The ten largest exchanges, compared on what actually costs you money: entry-tier maker and taker fees, liquidity, asset breadth and track record.
Every fee on this page was checked against the exchange's own published schedule in October 2026. Fees change — each listing links its live fee page so you can confirm before you trade.
Taken from each exchange's own fee schedule, not from secondary roundups.
Ranking reflects liquidity, cost and track record. Nobody paid for a position on this list.
We explain how exchange pricing works so you can judge the list for yourself.
Maker and taker fees shown are the entry tier — what you pay before any volume discount
The largest spot venue by volume, which in practice means the tightest books and the least slippage on size. Entry-tier fees are among the lowest of any major exchange, with a further discount for paying in BNB.
Deep order books across spot and derivatives, plus a self-custody Web3 wallet built into the same app. Entry-tier fees are higher than the headline rates often quoted for OKX, so volume tiers matter here more than most.
Built around derivatives and still strongest there, with a matching engine that holds up under volatility. Flat 0.10% both sides on spot keeps the cost of entry predictable.
A publicly listed company (NASDAQ: COIN), so its finances are audited and public in a way almost no other exchange's are. You pay for that in fees — the entry tier is among the most expensive here — and the simple interface costs more again than Advanced Trade.
Operating since 2011 with no major loss-of-funds incident, which is a short list in this industry. Entry-tier fees on Kraken Pro are high and the taker side especially so, so it rewards maker orders and volume.
One of the widest selections of smaller-cap tokens anywhere, which is the reason most people use it. Flat 0.10% with a further 20% off when fees are paid in KCS.
Entry-tier spot fees, side by side
| Rank | Exchange | Rating | Maker | Taker | Founded | Best For | Action |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| #1 | Binance | 0.10% | 0.10% | 2017 | Best Overall | Visit Website | |
| #2 | OKX | 0.20% | 0.35% | 2017 | Best for Liquidity | Visit Website | |
| #3 | Bybit | 0.10% | 0.10% | 2018 | Best for Derivatives | Visit Website | |
| #4 | Coinbase | 0.40% | 0.60% | 2012 | Best for Beginners | Visit Website | |
| #5 | Kraken | 0.40% | 0.80% | 2011 | Best for Security | Visit Website | |
| #6 | KuCoin | 0.10% | 0.10% | 2017 | Best for Altcoins | Visit Website | |
| #7 | Bitget | 0.10% | 0.10% | 2018 | Best for Copy Trading | Visit Website | |
| #8 | Crypto.com | 0.25% | 0.50% | 2016 | Best Mobile App | Visit Website | |
| #9 | Bitstamp | 0.30% | 0.40% | 2011 | Longest Track Record | Visit Website | |
| #10 | Gemini | 0.60% | 1.20% | 2014 | Best for Compliance | Visit Website |
Entry-tier spot fees, verified October 2026. Volume tiers, token-payment discounts and regional rates can all change what you actually pay.
Understand order types, custody and market structure before you put money on any exchange. Our crypto library is free and takes no account.
An exchange matches your order against other users on an order book, and you generally take delivery of the coin. A broker sells you a position from its own book, often as a CFD, and you usually never hold the underlying asset. The cost structures differ too: exchanges charge a percentage commission per trade, while brokers typically earn from the spread.
A maker order adds liquidity by sitting on the book waiting to be filled. A taker order removes liquidity by filling against something already there. Exchanges want deep books, so they charge takers more and makers less. On several exchanges in this list the taker fee is double the maker fee, so using limit orders rather than market orders is one of the few reliable ways to cut your trading costs.
It varies enormously by exchange and by country, and registration is not the same as the protection you may be used to from regulated investment firms. In most jurisdictions crypto holdings are not covered by investor compensation schemes, so if an exchange fails there is often no backstop. Check what registration an exchange actually holds where you live, and what it does and does not cover, before depositing.
Holding coins on an exchange means the exchange controls the keys, and the history of this industry includes exchanges that failed with customer funds on them. Many long-term holders move anything they are not actively trading to a wallet they control. The trade-off is that self-custody puts the responsibility for key security entirely on you, and lost keys are unrecoverable.
They weigh spot liquidity, entry-tier trading costs, breadth of assets, platform depth and operating track record. They are editorial judgement, not a score from a formula, and they are not a recommendation — the right venue depends on what you trade, where you live and how much you trade. Fees shown were checked against each exchange's own published schedule in October 2026.
LearnCompareTrade.com is an educational platform only. We do not operate an exchange, provide trading services, or hold client funds. The listings and rankings on this page are informational and are not investment advice or a recommendation to use any exchange.
Crypto is high risk. Cryptoasset values are volatile and you can lose everything you put in. In most jurisdictions crypto holdings are not protected by investor compensation schemes, so if an exchange fails there may be no recourse and no compensation.
Availability varies by country. Several exchanges on this page do not accept users from every jurisdiction, and the products available differ by region. Confirm that an exchange can lawfully serve you where you live before depositing.
Fees change. Figures were verified against each exchange's own published schedule in October 2026. Always confirm current fees on the exchange's own fee page — linked from every listing above — before you trade.
Independent verification required. You are solely responsible for your own due diligence, including an exchange's security history, custody arrangements and terms of service.
Affiliate relationships. LearnCompareTrade.com may receive compensation from some companies featured on this site. This does not affect rankings, which are based on the criteria described above.