, private credit, real estate crowdfunding, startups and venture capital

These investment partners have different investment requirements, but many start at $100 to $1,000. However, some assets are only available to accredited investors.

But Alto‘s main selling point is its low fees. Its Starter plan only costs $10 per month, or $100 per year if you pay annually. The other main fee is a $10 fee whenever you make a trade with a partner. But for Alto CryptoIRA, the crypto-specific plan, you don't even pay account fees and just pay a 1% trade fee.

Overall, this simple fee structure helps simplify your life. And Alto also makes opening an account pretty straightforward, whereas some self-directed IRA providers have to open an LLC for you to invest through. This makes Alto IRA a bit more limited than some other companies on our list. However, it shines for ease-of-use and affordability.

• Solo 401(k) also offered
• "Bring Your Own Deal" option
• Monthly and setup fees may apply

If you want even more control over the assets you invest in or to invest through a solo (401k), Rocket Dollar is one of the best self-directed IRAs out there.

It actually creates an LLC for you to invest through and grants checkbook control, meaning making an investment is as fast and simple as writing a check or sending a wire transfer. And it even has a “bring your own deal” option where you can find and invest in your own deals with the help of Rocket Dollar's team.

Like Alto, Rocket Dollar also partners with alternative investment platforms like cryptocurrency exchanges, renewable energy companies, loan marketplaces, and crowdfunding sites.

For pricing, Rocket Dollar has two plans: Silver and Gold. Silver costs $15 per month and has a $350 setup fee, and this plan will work for most investors dabbling in alternatives. The Gold plan provides LLC setup support, some tax prep help, and priority support but costs $30 per month and has a $600 setup fee.

• Traditional and alternative securities
• $500 minimum deposit
• Sliding scale for annual fees

Equity Trust is another leading self-directed IRA provider that lets you invest in a range of assets like precious metals, crypto, peer-to-peer lending, and real estate. But you can still invest in more traditional securities like mutual funds, stocks, and ETFs for a truly diverse portfolio.

This SDIRA provider has also been in business for 45+ years and has $34 billion in assets under management, so it has a proven track record and thousands of clients. In contrast, many newer self-directed IRA companies are very beginner-friendly but don't have the same track record or size.

And Equity Trust also lets you open solo 401(k)s, SEP IRAs, and even other tax-advantaged accounts like HSAs. Plus, it uses a fee schedule that varies based on your total account balance. Accounts up to $14,999 pay $225 in annual fees, and there's a $50 online application fee. You don't pay transaction fees like you do with some SDIRA providers.

• Real estate investments available
• $325 minimum account balance
• Annual and setup fees

uDircect is another self-directed IRA provider that also provides checkbook control like Rocket Dollar. And it's best known for its real estate investment offerings, including individual deals, land, REITs, and real estate notes. It also lets you invest in other assets since you have checkbook control and full discretion over your account.

If you want low and simple fees, uDirect is also a good choice. It charges $275 in annual fees and a one-time $50 setup fee. There's a $325 minimum account balance as well. Crypto trades have a 1% fee like Alto up to $10,000, but fees drop the larger your trades.

You can also pay various storage fees for gold and silver depending on the total value. However, uDirect is quite low-fee overall, especially for larger account balances.

• Backed by Pacific Premier Bank
• Traditional and alternative investments
• Annual fee for accounts up to $1 million

With $15 billion in assets under management, Pacific Premier Trust is another large player in the self-directed IRA space. It's actually a division of Pacific Premier Bank, which has over 30 years of experience. And like Rocket Dollar and uDirect, you get checkbook control for as much control as possible.

The company somewhat focuses on real estate and private equity, but according to its website, its team has experience with nearly 42,000 alternative assets. And you can still invest in securities like stocks, bonds and ETFs if you're not all-in on alternatives.

The main downside of Pacific Premier Trust is that it charges 0.30% in annual fees for accounts up to $1 million. But it stresses customer service and lets you work closely with Pacific Premier Trust IRA experts if you need help placing trades and to ensure investments are IRA-compliant.

• Up to 3% matching per dollar
• $50 annual Robinhood Gold fee
• No commissions or trade fees

Robinhood made a splash with the launch of its IRA, offering up to a 3% match per dollar contributed. This benefit was previously only available from employer-sponsored plans. But unlike an employer plan, Robinhood’s matching contributions won’t count against the annual contribution limits set by the IRS.

Just create a Robinhood brokerage account to open your self-directed IRA. If you have a Robinhood Gold account, you’ll receive 3% matching contributions; otherwise, you can get 1% with a standard account.

You get to choose whether you want to pick the assets you’ll invest in if you want to go the self-directed route. You can also get portfolio recommendations based on the goals you share with Robinhood.

Robinhood does not charge any fees or commissions for its services. But if you want more from your investing experience, you can upgrade to Robinhood Gold for $5 a month or $50 annually.