Is dYdX or Kraken better?

Neither clearly leads. dYdX 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, dYdX or Kraken?

dYdX starts at Free and Kraken at Free.

Does dYdX or Kraken run on more platforms?

dYdX runs on Web. Kraken runs on Web, Ios, Android.

Can I use dYdX for free?

Both have a free tier, so you can try either at no cost before committing.

What is dYdX best used for?

dYdX is most often used for defi, dex, derivatives. Of those, defi and dex are not what Kraken is typically brought in for.

What can dYdX do that Kraken cannot?

dYdX covers Perpetual Contracts, Cross Margin, Portfolio Margin, Governance. Kraken covers Spot Trading, Futures Trading, Margin Trading, Staking. Both handle Web support.

Cryptocurrency & Blockchain · head to head

dYdX vs Kraken

dYdX

Cryptocurrency & Blockchain

Decentralized perpetual trading

From: Free
Rated: -

Full review Website

Kraken

Personal Finance

Secure cryptocurrency exchange for serious traders

From: Free
Rated: -

Full review Website

The short version

Each has a real cost: dYdX newer platform with smaller liquidity pools compared to centralized exchanges; Kraken restricted in 16 jurisdictions due to compliance requirements
They diverge on capability: dYdX covers Perpetual Contracts, Kraken covers Spot Trading.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which dYdX and Kraken actually diverge.

Attributes where dYdX and Kraken differ
Attribute	dYdX	Kraken
Pricing model	free	freemium
Platforms	Web	Web, Ios, Android
Category	Cryptocurrency & Blockchain	Personal Finance
Founded	2017	2011

Identical on both: starting price (Free), free tier (Yes), user rating (Not yet rated).

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 dYdX

Perpetual Contracts
Cross Margin
Portfolio Margin
Governance
DYDX Token
Cosmos SDK

Only in Kraken

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

Both cover

Web support

What people use each for

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

dYdX

Definot Kraken
Dexnot Kraken
Derivativesnot Kraken

Kraken

Exchangesnot dYdX
Tradingnot dYdX
Stakingnot dYdX

Where each one falls short

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

dYdX

Newer platform with smaller liquidity pools compared to centralized exchanges
Requires cryptocurrency wallet for trading, adding friction for new users
Limited fiat on/off ramps compared to centralized alternatives like Coinbase

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

dYdX

Free

FreeFree
- Perpetual trading
- Governance
- Staking

Kraken

Free

StarterFree
- Basic trading
- Staking
- Instant buy
ProFree
- Advanced trading
- Margin trading
- Futures

Which should you pick?

Choose dYdX if

You need perpetual contracts.
You want to start without paying.
You also want cross margin.

dYdX 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 dYdX or Kraken better?: Neither clearly leads. dYdX 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, dYdX or Kraken?: dYdX starts at Free and Kraken at Free.
Does dYdX or Kraken run on more platforms?: dYdX runs on Web. Kraken runs on Web, Ios, Android.
Can I use dYdX for free?: Both have a free tier, so you can try either at no cost before committing.
What is dYdX best used for?: dYdX is most often used for defi, dex, derivatives. Of those, defi and dex are not what Kraken is typically brought in for.
What can dYdX do that Kraken cannot?: dYdX covers Perpetual Contracts, Cross Margin, Portfolio Margin, Governance. Kraken covers Spot Trading, Futures Trading, Margin Trading, Staking. Both handle Web support.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

dYdX: What type of trading does dYdX specialize in?

dYdX is a decentralized platform for perpetuals and margin trading, allowing professional traders to trade crypto derivatives without expiry dates. Built on ZK-rollup technology, it enables trading 143+ cryptocurrencies with leverage up to 50x on selected contracts.

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

dYdX: How does dYdX maintain decentralization?

dYdX governance is fully community-driven, meaning token holders decide on protocol upgrades, fee structures, and risk parameters. The platform distributes 100% of its trading fees to stakers.

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

dYdX: What are dYdX's gas fee advantages?

Built on StarkWare's ZK-rollup technology, dYdX enables trading with near-zero gas fees while users maintain full custody of their assets.

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

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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dYdX vs Kraken

dYdX

Kraken

The short version

Where they differ

What each one covers

Only in dYdX

Only in Kraken

Both cover

What people use each for

dYdX

Kraken

Where each one falls short

dYdX

Kraken

Pricing, plan by plan

dYdX

Kraken

Which should you pick?

Choose dYdX if

Choose Kraken if

Questions people ask

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Related pages

More on dYdX

More on Kraken

Keep looking

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