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Personal Finance · head to head

Crypto.com vs Kraken

Crypto.com logo

Crypto.com

Personal Finance

The best place to buy, sell, and pay with crypto

From
Free
Rated
-
Kraken logo

Kraken

Personal Finance

Secure cryptocurrency exchange for serious traders

From
Free
Rated
-

The short version

  • Each has a real cost: Crypto.com trading fees are significantly higher than industry average at 0.25%/0.5% versus 0.15%/0.194%; Kraken restricted in 16 jurisdictions due to compliance requirements
  • They diverge on capability: Crypto.com covers Cryptocurrency Trading, Kraken covers Spot Trading.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 30 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Crypto.com and Kraken actually diverge.

Attributes where Crypto.com and Kraken differ
AttributeCrypto.comKraken
Pricing modelUnknownfreemium
Founded20162011

Identical on both: starting price (Free), free tier (Yes), platforms (Web, iOS, Android), 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 Crypto.com

  • Cryptocurrency Trading
  • Visa Card
  • Crypto Earn
  • DeFi Wallet
  • NFT
  • Visa
  • Apple Pay
  • Google Pay

Only in Kraken

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

Both cover

  • Web support
  • Ios support
  • Android support

What people use each for

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

Crypto.com

  • Exchanges
  • Walletsnot Kraken
  • Paymentsnot Kraken

Kraken

  • Exchanges
  • Tradingnot Crypto.com
  • Stakingnot Crypto.com

Both are used for exchanges, on those jobs the choice comes down to price and fit rather than capability.

Where each one falls short

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

Crypto.com

  • Trading fees are significantly higher than industry average at 0.25%/0.5% versus 0.15%/0.194%
  • Bitcoin withdrawal fees are excessive at 0.0004 BTC (approximately $47) versus actual blockchain mining fees
  • Customer support experiences significant delays up to months, with Trustpilot rating of 2.0/5
  • CRO token dependency for fee reductions and card rewards exposes users to token price volatility
  • Account freezes, card blocks, and verification delays reported by users

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

Crypto.com

Free

No published plan breakdown. See the Crypto.com review.

Kraken

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

Which should you pick?

Choose Crypto.com if

  • You need cryptocurrency trading.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Web, iOS, Android.
  • You also want visa card.

Choose Kraken if

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

Questions people ask

Is Crypto.com or Kraken better?
Neither clearly leads. Crypto.com starts at Free and Kraken at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Crypto.com or Kraken?
Crypto.com starts at Free and Kraken at Free.
Does Crypto.com or Kraken run on more platforms?
Crypto.com runs on Web, iOS, Android. Kraken runs on Web, Ios, Android.
Can I use Crypto.com for free?
Both have a free tier, so you can try either at no cost before committing.
What is Crypto.com best used for?
Crypto.com is most often used for exchanges, wallets, payments. Of those, wallets and payments are not what Kraken is typically brought in for.
What can Crypto.com do that Kraken cannot?
Crypto.com covers Cryptocurrency Trading, Visa Card, Crypto Earn, DeFi Wallet. Kraken covers Spot Trading, Futures Trading, Margin Trading, Staking. Both handle Web support, Ios support, Android support.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Crypto.com: What are Crypto.com's trading fees?

Base spot trading fees are 0.25% for makers and 0.5% for takers. Fees decrease with higher 30-day trading volume and CRO staking, with volume-based discounts reaching 0.065% maker and 0.1% taker fees at $5M volume.

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
Crypto.com: What is the difference between Crypto.com App and Exchange?

The App is designed for beginners with embedded spreads reaching 0.5-1%, while the Exchange platform shows transparent maker/taker fees starting from 0.25%/0.50%, with costs decreasing with CRO staking and VIP levels.

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
Crypto.com: What are the total costs of trading on Crypto.com?

Estimated total costs are approximately 1.30% per trade, composed of 0.75% trading fees and an approximate spread of 0.55%.

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
Crypto.com: What integrations does Crypto.com have?

Crypto.com integrates with Coinbase and Kraken for cryptocurrency trading and account activity, enabling multi-exchange portfolio management.

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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