Flatex vs Kraken Comparison
In our overall rating Kraken leads with 4.2 out of 5 points, ahead of Flatex with 3.1. On disclosed fees Flatex is cheaper: 0.7 % instead of 1 % trading fee, which means € 7.00 instead of € 10.00 per €1,000 purchase. If you care most about stability, Flatex has the better sub-score, while Kraken leads on usability and features.
| 0.7 % | Fees | 1 % |
| € 7.00 | Minimum cost per €1,000 | € 10.00 |
| 20 | Cryptos | 629 |
| SEPA Transfer | Payment Methods | SEPA Instant Transfer, SEPA Transfer, PayPal, Credit Card |
| Crypto custodian Tangany GmbH has a BaFin license. | 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 A price markup in the spread is not included, because most providers do not publish it.
| € 7.00 | Minimum cost per €1,000 | € 10.00 |
| 0.7 % | Fees | 1 % |
| – | Wallet transfer | € 1.49 |
| Limited | Cost transparency | Limited |
| € 1 | Minimum Amount | € 1 |
| SEPA Transfer | Payment Methods | SEPA Instant Transfer, SEPA Transfer, PayPal, Credit Card |
On disclosed fees you pay €3.00 less at Flatex per €1,000 purchase.
Not enough reviews available.
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
- BaFin-regulated German bank with a full licence
- Direct trading in 25 cryptoassets for clients in Germany, from €1 per order
- Total costs of 0.6% including the spread for liquid assets such as Bitcoin
- Custody with Tangany, a BaFin-supervised crypto custodian
- Crypto ETNs in the same portfolio, with a German tax certificate
- Established online broker since 2006
- Direct crypto trading only for private clients with a registered address in Germany and an individual account
- Small selection of 25 cryptoassets, no staking, no crypto savings plans
- No transfers to or from a personal wallet
- No tax withheld on directly held crypto, gains must be declared yourself
- Crypto ETNs: order fees plus ongoing product costs (TER)
- 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 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.
Investing carries a high level of risk, up to and including total loss of capital. This is not investment advice. As of October 2026, without guarantee.
Features
| not specified | Savings plan | available |
| not specified | Staking | available |
| not specified | Wallet transfer | not available |
| not specified | Cost transparency | not available |
| not specified | 2FA security | not available |
| not specified | Account lock | available |
| not specified | SEPA instant bank transfer | available |
| not specified | PayPal | available |
| not specified | Credit card | available |
| not specified | Mobile app (iOS/Android) | available |
- 25 cryptoassets tradable directly for 0.6% to 0.7% in total costs including the spread
- Crypto trading in the flatex account alongside shares and ETFs
- Crypto ETNs also available as a savings plan from €25
- 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
Direct crypto trading: total costs of 0.6% including the spread for liquid cryptoassets such as Bitcoin and 0.7% for less liquid ones, each for customary order sizes; orders start at €1. Crypto ETNs: order fee of €5.90 per exchange order plus exchange fees, and ongoing product costs (TER) that vary by issuer. As of October 2026.
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
Not enough reviews available.
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
Not enough reviews available.
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
Not enough reviews available.
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
Not enough reviews available.
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
| flatexDEGIRO Bank AG | Company | Payward Europe Solutions Limited |
| 2005 | Founded | 2011 |
| Crypto custodian Tangany GmbH has a BaFin license. | Regulation | EU: MiCA USA: CFTC UK: FCA |
| € 1 | Minimum Amount | € 1 |
| eID, Video-ID, PostIdent | KYC | Photo ID |
Verdict
In our overall rating Kraken leads with 4.2 against 3.1 for Flatex.
On disclosed fees you pay €3.00 less at Flatex per €1,000 purchase.
For most investors Kraken is therefore the better choice.
For investors in Germany who want to hold crypto with the same broker as their shares and ETFs, flatex is a solid choice: according to flatex, liquid assets such as Bitcoin cost 0.6% in total including the spread, less liquid ones 0.7%, each for customary order sizes. The selection of 25 cryptoassets is small, though, there is no staking and no crypto savings plan, and coins can neither be transferred to your own wallet nor deposited from one. flatex does not withhold tax on crypto gains, because directly held crypto is not subject to Germany's flat-rate withholding tax. Clients without a registered address in Germany cannot use direct crypto trading at all and are left with crypto ETNs. If you want a wide choice of coins or your own wallet, a crypto exchange is the 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.