VS 
Coinbase vs Kraken (2026)
Compared on verified data — same methodology, same fact database, every pair.
Ad disclosure: both 'Visit' buttons are affiliate links*. It never affects scores or rankings. How we make money
Choose Coinbase if…
- → holding an AFSL matters to you
- → a clean incident record matters to you
Choose Kraken if…
- → you want a wider coin range (420+ vs 260+)
- → you'll use market orders — 0.25% beats 0.4%
- → you just want our higher-scored pick (8.4 vs 8.2)
Side by side
| Our score | 8.2/10 | 8.4/10 better |
|---|---|---|
| Maker / taker fee | 0.4% / 0.6% | 0.25% / 0.4% better |
| Instant-buy fee | 0.6% | — |
| Coins listed | 260+ | 420+ better |
| AUD withdrawal fee | Free | Free |
| AUD deposit methods | PayID · Bank transfer · Card | PayID · Osko · Card |
| Demo mode | ✕ No | ✕ No |
| SMSF support | ✕ No | ✕ No |
| Australian-based | No | No |
| Full AFSL | ✓ Licensed better | Transitional |
| Incidents on record | ✓ None better | ⚠ 1 |
| Best for | global reach | active traders |
Coinbase leads 2 rows, Kraken leads 3 — what matters is which rows matter to you. Try any other matchup in the comparison tool · sources: Coinbase review, Kraken review
What a A$1,000 buy costs on each
Headline fees only — we don't yet hold a verified spread estimate for either platform. The spread is real money on an instant buy, so both cost more than the figures below; the fee is the part we can compare like for like.
Coinbase - Instant buy
- A$6.00
- Market order
- A$4.00
Kraken - Instant buy
- not verified
- Market order
- A$2.50
Using market orders it's A$1.50. Fees are per trade, so multiply by how often you buy.
What you can actually buy on each
Counted against the 152 coins we track, and re-checked against each platform's own public asset list every day — not the headline number on their marketing pages.
| Coins we track that it lists | 102 | 129 |
|---|---|---|
| Priced directly in AUD | 1 | 12 |
| On this one only | 2 | 29 |
100 of the coins we track are on both. Only on Coinbase: Kite, Illuvium. Only on Kraken: TRON, Monero, Ethena USDe, Dai, Canton and 24 more.
What is on each one's record
Hacks, penalties, licence changes and ownership changes we hold a source for. An empty record means we have not recorded an event, not that nothing has ever happened.
Coinbase - ✅ licence granted 8 Apr 2026 First crypto exchange granted a full AFSL by ASIC · source
Kraken - ⚖️ penalty 12 Dec 2024 ASIC: Kraken operator Bit Trade to pay A$8M over margin product · source
FAQ
Which is better, Coinbase or Kraken?
It depends what you optimise for: Coinbase wins when holding an AFSL matters to you; Kraken wins when you want a wider coin range (420+ vs 260+). Both are AUSTRAC-registered.
Can I use both Coinbase and Kraken?
Yes — many Australians keep accounts on two exchanges: one for cheap market orders, one for range or features. There is no cost to holding both accounts.
Are these comparisons affected by commissions?
No. Both Visit buttons are affiliate links, but every number on this page renders from our verified fact database and the comparison logic is identical for every pair we publish.
General information only, not financial advice. Verify current fees before trading. Facts on this page last verified 2026-07-22.