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Personal Finance · head to head

IRS2Go vs Kraken

IRS2Go logo

IRS2Go

Personal Finance

The official free mobile app of the US Internal Revenue Service for refund status and basic tax tools

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Kraken logo

Kraken

Personal Finance

Secure cryptocurrency exchange for serious traders

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Each has a real cost: IRS2Go it only covers federal IRS matters, so it is no help for state tax filing or refund status, which is a separate system in every state.; Kraken restricted in 16 jurisdictions due to compliance requirements
  • They diverge on capability: IRS2Go covers Refund status, Kraken covers Spot Trading.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 1 September 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which IRS2Go and Kraken actually diverge.

Attributes where IRS2Go and Kraken differ
AttributeIRS2GoKraken
Pricing modelFree government app, no payment of any kindfreemium
PlatformsiOS, AndroidWeb, Ios, Android
FoundedUnknown2011

Identical on both: starting price (Free), free tier (Yes), 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 IRS2Go

  • Refund status
  • IRS Direct Pay
  • Free File links
  • VITA and TCE locator
  • Security alerts
  • Multilingual 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.

IRS2Go

  • Checking the status of a federal tax refund after filingnot Kraken
  • Making an IRS tax payment or setting up a payment plan from a phonenot Kraken
  • Finding a free in-person tax preparation site for eligible taxpayersnot Kraken
  • Verifying whether an IRS-related message or call is a known scam patternnot Kraken

Kraken

  • Exchangesnot IRS2Go
  • Tradingnot IRS2Go
  • Stakingnot IRS2Go

Where each one falls short

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

IRS2Go

  • It only covers federal IRS matters, so it is no help for state tax filing or refund status, which is a separate system in every state.
  • Refund status information is not real time and can lag actual processing, which frequently confuses users expecting instant updates.
  • It is not a full tax filing tool, so users still need separate tax preparation software or a preparer to actually file a return.
  • Its usefulness is entirely seasonal, concentrated around the US tax filing period each year, with little reason to open it the rest of the time.
  • As with any official government app, it has been targeted by lookalike phishing apps and messages impersonating it, so users need to confirm they have the genuine IRS-published app.

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

IRS2Go

Free
  • FreeFree
    • No ads, no in-app purchases, no subscription

Kraken

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

Which should you pick?

Choose IRS2Go if

  • You need refund status.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on iOS, Android.
  • You also want irs direct pay.
IRS2Go 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 IRS2Go or Kraken better?
Neither clearly leads. IRS2Go 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, IRS2Go or Kraken?
IRS2Go starts at Free and Kraken at Free.
Does IRS2Go or Kraken run on more platforms?
IRS2Go runs on iOS, Android. Kraken runs on Web, Ios, Android.
Can I use IRS2Go for free?
Both have a free tier, so you can try either at no cost before committing.
What is IRS2Go best used for?
IRS2Go is most often used for checking the status of a federal tax refund after filing, making an irs tax payment or setting up a payment plan from a phone, finding a free in-person tax preparation site for eligible taxpayers, verifying whether an irs-related message or call is a known scam pattern. Of those, checking the status of a federal tax refund after filing and making an irs tax payment or setting up a payment plan from a phone are not what Kraken is typically brought in for.
What can IRS2Go do that Kraken cannot?
IRS2Go covers Refund status, IRS Direct Pay, Free File links, VITA and TCE locator. Kraken covers Spot Trading, Futures Trading, Margin Trading, Staking.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

IRS2Go: Does IRS2Go cost anything?

No, it is a free US government app with no payment, ads or subscription of any kind.

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
IRS2Go: Can I file my full tax return in IRS2Go?

No, it links to Free File partner software and other resources but is not itself a full tax filing product.

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
IRS2Go: Does it work for state tax refunds?

No, it only covers federal IRS refund status and payments, not state tax systems.

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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