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Personal Finance · head to head

Banktivity vs Kraken

Banktivity logo

Banktivity

Personal Finance

Personal finance for Mac and iOS

From
On request
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Kraken logo

Kraken

Personal Finance

Secure cryptocurrency exchange for serious traders

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Only Kraken has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
  • Each has a real cost: Banktivity runs on macOS, iPhone and iPad only, with no Windows, Android or web version; Kraken restricted in 16 jurisdictions due to compliance requirements
  • They diverge on capability: Banktivity covers Account tracking, Kraken covers Spot Trading.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 30 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Banktivity and Kraken actually diverge.

Attributes where Banktivity and Kraken differ
AttributeBanktivityKraken
Starting priceOn requestFree
Pricing modelsubscriptionfreemium
Free tierNoYes
PlatformsMac, IOSWeb, Ios, Android
Founded20072011

Identical on both: user rating (Not yet rated), category (Personal Finance).

What each one covers

Drawn from each product's published feature list. An absence here means we hold no record of it - not that the product lacks it.

Only in Banktivity

  • Account tracking
  • Bill management
  • Investment tracking
  • Budget forecasting
  • Bank accounts
  • Investment accounts
  • Mac support
  • IOS support

Only in Kraken

  • Spot Trading
  • Futures Trading
  • Margin Trading
  • Staking
  • OTC Desk
  • Bank transfers
  • SWIFT
  • Plaid

What people use each for

The jobs each tool is most often brought in to do.

Banktivity

  • Personal budgeting and money management on a Macnot Kraken
  • Investment and net worth trackingnot Kraken
  • Retirement planning projectionsnot Kraken
  • Connecting to over 14,000 financial institutionsnot Kraken

Kraken

  • Exchangesnot Banktivity
  • Tradingnot Banktivity
  • Stakingnot Banktivity

Where each one falls short

Documented limitations, not opinions. Every one is a constraint you would hit in normal use.

Banktivity

  • Runs on macOS, iPhone and iPad only, with no Windows, Android or web version
  • Pricing is not shown on the product page and sits behind a separate plans page

Kraken

  • Restricted in 16 jurisdictions due to compliance requirements
  • Withdrawal processing delays due to KYC verification, blockchain confirmations, and compliance checks
  • Account restrictions triggered by scam prevention can only be lifted after 90 days
  • Margin trading limited to 5x leverage on most assets; 10x available only to eligible users

Pricing, plan by plan

Banktivity

On request
  • Monthly$4.99/month
    • Full feature access
    • Cloud sync
  • Annual$39.99/month
    • All monthly features
    • Discounted rate

Kraken

Free
  • StarterFree
    • Basic trading
    • Staking
    • Instant buy
  • ProFree
    • Advanced trading
    • Margin trading
    • Futures

Which should you pick?

Choose Banktivity if

  • You need account tracking.
  • You work on Mac, IOS.
  • You also want bill management.
Banktivity review

Choose Kraken if

  • You need spot trading.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Web, Ios, Android.
  • You also want futures trading.
Kraken review

Questions people ask

Is Banktivity or Kraken better?
Neither clearly leads. Banktivity starts at On request and Kraken at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Banktivity or Kraken?
Kraken has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at On request for Banktivity and Free for Kraken.
Does Banktivity or Kraken run on more platforms?
Banktivity runs on Mac, IOS. Kraken runs on Web, Ios, Android.
Can I use Kraken for free?
Yes. Kraken has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. Banktivity starts at On request.
What is Banktivity best used for?
Banktivity is most often used for personal budgeting and money management on a mac, investment and net worth tracking, retirement planning projections, connecting to over 14,000 financial institutions. Of those, personal budgeting and money management on a mac and investment and net worth tracking are not what Kraken is typically brought in for.
What can Banktivity do that Kraken cannot?
Banktivity covers Account tracking, Bill management, Investment tracking, Budget forecasting. Kraken covers Spot Trading, Futures Trading, Margin Trading, Staking.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Banktivity: Does Banktivity offer a free trial?

Yes. Banktivity offers a 30-day free trial at any subscription level with no credit card required. This allows you to test the platform before committing.

Source
Kraken: How much does Kraken charge in fees?

Kraken Pro spot trading fees start at 0.25 percent maker and 0.40 percent taker for entry-level volume, decreasing to 0.00 percent maker and 0.08-0.10 percent taker at USD 10M+ monthly volume. The Kraken standard platform charges 1 percent on instant trades and 1.5 percent on custom orders. Kraken+ membership costs 4.99 USD/month or 49.99 USD/year for up to USD 10k/month in fee-free volume.

Source
Banktivity: What devices does Banktivity support?

Banktivity is available on Mac, iPhone, and iPad with cross-device sync. Data is encrypted end-to-end across all devices.

Source
Kraken: In how many countries can I use Kraken?

Kraken supports 190+ countries and 9 major fiat currencies (USD, EUR, GBP). However, services are restricted in 16 jurisdictions including Russia, Iran, North Korea, Syria, and Afghanistan due to regulatory compliance requirements.

Source
Banktivity: How many banks does Banktivity connect to?

Banktivity connects to 14,000+ banks, allowing direct connections to most major financial institutions.

Source
Kraken: Is Kraken custody secure?

Kraken holds ISO/IEC 27001:2022 certification and passed SOC 2 Type 1 examination. The exchange uses cold storage with crypto infrastructure in secure cages under 24/7 armed surveillance. Kraken Custody uses multiparty computation (MPC) and hardware security module (HSM) technology. As a Wyoming SPDI-chartered institution, Kraken Financial operates on full-reserve basis, holding 100 percent of client deposits in unencumbered liquid assets.

Source
Banktivity: What financial planning tools does Banktivity include?

Banktivity includes budgeting, financial reporting, investment portfolio tracking, retirement planning tools, and net worth tracking across all your accounts.

Source
Kraken: What cryptocurrencies can I trade?

Kraken supports 500+ cryptocurrencies across 600+ crypto trading pairs. The platform also offers tokenized equities (xStocks) for direct trading of stock exposure, and supports staking rewards on eligible digital assets.

Source
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