10 Coinbase Alternatives 2024 (Low Fees & Best Features)

Looking for an alternative to Coinbase? While the best exchange for you may vary based on your unique situation, here are 10 options based on factors like low fees, security, and more! 

Kraken 

Best overall 

Kraken is one of the top Coinbase alternatives based in the United States! The exchange is well-known for offering low fees and quality customer support to customers — as well as advanced transaction types like margin and derivative trading. 

Unfortunately, Kraken does not have an equivalent to Coinbase Learn — which allows users to earn crypto for free after watching short modules!

Why should I choose Kraken? 

• Low fees (0.00 - 0.26% on Kraken Pro) 
• Quality customer service 
• Margin and derivative trading 

Kraken cons 

• No equivalent to Coinbase Learn 

Learn more about Kraken here.

Gemini

Best for security and availability 

Gemini is considered one of the best exchanges in the world when it comes to security and regulatory compliance. Gemini takes steps to abide by regulations in each state, which is why it is one of the few American crypto exchanges available in all 50 states! 

Gemini has faced criticism for its high fees. Gemini’s standard platform has higher fees than Coinbase. 

Why should I choose Gemini? 

• Available in all 50 states! 
• Customer support available on chat and telephone 
• Gemini credit card offers 3% cashback on dining! 

Gemini cons 

• Higher fees (1.49% for trades over $200) than Coinbase and other exchanges on this list! Lower fees are available on Gemini ActiveTrader (0-0.40%)

Binance 

Best for non-US investors 

Binance is the world’s largest exchange by volume, and is a great option for investors based outside of the US! Binance offers 0.1% fees on spot trading, which makes it one of the cheapest options on the market! 

Binance is no longer available in the United States. While US investors can use Binance.US, it has fewer features and different fee structures than the standard Binance platform. 

Why should I choose Binance? 

• Low fees (0.1% on most transactions) 
• Margin and derivative trading 
• 350+ cryptocurrencies

Binance cons 

• Not available in the US 
• In recent years, Binance has pulled out of additional markets like Canada due to regulatory scrutiny. 

Robinhood 

Best for stocks and crypto 

Robinhood is a stocks and crypto investing platform designed for beginner investors. Robinhood offers 15+ cryptocurrencies with no fees on crypto trades! 

While Robinhood can be a great option for new investors, it’s important to remember that it isn't a crypto-first platform. As a result, Robinhood has less cryptocurrencies and fewer features than other exchanges. 

Why should I choose Robinhood? 

• Stocks and crypto trading 
• No fees on crypto! 
• Interest on uninvested cash! 
• Educational resources on investing! 

Robinhood cons 

• Limited crypto features 
• No staking and earning support 
• Less cryptocurrencies available than other platforms
• While there are no stated fees, Robinhood may contain hidden spreads

Crypto.com

Best for debit card rewards  

Crypto.com is one of the world’s most famous cryptocurrency exchanges. The platform is famous for offering generous debit card rewards — which offers users who stake CRO (Crypto.com’s cryptocurrency) up to 8% in crypto cashback rewards.

In the past, Crypto.com has faced criticism due to unresponsive customer support. 

Why should I choose Crypto.com? 

• Best debit card rewards 
• Benefits for staking CRO 
• Strong mobile application 
• Low fees (0.00 - 0.75%)

Crypto.com cons 

• No equivalent to Coinbase Learn 
• Slow customer support 
• Most generous rewards available for CRO stakers only

iTrustCapital 

Best for IRAs 

Want to hold your cryptocurrency in a tax-advantaged retirement account? With iTrustCapital, you can invest your retirement savings directly into cryptocurrency — as well as other assets like gold and silver! 

While iTrustCapital is a great option for crypto IRAs, the platform has higher fees and less cryptocurrencies available than some of the other Coinbase alternatives on this list! 

Why should I choose iTrustCapital? 

• Hold cryptocurrency in a self-directed IRA — and take advantage of tax benefits! 
• Easy user interface for trading crypto within your retirement account! 
• Quality customer support 

iTrustCapital cons 

• 1% fees on crypto transactions — higher than other exchanges! 
• Only 25+ cryptocurrencies available

eToro 

Best for social trading 

eToro is a stocks and crypto trading platform that is famous for its ‘social trading’ features that allow investors to copy the trades of the platform's most successful users! 

Because eToro is not a cryptocurrency-first platform, its features are relatively limited when it comes to crypto. Currently, only 3 cryptocurrencies are available for purchase, and features like staking are unavailable!

Why should I choose eToro? 

• ‘Social trading’ allows you to copy the trading strategies of successful traders! 
• Cryptocurrencies and stocks available! 
• Beginner friendly interface with features for experienced traders like advanced charting! 

eToro cons 

• Not available in some US states such as New York, Hawaii, and Nevada.
• Fees for cryptocurrency transactions are 1% — higher than some of the other exchanges on this list! 
• Currently, only Bitcoin, Ethereum, and Ethereum Cash are available to buy on the eToro platform.

Currently, only Bitcoin, Ethereum, and Ethereum Cash are available to buy on the eToro platform.

Uphold 

Best for cryptocurrency and precious metals 

Uphold is a cryptocurrency exchange that also supports precious metals like gold and silver. The platform is a great option for traders looking to diversify their investments into alternative assets. 

• Cryptocurrency and precious metal investing! 
• Anything-to-anything trades (ex. trade gold for BTC) 
• No deposit or withdrawal fees! 

Uphold cons 

• Relatively high fees (1.4-1.6%) on ETH and BTC transactions
• A class action lawsuit has been filed against Uphold because of customer assets stolen from the platform. 

Swan Bitcoin 

Best for Bitcoin 

If you’re only interested in investing in Bitcoin, Swan Bitcoin may be a great option for you. The platform allows you to set up recurring Bitcoin buys — allowing you to slowly accumulate your BTC holdings! 

• Recurring Bitcoin buys — buy BTC on a daily, weekly, or monthly basis 
• Financial advisor services and personalized consultations! 
• Quality customer support 
• Zero fees on first $10,000 of purchases

Swan Bitcoin cons 

• Support for Bitcoin only — no other cryptocurrencies! 
• 0.99% flat fees  — higher than some of the other exchanges listed! 

PayPal 

Best for existing users 

If you already have a PayPal account, PayPal can be an easy way to buy and sell cryptocurrency. The platform allows users to buy and sell cryptocurrencies like Bitcoin, Ethereum, Litecoin, and Bitcoin Cash! 

Unfortunately, PayPal has relatively high fees — with 1.5% fees for transactions over $1,000!

Why should I choose PayPal? 

• Easy-to-use platform 
• Easy way to get started with crypto 
• Use your existing PayPal account

PayPal cons 

• Only 4 cryptocurrencies available
• High transaction fees (1.5% for transactions over $1,000, higher fees for transactions below this threshold)

What are the advantages of Coinbase? 

While we’ve been focused on some of the disadvantages of Coinbase,  the exchange is one of the most popular cryptocurrency platforms in the world for a reason! Let’s walk through some of the benefits that Coinbase has to offer.

Beginner-friendly: Coinbase is one of the user-friendly exchanges on the market, which makes it perfect for new investors! Features like Coinbase Learn are a great way to help introduce you to the cryptocurrency ecosystem and earn crypto for free. 

Reputation: Coinbase has a stellar reputation for trust and security. The platform works with regulators all over the world to ensure compliance with cryptocurrency laws. 

Insurance: Worried about losing access to your crypto in the case of a hack? All customer holdings on Coinbase are held 1:1 offline. Some assets on Coinbase are fully insured!

What should I look for in a Coinbase alternative? 

Here are a few features you should keep in mind when searching for a Coinbase alternative. 

Low fees: Coinbase is known for having relatively high transaction fees. If you’re looking for an alternative, you should choose an exchange that offers low fees.

Customer service: Coinbase has often faced criticism for slow customer service. On the other hand, competitors like Kraken are well-known for offering quality support! 

Advanced transaction types: If you’re an experienced trader, you should consider choosing an exchange that offers features for experienced traders. Coinbase is more geared towards beginner investors. 

Reputation: Unfortunately, the cryptocurrency ecosystem is rife with frauds and scams. Before you choose a Coinbase alternative, do your research on the platform. 

What about decentralized exchanges? 

While this article is focused on user-friendly centralized exchanges, decentralized exchanges can be a great option for intermediate and advanced crypto investors. 

It’s important to note that while decentralized exchanges like Uniswap are more difficult to use for beginners, they do offer more transparency, do not take custody of your crypto assets, and are a great choice for investors seeking to move away from centralized platforms.