Fees and service details reviewed 17 September 2026. Sources: BullionVault tariff; DigiGold fees.
Both BullionVault and the Royal Mint let you buy, store, and sell gold online. But their fees, storage models, and features differ significantly. This head-to-head comparison helps you choose the right platform for your investment goals and budget.
Best for beginners:
Royal Mint — simpler interface, from £25
Best for cost-conscious investors:
BullionVault — compare percentage rates and monthly minimums
Capital at risk. Not financial advice or a personal recommendation.
Here is every key feature compared in a single table. Green highlighting indicates the platform with the advantage on that row.
| Feature | BullionVault | Royal Mint |
|---|---|---|
| Annual Storage Fee | 0.12% (minimum $4/month) | DigiGold: 0.5% + VAT/year |
| Trading Fee | 0.5% commission (drops to 0.05%) | DigiGold: 0.5% buy; 1% sell |
| Minimum Investment | 1 gram; cost depends on live gold price | £25 (DigiGold) |
| Physical Delivery | Available; fees and minimum quantities apply | Physical coins/bars: yes. DigiGold: no |
| Vault Locations | London, Zurich, Toronto, Singapore, New York | Llantrisant, Wales (single vault) |
| Insurance | Included in storage fee | Included in storage fee |
| Vault Operator | Brink's, Loomis, Malca-Amit | Own vault in Llantrisant |
| Gold Type | LBMA Good Delivery bars (allocated) | Signature Gold (allocated) |
| Instant Buyback | Yes — live market 24/7 | Yes — instant sell at quoted price |
| ISA / SIPP | Accessible via some SIPP providers | No direct ISA or SIPP |
| Regulation | Not FCA regulated | Government-owned (HM Treasury) |
| Mobile Access | Website and trading app | Mobile-friendly website |
| Account Opening | Online in minutes | Online in minutes |
| Ownership Model | Direct ownership under English law (bailment) | Allocated ownership with Royal Mint as custodian |
| CGT-Free Options | No | Yes (Britannias & Sovereigns) |
| Published Daily Audit | Yes — published publicly | No public daily audit |
These custody-only illustrations assume unchanged metal values, 20% VAT and an illustrative exchange rate of £0.75 per US dollar. They include BullionVault’s $4 monthly minimum and DigiGold’s 0.5% plus VAT rate. Trading, delivery and withdrawal fees are excluded.
BullionVault Gold Custody
~£180.00
Includes monthly minimum
Royal Mint DigiGold Custody
~£300.00
Includes 20% VAT
Difference: The illustrative custody difference is £120.00 over 5 years under these assumptions.
BullionVault Gold Custody
~£300.00
Includes monthly minimum
Royal Mint DigiGold Custody
~£1,500.00
Includes 20% VAT
Difference: The illustrative custody difference is £1,200.00 over 5 years under these assumptions.
BullionVault Gold Custody
~£600.00
Includes monthly minimum
Royal Mint DigiGold Custody
~£3,000.00
Includes 20% VAT
Difference: The illustrative custody difference is £2,400.00 over 5 years under these assumptions.
Founded in 2005, BullionVault is the world's largest online gold investment service with over $4 billion in client assets and 110,000+ customers globally. Here is an honest assessment of where it excels and where it falls short.
Gold custody with a monthly minimum
BullionVault charges 0.12% annually for gold custody, subject to $4 per month. DigiGold charges 0.5% plus VAT annually, with no minimum storage fee.
Five international vault locations
Store your gold in London, Zurich, New York, Toronto, or Singapore. Geographic diversification protects against single-country political or economic risk.
Real-time peer-to-peer trading
Buy and sell gold 24/7 on a live order book with tight bid-ask spreads. You can set limit orders at your preferred price, not just accept a fixed quote.
Published daily reconciliation
BullionVault publishes client holdings alongside custodian bar lists. External auditors examine the reconciliation process, separately from physical inspections.
Direct ownership of allocated metal
BullionVault states that its service concerns outright ownership of physical property and is not regulated by the FCA. Check its custody and ownership terms before investing.
Insurance included in storage fee
Insurance is included in the gold custody charge. Check the current insurance terms and exclusions; this does not guarantee protection against every account or investment risk.
Interface is not beginner-friendly
The trading platform resembles a financial exchange with order books, bid-ask spreads, and limit orders. If you have never traded stocks or commodities before, the learning curve is steep.
Physical delivery is impractical
Physical withdrawals have substantial fees. The tariff has separate rates for 100g gold bars, whole wholesale bars and other gold withdrawals, with a 50g minimum for the latter.
Minimum custody fee denominated in USD
The order board supports sterling as well as other currencies. The gold custody minimum is stated in US dollars, so its sterling equivalent changes with exchange rates.
Minimum monthly storage fee
The $4 monthly minimum is $48 per year. It exceeds the 0.12% annual gold custody rate on holdings worth less than $40,000, making the effective rate higher for smaller holdings.
The Royal Mint has been producing coins since 886 AD and is owned by HM Treasury. Its modern gold investment products, including DigiGold and Signature Gold, bring that heritage into the digital age. Here is where it shines and where it struggles.
UK government-backed — ultimate trust signal
The Royal Mint is owned by HM Treasury and has been operating since 886 AD. It is as close to a risk-free counterparty as exists in the gold market. For investors who value institutional trust above all else, nothing beats it.
Physical coins and bars available separately
The Royal Mint sells physical Britannias, Sovereigns and bars for delivery or vaulting. DigiGold is a separate product and cannot be delivered.
Simple, beginner-friendly interface
DigiGold offers value-based purchases from £25 and account management through a mobile-friendly website.
Vault in Wales
DigiGold is held at The Royal Mint in Llantrisant, with insurance included in its custody charge.
British heritage brand
The Royal Mint carries over 1,100 years of history. For many UK investors, the brand recognition and government backing provide a level of comfort that no private company can match.
Buy gold from just £25
DigiGold's low minimum makes gold investing accessible to almost everyone. You can set up regular purchases from £25 per month to build your gold holding gradually.
DigiGold and physical bullion have different storage rates
DigiGold storage costs 0.5% plus VAT annually. Physical bullion storage costs 1–2% plus VAT depending on the product. Compare the relevant product and any minimum fees.
Separate buying and selling fees
DigiGold charges 0.5% to buy and 1% to sell. BullionVault order-board commission starts at 0.5% each way, in addition to the market bid/ask spread.
Only one vault location
All Royal Mint gold is stored in a single facility in Wales. While this vault is extremely secure, there is no option for geographic diversification across different countries or jurisdictions.
No international diversification
Unlike BullionVault's five-country vault network, the Royal Mint offers no way to store gold outside the United Kingdom. For investors concerned about UK-specific political or economic risk, this is a limitation.
The right platform depends entirely on your investment size, goals, and experience level. Use this decision framework to narrow down your choice.
Royal Mint
The simpler interface, DigiGold product, and £25 minimum make it the ideal starting point. At this level, the fee difference is relatively small in absolute terms.
BullionVault
Compare costs for your holding size. At the illustrative £0.75/USD rate, £5,000 of gold costs £36 a year in BullionVault custody versus £30 for DigiGold including 20% VAT. Larger holdings can favour BullionVault; trading fees also matter.
Royal Mint
Buy physical coins or bars as a separate product if you want delivery. DigiGold itself cannot be delivered.
BullionVault
Five vault locations across five countries (UK, Switzerland, Canada, Singapore, USA) let you spread geopolitical risk. The Royal Mint stores everything in one vault in Wales.
Royal Mint
Government-owned, with a long minting history and its own vault in Wales. Assess the product terms as well as the institutional background.
BullionVault
The live peer-to-peer marketplace with real-time order books, tight spreads, and limit orders is designed for active trading. DigiGold uses provider quotes rather than an order book.
BullionVault
Over longer holding periods, custody charges matter alongside buying and selling costs. BullionVault can cost less for larger holdings, but compare its $4 monthly minimum with DigiGold's percentage charge.
Compare the total cost for your intended holding and holding period. For smaller balances, BullionVault's $4 monthly gold custody minimum can exceed DigiGold's percentage-based storage charge. Include buying and selling fees, then read the individual reviews before deciding.
Yes — and many experienced UK gold investors do exactly this. Using both platforms is not just possible; it can be the optimal strategy.
Use BullionVault for the bulk of your gold holdings where low storage fees (0.12%) save you significant money over time. This is your core, cost-optimised gold position held in LBMA-accredited vaults.
Use the Royal Mint to buy Sovereign and Britannia coins, which are exempt from Capital Gains Tax as UK legal tender. Take delivery of these coins and store them yourself, or keep them in the Royal Mint vault.
Storage-only illustration: at £0.75 per US dollar, BullionVault costs £36 a year because the $4 monthly minimum applies. Delivered coins have no provider storage fee, but home security and insurance may cost extra. Holding £20,000 in DigiGold would cost £120 a year including 20% VAT, assuming constant value. Trading fees and delivery are excluded.
Both platforms take security seriously, but their approaches differ. Here is how each one protects your gold.
The Royal Mint provides custody in its own Welsh vault. BullionVault offers independent vault operators across five countries and publishes a reconciliation of holdings. Compare the custody terms, insurance and ownership records; neither arrangement guarantees investment returns or eliminates every operational risk.
Tax treatment is one area where the Royal Mint has a genuine edge — but only if you buy the right products.
BullionVault
All gold on BullionVault is subject to Capital Gains Tax. Good Delivery bars are not UK legal tender, so any profit above the annual CGT allowance (currently £3,000.00) is taxable at 10% (basic rate) or 20% (higher rate).
Royal Mint
DigiGold and Signature Gold are also subject to CGT. However, Britannia coins and Sovereign coins purchased from the Royal Mint are UK legal tender and are completely exempt from CGT. This is a significant advantage for tax-conscious investors.
For a complete guide to gold taxation in the UK, see our tax-free gold UK guide.
BullionVault gold custody costs 0.12% annually, subject to a $4 monthly minimum. Royal Mint DigiGold costs 0.5% plus VAT annually, with no minimum storage charge. Compare the minimum fee and exchange rate for smaller holdings; physical coins and bars at The Royal Mint have different storage rates.
The Royal Mint holds DigiGold at its vault in Llantrisant. BullionVault uses independent professional vault operators and publishes client holdings alongside custodian bar lists. Both describe direct ownership of bullion. These arrangements do not remove every operational or investment risk.
Royal Mint DigiGold cannot be delivered. The Royal Mint offers delivery of separately purchased physical coins and bars. BullionVault permits gold withdrawal, with different fees for 100g bars, whole wholesale bars and other amounts; other gold withdrawals have a 50g minimum.
DigiGold allows purchases from £25 through a mobile-friendly web account. BullionVault lets customers trade gold in 1-gram increments on an order board. Compare the buying process and minimum custody charges for the amount you intend to hold.
Neither platform offers a direct Gold ISA, because HMRC rules do not allow physical gold to be held inside an ISA wrapper. However, BullionVault gold may be accessible through certain SIPP (Self-Invested Personal Pension) providers. For ISA-eligible gold exposure, you would need to use a gold ETF such as iShares Physical Gold through a stocks and shares ISA.
Gold held on BullionVault is not CGT-exempt — it is treated as a chargeable asset. Royal Mint DigiGold is also not CGT-exempt. However, if you use the Royal Mint to buy UK legal tender coins such as Britannias or Sovereigns, those are exempt from Capital Gains Tax. This is one of the Royal Mint's unique advantages for tax-conscious investors.
Yes, and many savvy UK investors do exactly this. A common strategy is to use BullionVault for larger gold allocations where the low storage fees save you significant money over time, while using the Royal Mint to buy CGT-free Sovereign and Britannia coins. This gives you the best of both worlds: low-cost bulk storage plus tax-free physical coins.
Both providers describe client bullion as the property of the customer, held in custody. That is distinct from a claim on the operator as a depositor. Review the applicable ownership and insolvency terms; government ownership or allocated custody should not be presented as a guarantee of immediate repayment.
Full in-depth review covering fees, security, how it works, and our honest verdict.
Complete review of DigiGold, Signature Gold, and the Royal Mint's full product range.
How to hold gold in an ISA wrapper for tax-free gains using gold ETFs and funds.
All our guides, platform reviews, and tools for UK gold investors in one place.
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Taro has been actively investing in precious metals and financial markets for over 15 years. Frustrated by the lack of transparent, accurate gold pricing information in the UK, he built London Gold Exchange as a data-driven resource for fellow investors. The site combines real-time market data, verified dealer information from 242+ UK businesses, and insights drawn from years of hands-on experience in the gold market.
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