The cost of trading goes beyond conversion fees to include other costs like financing and even account maintenance. The best crypto exchange with lowest fees are those that reduce the cost of buying crypto, ensuring that you keep more of your capital.
This guide explores the exchanges with the lowest fees that we found. Note that we mean the lowest overall cost of using that exchange, so while some trading fees may seem higher than others, we consider other fees in our review.
Looking for a quick answer? Here are our top 3 crypto exchanges for day trading.
1. eToro – Best Overall Crypto Exchange With Lowest Fees
2. Binance – Cheapest Global Exchange
3. Skilling – Cheapest Core Trading Platform
4. Bitstamp – Lowest Fees for Small Volumes
5. OKX – Cheapest Exchange with Web3 Features
6. Coinbase – Cheapest Exchange in the US
7. Capital.com– Cheapest Crypto CFD Broker
8. Bitpanda – Best Option for Limit Orders
9. Uphold – Cheapest Option for Casual Users
10. YouHodler – Cheap Option for Investors
Exchange
Fees
Coins
Regulation
eToro
1%
63+
FCA, CySEC, AFSL
Binance
0.10%
600+
AMF
Skilling
Dynamic
55+
CySEC, FSA
Bitstamp
0.5%
75+
CSSF
OKX
0.1%
343+
VARA
Coinbase
193+
FCA
Capital.com
400+
FCA, CySEC, ASIC
Bitpanda
0.025% – 2%
170+
FMA, AMF, Czech Trade Authority
Uphold
0.8% – 1.8%
250+
FinCEN, FCA
YouHolder
51+
FINMA, ESFS
eToro is a social investment platform that helps investors access various types of assets including cryptocurrency, stocks, and commodities.
It is popular for its social investment features like the copy trading feature that allows you to copy the trades of more experienced users. Naturally, new and inexperienced investors flock to this crypto exchange to benefit from this, creating a diverse 25-million-strong community.
eToro’s cryptocurrency trading fees are manageable at 1% per transaction across its 65+ pairs. This applies to both spot and CFD trades as the platform uses crypto derivatives when short selling. Buy trades, however, are always spot transactions.
Financing fees on an eToro crypto exchange account are minimal as deposits are free and withdrawal fees for above $30 cost $5. However, eToro accounts are always denominated in the fiat currency of USD, so a transfer from any other currency is subject to conversion fees.
You can deposit to eToro using various fiat currency methods like bank transfers, credit card payments, PayPal, Skrill, and Neteller. Some of these payment providers charge for their services, so crypto traders may want to use a provider that is free or charges minimal fees.
To learn more about how to use this platform, visit our eToro review.
Free deposits
Highly regulated
Flexible funding methods
Vibrant social community
Wide geographical reach
Only denominated in USD
Trading fee higher than some competitors
Multi-asset platform
Flexible payment methods
Global reach
Large user base
Binance is the world’s largest exchange with the highest daily trading volume, a presence in every major country, and a 600+ coin collection. The exchange leads the pack in crypto exchange platforms in the number of trading derivatives offered and its contributions to blockchain development.
Trading fees on the exchange are a pocket-friendly 0.10% of transaction volume, the second lowest on our list. This fee goes lower the more BNB you hold.
Binance Coin (BNB) is the exchange’s native coin, and to encourage demand, the crypto exchange lowers your fee if you hold its coin. The more BNB you hold in your account, the lower your fees until a floor of between 0.02% and 0.03%.
Deposits on Binance are not as cheap as some of its crypto exchange peers. Credit card deposits cost 1.8% of transaction volume. However, there is a way around this.
Binance also runs one of the largest peer-to-peer (p2p) marketplaces in crypto. These marketplaces allow people to exchange fiat-to-crypto and vice versa directly, with Binance acting as a middleman.
These markets can be regional or global. With Binance’s p2p, you can find a counterparty that uses your preferred payment method (naturally, one that doesn’t charge a local transfer fee, like PayPal).
When you find a counterparty, you can open a contract with them. You send them cash and they send crypto to your Binance account. This can help you bypass the funding cost of the official methods.
However, p2p relies, to an extent, on the honesty of others. While Binance has placed measures to reduce fraud and other crypto scams, one can still get conned if not careful.
Read our Binance review here.
Large coin selection
Low trading fees
Large p2p marketplace
Wide global presence
Crypto derivatives
Could be a bit technical for beginners
Faces regulatory hurdles in some jurisdictions
Large daily trade volume
Segregated accounts for Futures, Spot, and Margin trading
High Leverage options for Futures
Fast execution speed
Skilling is a crypto broker that allows users trade crypto CFDs like they are actual assets. This broker is a hybrid of regular brokers and crypto exchanges as they offer the CFDs that regular brokers do, but with an interface that appeals to native crypto traders.
You can have a trading volume of more than 55 contracts that track crypto’s prices, allowing you to benefit from price action without having to own the underlying digital assets. Skilling’s interface allows crypto traders to focus on trading, there are no staking features, Earn programs, or other services that are symbiotic with traditional crypto exchanges.
Crypto spreads on this exchange are quite small at a minimum of $0.50 for Bitcoin and lower for other cryptos, with some going as low as $0.00001. Taker fees are a high of 1.2% and a low of 0.08%, depending on the cryptocurrency.
To begin trading, you need to deposit a minimum of $100 through a bank transfer, credit card payment, crypto transfer, or PayPal. Deposit methods aside crypto cost a flat 2.9% of the deposited amount.
After depositing, you can use a maximum leverage of 1:50 to trade across all digital assets as Skilling supports other tradable securities.
Read our full Skilling review here.
Cheap Bitcoin spreads
2% margin requirement
Highly secure and well regulated
1:50 leverage facility
Supports crypto deposits
Minimum deposit higher than others
Multi-asset support
Secure and regulated by multiple agencies
Intuitive user interface
Bitstamp is an exchange known for its traditional values of security, service, and consistency. It is one of the oldest crypto exchanges that has demonstrated its ability to provide quality service over a long period of time.
The exchange offers over 75 tradable cryptos on an easy-to-use interface with market and limit orders, and you can use the mobile app for crypto trading on the go.
Conversion fees are between 0.30% – 0.40%, however it decreases with trading volume i.e, the more volume you trade crypto in a month, the less fees you pay. As it stands, crypto trading volumes below $1000 do not attract trading fees.
Monthly crypto trading volumes between $1,000 and $10,000 attract the standard fee while volumes above $10,000 attract a lower trading fee within certain volume brackets. The trading fee continues to decline with increased volume until it reaches a floor of 0.03% for monthly volumes above $1 billion.
You can deposit into this cryptocurrency exchange using payment channels like credit cards, international wire transfers, Faster payments (UK), ACH payments, Google Pay and Apple Pay, and SEPA transfers. Withdrawals also support the same channels.
These methods have various fees attached to them. For example, credit card transactions cost 5% of the deposit amount for both deposits and withdrawals, so does Google Pay and Apple Pay.
Deposits using SEPA are free while withdrawals will cost €3 in transaction fees, ACH transfers are free for both deposits and withdrawals, and Faster Payments deposits are free while withdrawal fees of £2 will apply.
Wire deposits are a bit more complicated. You must deposit a minimum of $7.5 and pay a fee of 0.05%. However, the minimum deposit amount for Bitstamp is $10, so keep that in mind when using this method.
Wire withdrawal fees cost 0.10% for a minimum of $25. Note that GBP transfers are the equivalent of the dollar figures.
Well regulated
Low minimum required deposit
Implements military-grade security
Transparent fee structure
Limited crypto support
Deposit insurance
Top notch security
Dedicated trading terminal
>95% uptime
OKX offers a whole experience for crypto trading and crypto users in general. If you’re a trader, you can use its terminal to trade various cryptos and their derivatives. If you are an explorer, you can use its portal to surf web3.
The crypto exchange offers over 300 tradable cryptos at affordable exchange rates, depending on the conversion service you use. If you use the direct conversion service, which is a simple interface that lets you convert between cryptos, you do not pay any fees. However, you can only convert at market rates.
If you choose to trade the spot market, you get access advanced trading tools, such as a full crypto trading terminal with indicators and tools to set limit, market, and stop orders of various kinds. OKX Trading fees hover between 0.085% – 0.100%, but are lesser for users who hold an OKB balance (the exchange’s native token).
Deposit support for up to 30 fiat currencies
Access to a range of crypto services like DeFi, NFTs, and games
Dedicated customer support
Robust derivatives market
Limited deposit and withdrawal options
Supports over 300 cryptocurrencies
Third-party payment integration
Web3 game and NFT integrations
Staking functionality
Coinbase is a US-based exchange that offers crypto conversion, storage, staking, debit card, and lending services to users across the world. It has a reputation for being easy to use, especially for beginners.
Coinbase charges fees for direct crypto conversions and crypto trading, i.e., fiat-to-crypto and crypto-to-crypto conversions. Fiat-to-crypto exchange conversions cost 1% of transaction volume while crypto-crypto conversions (spot trading) cost between 0.05% and 0.6%.
The crypto exchange is available to users in over 100 countries and accepts legacy funding methods like wire transfers, PayPal in certain regions, and credit card payments.
This particular cryptocurrency exchange offers more than 163 digital currencies including major ones like Bitcoin, Ethereum, Cardano, and Ripple, as well as niche ones like Audius, Threshold, and Braintrust. You can begin crypto trading with as little as $2.
To learn more, read our Coinbase review.
Wide global reach
User-friendly
Secure offline storage
193+ cryptos
Not as many cryptocurrencies as some competitors
High trading fees compared to competitors
Crypto-backed debit card
Lending facilities
Vault storage
NFT integration
Capital.com is a traditional securities broker that offers cryptocurrency contracts. While most cryptocurrency exchanges on this list are cryptocurrency brokers only or combine broker and exchange features, Capital.com remains a traditional brokerage institution.
This makes it an appealing choice for traditional traders looking to get some crypto exposure. The broker only trades CFDs and offers over 456 pairs across major fiat currencies. You also get access to a Metatrader 4/5 terminal, a popular trading software.
The broker charges spread on various crypto pairs. While the charge is a single pip value, it translates to different amounts across various lot sizes.
A lot is a standard volume of units that traders are allowed to trade. The smallest is a micro lot which includes 1,000 units of a quote currency. Other lots include the mini lot (10,000) and the standard lot (100,000).
Capital.com charges 66 pips on the BTC-USD pair, as of writing. This fee translates to $660 for a standard lot, $66 for a mini lot, and $6.6 for a micro lot.
You can deposit funds through your bank account with a bank transfer, credit card payment, PayPal, or wire transfer, however, a minimum deposit of $20 is required.
Read our full Capital.com review here.
Low minimum deposit
No deposit or withdrawal fees
Commission-free trading
Wide crypto contract selection
Multiple payment channels available
Not available to US clients
Cross-platform trading terminal
Flexible funding options
Like Capital.com, Bitpanda is first an investment platform that supports trading across equities, precious metals, commodities, and cryptocurrency. The exchange identifies as a fintech firm operating in the EU.
One thing that immediately caught our eye about Bitpanda is its trading fee for limit orders. Coming in 0.025%, this has to be one of the lowest we’ve seen amongst crypto exchanges. Lower even than Binance. However, there’s a caveat. This trading fee only applies to assets traded using the terminal.
Regular users can stick to the standard mode which resembles a regular investment and portfolio management application. Conversion on the standard mode costs 2% of the transaction volume, one of the highest on our list.
You can deposit funds into your account using payment methods like Skrill, Neteller, bank transfers, credit cards, and SEPA payments. However, the minimum deposit is €25. We noticed that you may not be able to access this platform if you do not live within the EU.
Highly secure and regulated
Simple, easy-to-use platform
Conventional interface, familiar to traditional investors
Low €25 minimum deposit and withdrawal requirement
Low limit order fees
Conversion fee applied to non-EUR deposits
Withdrawal is via bank account only
Innovative crypto indices
Crypto-backed cards
Portfolio management features
Trading terminal
Uphold allows investors to buy and sell assets in a simple way and manage them as a portfolio. The platform supports cryptocurrencies, stocks, and metals like gold, silver, and copper.
This cryptocurrency trading app features a simple interface and an accompanying mobile application for on-the-go trades. You have access to over 250 cryptos including majors like Bitcoin (BTC) and Ethereum (ETH), and mysterious emerging altcoins.
Uphold uses a unique pricing structure that calculates the price of each trade on the spot. You can see the price before making the trade, so you know exactly how much you pay for each trade.
This doesn’t mean that this crypto exchange don’t have a fee schedule. Trading on Uphold costs anywhere between 0.8% and 1.2% on major pairs like BTC and ETH if you live within the US, Europe, or the UK, and 1.8% for the rest of the world.
For other crypto assets, the spread is dynamic and the unique pricing structure listed above applies.
Investors can trade between any two coins on Uphold thanks to its smart routing functionality. The crypto exchange can combine several trades into one trade to allow you a trading volume between any two of the 250+ coins in its offers at the price of one trade.
Secure and registered
Wallet features for long-term storage
Limited deposit methods for non US, UK, and EU users
High fees compared to competitors
Smart order routing
Automated trading facilities
YouHodler takes a holistic approach to crypto investment by offering the best crypto exchange, wallet, lending, and a special service called Multi-Hodl which is a high-risk, high-reward product.
It is ideal for crypto users who want more than a simple exchange, but are not ready for the barrage of features that exchanges like Binance offer.
YouHodler’s platform is straight to the point with just enough features to keep users engaged and cater to their basic cryptocurrency exchange needs. Core traders won’t find a companion with this platform as it does not feature a trading terminal.
Its crypto exchange service is a simple interface that allows you to swap coins at the current market price. Unfortunately, no limit orders exist.
Cryptocurrency trading fees range between 0.2% to 0.5% depending on the coin. Fees for major coins like BTC, ETH, and VET tend to be at the lower end of the range while more exotic coins tend to be on the higher end. Conversions between stablecoins are instant, so are conversions between fiat and crypto and vice versa.
However, crypto-crypto and crypto-stablecoin conversions can take anywhere between 5 minutes and 30 minutes.
You can make deposits using a bank wire, bank card, Apple Pay, and Adv Cash. Local transfers are free while bank cards cost 1%. Apple Pay costs 1%, Adv cash with accounts costs 1% while Adv Cash with credit cards cost 4.5%.
Read our full YouHodler review here.
Cheap exchange fees
Mobile app
Payment methods somewhat limited
Unavailable to US residents
Wallet for long-term storage
Innovative investment product
Instant stablecoin exchange
Despite the focus being on crypto exchange fees, security is the first concern. The cryptocurrency trading exchange you choose should first be secure, then cheap. Ensure that you are aware of the security measures they take by looking out for security certifications like the ISO.
On your end, also use strong passwords to reduce the likelihood of an attacker figuring it out. Lastly, look out for two-factor authentication (2FA) which helps to prevent people from accessing your account even when they have your password.
The best crypto exchanges funding methods have an impact on the total cost of using it. Cryptocurrency exchanges that incorporate local funding methods like local bank transfers in the regions they operate are usually cheaper than those global crypto exchanges that rely on international methods like wire transfers and credit card payments.
Also check whether the crypto exchange charges fees for using certain funding methods. For example, Binance charges 1.8% for credit card deposits. If you also get charged by the credit card company, you’ll have to pay twice anytime you wish to deposit.
Asset selections are important because a crypto exchange with a wide collection will be cheaper in the long run, especially if it lines up with other considerations. Most crypto exchanges usually have the major cryptocurrencies like Bitcoin, Ethereum, and Ripple.
However, global crypto exchanges usually offer more coins than regional ones. The trick here would be finding a global exchange with at least one cheap funding method that you can always use. Usually, one that has the major coins and some exotics.
Alternatively, you can check local crypto exchanges to see if they have the coins you want and get exotics on decentralized exchanges.
While all the centralized exchanges and decentralized exchanges on this list have low fees, some are lower than others. For example, Binance charges 0.10% per trade while Binance alternatives like eToro charges 1%. However, deposits on the latter are free while the former are not.
This comparison shows that while cheap trading fees are important, they shouldn’t be considered alone. Also, the type of crypto exchanges you go for should be in line with your goals.
For example, if you’re an investor who buys crypto once in a while and holds by storing crypto, you may not be worried about a 1% conversion fee. The main concern may be the transaction fees from transferring funds in and out of your exchange. In this case, eToro works for you.
If you plan to deposit a lump sum and trade frequently with a large trading volume, then crypto exchanges like Binance may be more suitable for you.
This goes hand-in-hand with security. If the security and 2FA features are the technical aspects, then KYC is the legal aspect. Money Transfer Businesses and other forms of electronic money services are required by law to carry out KYC.
The only cryptocurrency exchange services that do not do this are decentralized exchanges because they only use your crypto wallet address. Provided the exchange is a centralized exchange, operates bank accounts, and stores crypto assets on your behalf, they must have KYC procedures.
There are various types of crypto exchanges in categories like geographical coverage, custody, and digital assets offered
Centralized exchanges are exchanges that work like a bank, asset management firm or broker. Also called custodial exchanges, they hold your crypto for you and allow you trade them on their platform.
These are the exchanges you usually hear about because they are the first point of contact between people and the crypto market. A centralized exchange operates under the jurisdiction of regulatory agencies and usually offer a smooth trading/investing experience without technical or blockchain know-how.
Decentralized exchanges are blockchain-native exchanges that do not hold user funds or require them to pass KYC requirements. They are currently not under any governmental jurisdiction, at least not in the way their CEX counterparts are.
A decentralized exchange will stay true to the ethos of decentralisation and privacy by allowing anyone with a compatible blockchain wallet to trade cryptos. As such, they are not bound by local or regional laws and barriers.
These crypto exchanges are powered by smart contracts, which are immutable lines of code that perpetually run once deployed on a blockchain. Usually, everyone can see the code and determine if it is honest and secure. However, only those with the technical know-how can understand what they read.
DEXes are much riskier than centralized exchanges as they do not take steps towards user protection asides the security that blockchain applications provide. However, these cryptocurrency exchanges are also free from much of the ethical issues that plague centralised finance.
Regional exchanges are crypto exchanges that serve a particular country or region. They are usually characterised by a smaller coin selection, usually below 300 cryptos and limited support for international fiat currencies.
For example, Bitpanda caters mostly to users within Europe. Middle Eastern, African, and Asian countries cannot access the service.
On the other hand, global cryptocurrency exchanges offer services to users in various counties. They may not reach every country, but they are usually widely used. For example, Coinbase offers services to over 150 countries, while Binance reaches even more.
When it comes to assets offered, we have the best crypto exchanges and brokers. Exchanges offer crypto assets like coins while most brokers offer crypto derivatives like contracts for differences (CFDs), Futures, or Options.
While some exchanges, like Binance, also offer derivatives, the major difference is that brokers do not offer the crypto asset, only the derivative. Some good examples are Capital.com and Skilling.
These brokers are geared more towards core traders who wish to buy crypto for short term, profit from crypto’s volatility but are not interested in owning them for the long term.
The major fees involved with crypto exchanges are trading fees and financing fees.
Trading fees could be commissions, spreads, or both. For example, Binance charges a flat 0.1% commission for exchanges while Capital.com charges a 60 pip spread. In this case, Binance has the lower fee as it charges $1 for a $1000 trade while Capital.com charges $6 for the same amount.
However, Capital.com’s standardised lot sizing may be appealing to more traditional traders. Some brokers use raw spreads and charge a commission, which is usually popular among traditional traders.
Financing fees are the charges levied on deposits and withdrawals. While some exchanges have low trading fees, their deposit fees make them more expensive overall. For example, while Capital.com may charge higher trading fees than Binance, they also offer free deposits and no withdrawal fees while Binance does not.
Service providers also play an important role in financing fees. While Capital.com may not charge for deposits, your credit card company might. In this scenario, regional cryptocurrency exchanges may have an advantage over global brokers as they usually offer local transfer options which could be free.
Navigate to the eToro website and click on Start investing. Fill out the form with your full name, email address, and password.
Verify your account by submitting KYC documents like a proof of ID (National ID or driver’s licence) and proof of residency (utility bill). Then, finish setting up your profile.
Once your account has been verified, click on Deposit funds on the left pane of the page. The deposit options available will be displayed. Choose one and set the amount you’d like to deposit. The minimum is $10.
Once your account is funded, search for any crypto in the Discover tab. An interface like the one below should load. You can carry out your analysis on the chart or use external charting software. Set your parameters, like a buy or sell price and set your order.
The crypto exchange Bitvo has reduced their withdrawal fees by 50% for both new and existing customers.
BingX has announced that it has eliminated fees on spot trading for the buying and selling of major cryptocurrencies.
We explored the lowest fees crypto exchanges and chose eToro as our overall best choice because it has one of the best overall user interfaces and transparent fee structures.
Exchange fees on eToro are 1%, deposits are free, while withdrawals under $30 are free.
The exchange is more directed to investors which happens to be a majority of crypto users.
Nonetheless, all exchanges on our list offer low fees overall. Some worthy mentions are Binance with the lowest exchange fees at 0.1%, Capital.com with free deposits and withdrawals, and Bitstamp that doesn’t charge for trades under $1000.
To start trading with cheap exchanges, sign up with eToro.
The platforms covered in this guide were chosen through rigorous testing, research, and reviews. We paid attention to security, transparency, reputation, trading fees, deposit and withdrawal methods, coin selection, and trading facilities.
The platforms listed are the best we found in the various categories we listed them. For example, we found that Bitpanda had the lowest fees for limit orders and hence named it the best option for limit orders.
Check out our why trust us and how we test pages for more information on our testing process.