Choosing a crypto exchange is a huge decision. There are over 1,100 cryptocurrency exchanges out there – so selecting a legitimate exchange to trade coins is incredibly important! And, if you want to avoid the high fees and security vulnerabilities that some exchanges have, you’ll want to do your research. That’s where a reputable crypto exchange comes in.
To choose a great crypto exchange, you’ll need to look at a few things: 1. Security of the exchange, and 2. Low or reasonable trading fees. So you should be looking for exchanges that cover mainly those two things.
In my trading experience, I’ve come across (and tested) tons of crypto exchanges. I promise you; they are not all created equally. Reputable exchanges enable you to:
- Easily buy and sell a variety of coins
- Keep your cryptocurrencies safe with multi-level security options
- Allow you to transfer your coins to other exchanges or wallets
- Obtain quick and reliable customer service
I’ve put together a list that includes the 8 best crypto exchanges (plus some new crypto exchanges that were just released) that will help you buy, sell, and trade your cryptocurrencies safely and quickly. Here, we’re talking about some of the big-hitting exchanges that will help you get started on your journey!
Disclaimer: Some articles on this blog contain affiliate links that Cryptocurrency Haus receives a small commission from at no cost to you. We only recommend exchanges we trust. And never ones we don’t trust. Read more in our privacy policy.
What Are The Best Crypto Exchanges?
The eight best crypto exchanges will help you invest confidently in Bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies. I’ve only included exchanges that I think are worth considering as your primary cryptocurrency exchange.
1. Gemini – Best Crypto Exchange Overall
Lifehack: Get $50 of FREE Bitcoin for signing up with the link above.
About Gemini
Gemini is one of the most tried and tested crypto exchanges out there. Founded in 2015 by the infamous Tyler and Cameron Winklevoss twins, the exchange offers over 40 cryptocurrencies and tools for beginners and experienced traders alike. Gemini provides a pretty solid education hub that allows users to research the best ways to use the platform.
I’ve used Gemini for years and can appreciate the straightforward interface it provides. Buying and selling are straightforward, and this exchange is available to U.S. and international users.
Cryptocurrency Variety on Gemini
Gemini offers over 40 cryptocurrencies, each with its own withdrawal fees. Bitcoin, Ethereum, Dogecoin, and other top coins are offered, along with a nice variety of altcoin options. Top coins offered on Gemini include:
| Bitcoin (BTC) | Ethereum (ETH) |
| Cardano (ADA) | XRP (XRP) |
| Dogecoin (DOGE) | Polkadot (DOT) |
| Solana (SOL) | Uniswap (UNI) |
| Bitcoin Cash (BCH) | Chainlink (LINK) |
| Litecoin (LTC) | Polygon (MATIC) |
| Wrapped Bitcoin (WBTC) | Stellar (XLM) |
| Filecoin (FIL) | Dai (DAI) |
| Aave (AAVE) | EOS (EOS) |
| The Graph (GRT) | Cosmos (ATOM) |
Ease of Use of Gemini Exchange
- Gemini has something for beginners and experienced investors alike – if you want to simply buy and hold, you can. And if you’re going to do more complex trading, there are advanced options for that too.
- The interface is easy to learn with a bit of clicking around and exploring. Gemini offers educational resources as well to help new users.
Customer Support
I’ve found customer support has come a long way. As the exchange has grown, customer support has progressively gotten better. This is always a huge selling point for me. If anything happens with my account, I like to know the support team is on my case! Gemini has yet to prove otherwise.
Gemini Fees
Gemini, like every other exchange, charges certain fees for using the exchange. Withdrawal fees will kick in once you’ve withdrawn ten or more times in a month.
When you buy or sell cryptocurrencies on Gemini, you’ll be charged a “convenience†and a transaction fee. Convenience fees are around 0.5% of the market price of the coin you buy. Example: Ethereum is trading for $25,000, and you buy 1 ETH. You would pay $125 in convenience fees based on this market price.
The transaction fee is an additional 1.49% which is relatively industry-standard. I highly recommend trading on Gemini’s ActiveTrader service as soon as possible. This interface is much more advanced (for experienced traders), but the fees are much lower!
Security
Gemini has been around for a while now, so it has had the time to build up its security measures and protocols. Gemini states that most of the cryptocurrency it houses is held in offline cold storage. This essentially means they store it on hardware offline and is typically the safest way to store cryptocurrency.
Gemini also offers 2FA, which I highly recommend as well as an insanely strong password. If anyone hacks your account, you’ll be unable to recover or be reimbursed for your funds.
Overall Thoughts From Our Experts
Gemini is a tried-and-true exchange that offers something for experienced and new investors. The Gemini Earn program is particularly appealing – offering 7.4% APY on your cryptocurrency investments! The only criticism we have on this exchange is that fees can be higher than some other exchanges. But for the simplicity of use and educational tools this exchange offers, the benefits to true beginners may outweigh the small, additional costs.
2. Coinbase – Best Crypto Exchange for Beginners
Lifehack: Get $5 in FREE Bitcoin and $32 in free Crypto if you sign up today with the link above.
About Coinbase
Coinbase is the most established crypto exchange in the U.S. The exchange offers over 50 different cryptocurrencies and opportunities to earn free cryptocurrency by completing learning modules on Coinbase Earn. Coinbase is also insured in the event that the website gets hacked.
Coinbase holds a special place in my heart as one of the first exchanges I ever used when it was released. However, the fees can be a bit high in exchange for the beginner-friendly interface and tools.
Cryptocurrency Variety: Coinbase offers over 50 coins to buy, sell, and trade. You’ll find the household cryptocurrencies, as well as vetted altcoins. Some of the offerings include:
| Bitcoin (BTC) | Ethereum (ETH) |
| Cardano (ADA) | Tether (USDT) |
| Dogecoin (DOGE) | USD Coin (USDC) |
| Polkadot (DOT) | Solana (SOL) |
| Bitcoin Cash (BCH) | Uniswap (UNI) |
| Litecoin (LTC) | Polygon (MATIC) |
| Chainlink (LINK) | Internet Computer (ICP) |
| Wrapped Bitcoin (WBTC) | Ethereum Classic (ETC) |
| Stellar Lumens (XLM) | VeChain (VET) |
| THETA (THETA) | Filecoin (FIL) |
Ease of Use of Coinbase Exchange
Coinbase is simple to use for beginner investors and easy to get started. The platform makes everything easy – from verification to purchasing your first cryptocurrencies. More experienced users can also opt to use Coinbase Pro, which offers additional features and (hint, hint) lower fees.
Customer Support
I believe Coinbase support is some of the best out there. Coinbase is an established, publically traded business. Because of being a more established company, they’ve invested more in their customer support team. The support team here is a win in my eyes.
Coinbase Fees
Fees on Coinbase aren’t bad and are competitive with other top exchanges if you know how to minimize them. This is simply due to how easy they make the buying and selling features.
If you want to cut down on fees for a slight decrease in ease of use, move your cryptocurrency to Coinbase Pro. You can also massively cut down fees by connecting a bank account rather than using a debit card. Fees for Coinbase Pro are below:
| Pricing Tier | Taker Fees | Maker Fees |
|---|---|---|
| Up to $1.00* | 0.00% | 0.04% |
| $1.00 – 10K | 0.50% | 0.50% |
| $10K – 50K | 0.35% | 0.35% |
| $50K – 100K | 0.25% | 0.15% |
| $100K – 1M | 0.20% | 0.10% |
| $1M – 20M | 0.18% | 0.08% |
| $20M – 100M | 0.15% | 0.05% |
| $100M – 500M | 0.10% | 0.02% |
| $500M – 1B | 0.06% | 0.00% |
| $1B – 2B | 0.05% | 0.00% |
| $2B + | 0.04% | 0.00% |
Security
Similar to Gemini, Coinbase holds most of the cryptocurrency in offline, cold storage. This ensures hackers would not have access to the majority of the crypto that Coinbase holds.
One thing to note is that, similar to other exchanges, Coinbase does not insure your crypto against hacks to your account. If your account gets compromised, you’re out of luck. Coinbase ONLY insures your funds if a hack occurs related to Coinbase cybersecurity measures or insider theft.
In regards to login security, Coinbase offers all of the industry-standard account security measures such as 2FA.
Overall Thoughts From Our Experts
Coinbase is an excellent choice for beginner investors. The Coinbase team has invested a lot of time and dollars into an intuitive UI. Coinbase also adds an exciting twist to its exchange by offering free cryptocurrency to its users for completing educational learning modules. However, our team finds the fees of Coinbase to be high compared to other exchanges. Read our full Coinbase review here.
3. Binance.US – Best Crypto Exchange Without Verification
Lifehack: Use the links above to signup and get a $15 welcome bonus as well as a 40% discount on trading fees.
About Binance.US
Binance.US is the U.S. version of Binance. This crypto exchange was launched in 2019 and is based in San Francisco, California. Originally, Binance was the primary exchange for worldwide users. Because of compliance issues, it has to split into two platforms: Binance and Binance.US. Binance hosts international traders, while Binance.US is exclusively for U.S. customers.
Cryptocurrency Variety
Binance.US offers over 50 trading pairs. The exchange offers top cryptocurrencies such as Bitcoin and Ethereum, as well as altcoins. However, it does not offer as many trading pairs as the parent company, Binance. Some of the cryptocurrencies Binance.US offers are below:
| Bitcoin (BTC) | Ethereum (ETH) |
| Cardano (ADA) | Dogecoin (DOGE) |
| Solana (SOL) | USD Coin (USDC) |
| Polkadot (DOT) | VeChain (VET) |
| Tether US (USDT) | Polygon (MATIC) |
| Harmony (ONE) | Sushi (SUSHI) |
| Algorand (ALGO) | BNB (BNB) |
| Chainlink (LINK) | Helium (HNT) |
| VeThor Token (VTHO) | Compound (COMP) |
| The Graph (GRT) | Cosmos (ATOM) |
Ease of Use
I find the Binance.US app and Binance.US website very user-friendly. There is a bit of a learning curve when you trade on the “Market†tab for beginners. This is only if you want to place stop-loss orders, limit orders, etc. If you are simply buying and selling at the Market price, the interface is easy to navigate to buy and sell coins. I like the pie-chart feature that the dashboard offers, which quickly shows you the diversity of your portfolio.
Customer Support
I’ll be completely upfront about this one. The support on BinanceUS is pretty terrible. Personally, I’ve had multiple support ticket issues, and it has taken their team months sometimes to respond.
As long as you don’t have any account issues, then you may not need to worry about this. However, until this exchange invests more in their support staff, they will continue to get low marks from me.
Fees
Binance.US fees are anywhere from 0.1% to 0.5%, depending on the payment method used. The fees are low compared to other exchanges.
| Level | 30d Trade Volume (USD) | BNB Balance | Maker / Taker | Maker/TakerBNB 25% off |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| VIP 0 | < 50,000.00 USD | ≥ 0 BNB | 0.1000% / 0.1000% | 0.0750% / 0.0750% |
| VIP 1 | ≥ 50,000.00 USD | ≥ 50 BNB | 0.0900% / 0.0900% | 0.0675% / 0.0675% |
| VIP 2 | ≥ 100,000.00 USD | ≥ 100 BNB | 0.0800% / 0.0900% | 0.0600% / 0.0675% |
| VIP 3 | ≥ 500,000.00 USD | ≥ 200 BNB | 0.0700% / 0.0800% | 0.0525% / 0.0600% |
| VIP 4 | ≥ 1,000,000.00 USD | ≥ 400 BNB | 0.0500% / 0.0700% | 0.0375% / 0.0525% |
| VIP 5 | ≥ 5,000,000.00 USD | ≥ 800 BNB | 0.0400% / 0.0600% | 0.0300% / 0.0450% |
| VIP 6 | ≥ 10,000,000.00 USD | ≥ 1500 BNB | 0.0000% / 0.0600% | 0.0000% / 0.0450% |
| VIP 7 | ≥ 25,000,000.00 USD | ≥ 2500 BNB | 0.0000% / 0.0500% | 0.0000% / 0.0375% |
| VIP 8 | ≥ 100,000,000.00 USD | ≥ 4000 BNB | 0.0000% / 0.0400% | 0.0000% / 0.0300% |
| VIP 9 | ≥ 250,000,000.00 USD | ≥ 6000 BNB | 0.0000% / 0.0300% | 0.0000% / 0.0225% |
| VIP 10 | ≥ 500,000,000.00 USD | ≥ 6000 BNB | 0.0000% / 0.0200% | 0.0000% / 0.0150% |
Security
Binance.US is ranked the third most secure crypto exchange, alongside Coinbase and Kraken. 2FA and account verification methods are offered as well for additional security. I always recommend setting up 2FA and a long password for any of these exchanges.
Overall Thoughts from Our Experts
Binance.US is a good choice for those looking for lower trading fees. Due to the lower costs, we think Binance.US is a good choice for U.S. customers. However, one must note that Binance.US does not offer as many trading pairs as its parent site, Binance. Binance.US is also not as advanced yet compared to Binance in software bugs and maturing the platform. Check out our full review of Binance to learn more.
4. Kraken – Best Crypto Exchange for Low Fees
Lifehack: Use the link above to signup and get 20% off trading fees
About Kraken Exchange
Kraken was founded in 2011 and is one of the few cryptocurrency exchanges that is a U.S.-based company. It’s one of the oldest cryptocurrency exchanges on the market, which makes it a popular choice for many investors. Jesse Powell founded Kraken after the closing of the cryptocurrency exchange, Mt Gox.
Cryptocurrency Variety
Kraken offers 86 of the most popular cryptocurrencies, as well as many up-and-coming altcoins. Some coins that Kraken offers are as follows:
| Bitcoin (BTC) | Ethereum (ETH) |
| Cardano (ADA) | Tether US (USDT) |
| Ripple (XRP) | Dogecoin (DOGE) |
| Polkadot (DOT) | USD Coin (USDC) |
| Solana (SOL) | Uniswap (UNI) |
| Bitcoin Cash (BCH) | Chainlink (LINK) |
| Litecoin (LTC) | Polygon (MATIC) |
| Wrapped Bitcoin (WBTC) | Lumen (XLM) |
| Ethereum Classic (ETC) | Filecoin (FIL) |
| Tron (TRX) | Dai (DAI) |
Ease of Use
I find Kraken very easy to use. This exchange has had years to perfect its user interface and design. Kraken also offers a simple app that makes trading on the go simple. Some of the advanced trading options may be complicated for beginner investors to understand.
Customer Support
Kraken offers a help center as well as a 24/7 live chat option to help resolve any account or trading issues. An email support option is also available. There isn’t a huge emphasis on customer support, but it gets the job done.
Kraken Exchange Fees
You can save on fees by using Kraken Pro instead of using the “Instant Buy” feature. Kraken’s fee schedule can be found below:
| 30- Day Volume (USD) | Maker | Taker |
|---|---|---|
| $0 – $50,000 | 0.16% | 0.26% |
| $50,001 – $100,000 | 0.14% | 0.24% |
| $100,001 – $250,000 | 0.12% | 0.22% |
| $250,001 – $500,000 | 0.10% | 0.20% |
| $500,001 – $1,000,000 | 0.08% | 0.18% |
| $1,000,001 – $2,500,000 | 0.06% | 0.16% |
| $2,500,001 – $5,000,000 | 0.04% | 0.14% |
| $5,000,001 – $10,000,000 | 0.02% | 0.12% |
| $10,000,000+ | 0.00% | 0.10% |
Security
Kraken exchange boasts a world-class security team and features. 95% of all deposits are kept in an offline, cold-storage environment. The servers are also kept under 24/7 security surveillance. Some of the other security features that Kraken mentions are: 2FA, withdrawal email confirmations, account timeout protection, and much more.
Overall Thoughts from Our Experts
Kraken is a top exchange that is a good choice for experienced investors looking for more advanced trading options. This exchange is also a solid choice for newer investors looking to expand their choice of cryptocurrencies to invest in.
5. Crypto.com – Best Crypto Exchange for Credit Card
Lifehack: Get $50 of FREE CRO coin for signing up with the link above.
About Crypto.com Exchange
Crypto.com has been an up-and-coming exchange providing cryptocurrency tradings services over a few different products, including credit card offerings. This exchange is one of the fastest-growing exchanges since launching in 2016.
Crypto.com currently has over 900 employees and over 10 million active users on its exchange.
Cryptocurrency Variety
Crypto.com offers over 100 cryptocurrencies to buy, sell, and trade. The most popular cryptocurrencies offered on Crypto.com can be found here:
| Bitcoin (BTC) | Ethereum (ETH) |
| Litecoin (LTC) | CRO (CRO) |
| Enjin (ENJ) | Basic Attention Token (BAT) |
| Paxos Standard (PAX) | USD Coin (USDC) |
| OMG Network (OMG) | Kyber Network (KNC) |
| 0x (ZRX) | Chainlink (LINK) |
| Origin (OGN) | Algorand (ALGO) |
| Elrond (eGLD) | Band Protocol (BAND) |
| XSGD (XSGD) | Filecoin (FIL) |
| Polkadot (DOT) | Balancer (BAL) |
Ease of Use
I think Crypto.com is one of the most beginner-friendly options on the market. Many new investors are jumping into this exchange, mainly due to its sleek phone app design. Users can quickly buy, sell and trade cryptocurrencies from their phones and on the go.
Customer Support
Crypto.com offers a help center as well as email support and live chat. I’ve personally not had many issues with their product, so have not had the chance to thoroughly test the support feature. But, from other user reviews, it seems pretty solid.
Fees
Crypto.com fee schedule can be found below:
| LEVEL | 30D TRADING VOLUME (USD) | MAKER | TAKER |
|---|---|---|---|
| LEVEL 1 | $0 – $25,000 | 0.4% | 0.4% |
| LEVEL 2 | $25,001 – $50,000 | 0.35% | 0.35% |
| LEVEL 3 | $50,001 – $100,000 | 0.15% | 0.25% |
| LEVEL 4 | $100,001 – $250,000 | 0.1% | 0.16% |
| LEVEL 5 | $250,001 – $1,000,000 | 0.09% | 0.15% |
| LEVEL 6 | $1,000,001 – $20,000,000 | 0.08% | 0.14% |
| LEVEL 7 | $20,000,001 – $100,000,000 | 0.07% | 0.13% |
| LEVEL 8 | $100,000,001 – $200,000,000 | 0.06% | 0.12% |
| LEVEL 9 | $200,000,001 and above | 0.04% | 0.1% |
Security
Crypto.com is under strict regulations which makes it a safe choice. Deposits and withdrawals are screened for compliance. It also has a security team to monitor transactions. If you are a cybersecurity geek, Crypto.com also has ISO/IEC 27701:2019, CCSS Level 3, ISO/IEC 27001:2013, and PCI-DSS v3.2.1 Level 1 compliance for cybersecurity and privacy.
Overall Thoughts from Our Experts
Crypto.com is a good choice for beginner investors. If one is looking for staking options, Crypto.com is a solid option and also for those looking for a competitive credit card offering with good benefits. You can learn more about Crypto.com in our full expert review.
6. KuCoin – Best Crypto Exchange for Altcoins
Lifehack: Use the signup link above to save 10% on fees while using KuCoin.
About KuCoin
KuCoin launched in August of 2017, so is a long-time player in the exchange space. The team seems to frequently be updating the exchange and offerings I’ve tested KuCoin since 2017, and it remains close to my heart as a top exchange with user-friendly features.
Cryptocurrency Variety
KuCoin has over 750 trading pairs. This makes the exchange attractive to investors looking for a wide variety of coins to invest in and trade. Keep in mind, that with more coin trading options typically comes more chance of risk in what you choose to invest in. The top 20 coins on KuCoin are listed below. A full list of coins available on KuCoin can be found here.
| Bitcoin (BTC) | Ethereum (ETH) |
| Ripple (XRP) | Terra (LUNA) |
| Verasity (VRA) | Dogecoin (DOGE) |
| VeChain (VET) | Polkadot (DOT) |
| BNB (BNB) | Polygon (MATIC) |
| Telcoin (TEL) | Chainlink (LINK) |
| KuCoin (KCS) | Internet Computer (ICP) |
| Algorand (ALGO) | Cosmos (ATOM) |
| EOS.io (EOS) | Stellar (XLM) |
| Kusama (KSM) | Trias Token(TRIAS) |
Ease of Use
KuCoin has made dramatic enhancements throughout the years on their exchange and making it more user-friendly. The interface is easy to navigate with some practice and offers features for both beginner and experienced investors.
Customer Support
KuCoin offers a help center along with 24/7 live chat support. Customer support takes a while to solve issues, so this is definitely something to keep in mind when choosing this exchange. Many users have filed complaints against the customer service of KuCoin.
KuCoin Fees
KuCoin’s fee schedule can be found below:
Security
KuCoin offers standard exchange security along with 2FA. I highly recommend always using 2FA along with a no matter which exchanges you choose.
Overall Thoughts from Our Experts
KuCoin is a decent exchange choice for new and experienced investors. What this exchange lacks in support services is made up through the variety of coin offerings. You can learn more about KuCoin in the full review.
7. Bittrex – Best Crypto Exchange for Customer Service
Lifehack: Use the link above to signup and get the highest bonus trading amount.
About Bittrex
Bittrex is a leading cryptocurrency exchange based in Seattle but has users from all over the world. Bittrex offers high-end security as well as beginner-friendly features and a wide range of cryptocurrency trading pairs. One of the major selling points is their range of crypto coins. Bittrex was found by a group of cybersecurity experts and hasn’t had any hacks since its exception.
Cryptocurrency Variety
Bittrex offers a wide variety of cryptocurrency trading pairs. The list of a few of the top coins can be found below.
| Bitcoin (BTC) | Ethereum (ETH) |
| Cardano (ADA) | Terra (LUNA) |
| Tether US (USDT) | Dogecoin (DOGE) |
| Hedera Hashgraph (HBAR) | Digibyte (DGB) |
| Litecoin (LTC) | Algorand (ALGO) |
| WAXP (WAXP) | Chainlink (LINK) |
| Polygon (MATIC) | Stellar (XLM) |
| RavenCoin (XVM) | Bitcoin Cash (BCH) |
| USD Coin (USDC) | EOS (EOS) |
| Ethereum Classic (ETC) | Siacoin (SC) |
Ease of Use
Depending on if you are a U.S. or global client, the usage will vary slightly. The only real main difference is that the U.S. version offers fewer coins. However, both versions of the exchange offer plenty of cryptocurrency options to choose from.
Customer Support
Bittrex offers a few methods of customer support. The first being a self-help area and directory of FAQs. Bittrex also offers email support and live chat to its users.
Fees
Bittrex opiates a flat fee of 0.25% that is applied to all pairs and volume levels. This is in line with other crypto exchanges. There are no fees for funding the accounts though Bittrex may apply a fee for sending a transaction. Withdrawals, Bittrex recently introduced a fiat functionality. You can directly convert fiat current inro over 250 different altcoins. For personal accounts, the minimal deposit is $1000 and the minimum withdrawal is $50.
Security
If you like to trade anonymously, you’ll be disappointed to know that Bittrex offers KYC verification. If you want to trade, you’ll need to identify yourself. Verification is currently efficient. Bittrex has an advanced trading platform with integrated trading view software to help with charting.
Overall Thoughts from Our Experts
Bittrex is a top contender as an exchange. They offer strong security and extensive assets. While KYC may annoy some traders, the fiat funding may make up for it. Learn more on the full Bittrex review.
8. Klever – Best New Crypto Exchange
About
Klever is a brand new cryptocurrency exchange, currently offered on Android and iOS devices. You can read a comprehensive review on Klever Exchange here.
Best Crypto Exchange: Frequently Asked Questions
What is the best crypto exchange for altcoins?
What is the most trusted crypto exchange?
What is the best crypto exchange in the USA?
What is the best crypto exchange for beginners?
Review Methodology
Cryptocurrency Haus has an in-depth review process that effectively analyzes, tests, and ranks the most popular crypto exchanges, along with startup players in the space. Our process uses an iterative approach which is revisited as needed. We take pride in our independent audit of companies to help visitors, like you, get the information you need to make educated decisions.
Review Process
We collect product and service information directly from company websites, and we undergo first-hand testing and/or evaluation based on company presentations. External reviews by real users may be used in helping to determine a conclusive rating.
Rating Factors
We take weighted averages of consistent markers for each crypto exchange such as security, variety of cryptocurrency, fee schedules, customer service, etc. Based on our iterative process, weightings may change depending on changes in factors that occur through the company.
Updates to Reviews
Our team re-evaluates almost all reviews at least annually and makes adjustments throughout each calendar year. Companies are encouraged to reach out with any new updates that our team may miss.
