Adam Bergman

Founder, Tax Lawyer, Author

When it comes to investing in alternative assets with your retirement funds, both IRA Financial and Directed IRA give investors more control and flexibility than traditional institutions. Both offer checkbook control and a broad set of account types, but they differ in how their fees scale with the number of assets held and how deeply crypto and stock trading are integrated into the account.

Here’s how they compare across pricing, investment options, technology, and reputation.

Pricing & Fees: Transparent, Flat, and Investor-Friendly

When it comes to retirement investing, predictable costs and transparent pricing are essential. IRA Financial’s fee stays the same no matter how many assets you hold. Directed IRA’s annual fee covers up to 3 assets, then adds a fee for each additional one.

Pricing pulled from company website, as of the article publish date, based on 4 investments with a $200K total balance.

IRA Financial:

• Self-Directed IRAs start at $495/year, with other plans available from $100/year
• No setup fee for a custodian-controlled plan; a one-time fee applies only for Checkbook IRA structures
• No asset-based or transaction fees, just one clear, predictable price
• IRAfi Crypto platform offers low-cost trading for buying, selling, and managing crypto directly in the app

Directed IRA:

• $50 one-time account establishment fee
• $495/year covers up to 3 alternative assets; each additional asset adds $100/year
• $50 asset processing fee for most alternative assets ($150 for real estate)
• Optional $300/year VIP Service Membership for expedited processing

Summary

Directed IRA’s flat rate for the first 3 assets is competitive, but the $100/year charge for each additional asset means costs climb for investors holding a larger, more diversified portfolio. IRA Financial’s fee doesn’t change no matter how many assets are held.

Winner: IRA Financial.
A flat annual fee that doesn’t increase as you add more assets, versus a per-asset charge once you go beyond 3 holdings.

Investment Flexibility & Product Options

Having the freedom to invest in what you know is the cornerstone of self-directed retirement. Both providers offer strong options, with checkbook control and a broad set of account types available at each.

IRA Financial:

• Invest in real estate, private businesses, precious metals, crypto, notes, crowdfunding, and more
• Direct crypto investing through IRA Financial’s integrated platform
• Full checkbook control for both IRAs and Solo 401(k) plans
• Supports SEP, SIMPLE, Roth, and Traditional IRAs, plus ROBS for business funding
• IRA Compliance Shield provides in-house audit protection and tax consultation

Directed IRA:

• Offers a broad set of account types: Traditional, Roth, SEP, and Inherited IRAs, HSA, Coverdell ESA, Solo 401(k), and Checkbook IRA LLC
• Crypto investing runs through a linked Gemini account, a separate structure with its own annual fee and trading costs.
• Traditional investing built into the same account, covering index funds, actively managed mutual funds, dividend-paying stocks, sector ETFs, futures, bonds and T-Bills, and options, positioned as a complementary strategy alongside alternative assets
• No ROBS structure or in-house compliance and audit protection services

Summary

Both providers cover a genuinely broad set of account types. Where they diverge is business-funding structures and how crypto and compliance support are delivered: IRA Financial keeps crypto trading integrated in one account and includes in-house compliance support, while Directed IRA routes crypto through a separate Gemini-linked account and offers no equivalent in-house compliance service.

Winner: IRA Financial
ROBS for business funding and in-house compliance support that Directed IRA does not offer, plus crypto trading inside the same account rather than a separate linked platform.

Technology: Built for the Modern Investor

Ease of use matters, especially for investors managing alternative assets. Both companies have invested in digital solutions.

IRA Financial:

• All-in-one app to open accounts, fund, invest, and manage your retirement plan
• Integrated dashboard for all investment types, including crypto and real estate
• Secure document upload and digital signing eliminate paper forms

Directed IRA:

• Online applications and digital document management through the Directed Trust Company portal
• Crypto trading requires logging into a separate, linked Gemini account rather than a single dashboard
• Limited mobile app functionality compared to IRA Financial’s app experience

Summary

Directed IRA’s technology handles document management and account administration well, but IRA Financial’s platform keeps every feature, including crypto trading, inside a single mobile-first experience.

Winner: IRA Financial.
A more modern, integrated digital experience, without needing to manage a separate linked account for crypto.

Reputation & Customer Reviews: Trusted by Thousands

Reputation reflects client experience, responsiveness, and expertise, all critical for managing self-directed assets.

IRA Financial:

• Strong reputation for fast account setup, responsive customer service, and straightforward pricing.
• Over 3,000 5-star reviews across Google, Trustpilot, and other platforms.
• Founded by tax attorney Adam Bergman, who educates investors via weekly videos, podcasts, and blog articles.

Directed IRA:

• Strong Google rating at real scale: 4.9/5 from 1,278 reviews
• Founded by attorney Mat Sorensen, author of the best-selling Self Directed IRA Handbook
• Trustpilot presence is minimal, only 3 reviews, too small a sample to draw conclusions from

Summary

Directed IRA’s Google reviews are genuinely excellent and backed by real scale, a legitimate strength. IRA Financial’s advantage comes from consistency across multiple platforms rather than strength concentrated on just one.

Winner: IRA Financial.
Strong reviews across multiple platforms at scale, rather than strength concentrated on a single review site.

The Bottom Line: Why IRA Financial Is the Smarter Choice

Both IRA Financial and Directed IRA give investors access to a broad set of self-directed account types, and Directed IRA’s strong Google reputation and flat pricing for smaller portfolios are real strengths. Directed IRA has also expanded its traditional investing options, now offering index funds, actively managed mutual funds, dividend-paying stocks, sector ETFs, futures, bonds and T-Bills, and options alongside its alternative assets. But for investors who want a fee that doesn’t grow with each additional asset, ROBS for business funding, in-house compliance support, and crypto trading built into the same account, IRA Financial offers more.