How to buy gold on a small budget, even under $100

• Gold can be an appealing investment for beginners due to its stability and ability to diversify a portfolio.
• You can invest in gold with a small amount of money through fractional purchases or gold-backed securities.
• Investors can buy physical gold or invest in options like ETFs, mutual funds, and gold stocks.

Gold can be a very appealing investment, especially for new investors. It offers stability and a way to diversify your investments. However, as with any investment, there’s always risk involved. To safely invest in gold, you need to start small and understand that the costs matter more than timing the market. 

In this beginner-friendly guide, we’ll help you start investing in gold without overcommitting.

Can you invest in gold with a small amount of money?

Although gold prices crossed $5,000 per ounce in early 2026, according to the World Gold Council, you don’t need to spend that much to start investing in the precious metal. You may buy small amounts of physical gold or invest incrementally through gold ETFs or mutual funds.

Any gold purchase you make, however, may have minimum investment requirements. While they may not be the per-ounce cost, investing in gold will likely require more upfront investment than your average penny stock. 

That’s not necessarily a bad thing, as gold’s stability may provide greater security for your investment than “cheap” investments. If you’re interested in investing in precious metals but gold feels too expensive, you could also consider investing in silver.

How much money do you need to invest in gold?

There’s no universal minimum or ideal amount of gold to buy. Every investor has different goals and risk tolerance. Someone investing for the long term may want to buy a smaller amount of gold and hope for a greater return over many years. Someone who wants short-term gains might buy a larger amount to maximize the return in one or two years.

Regardless of your goals, always start small and consider gold as part of a broader investment strategy. Think of gold as a useful way of diversifying your assets rather than a singular investment vehicle.

Different ways to buy gold

There are many ways to invest in gold, either by purchasing physical gold or investing in gold without requiring physical storage. You can do both with virtually any budget.

Each of these options carries different cost structures and risks. Because funds and stocks can be quickly converted into cash, they’re typically more cost-effective for beginners. The trading costs are also typically lower, and may be limited to a brokerage fee for a specific transaction or annual expense ratios charged by a mutual fund.

Gold coins and gold bars

The simplest way to buy physical gold coins and bars on a budget is by making small, fractional purchases like 1-gram or 1/10-ounce gold bars or coins, like bullion, valued for its precious metal content, or collectible coins, which are historic. You can save by purchasing products that are lower purity, or by shopping for private mint gold rather than government-minted products that serve as legal tender.

One of the most effective ways to manage physical gold purchases is with a Gold IRA. With this arrangement, a custodian manages purchases, transportation, physical storage, and tax compliance requirements. You still direct purchasing decisions; the custodian serves as an intermediary between you and reputable dealers.

You can set up a new account or roll over your retirement savings’ cash value into gold. There are pros and cons of Gold IRAs, so make sure you understand the arrangement before you set one up.

Gold mutual funds and ETFs

Storage costs and dealer fees can make physical gold investing add up quickly. Lower-cost gold investing doesn’t require physical storage.

With Gold mutual funds and ETFs, you buy a pool of assets in an exchange-traded fund. These funds track spot prices or invest in mining stocks, and are a good way to invest in the gold industry as a whole.

Gold stocks

Investing in individual publicly traded gold producers, miners or royalty firms is riskier but may offer higher rates of return.

Investing in gold stocks is often more appealing to beginners since there are fewer fees and complications. If you already have a brokerage account, it may be as simple as searching for a stock or ETF and making a purchase.

Gold savings accounts

Gold savings accounts tie your deposits to the price of gold, allowing you to earn value based on the spot price.

Gold mining funds

A gold mining fund invests a percentage of its total assets in the equity securities of precious metals mining companies. Like an ETF or mutual fund, it spreads your risk across a range of stocks, bonds, or commodities that may go beyond gold.

How to buy gold with Gold IRAs

Because the price of gold is relatively stable, Gold IRAs can be a compelling option for retirement savers. However, they’re significantly more complicated than a traditional IRA and may require more active oversight.

Gold IRAs typically require higher upfront costs due to the cost of moving and storing gold. (Not to mention the high per-ounce price compared to conventional securities.) There are setup fees, custodian fees and transaction fees whenever you make a purchase.

If you’re just starting your retirement savings, the high initial setup costs probably don’t make sense for you. However, if your portfolio is in good shape, a Gold IRA rollover may be a good way to diversify your asset holdings and gain additional protection against market volatility.

Where to buy gold online and in-person

You can buy gold from bullion dealers, banks, brokerage firms and pawn shops. Just make sure you purchase gold from a reputable dealer, such as:

• American Harford Gold
• Goldco
• Priority Gold
• Thor Metals Group

Common mistakes when investing in gold

When just starting, several pitfalls can cause investors to overspend on gold. These may include:

• Not understanding markups, storage or fees: Buying gold isn’t as simple as entering a transaction on a brokerage website. Peter Reagan, Financial Market Strategist of Precious Metals IRA company Birch Gold Group, says, “New investors tend to overspend on gold due to knowledge gaps regarding premiums above the spot price of gold and the costs involved in the investment.” While the spot price is the per-ounce price of gold, the total cost of buying includes dealer markups, storage costs and transaction fees.
• Overpaying for “premium” products: Beginners may purchase collectible coins, which are typically rarer, historical coins that may be more expensive than bullion coins but cannot be held in a Gold IRA. When a product is effectively marketed, it’s easy to misunderstand its true value. A collectible coin may hold some sentimental value, but the actual gold content may not be worth what you paid.
• Emotional or fear-based buying: Reagan says beginner investors “tend to over-buy at unfavorable prices due to their emotional attachment to gold as an investment choice.”

How to avoid common gold scams

Like any investment, investing in gold has risks. You should take a few precautions to reduce your risk of overspending and avoid scams:

• Compare pricing across sellers: Dealers add markups to gold prices. Always compare pricing and fees to find the best price for you.
• Ask for full fee disclosures: Before you buy, ask for an itemized receipt to understand exactly what you’re paying for.
• Avoid urgency or guaranteed claims: Reputable dealers want to earn your business through service and pricing. Beware of marketing ploys that guarantee value or insist you buy fast.
• Verify credentials independently: If you’re unsure of a dealer’s legitimacy, check their credentials on the American Numismatic Association (ANA) dealer directory and search complaints with the Better Business Bureau (BBB).

Bottom line: Should you invest in gold?

Despite the high per-ounce price, gold investing doesn’t require a large initial investment. You can acquire both physical gold and invest in lower-cost gold securities without breaking the bank.

Before you start, make sure you understand the costs and have a diversification strategy to avoid overcommitting to a single asset. Over time, you can continue to buy more and scale your gold holdings gradually.

About the editor

Roxanne Downer is an editor and writer with nearly 20 years of experience covering personal finance, consumer services and investing. She specializes in translating complex topics and cutting through industry jargon and sales tactics to deliver clear, trustworthy guidance readers can actually use—whether they’re comparing providers, managing debt or exploring new investment strategies.

Frequently asked questions

What is the cheapest way to start investing in gold?

Generally, the lowest-cost way to invest in gold is through gold ETFs or gold mining stocks. You can often buy fractional shares for less than $50.

Is it better to buy physical gold or gold ETFs on a budget?

If you’re on a tight budget, it’s much more cost-effective to buy gold ETFs than physical gold. Physical gold requires storage costs and additional transaction fees that make purchases more expensive.

Can you invest in gold with $100 or less?

Yes, digital gold savings accounts may allow you to invest in grams of gold for as little as $1. ETFs, individual stocks, and fractional purchases of physical gold may also come in under $100.

Will gold prices go down in 2026?

As of May 2026, the cost of gold is expected to continue to rise this year. That said, the gold market is volatile, so it could rise, decline or remain about the same.

What will gold be worth by 2030?

By 2030, the price of gold is expected to be between $5,000 and $10,000 per ounce.