Gold IRA Custodians - Starting out, need advice!

• •Okay, so I'm just starting my Gold IRA journey, and honestly, the whole custodian thing is a bit overwhelming.
• •I'm a teacher here in Columbus, and I've finally managed to save up a bit, enough to start with about $10k-$15k in a Gold IRA.
• •But the "who" is where I'm getting stuck.

Okay, so I'm just starting my Gold IRA journey, and honestly, the whole custodian thing is a bit overwhelming. I'm a teacher here in Columbus, and I've finally managed to save up a bit, enough to start with about $10k-$15k in a Gold IRA. I’ve been researching for a few weeks now, reading all the guides on this subreddit, and I feel like I have a decent grasp on the basics of why I want to do this, mostly for diversification and a hedge against inflation. But the "who" is where I'm getting stuck.

I've seen so many names thrown around – Equity Trust, Kingdom Trust, U.S. Money Reserve (are they even a custodian?), Lear Capital (same question for them). It feels like everyone has a strong opinion, but it's hard to tell what's legitimate for someone just starting out with a smaller portfolio. I'm really looking for something reliable, with clear fee structures, and ideally, decent customer service that can actually walk me through things without making me feel like an idiot. I’m comfortable doing my own research, but I still need a bit of hand-holding on the technical stuff, you know?

Has anyone here had a really positive experience with a particular custodian, especially if you started with a similar portfolio size? Or did you have an awful experience I should absolutely avoid? I’m worried about hidden fees or getting locked into something I don’t understand. Any specific questions I should be asking when I call these places? Also, what are the common fees I should be looking out for beyond just annual maintenance – transaction fees, storage fees, anything else? Appreciate any insights, this community has been a wealth of knowledge already!