80% of the community prefer Kraken.

Kraken vs KuCoin

General

Description

Kraken Logo
Kraken

Kraken is one of the most established crypto platforms globally, founded in 2011. It has a strong track record of security and regulatory compliance and is known for a clean, user-friendly app and fair fees. Alongside simple instant buys for beginners, Kraken Pro offers advanced order types and tools for more experienced traders.

Kraken review
KuCoin Logo
KuCoin

The trading platform KuCoin operates under the motto “The People’s Exchange” and is among the largest exchanges worldwide. The platform impresses with a vast selection of cryptocurrencies and low fees. New coins are often available for trading long before they are listed on more well-known exchanges.

KuCoin review

Pros and cons

Kraken Logo
Kraken

What we like:

  • Easy to use
  • High reputation and trust
  • Robust regulatory compliance
  • Helpful customer support
  • Low fees with Kraken Pro

What we don't like:

  • High fees and spreads
KuCoin Logo
KuCoin

What we like:

  • Large selection of cryptocurrencies
  • Extensive platform features
  • Lower fees for spot trading

What we don't like:

  • Complex for beginners
  • Mixed user reviews
  • Limited regulatory oversight
  • No US access

Preview

Kraken Logo
Kraken
KuCoin Logo
KuCoin

Fees

Fees
KrakenKuCoin
Trading fees
1.00%
average
0.10%
low
Spread
1.70%
high
2.20%
high
Total fees
2.70%
high
2.30%
high
Kraken feesKuCoin fees
Cost transparency
Medium
Low

Details

Details
KrakenKuCoin
Number of cryptocurrencies
650+
large selection
1,000+
large selection
Payment methods
  • Bank
  • Credit card
  • PayPal
  • Apple Pay
  • Bank
  • Credit card
  • Apple Pay
Tradeable assets
  • Cryptocurrencies
  • Derivatives
  • Cryptocurrencies
Best suited for
Beginners
Advanced users
Company headquarters
USA
Singapore, Seychelles
Founding year
2011
2017
Social media
1.72M followers
3.54M followers
Own token

KuCoin Token (KCS)

Benefits:

  • Discount on fees
  • Access to token sales
  • Faster support

Features

Features
KrakenKuCoin
Real crypto
Yes
Yes
Transferable to own wallet
Yes
Yes
Recurring buys (DCA)
Yes
Yes
Staking
Yes
Yes
NFT marketplace
No
Yes
Trading tools
Yes
Yes
Trading options
  • Kraken Pro for trading
  • Derivatives
  • Margin trading (leverage)
  • Short/long positions
  • Derivatives
  • Margin trading (leverage)
  • Short/long positions
Crypto trading platforms
Two-factor authentication
Yes
Yes
Special features
  • Trading bots
  • Earn crypto interest through staking & lending
  • Features for professional traders
iOS App
Yes
Yes
Android App
Yes
Yes

Our rating

Our rating
KrakenKuCoin
Our overall rating
Kraken
KuCoin

Our individual ratings

Ease of use
Kraken: 10 of 10
Ease of use (Kraken)
KuCoin: 7 of 10
Ease of use (KuCoin)
Kraken Logo
KuCoin Logo
complexsimple
Features
Kraken: 10 of 10
Features (Kraken)
KuCoin: 7 of 10
Features (KuCoin)
Kraken Logo
KuCoin Logo
basiccomprehensive
Fees
Kraken: 4 of 10
Fees (Kraken)
KuCoin: 5 of 10
Fees (KuCoin)
Kraken Logo
KuCoin Logo
highlow
Security & trust
Kraken: 9 of 10
Security & trust (Kraken)
KuCoin: 6 of 10
Security & trust (KuCoin)
Kraken Logo
KuCoin Logo
weakstrong
Beginner-friendliness
Kraken: 9 of 10
Beginner-friendliness (Kraken)
KuCoin: 6 of 10
Beginner-friendliness (KuCoin)
Kraken Logo
KuCoin Logo
unsuitableideal
Support
Kraken: 9 of 10
Support (Kraken)
KuCoin: 6 of 10
Support (KuCoin)
Kraken Logo
KuCoin Logo
poorexcellent

Our opinion

Kraken Logo
Kraken
Kraken is a reliable choice for users who value security, clear regulation and a polished user experience. The platform is regulated in multiple jurisdictions and has earned a strong reputation over many years. It is known for consistent compliance and a strong focus on safeguarding client assets, from custody practices through to resilient infrastructure. On pricing, Kraken Pro is usually the more cost effective way to trade, while instant buys via certain payment methods are convenient but can carry higher fees. The app feels modern, fast and stable, which makes day to day use straightforward. What stood out in our own testing is customer support. Responses were fast, helpful and solution oriented, which is not something you can take for granted with a platform of this size. We also use Kraken ourselves because of its dependable infrastructure, sensible Pro pricing and solid security setup. For newcomers, the standard app keeps things simple without feeling limiting. Kraken Pro is better suited to experienced users who want deeper tools, advanced order types and more control over execution.
Kraken review
KuCoin Logo
KuCoin
KuCoin is particularly well-suited for those interested in trading more exotic altcoins. Few other exchanges offer such an enormous selection and variety of coins. However, instant purchase costs are relatively high due to the spread included in the price, despite no visible trading fees being charged. For lower costs, users can switch to spot trading (from 0.1% maker/taker fees). While the platform is fairly well-organized, it may still feel overwhelming for beginners, which is why we'd recommend KuCoin to somewhat more experienced investors. KuCoin offers various security features, but doesn't enjoy the highest level of trust due to a lack of regulation and an opaque company headquarters. We've also come across rather mixed user reviews in our research. We like using KuCoin as a supplementary exchange for buying coins that aren't yet listed on the more well-known platforms.
KuCoin review

User reviews

User reviews
KrakenKuCoin
Overall rating
3.5/5
3.5/5
App Store
4.5/5

around 2,300 ratings

4.7/5

around 2,700 ratings

Google Play Store
4.2/5

around 44,000 ratings

4.5/5

around 269,000 ratings

Trustpilot
1.9/5

around 3,500 ratings

1.4/5

around 1,400 ratings

User rating

Powered by AI
Kraken Logo
Kraken
Overall, users have had mostly positive experiences with Kraken. The platform is praised for its wide range of cryptocurrencies, advanced trading options, and security measures. However, some users have expressed a desire for improvements in customer service and platform stability.
KuCoin Logo
KuCoin
Overall, users have had mostly positive experiences with KuCoin. The platform is praised for its wide range of cryptocurrencies, advanced trading options, and security measures. However, some users have expressed a desire for improvements in customer service and platform stability.

Company

Company
KrakenKuCoin
Company
Payward, Inc.
Mek Global Limited
Headquarters
USA
Singapore, Seychelles
Company size
Large
Medium
Regulation
MiCA (PESL), FinCEN, FINTRAC, AUSTRAC, MiFID II
Founder
Jesse Powell
Kent Li
Founding year
2011
2017

How does our comparison work?

Data & Interfaces

Our market data is automatically updated every 15 minutes. This means you can always use the latest data for your comparisons. We obtain the data through web interfaces (API) from CoinGecko, DefiLlama, CoinCodex and many more

Research & Deepdive

We regularly sift through a jungle of technical whitepapers, websites, social media and forums for you. In doing so, we filter out essential and relevant information in order to present it to you clearly and comprehensibly in our comparison

Analysis & Valuation

We research and use analysis tools for blockchains and their networks, to form a fact-based foundation for our valuation. Please note that this is not an investment recommendation, but merely our personal opinion.

Community & Feedback

We check our information every 1-2 months to ensure it is up to date and correct. With the help of our community, we can find outdated or incorrect data even faster. Of course, we also welcome your feedback or suggestions for improvement!