Coinbase vs Kraken: Which is Best? [2024]

Coinbase

Coinbase is a popular global crypto exchange with over 240 cryptocurrencies supported.

Kraken

Popular and well-known exchange based in the USA.

Coinbase

Available in over 100 countries globally. Full features in most of US including debit cards, staking, instant transfers and futures. Strong support in UK, Europe and parts of Asia with some restrictions. Not available in Singapore or OFAC-sanctioned countries. ID verification required.

Kraken

Available in over 190 countries globally with some restrictions. Not available in New York, Washington state, Japan, Russia, Belarus, Cuba, Iran, Iraq, North Korea and a few other restricted regions. Some European countries have restrictions on specific services like futures trading.

Coinbase

Over 240 cryptocurrencies

Kraken

Over 200 cryptocurrencies supported including BTC, ETH, USDC, SOL, DOGE, SHIB, XRP, ADA, MATIC, DOT, AVAX, LINK, MANA, LUNA2, ATOM, ALGO, APT, ARB, FTM, NEAR, OP, PYUSD, STRK, SUI, TON, TRX, XLM, XMR, XTZ and many more across multiple networks including Ethereum, Solana, Bitcoin, Polygon, Arbitrum, and others.

Coinbase

• Transaction Fees:
• $0.99 for transactions $10 or lower
• $1.49 for transactions between $10-$25
• $1.99 for transactions between $25-$50
• $2.99 for transactions between $50-$200
• 0.50% spread fee for transactions over $200
• 
  Payment Method Fees:
• ACH transfers: Free
• Bank account/USD Wallet: 1.49%
• Credit/debit card: 3.99%
• Wire transfers: $10 incoming, $25 outgoing

Kraken

• Withdrawal Fees:
• ACH: Free
• Wire Transfer: $25
• SEPA: Free
• SWIFT: $25
• BTC: Network fees vary

Coinbase

ACH, Wire Transfer, Debit Card, Bank Account, PayPal, Apple Pay, iDEAL, SEPA, Interac e-Transfer, Instant Verification, Google Pay

Kraken

ACH, Bank Account, Apple Pay, Google Pay, SEPA, Interac e-Transfer, Debit Card, PayPal, Instant Verification

Coinbase

4.70%

Earn 4.70% APY rewards by holding USDC on Coinbase. USDC is fully backed 1:1 by US dollars. Minimum $1.

Kraken

0.15% - 6.5%

Available for BTC (0.15% bonded/0.1% flexible), USDT/USD/USDC (6.5% bonded/4.5% flexible), and EUR (4.45% bonded/3.5% flexible).

Coinbase

iOS Rating: 4.7 Official rating from the iOS App Store as of November 18, 2024.

Android Rating: 4.6 Official rating from the Android Play Store as of November 18, 2024.

Kraken

iOS Rating: 4.7 Official rating from the iOS App Store as of November 18, 2024.

Android Rating: 4.3 Official rating from the Android Play Store as of November 18, 2024.

Coinbase

As a public US company, Coinbase maintains full 1:1 reserves of customer assets with no lending. Their platform features industry-leading security including mandatory 2FA, multi-approval withdrawals via Coinbase Vault, and 24/7 monitoring. Over 10 years of experience and regular third-party audits.

Kraken

Industry-leading security with ISO/IEC 27001:2013 certification and SOC 2 Type 1 examination. Funds stored in secure cold storage with 24/7 armed guard surveillance. Features include advanced encryption, FIDO2 2FA, customizable API permissions, global settings time lock, and proof of reserves auditing. No phone/SMS recovery to prevent SIM swap attacks. Expert security team with constant monitoring and testing.

Coinbase

No. Has never lost customer funds in any way.

Kraken

Yes, Kraken was hacked in June 2024, but the crypto exchange was able to fix the breach within 47 minutes and no client funds were lost.

Coinbase

coinbase.com

Kraken

kraken.com

Coinbase

Read our Coinbase review

"I mistakenly sent my crypto to the wrong wallet at Coinbase. The team at Coinbase was able to retrieve it and credit to my account within a week. I am quite impressed with their communication, instruction, and result! I'm so relieved. Thank you so much, Coinbase Support!"
- Real user review from iOS App Store, Android Play Store or Trustpilot

Kraken

No review available

"What a fantastic trading platform. Wonderful to have it as the mobile version, being able to work your trades on the go. Keeping up with the portfolio just became incredibly easy! Love you guys and thank you for the work. New trader here! The interface is easy to navigate and a pleasure on the eyes. The setup is notable, and perhaps there should be instructions provided in the app upon first launch. :)"
- Real user review from iOS App Store, Android Play Store or Trustpilot