Rank 3 of 9 · evidence gathered 2026-07-10
GoldFellow review
GoldFellow scores 60/100 (C) on the Gold Buyer Score. The most price-transparent buyer — publishes its actual daily buy prices. They're just not high.
Published prices compute to roughly 51–72% of melt depending on lot size, and the default kit insurance is only $2,500.
Category scores
Payout
35
Proof & Transparency
55
Tracking & Process
75
Client Services
85
Technology
75
Reputation
85
The evidence, line by line
Payout · 30% of total
| Advertised payout rate | 10/50 | Published per-DWT tables compute to ~51% of melt for small 14k lots, ~72% at 25+ oz. |
| Rate disclosure | 25/25 | Actual daily buy prices published — maximal disclosure in the industry. |
| Price protection | 0/25 | No price lock. |
Proof & Transparency · 25% of total
| Assay method disclosed | 5/25 | "State-of-the-art testing equipment" — method unnamed. |
| Assay on video | 15/35 | Package opened under video camera; seller access to footage unstated. |
| Itemized offers | 20/20 | Itemized settlement posted to your online account for approval before sale. |
| Published pricing methodology | 15/20 | Published price tables tied to PM London fix. |
Tracking & Process · 15% of total
| Shipping insurance | 15/40 | $2,500 default — lowest scored; more only by phone. |
| Status tracking | 30/30 | Password-protected 'Gold View' account with real status. |
| Payment speed | 30/30 | Immediate payment on acceptance; 24-hour claim. |
Client Services · 10% of total
| Reachable by phone | 40/40 | Toll-free + local lines, M–F 9:30–5:30 EST, named long-tenured staff. |
| Free insured returns | 35/40 | Free FedEx return; return-leg insurance unstated. |
| Support channels | 10/20 | Email; no chat. |
Technology · 10% of total
| Live-price calculators | 40/50 | Scrap estimator + daily posted price table. |
| Pre-ship estimate | 15/30 | Tables give a real pre-ship number (their actual prices). |
| Digital offer flow | 20/20 | Approve your settlement online. |
Reputation · 10% of total
| Independent reviews | 35/50 | BBB A+ accredited since 2008; Trustpilot 4.9 but only ~384 reviews. |
| Operating history | 30/30 | Since 2007; founders sold Aurafin to Berkshire Hathaway. |
| Clean record | 20/20 | Clean record. |
Worth knowing
- Proof that publishing prices is not the same as paying well — the transparency case study of the rankings.
goldbuyer.io is operated by the team behind Offramp, one of the buyers scored on this site. Every buyer, including Offramp, is scored against the same public methodology with cited evidence, and Offramp's weaknesses are shown like everyone else's.