Best Crypto Exchanges in the US 2026: Fees Compared
Seven US crypto platforms compared on order-book rates, app-buy pricing, subscriptions and transfer costs, with every rate read on the vendor's own fee page in October 2026.
Short answer: Kraken is the best crypto exchange in the US for most people in 2026, because it prints both of its prices. App buys cost 1%, and Kraken Pro starts at 0.40% maker and 0.80% taker. Binance.US has the lowest order-book rate we found, 0% maker and 0.02% taker, but it is licensed in only part of the country. Coinbase offers the widest product range, and its Advanced entry tier rose to 0.50% maker and 0.90% taker in the US on 16 September 2026.
For a quick buy inside an app, Robinhood charges no commission by default, but its own support page says it keeps $0.95 of every $100 traded through the spread. Gemini has the highest entry rates on its ActiveTrader order book at 0.60% maker and 1.20% taker.
Key facts7 tools compared: Kraken, Coinbase, Binance.US, Bitstamp by Robinhood, Crypto.com, Robinhood…
- 7 tools compared: Kraken, Coinbase, Binance.US, Bitstamp by Robinhood, Crypto.com, Robinhood, Gemini
- Coinbase (best for: Buyers who want the widest product range in one US app and accept higher entry rates): Advanced from 0.50% maker, 0.90% taker in the US; simple trades priced with a spread plus a fee at preview
- Binance.US (best for: Cost-focused order-book traders whose state is covered by Binance.US): 0% maker, 0.02% taker on most pairs; BNB/USD 0.01% taker; free ACH deposits and withdrawals
- Bitstamp by Robinhood (best for: Order-book traders who want low entry rates and a fully printed spread on simple buys): From 0.30% maker, 0.40% taker at entry level; Basic Trading adds a 1.8% fixed spread
A crypto exchange advertises one number and bills you through three: a trading fee, a spread hidden in the quoted price, and the cost of moving money in or out. The headline rate on most of these platforms applies only to their order-book screen, while the big friendly Buy button in the app prices your order differently. This page puts the seven platforms side by side on what they print, then runs the same order through each one.
Finpresso data: on a $1,000 market order at each platform's entry tier, the trading fee runs from $0.20 on Binance.US to $12 on Gemini ActiveTrader, a 60-fold gap, from rates printed on each vendor's fee page and checked on 21 October 2026. The arithmetic is ours; the rates are theirs. Spreads on app buys come on top and are mostly not printed, so the cheapest route on every platform is its order book, not its Buy button.
Top Picks
Based on features, real-world fit, and value for money.
The only platform here that prints a fixed fee for app buys and a full order-book schedule, with a cheap waiver for regular buyers.
Pro from 0.40% maker, 0.80% taker; app buys 1%; Kraken+ subscription waives app fees
Most US buyers who want printed fees on both the app and the order book
The broadest US crypto app, with a published order book, but its new US entry tier costs more than Kraken's.
Advanced from 0.50% maker, 0.90% taker in the US; simple trades priced with a spread plus a fee at preview
Buyers who want the widest product range in one US app and accept higher entry rates
The lowest printed order-book rates in this comparison by a wide margin, limited by where it can operate.
0% maker, 0.02% taker on most pairs; BNB/USD 0.01% taker; free ACH deposits and withdrawals
Cost-focused order-book traders whose state is covered by Binance.US
| Tool | Pricing | Best for |
|---|---|---|
| Kraken | Pro from 0.40% maker, 0.80% taker; app buys 1%; Kraken+ subscription waives app fees | Most US buyers who want printed fees on both the app and the order book |
| Coinbase | Advanced from 0.50% maker, 0.90% taker in the US; simple trades priced with a spread plus a fee at preview | Buyers who want the widest product range in one US app and accept higher entry rates |
| Binance.US | 0% maker, 0.02% taker on most pairs; BNB/USD 0.01% taker; free ACH deposits and withdrawals | Cost-focused order-book traders whose state is covered by Binance.US |
| Bitstamp by Robinhood | From 0.30% maker, 0.40% taker at entry level; Basic Trading adds a 1.8% fixed spread | Order-book traders who want low entry rates and a fully printed spread on simple buys |
| Crypto.com | Exchange from 0.25% maker, 0.50% taker at Level 1; 3% off with a CRO balance | Traders who want a mid-priced order book and plan to hold CRO for fee discounts |
| Robinhood | No commission on default routing (spread applies); exchange routing from 0.50% maker, 0.95% taker | Existing Robinhood stock investors who want crypto in the same account |
| Gemini | ActiveTrader from 0.60% maker, 1.20% taker; app orders priced at the review screen | Holders of large balances who qualify for a lower tier through assets rather than volume |
Pricing read from each vendor's own pricing page, checked Nov 2026. 6 of 7 have no standalone price (bundled, usage-based or free to self-host) and are described as charged, not guessed.
Kraken
The only platform here that prints a fixed fee for app buys and a full order-book schedule, with a cheap waiver for regular buyers.
- Pricing
- Pro from 0.40% maker, 0.80% taker; app buys 1%; Kraken+ subscription waives app fees
Best for: Most US buyers who want printed fees on both the app and the order book
Pros
- Kraken Pro's taker rate falls from 0.80% to 0.38% by its third volume tier, one of the earliest big drops on this list.
- Kraken+ covers twenty times the monthly app volume that Coinbase One Basic covers, at the same monthly price.
- Holding assets on the platform can qualify you for a lower tier, so a large balance counts even when you trade rarely.
Cons
- App buys still carry a spread on top of the 1% fee, and Kraken+ does not waive the spread or card processing fees.
- Custom orders in the app cost 1.5%, and converting small balances below the minimum order costs a fixed 3%.
Coinbase
The broadest US crypto app, with a published order book, but its new US entry tier costs more than Kraken's.
- Pricing
- Advanced from 0.50% maker, 0.90% taker in the US; simple trades priced with a spread plus a fee at preview
Best for: Buyers who want the widest product range in one US app and accept higher entry rates
Pros
- Holding USDC on the platform can qualify you for VIP rates without any trading volume, under the tiers Coinbase introduced in September 2026.
- Coinbase says it has no payment-for-order-flow arrangements with market makers, and trades execute on its own order book or auctions.
- Coinbase One Premium removes the volume cap on zero-fee trading for buyers who move large sums through the simple app.
Cons
- The US entry rate of 0.90% taker is above Kraken Pro's 0.80% and nearly double the 0.50% taker Coinbase lists for the EU and UK.
- Simple limit orders add a 1% execution fee, and Coinbase One does not waive it.
Binance.US
The lowest printed order-book rates in this comparison by a wide margin, limited by where it can operate.
- Pricing
- 0% maker, 0.02% taker on most pairs; BNB/USD 0.01% taker; free ACH deposits and withdrawals
Best for: Cost-focused order-book traders whose state is covered by Binance.US
Pros
- Trading fees on most pairs are flat at 0.02% taker for nearly every account, with no subscription or volume requirement.
- Paying fees in BNB takes 5% off spot trading fees, and the BNB/USD pair charges only 0.01% taker.
- ACH deposits and withdrawals are free, and wire deposits carry no Binance.US fee.
Cons
- Binance.US says it holds money transmitter licenses in 32 states, so check that it serves yours before you sign up.
- Card deposits cost 3.99% and wire withdrawals a flat $25, which can outweigh the low trading rate on small orders.
Bitstamp by Robinhood
Low entry rates on the order book and the only simple-buy spread on this list that the vendor prints as a number.
- Pricing
- From 0.30% maker, 0.40% taker at entry level; Basic Trading adds a 1.8% fixed spread
Best for: Order-book traders who want low entry rates and a fully printed spread on simple buys
Pros
- The 0.40% entry taker rate is half of Kraken Pro's and well under Coinbase Advanced's, before any volume.
- Bitstamp prints its Basic Trading spread: 1.8% fixed on crypto and 0.5% on stablecoins, plus 0% to 0.5% in volatile markets.
- Free ACH deposits and withdrawals mean a bank-funded account pays nothing to move dollars in or out.
Cons
- Basic Trading on crypto can cost up to 2.3% in spread (1.8% fixed plus up to 0.5% in volatile markets), far above the order book.
- Its fee-free access through the Robinhood app is written for Bitstamp's UK and EU clients, so US users pay the schedule above.
Crypto.com
A mid-priced order book whose discounts depend on holding the platform's own CRO token.
- Pricing
- Exchange from 0.25% maker, 0.50% taker at Level 1; 3% off with a CRO balance
Best for: Traders who want a mid-priced order book and plan to hold CRO for fee discounts
Pros
- The 0.50% entry taker rate undercuts Coinbase Advanced and Kraken Pro for a buyer with no volume history.
- Rates step down over four more volume levels, to 0.08% maker and 0.18% taker at Level 5.
- A VIP program and a market maker program sit above the standard levels, so the published table is not the floor for large accounts.
Cons
- The 3% discount and any 0% maker benefit require a CRO balance, which ties your fee savings to a volatile token.
- A 0.5% liquidation fee applies to forced liquidations, a cost the spot table does not show for margin traders.
Robinhood
Commission-free by default, but the spread carries Robinhood's revenue, which it discloses per $100 traded.
- Pricing
- No commission on default routing (spread applies); exchange routing from 0.50% maker, 0.95% taker
Best for: Existing Robinhood stock investors who want crypto in the same account
Pros
- Robinhood discloses what it earns on default orders: $0.95 of every $100 traded through market makers, as of 15 June 2026.
- Exchange routing drops to 0.25% taker and 0.125% maker from $50,000 of 30-day volume, routed to EDX Markets and Bitstamp.
- Staking commission is 25% of rewards, below the 35% standard commission Coinbase lists for most stakeable assets.
Cons
- At the entry tier, the 0.95% exchange-routing taker fee equals what Robinhood earns on a default order, so small buyers gain little by switching.
- Exchange routing is not available to North Carolina residents.
Gemini
The most expensive entry rates in this comparison, softened only for big balances or active volume.
- Pricing
- ActiveTrader from 0.60% maker, 1.20% taker; app orders priced at the review screen
Best for: Holders of large balances who qualify for a lower tier through assets rather than volume
Pros
- A $1 million asset balance alone qualifies for 0.40% maker and 0.80% taker, without any trading volume.
- RLUSD/USD, USDC/GUSD and GUSD/USD trade at 0% maker and 0% taker, which suits anyone parking cash in stablecoins between trades.
- Gemini commits to posting fee schedule changes at least three calendar days before they take effect.
Cons
- The 1.20% entry taker rate is the highest on this list, one and a half times Kraken Pro's.
- Gemini's app fee schedule prints no fixed rate: the fee and spread are set per order and shown before you confirm.
What it is
A crypto exchange is a platform that matches buyers and sellers of digital assets and holds your coins and dollars while you trade. Most US platforms run two front ends: a simple app that quotes you an all-in price, and an order book (Kraken Pro, Coinbase Advanced, Gemini ActiveTrader) where you pay a published maker or taker rate. A maker order rests on the book and adds liquidity, so it pays less; a taker order fills immediately against a resting order and pays more.
Why it matters
The interface you trade on decides your rate more than the exchange you pick. On Kraken, the same $1,000 purchase costs $10 through the app at its 1% instant fee, or $8 on Kraken Pro as a taker, or $4 as a maker. Coinbase says its simple trades include a spread and a fee shown at preview, while Coinbase Advanced has no spread because you trade directly against the order book.
Subscriptions change the math for regular buyers. Coinbase One Basic and Kraken+ cost the same per month, yet Coinbase One Basic waives trading fees on up to $500 of monthly volume and Kraken+ on up to $10,000. Neither waives the spread, and neither applies to the order-book screens, so an active trader gets nothing from either subscription.
Key features to look for
Pricing
Every rate on this page was read on 21 October 2026 on the vendor's own fee page: Kraken fee schedule, Kraken+, Coinbase Advanced fee update, Coinbase fee disclosures, Coinbase One plans, Gemini ActiveTrader fee schedule, Gemini app fee schedule, Robinhood Crypto fee schedule, Robinhood crypto order routing, Crypto.com Exchange fees, Binance.US fees and Bitstamp fee schedule.
What a $1,000 order costs at the entry tier (our arithmetic on printed rates): as a taker, Binance.US $0.20, Bitstamp $4, Crypto.com $5, Kraken Pro $8, Coinbase Advanced $9, Robinhood exchange routing $9.50 and Gemini ActiveTrader $12. As a maker, the same order costs $0 on Binance.US, $2.50 on Crypto.com, $3 on Bitstamp, $4 on Kraken Pro, $5 on Coinbase Advanced and Robinhood, and $6 on Gemini.
Subscriptions, compared on the same billing: Coinbase One Basic and Kraken+ are both $4.99 a month or $49.99 a year. Coinbase One Preferred is $29.99 a month and Premium $299.99 a month. A buyer putting $500 a month through Kraken's app pays $5 in instant-buy fees, so Kraken+ on monthly billing roughly breaks even at that amount and saves money above it. Kraken sells monthly plans and its 30-day free trial only in its mobile app; the web offers annual plans only.
Methodology: we compared seven platforms available to US customers on entry-tier maker and taker rates, how clearly each prints its app-buy pricing, subscription caps and funding costs, using only the vendor's own pages. The ranking weighs printed, predictable cost first and breadth of service second; we do not rank on token listings or promotions. Rates move, so we re-check them when a vendor announces a change.
| Plan | Price | Best for |
|---|---|---|
| Binance.US (most pairs) | 0% maker / 0.02% taker | Flat for nearly every account; BNB fee payment takes 5% off |
| Bitstamp, entry tier | 0.30% maker / 0.40% taker | Order-book trading on all pairs; Basic Trading uses a 1.8% fixed spread instead |
| Crypto.com Exchange, Level 1 | 0.25% maker / 0.50% taker | Lowest volume level; 3% off with a CRO balance |
| Kraken Pro, Tier 1 | 0.40% maker / 0.80% taker | Under $2,500 of 30-day volume; drops to 0.30% and 0.60% at the next tier |
| Kraken app instant buy | 1% | Buy, sell and convert in the app; spread included in the quoted price |
| Kraken+ | $4.99/mo or $49.99/yr | Zero app trading fees on up to $10,000 a month; spreads still apply |
| Coinbase Advanced, US entry tier | 0.50% maker / 0.90% taker | Spot and derivatives volume combined for tiers since 16 September 2026 |
| Coinbase One Basic | $4.99/mo or $49.99/yr | Zero trading fees on up to $500 a month of simple trades; excludes Advanced |
| Coinbase One Preferred | $29.99/mo or $299.99/yr | Zero trading fees up to $10,000 a month and 25% off Advanced spot fees up to 100 USDC |
| Robinhood, default routing | No commission | Routed to market makers; Robinhood earns through the spread |
| Robinhood, exchange routing | 0.50% maker / 0.95% taker | Lowest volume tier, routed to EDX Markets and Bitstamp |
| Gemini ActiveTrader, entry tier | 0.60% maker / 1.20% taker | No volume requirement; a $1 million balance unlocks the next tier |
The bottom line
Choose Kraken if you want one account where both the app and the order book print their fees, and add Kraken+ once you buy a few hundred dollars a month through the app. Choose Binance.US if order-book cost is all that matters and your state is covered. Choose Coinbase for breadth, and use Advanced rather than the simple app; our Coinbase review and Coinbase fees explainer go deeper on its spread and subscription tiers.
If you already invest through Robinhood, its crypto tab is convenient, but read our Robinhood review and the Robinhood Gold cost breakdown before you assume it is free. Comparing brokers more broadly? See the best investing apps, the best day trading platforms and Webull vs Robinhood. For taxes, start with the best crypto tax software or our Koinly review, and follow US rules in our coverage of the CFTC crypto software relief and the stalled CLARITY Act. CoinLedger's profile on Toolradar lists its plans if you want one tool to pull every exchange's history together.
Toolradar data: Toolradar, the software directory we run, evaluated 68 crypto and web3 tools for its crypto and web3 ranking, and 7 of its top 10 have a free plan, as of 21 October 2026. Its overall pick is MetaMask, a free self-custody wallet, which matters here because coins you withdraw from an exchange need somewhere to go.
This page is general information, not personalized financial advice. It compares fees and features, not whether to buy any asset. Confirm current terms, fees and state availability with each provider before you deposit. Cite this: Finpresso, "Best Crypto Exchanges in the US 2026: Fees Compared", November 2026.
Frequently asked questions
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Some offers on this page may be paid placements or contain affiliate links.
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