Alto CryptoIRA vs iTrustCapital – How These Top Digital IRA Providers Compare
We look at two popular cryptocurrency IRA firms to see what differences there are between them, so you can decide which IRA is best for you.
iTrustCapital vs Alto Crypto IRA – At a Glance
With the number of alternative asset retirement account companies that offer opportunities to invest in crypto growing each year, it can be difficult to choose the best one to go with.
Alto IRA and iTrustCapital are two of the most respected providers out there and offer very similar products, but with a few key differences. We’ve compared them on all the main features, benefits, costs, and fees in a side-by-side graph to make it easier for you to choose between them. We’ve highlighted the main differences in bold letters in the table below.
iTrustCapital vs Alto Crypto IRA – At a Glance
With the number of alternative asset retirement account companies that offer opportunities to invest in crypto growing each year, it can be difficult to choose the best one to go with.
Alto IRA and iTrustCapital are two of the most respected providers out there and offer very similar products, but with a few key differences. We’ve compared them on all the main features, benefits, costs, and fees in a side-by-side graph to make it easier for you to choose between them. We’ve highlighted the main differences in bold letters in the table below.
| Company: |  |
 |
| Product Name: | Alto CryptoIRA | iTrustCapital Crypto IRA |
| Company Address: | Capitol View Block E 500 11th Avenue North, Suite 790 Nashville, TN 37203 | 18575 Jamboree Rd Suite 600 Irvine, CA 92612 |
| Founders: | Eric Satz | Todd Southwick and Blake Skadron |
| Date Company Founded: | 2018 | 2018 |
| Crypto IRA product launched: | 2020 | 2019 |
| Online Reputation: | 4.4 star out of 5 on Trustpilot based on around 1000 reviews | Better Business Bureau (BBB) “A” rating
Trustpilot rating of 4.4 stars out of 5 over 2,200+ reviews |
| Crypto Supported: | 200+ | 29+ |
| Precious Metals: | No | Gold & Silver |
| Minimum Investment: | $10 | $1,000 initial investment
$500 minimum for future contributions/transfers |
| Account Setup and Maintenance Fees: | $0 | $0 |
| Crypto Transaction Fee: | 1% | 1% |
| Precious Metals Fees: | N/A | Gold – $50 over spot per ounce
Silver – $2.50 over spot per ounce |
| Mobile App: | No | Yes (Apple only) |
| Guided Account Setup: | Yes (free concierge service) | Yes (video walkthroughs plus customer experience team) |
| Funding Options: | Transfer, rollover, cash contribution | Transfer, rollover, cash contribution |
| In-kind transfer of crypto | No | Yes |
| Types of IRA available: | Self-directed traditional, SEP or Roth IRA | Self-directed traditional, SEP or Roth IRA |
| Inherited IRAs: | No | Yes |
| Staking Option: | Yes (Pilot for staking SOL in progress late 2022) | Yes – Polkadot DOT only |
| Real time 24/7 trading platform: | Yes | Yes |
| Conditional Transactions: | Yes | Yes |
| Account Security: | Coinbase Custody | Coinbase Custody + Fireblocks |
| Additional Security Measures: | 2 Factor Authentication (2FA)
Institutional grade hot and cold (offline storage) |
2 Factor Authentication (2FA)
Institutional grade hot and cold (offline storage) |
| Custody Insurance: | $350 million commercial crime + $3 million cyber crime | $350 million commercial crime + $3 million cyber crime |
| USD FDIC Insurance: | Yes ($250,000) | Yes ($250,000) |
| Notes: | No mobile app
Not BBB rated Not Business Consumer Alliance (BCA) rated |
No Android mobile app as of late 2022
Not BBB accredited Not rated on BCA Limited crypto types available |
| SET UP A NEW ALTO ACCOUNT | SET UP A NEW ITRUST ACCOUNT |
Alto Crypto IRA Overview for Crypto Investors
Founded in 2018 and based out of Nashville TN, Alto launched their CryptoIRA product in 2020 and rapidly gained a reputation as a trusted provider of cryptocurrency investment services for crypto investors and retirees.
The company prides itself on giving you the tools to invest your IRA savings in any of the top digital currencies you want; and their first retirement investment product, “The Alternative IRA” empowers you to do just that.
Together with great customer service operating with respect, honesty, and transparency, it is easy to see why Alto Crypto IRA is one of our top recommendations.
The company has integrated with Coinbase for its trading platform, which allows investors to access the full range of crypto coins and tokens available.
iTrustCapital Overview for Crypto Investors with Gold and Silver Options
Located in Long Beach, California, iTrustCapital was formed in 2018, the same year as Alto, but launched its innovative 24/7 crypto IRA trading platform one year earlier in 2019.
Currently, the platform supports over 175,000 client accounts and has processed over $6 billion in transactions, making it one of the most popular alternative IRA firms in the U.S.
Excellent customer service is central to the company’s ethos, and its goal is to empower 10 million Americans to take control of their retirement accounts by leveraging the cryptocurrency markets.
In 2020, iTrustCapital also added the ability to buy and sell physical gold and silver through the same platform, giving investors the opportunity to trade in precious metals 24/7.
Exploring the Differences Between Alto Crypto IRA and iTrustCapital
In the following sections we will look at the main differences we believe are important to you between these respected digital asset IRA companies.
For more detailed information on each individual firm, head on over to our full reviews here:
- iTrustCapital full review
- Alto Crypto IRA full review
1. Alto Crypto IRA vs iTrustCapital: Ratings and Reputation
Both of our top crypto IRA providers have a positive online reputation with many reviews praising their services across many of the trusted ratings sites. We have found some negative comments and reviews of course, but these appear to be resolved quickly by both companies.
Currently Alto has a 4.4 out of 5 stars across almost 1,000 reviews on Trustpilot, whereas iTrustCapital has racked up an impressive 2,200+ reviews on the same platform with the same average score of 4.4 stars out of 5.
Where iTrustCapital really pulls ahead in the ratings is through an “A” rating on the Better Business Bureau (BBB) platform, which is just one step below the highest award.
Neither company is rated by the BCA, which is something we would like to see improved upon as this is an important aspect in supporting a firm’s overall reputation.
2. More Cryptocurrencies Supported by Alto IRA
Through their integration with the Coinbase trading platform, Alto offers a far greater choice of coins and tokens with over 200 types available, which includes all the popular choices such as Bitcoin (BTC), Ethereum (ETH), Chainlink (LINK), Cardano (ADA) and many more. For a full list of supported crypto in the Alto CryptoIRA click here.
iTrustCapital, on the other hand, supports 29 digital currencies due to the limitations of its bespoke platform. However, the most popular cryptos can be traded, including Bitcoin (BTC), Litecoin (LTC), Ethereum (ETH), and Solana (SOL) and more. You can find a full list of supported iTrustCapital currencies by going here.
3. Only iTrustCapital Allows Investing in Physical Gold and Silver
iTrustCapital added the ability to trade in physical gold and silver on its platform in 2020. This extremely popular feature allows investors to buy and sell these precious metals 24/7 stored in a physical depository without having to worry about transport and storage.
Alto does not provide access to any form of precious metals through its cryptoIRA as the platform is completely focused on digital coins and tokens.
4. How Alto and iTrustCapital Compare on Minimums, Costs and Fees
Both Alto and iTrustCapital are transparent about their fees, with their lists published clearly on the respective websites. Both companies currently have an identical fee structure for basic costs as follows:
- Account setup and maintenance – $0
- Crypto transactions – 1%
Where they differ is in the minimum investment you are required to make:
- Alto CryptoIRA minimum investment – $10
- ITrustCapital minimum investment – $1,000 and $500 for subsequent deposits
Additionally, Alto charges $50 for account closure and $25 for each outgoing wire transfer.
Since iTrustCapital allows you to also invest in physical gold and silver alongside your crypto holdings, there are additional fees associated with that service, which are $50 over the spot price per ounce of gold, and $2.50 over the spot price per ounce of silver.
5. Mobile App Users: iTrustCapital’s App vs No App with Alto Crypto IRA
With the Alto platform you are currently restricted to using your desktop, laptop or tablet to manage your account and make trades since there is no mobile app available for either iPhone or Android.
iTrustCapital currently has an app for Apple iPhone devices, which provides a useful interface to their trading platform. There is no Android application available at the time of writing, although the company has stated that one is in development that will be available soon. However, you will get the best user experience by accessing their 24/7 trading platform through a desktop, tablet or laptop.
6. Differences in Funding Your IRA Account with In-Kind Asset Transfers
An important feature for funding your account where the two companies differ is the ability to transfer over your crypto assets from another IRA provider “in-kind” without having to liquidate them into U.S. dollars first.
ITrustCapital allows “in-kind” transfers, and provides a simple, straightforward process that you initiate from within your account. Once the Transfer Team receives the request, they work with your previous custodian to initiate the transfer.
In comparison, Alto does not allow you to transfer cryptocurrencies directly into your CryptoIRA account. You will need to sell any digital assets in your current IRA first, and then transfer the funds to Alto in USD.
7. Only iTrustCapital Offers Inherited IRAs
With iTrustCapital you can create and transfer a traditional or Roth Inherited IRA (also known as a Beneficiary IRA), but you will need to make sure that you follow IRS guidelines provided in this link.
Alto currently does not support Inherited IRAs in any form.
8. Staking Differences between Alto and iTrustCapital
Staking allows you to allocate some of your investment in supported cryptocurrencies to a staking services provider who will assign them on the blockchain network in return for potential rewards.
Currently, iTrustCapital only allows staking Polkadot (DOT), whereas Alto is running a pilot program for staking Solana (SOL).
Alto Crypto IRA vs iTrustCapital: Which Company Should You Choose?
Both of these companies offer excellent services that are similar in many ways, since they have comparable fees and use the same custodial facilities from Coinbase.
However, there are some significant differences as we’ve highlighted in this comparative review; so, making a choice will depend on which features you prefer.
For example, if the ability to invest in precious metals, have access to inherited accounts or make in-kind transfers is important to you then iTrustCapital will be your best option.
However, if you only have a small amount of funds to get started and need access to a broader range of cryptocurrencies then the Alto CryptoIRA would make better sense.
Whichever option you choose, it’s always a good idea to consult a financial advisor or tax professional to before making investment decisions.