Coinbase vs crypto.com Comparison

The Coinbase savings plan targets investors who want to buy regularly and automatically rather than trying to time an entry. The barrier is as low as it gets at a one euro minimum, the range covers more than 400 crypto assets, and execution runs without further intervention: weekly, on the 1st and 15th of the month or monthly. The first purchase is executed as soon as the plan is set up; amount and frequency cannot be changed later, so you cancel the plan and create a new one.

On regulation Coinbase stands well in Europe: it was the first company to hold a BaFin crypto custody licence, and deficiencies identified in 2022 have been remedied according to the company. Crypto services are now provided by Coinbase Luxembourg S.A., licensed under MiCA since 20 June 2025 and supervised by Luxembourg's financial regulator CSSF; the licence covers 30 EEA countries. Payment routes include SEPA transfer, card, PayPal, Apple Pay and Google Pay, an unusually broad selection for the European market. Not every payment method works for the savings plan, the app shows which ones do; instalments can also be paid from the euro balance in the account.

What changed in 2026: Customers in the EEA can no longer buy stablecoins without MiCA authorisation such as USDT, DAI or PYUSD on Coinbase, so they are no longer available for a savings plan either. According to Coinbase, balances still held on the cut-off date of 30 October 2026 are converted once into USDC at the market rate. On 22 October 2026 the Central Bank of Ireland announced a fine of €3.25 million against Coinbase Ireland Limited, which holds euro balances for Coinbase customers: between November 2020 and August 2025 client funds were not adequately safeguarded. The regulator does not allege any loss of client money, and the sanction takes effect once confirmed by the Irish High Court. Details in our Coinbase review.

The sore point is price: up to 1.875% per purchase, depending on the payment method, is high in this comparison, so up to 18.75 euro on 1,000 euro. Across a savings plan with many small instalments that compounds noticeably over the years. Investors who value convenience and regulatory footing above the last fraction of a percent are well served; anyone watching costs should weigh the fees against cheaper savings plan providers.

Crypto.com is especially valued for its own Visa card with cashback program, which is considered a unique selling point in the crypto market. With more than 400 tradable cryptocurrencies, savings plans, and staking, the platform, active since 2016, offers a broad range of services. The minimum investment starting at €3 is seen as particularly beginner-friendly.

In Germany, Crypto.com operates under the MiCA licence that the Malta Financial Services Authority (MFSA) granted to Foris DAX MT Limited on 27 January 2025 and which applies across the EU, so no separate BaFin licence is required. According to Crypto.com, a purchase in the app costs 0.80%, up to 4% by card, and a EUR withdrawal via SEPA costs EUR 1. Users occasionally criticise the limited cost transparency.

The card terms changed in 2026: cashback is only paid on the paid tiers, with Level Up Plus at €3.99 a month earning 1.5% on up to US$750 of card spending a month and the top tiers up to 4.5%; the free Midnight card earns 0%. Since 1 October 2026, Ruby, Jade and Indigo also pay a 2% foreign transaction fee outside the EU and UK above a monthly allowance of €400 or €800, and a card without spending costs €6 a month after twelve months.

Crypto.com is mainly considered suitable for users who want to actively use the Visa card with cashback and are prepared to pay for a Level Up tier.