Bitpanda vs Kraken Comparison
Bitpanda and Kraken are practically level in our overall rating, 4.3 to 4.2 out of 5 points. On disclosed fees the two are level, € 9.90 at Bitpanda and € 10.00 at Kraken per €1,000 purchase. If you care most about support, Bitpanda has the better sub-score, while Kraken leads on usability, features, and stability.
| from 0.99% | Fees | 1 % |
| € 9.90 | Minimum cost per €1,000 | € 10.00 |
| 650+ | Cryptos | 629 |
| SEPA Instant Transfer, SEPA Transfer, Credit Card, PayPal | Payment Methods | SEPA Instant Transfer, SEPA Transfer, PayPal, Credit Card |
| MiCA authorisations in Austria (FMA), Germany (BaFin) and Malta | Regulation | EU: MiCA USA: CFTC UK: FCA |
Cost comparison
The basis is a Bitcoin purchase worth €1,000, calculated from the disclosed trading fee. A price markup in the spread is not included, because most providers do not publish it.
| € 9.90 | Minimum cost per €1,000 | € 10.00 |
| from 0.99% | Fees | 1 % |
| € 2.91 | Wallet transfer | € 1.49 |
| Yes | Cost transparency | Limited |
| € 1 | Minimum Amount | € 1 |
| SEPA Instant Transfer, SEPA Transfer, Credit Card, PayPal | Payment Methods | SEPA Instant Transfer, SEPA Transfer, PayPal, Credit Card |
On disclosed fees there is nothing between the two providers.
Bitpanda works as a broker: you buy at a firm quote that already includes the trading fee, and the order summary shows the fee separately before you confirm. The fee depends on the asset, not on your trading volume. As of October 2026, based on Bitpanda's cost document for crypto assets dated 8 July 2026 and the help centre article on fees and premiums.
| Product or service | Fee |
|---|---|
| Bitcoin, VSN | 0.99% per buy or sell |
| Stablecoins (EURCV: 0%) | 0.99% per buy or sell |
| Other crypto assets, e.g. Ethereum and Solana | 1.49% per buy or sell |
| Crypto assets under €100 million market cap, Spotlight assets | 2.49% per buy or sell |
| Crypto indices (BCI) | 1.99% per buy, sell and monthly rebalancing |
| Stocks, ETFs, ETCs | €1 per trade plus spread |
| Gold | 0.5% buy, 1% sell |
| Silver, platinum | 2.5% buy, 2% sell |
| Palladium | 2.2% buy, 1.8% sell |
| Staking | 20% of the staking rewards |
| Crypto margin trading | 0% to open, 0.18% per day in the first 60 days, 0.3% to close |
| Account, custody, fiat wallets | free |
| Fiat deposits and withdrawals | no fee according to Bitpanda |
| Crypto withdrawals | network fee, adjusted to network load |
The quote can also differ from exchange prices (spread). The cost document does not put a number on that gap, so compare the quote with the market price before you confirm. Buying €1,000 of Bitcoin and selling it again costs about €19.70 in fees, the same round trip in a typical altcoin about €29.60. Our analysis of Bitpanda's fee tiers and spread works through more examples.
At Kraken the route sets the price: simple buys in the app and on the web cost a fixed fee plus a spread, while Kraken Pro charges maker and taker rates based on your volume over the last 30 days.
| Transaction | Cost at Kraken |
|---|---|
| Instant buy, instant sell and recurring buys | 1% plus spread in the price |
| Custom orders in simple mode | 1.5% plus spread |
| Kraken+ (subscription) | no trading fee up to USD 10,000 volume per month, spread and card fees still apply |
| Converting small balances | 3% below the minimum order size |
| Kraken Pro, tier 1 (up to USD 2,500 in 30 days) | 0.40% maker, 0.80% taker |
| Kraken Pro, tier 3 (from USD 10,000) | 0.22% maker, 0.38% taker |
| Kraken Pro, tier 5 (from USD 50,000) | 0.15% maker, 0.30% taker |
| Deposits and withdrawals | depending on method and currency, shown before you confirm |
How to save: Even in tier 1, Kraken Pro at 0.80% taker is cheaper than an instant buy at 1% plus spread, and limit orders as a maker cost 0.40%. If you buy less than USD 10,000 a month, look at Kraken+. See how Kraken compares in our crypto exchange comparison.
Fees as of 21 October 2026 according to the Kraken fee schedule.
Pros & Cons
- MiCA authorisations in Austria (FMA), Germany (BaFin) and Malta (MFSA)
- More than 650 crypto assets plus stocks, ETFs, ETCs and precious metals in one account
- Stocks and ETFs at €1 per trade, fractional shares possible
- Savings plans and staking available, minimum order €1
- No fees for the account, custody or fiat deposits and withdrawals
- Trading fee shown separately in the order summary before you confirm
- Trading fee of 0.99% to 2.49% per buy or sell, depending on the coin
- Gap to exchange prices (spread) not quantified in the cost document
- Staking commission of 20% of the rewards
- No public promo code; the referral bonus requires at least €500 of crypto purchases
- €70,000 FMA fine in August 2026 over MiCA white paper duties
- 629 cryptocurrencies tradable, 516 of them directly against the euro (measured on 3 September 2026 via Kraken's public API)
- MiCA authorisation in the EEA through Payward Europe Solutions Limited, Ireland, supervised by the Central Bank of Ireland
- Savings plan and staking are offered
- On the market since 2011, one of the oldest crypto exchanges
- Kraken Pro at 0.40 % maker and 0.80 % taker is far cheaper than the simple buy route
- The simple buy route costs 1 % for instant and recurring trades, 1.5 % for custom orders
- The cheaper Pro rates require getting to grips with an order book interface
- Since 9 July 2026 volume tiers apply across products; the tier follows the highest of three values
- Kraken itself gives no consistent coin count, its own pages range from 200+ to 600+
Score Comparison
User Experiences
AI AnalysisAccording to reviews, Bitpanda is frequently praised for its clear design and intuitive app. Users also report that the platform is perceived as easy to use. In reviews of the costs, it repeatedly stands out that they are described as high or too expensive. Support also receives frequent praise from many users for quick replies and prompt help, while occasionally there is also critical feedback about response times.
According to the analyzed user reviews, Kraken is often described as simple and easy to understand, especially with regard to the app and basic usability. At the same time, users mainly report criticism of support-related topics and costs, so the overall picture from a user perspective is mixed.
This analysis is based on 1930 user reviews evaluated by AI from the Apple App Store, Trustpilot, and Google Play Store. The total number of reviews on the respective platforms may be higher. The displayed platform ratings (star ratings) refer to all reviews available there. The ratings shown reflect users’ experiences and do not represent the website operator’s own assessment. All information without guarantee. As of March 2026. This comparison does not constitute investment advice.
Features
| available | Savings plan | available |
| available | Staking | available |
| available | Wallet transfer | not available |
| available | Cost transparency | not available |
| available | 2FA security | not available |
| available | SEPA instant transfer | available |
| available | Credit card | available |
| available | PayPal | available |
| available | Mobile app (iOS/Android) | available |
| available | Web platform | not specified |
| not specified | Account lock | available |
- Regulated under MiCA with authorisations in Austria, Germany and Malta
- Multi-asset broker: crypto, stocks, ETFs, ETCs and precious metals in one place
- Fractional shares and savings plans from a €1 order
- Tell-a-Friend reward of up to €100 for both sides
- On the market since 2011 with a significant market presence
- Comprehensive security protocols incl. 2FA and account lock
- 629 cryptocurrencies tradable
- Savings plan and staking on one platform
The five areas head to head
AI AnalysisFees & Costs
According to reviews, users often express criticism regarding fees and costs. The fees are repeatedly described as high or too expensive. Overall, users tend to perceive the cost area rather negatively in the reviews.
The reviews present a mixed picture when it comes to fees and costs: on the one hand, low fees are mentioned positively several times; on the other hand, users criticize high fees. According to user reviews, the perception of costs is therefore not consistent.
Usability & User Experience
Users especially appreciate Bitpanda’s clear interface and intuitive app. According to reviews, the platform is often described as easy to use, which is highlighted particularly positively when getting started. However, some users occasionally report that the app does not always work smoothly.
Users particularly appreciate Kraken’s intuitive app and clear design, which are repeatedly described in reviews as easy to use. According to the reviews, getting started is quick for many users, and overall navigation is also mentioned positively. Some users report that the app does not open immediately, which makes usability appear limited from the perspective of individual reviews.
Features & Offering
Users would like an iPad app, a chart widget, the display of the average price, as well as limit buys. In addition, some users suggest a larger coin selection. An Apple Watch widget and a widget for favorites are also occasionally requested.
In the analyzed user reviews, there are only a few recurring statements about features and the offering, which is why this area mainly reveals individual requests. Among other things, users want a candlestick chart, a prediction market, an auto-sell function, a 72-hour timer, and a widget for the app. In addition, some users would like more support for beginners and a calendar. Overall, the feedback mainly shows additional feature requests.
Stability & Security
According to user reports, there is occasional criticism of Bitpanda’s app functionality. Some users report that the app does not always work or crashes in individual cases. In addition, some users describe experiences with a blocked account.
Regarding stability and reliability, the analyzed user data mainly contains individual critical feedback. Some users report that the app cannot be opened immediately or that withdrawals are perceived as delayed. Overall, however, the available data is not sufficient, according to the reviews, to derive a clearly reliable user picture for this area.
Customer Support
Support is frequently praised by users for quick help, prompt replies, and competent feedback. According to reviews, many users report positive service experiences, especially regarding response speed. However, it is occasionally criticized that inquiries are not answered or that support does not respond as expected.
When it comes to support, users comparatively often report longer waiting times or no response at all. According to the reviews, missing help and slow reactions are repeatedly criticized, making this area clearly viewed critically from a user perspective. Individual feedback also suggests that issues are not always resolved promptly.
Details
| Bitpanda GmbH | Company | Payward Europe Solutions Limited |
| 2014 | Founded | 2011 |
| MiCA authorisations in Austria (FMA), Germany (BaFin) and Malta | Regulation | EU: MiCA USA: CFTC UK: FCA |
| € 1 | Minimum Amount | € 1 |
| eID, Photo ID | KYC | Photo ID |
Verdict
Both providers are practically level in our overall rating (4.3 to 4.2).
On disclosed fees there is nothing between the two providers.
Bitpanda is a Vienna-based broker for crypto assets, stocks, ETFs and precious metals and reports more than 7 million users. Its crypto services in the EU now run under MiCA: the ESMA register lists three authorised Bitpanda companies, Bitpanda GmbH via the Austrian FMA since April 2025, Bitpanda Asset Management GmbH via BaFin in Germany since January 2025 and BP23 CA Limited via the Maltese MFSA. In August 2026 the FMA published a fine of €70,000 against Bitpanda GmbH: a crypto white paper reached the regulator too late and was advertised before it was published. Our analysis of the MiCA penalty explains what it means for investors.
Bitpanda does not win on costs. Bitcoin costs 0.99 per cent per buy or sell, most altcoins 1.49 per cent and small caps 2.49 per cent. Frequent traders pay noticeably more with percentage fees at this level than on an exchange with an order book; our crypto exchange comparison puts the cost per €1,000 side by side. In return, Bitpanda bundles savings plans, staking, crypto indices, stocks and ETFs at €1 per trade and physical precious metals in one app, and the account, custody and fiat deposits and withdrawals cost nothing.
User reviews draw the same picture: the app is praised as clear and easy to use, and costs are the most common complaint. Bitpanda suits investors who want to build up crypto and other asset classes over time in a regulated EU account. If the lowest trading fee is your priority, the comparison will point you to a better fit.
Kraken is considered one of the oldest and most established crypto exchanges and has been active in the market since 2011. With over 380 tradable cryptocurrencies as well as savings plan and staking features, the platform is appreciated by long-term investors. The extensive security protocols, including 2FA and account lock, are rated positively.
The trading fees of 1% and total costs of €10.00 per trade are in the middle range compared with cheaper providers. The lack of EU regulation or a BaFin license is occasionally criticized. Cost transparency is regarded as limited, which some users see as room for improvement.
Kraken is considered particularly suitable for investors who value a long-established platform with a wide coin selection and want to use savings plans and staking — even without EU regulation.