Kraken vs Bitvavo
What each one charges, who licenses it, and how they rank against each other country by country.


The short version
We rank both for crypto in 8 countries, and Kraken comes out ahead in every one of them.
We score each country separately, based on the company that would actually hold your account there, so check your own country in the table below.
On the one fee we could check for both, Bitvavo is cheaper.
Both hold top-tier (tier-1) licences: Kraken from CBI, CSA and FCA, Bitvavo from AFM.
- Bitvavo is cheaper for crypto trades (standard taker fee): 0.25%, compared with 0.8% at Kraken.Edge: Bitvavo
- We list Kraken in 11 of the 14 countries we cover and Bitvavo in 8. They overlap in 8.Edge: Kraken
- Kraken gets more search attention than Bitvavo (Market Signal 73 vs 60). That tells you how well known it is, not how good it is.
Where you can use each one
Where each one ranks on our list in every country we cover, its Coinish Score there, and the company that would hold your account. If a broker isn't allowed to take clients from a country, it isn't on that country's list.
Crypto exchanges
| Country | Kraken | Bitvavo |
|---|---|---|
| Austria | #4 of 2176/100EU passport Payward Europe Solutions Limited · CBI | #7 of 2170/100EU passport Bitvavo B.V. · AFM |
| Croatia | #4 of 1976/100EU passport Payward Europe Solutions Limited · CBI | #7 of 1970/100EU passport Bitvavo B.V. · AFM |
| Cyprus | #4 of 1976/100EU passport Payward Europe Solutions Limited · CBI | #7 of 1970/100EU passport Bitvavo B.V. · AFM |
| Germany | #4 of 2176/100EU passport Payward Europe Solutions Limited · CBI | #7 of 2170/100EU passport Bitvavo B.V. · AFM |
| Italy | #4 of 1976/100EU passport Payward Europe Solutions Limited · CBI | #7 of 1970/100EU passport Bitvavo B.V. · AFM |
| Netherlands | #4 of 1976/100EU passport Payward Europe Solutions Limited · CBI | #7 of 1970/100Locally licensed Bitvavo B.V. · AFM |
| Portugal | #4 of 1976/100EU passport Payward Europe Solutions Limited · CBI | #7 of 1970/100EU passport Bitvavo B.V. · AFM |
| Spain | #4 of 1976/100EU passport Payward Europe Solutions Limited · CBI | #7 of 1970/100EU passport Bitvavo B.V. · AFM |
| Australia | #3 of 774/100Foreign licence Bit Trade Pty Limited · AUSTRAC | Not listed |
| Canada | #3 of 676/100Locally licensed Payward Canada Inc. · CSA | Not listed |
| United Kingdom | #2 of 576/100Locally licensed Payward Ltd · FCA | Not listed |
Fees and features side by side
| Kraken | Bitvavo | |
|---|---|---|
| Products | Crypto, Futures | Crypto |
| Owner | Payward, Inc. | Not verified yet |
| Crypto trading fee | 0.8%, base-tier taker fee on the order book | 0.25%, base-tier taker fee on the order book |
| Inactivity fee | None | Not verified yet |
| Withdrawal fee | Not verified yet | None |
| Minimum deposit | €1 (Payward Europe Solutions Limited) | Not verified yet |
| Instruments | Not verified yet | Not verified yet |
| Platforms | Kraken app, Kraken Pro, Kraken Desktop | Bitvavo app, Bitvavo Pro Mode |
| Deposit methods | Debit/credit card, Apple Pay, Google Pay, ACH transfer | SEPA bank transfer, Credit card, PayPal, Apple Pay |
| Withdrawal time (stated) | most arrive within 24 hours | 1 business day to Dutch banks, 2 business days to other banks |
| Demo account | Not verified yet | Not verified yet |
| Support | live chat, email · 24/7 | live chat, email |
Every figure comes from the broker's own pages or its regulator. You'll find the sources in each review (Kraken, Bitvavo).
Licences
Kraken vs Bitvavo: common questions
Which is better, Kraken or Bitvavo?
We rank both for crypto in 8 countries, and Kraken comes out ahead in every one of them. For reference, Kraken's best ranking is #2 of 5 crypto exchanges in the United Kingdom, and Bitvavo's best ranking is #7 of 21 crypto exchanges in Germany.
Is Kraken cheaper than Bitvavo?
Bitvavo is cheaper for crypto trades (standard taker fee): 0.25%, compared with 0.8% at Kraken.
Is Kraken or Bitvavo better regulated?
Both hold top-tier (tier-1) licences: Kraken from CBI, CSA and FCA, Bitvavo from AFM. Which company you actually sign up with depends on where you live; the country table on this page names it for each one.
Can I use both Kraken and Bitvavo where I live?
We list Kraken in 11 of the 14 countries we cover and Bitvavo in 8. They overlap in 8. For crypto, you'll find both on our lists in Austria, Croatia, Cyprus, Germany, Italy, Netherlands, Portugal and Spain.