This is a desk review based on Kraken's official pages, checked on the dates in Sources. We have not used the platform hands-on, and details change — verify them on the official site before acting.
What Kraken is
Kraken is a cryptocurrency exchange operating for many years, offering trading, and related services, to users in a range of jurisdictions. It runs more than one product aimed at different users — a simpler app for everyday buying and a more advanced trading platform — and the fee schedules differ between them. That's the first thing to sort out, because a fee you read for one product may not be the fee you'll pay in the other.
Fees: what we can verify
Kraken publishes its fee schedule openly, which is the honest strength of this review. The published base tier (from $0 of 30-day trading volume) is:
| Volume tier (30-day) | Maker fee | Taker fee |
|---|---|---|
| $0 and up | 0.40% | 0.80% |
Two things to understand about those numbers:
- Maker vs taker. The maker rate applies when your order adds liquidity to the order book (a resting limit order); the taker rate applies when it takes existing liquidity (an immediate buy or sell). A beginner making a simple "buy now" order typically pays the taker rate. See crypto fees explained for the full distinction.
- Tiers decrease with volume. The rates above are the entry tier; they step down as your 30-day trading volume rises. So the "real" fee for you depends on how much you trade, not just a single headline number.
Eligibility
Available products, assets, and even basic account access vary by country and, in the United States, by state. Verify current availability for your location on Kraken's official site before investing time in setup. Identity verification (KYC) is required.
Where Kraken fits a beginner
- Good fit if you value fee transparency. The published, volume-tiered schedule means you can compute your actual cost before trading, rather than discovering it afterward. That's a real advantage over platforms that hide cost in a spread.
- Good fit if you expect to keep trading. Because the rates improve with volume, a buyer who plans recurring purchases gets cheaper trades over time.
- Sort out the product first. The one genuine source of confusion for a new user is which product (and therefore which fee table) they're in. Start in the simplest one and confirm its fee table before you rely on the numbers above.
Custody and the risk that applies regardless
Bottom line
Kraken is a reasonable choice for a first purchase for a beginner who wants to see exactly what fees apply and who may keep trading. Its transparency is the strength; the multi-product structure is the thing to be careful about. Verify current fees and eligibility on the official site, size the purchase to what you can afford to lose, and plan where the coins will live afterward.
Frequently asked questions
Is Kraken available in my country or state?
Availability varies by jurisdiction. Check Kraken's official site for current availability where you live before signing up — the list of supported regions and the features available in each can change.
What will a simple buy actually cost?
At the base tier, a taker trade is 0.80% of the trade amount, plus any deposit fee for your funding method and, later, a withdrawal and network fee if you move the coins off the platform. Work your exact total with our fee calculator using the current rates from the official schedule.
Is Kraken "safe"?
No exchange is safe in the way a deposit-insured bank account is. Kraken has a long operating history, but while your coins are on the platform, the platform holds them. The way to reduce that risk for anything you intend to keep is self-custody — a wallet where you hold the keys.
Where to go next
Compare Kraken with Coinbase in Coinbase vs Kraken, see how it fits in our criteria-based shortlist, and when you're ready, make a first purchase with the fees and risks in view.
About this review. This is a desk review based on the provider's official documentation and published details, checked on the dates listed in Sources. We have not tested the product hands-on, and details such as fees and eligibility change — verify them on the official site before acting.