Gold IRA Fees - What are you guys paying?

• •Okay, so I'm doing a serious dive into the fee structures for my Gold IRA, and honestly, the more I look, the more confused I get.
• •I know there's custodian fees, storage fees (segregated vs.
• •unsegregated, which is a whole other rabbit hole), and then sometimes transaction fees.

Okay, so I'm doing a serious dive into the fee structures for my Gold IRA, and honestly, the more I look, the more confused I get. I've got somewhere in the neighborhood of $150k in there right now, and the annual maintenance fees coupled with storage fees are starting to feel a little… chunky. I'm based here in Minneapolis, and while I love the security and diversification gold offers, especially as I'm eyeing an early retirement in the next 10-12 years, I want to make sure I'm not getting hosed on fees.

I know there's custodian fees, storage fees (segregated vs. unsegregated, which is a whole other rabbit hole), and then sometimes transaction fees. Some companies offer "free" first-year storage, but then it jumps. Others have flat annual fees regardless of how much metal you hold, while some are percentage-based. It's a lot to keep track of! As a marketing exec, I'm usually good at dissecting fine print, but this feels intentionally opaque sometimes.

Currently, I'm with a well-known provider, and for my ~$150k, I'm looking at around $225-$250 combined annually for segregated storage and custodian fees. Is that in line with what others are experiencing? Are there any companies you guys have found that truly stand out for transparent and competitive fee structures, especially for portfolio sizes in the $100k-$250k range? I'm willing to consider a transfer if it makes sense long-term.

Any insights, warnings, or recommendations on who to look at (or avoid!) would be massively appreciated. I'm trying to optimize every dollar for that early retirement dream!