Kraken vs. Gemini (2025): Beginner's Guide

Kraken and Gemini are two popular US-based cryptocurrency exchanges. In this guide, we'll help you understand which exchange better fits your needs.

Gemini vs. Kraken: Which is better?

Kraken is best for users who want access to a wide variety of cryptocurrencies, lower fees, and advanced trading features. It’s a great choice for intermediate/advanced traders looking to save money on fees. 

Gemini is best for beginner investors who value simplicity, strong regulatory compliance, and a straightforward user experience. It’s a good choice for beginner investors. 

Kraken: Pros & Cons

Pros

• Lower trading fees: Kraken has lower fees on its standard platform, as well as low fees on Kraken Pro. You can also pay for the Kraken+ subscription service ($4.99 a month) and trade up to $10,000 with no fees. 
• Large cryptocurrency selection: With over 500 cryptocurrencies available, you can explore both popular coins and lesser-known altcoins all in one place.
• Strong staking options: Kraken lets you stake over 20 different cryptocurrencies, allowing you to earn passive income on crypto. 
• Advanced trading tools: Features like futures trading give experienced traders more options. 

Cons

• Steeper learning curve: The platform can feel overwhelming if you're new to crypto trading, which makes it less ideal for new investors. 
• Not available in New York or  Maine: If you live in these states, you won't be able to use Kraken. In addition, staking features are restricted in California, Maryland, New Jersey, and Wisconsin. 

Gemini: Pros & Cons

Pros

• Extremely beginner-friendly: Gemini's simple interface makes it easy to buy Bitcoin and Ethereum with just a click! 
• Available in all 50 states: Unlike Kraken, Gemini works across the entire US. It is available in New York, which is known for its strict requirements for crypto exchanges. 
• Insurance on hot wallet funds: Gemini provides additional insurance coverage for crypto stored in hot wallets, which adds an extra layer of protection.

Cons

• Higher fees. Gemini's simple buy feature charges fees of 2.49%, which is relatively high. 
• Limited cryptocurrency selection: With around 70+ coins, Gemini offers fewer cryptocurrencies than competitors like Kraken.
• Fewer advanced features: While Gemini does offer an ActiveTrader platform, it doesn't match the depth of features available on Kraken.

Head-to-head comparison

User Friendliness

Winner: Gemini

Gemini is the best choice if you're brand new to crypto and want the easiest possible experience. Kraken is better suited for users who have some trading experience or are willing to spend time learning the platform.

Kraken: While Kraken has more advanced features, the platform can feel less intuitive for beginner investors. The learning curve may be steeper if you’re new to crypto. 

Gemini: Gemini was built with beginners in mind. The platform features a clean, straightforward design that makes it easy to buy and sell crypto on desktop and mobile, even if you've never traded before! 

Fees

Winner: Kraken

Understanding fees matters because they directly impact how much money you keep from your trades over time.

Kraken: For simple purchases, Kraken charges up to 1%, Fees on Kraken Pro range from 0-0.4%. If you choose to pay for the Kraken+ subscription service, you pay 0 fees on up to $10,000 of trades! 

Gemini: Gemini charges 2.49% fees on Instant Buy purchases. Meanwhile, fees on Gemini ActiveTrader range from 0-0.4%. 

Security

Winner: Tie

Both Kraken and Gemini follow best practices when it comes to security. 

Both exchanges store the majority of customer funds in cold storage (offline wallets that hackers can't access remotely), which protects your assets from online threats. Both platforms also offer two-factor authentication (2FA), which adds an extra layer of security by requiring a second verification step when you log in.

Kraken: Kraken maintains a strong security track record and has never lost customer funds in a hack. The exchange also undergoes regular security audits to identify and fix potential vulnerabilities.

Gemini: Gemini provides additional insurance coverage for crypto held in hot wallets (wallets connected to the internet). This insurance protects against theft or security breaches, which gives extra peace of mind if you keep funds on the exchange.

Cryptocurrency Selection

Winner: Kraken

For beginners who plan to stick with major cryptocurrencies like Bitcoin, Ethereum, and a few others, Gemini's selection is more than enough. However, if you want access to a wider variety of coins, Kraken is the better choice. 

Kraken: Kraken offers access to over 500 cryptocurrencies, including major coins like Bitcoin and Ethereum as well as smaller altcoins. 

Gemini: Gemini supports around 70+ cryptocurrencies. While this includes all the major coins most beginners are interested in, you'll find fewer options if you want to explore newer or less popular altcoins.

Staking

Winner: Kraken

Kraken offers more options for crypto staking. 

Kraken: Kraken supports staking for over 20 different cryptocurrencies, including Ethereum, Solana, Cardano, and Polkadot. 

Gemini: Gemini offers staking for three cryptocurrencies: Ethereum, Solana, and Monad. 

Advanced Features

Winner: Kraken

Both exchanges provide advanced trading platforms, but Kraken offers more features for experienced traders.

Kraken: Kraken Pro is one of the most feature-rich trading platforms available to U.S. customers. It offers advanced charting, deep liquidity, multiple order types, and faster execution. U.S. users can also access crypto futures if they meet eligibility requirements.

Kraken has also expanded its ecosystem to offer commission-free trading for certain U.S. stocks and ETFs.

Gemini: Gemini offers its ActiveTrader platform with advanced charting, multiple order types, and API access. While ActiveTrader is a solid platform for experienced users, it doesn't offer the same depth of features as Kraken Pro. 

Customer Support

Winner: Kraken

Kraken is considered one of the best cryptocurrency exchanges when it comes to customer support. 

Kraken: Kraken offers 24/7 live chat support, allowing you to get help quickly when you need it. The exchange also provides email support, an extensive help center with articles and guides, and a community forum.

Gemini: Gemini primarily offers email support along with a comprehensive help center. While the help center provides detailed articles that answer common questions, the lack of live chat means you may wait longer for personalized assistance with urgent issues.

Mobile App

Winner: Tie

Both Kraken and Gemini offer mobile apps that let you trade crypto on the go.

Kraken: Kraken offers two mobile apps: the standard Kraken app for simple buying and selling, and Kraken Pro for advanced trading. This means you can pick the app that fits your experience level. 

Gemini: Gemini offers one standard app. It’s intuitive and mirrors the simplicity of the desktop experience, making it easy to trade from your phone (however, it comes with high fees). 

Trust and Controversies

Winner: TIe 

Both exchanges have faced controversy in the past, but both are generally considered safe and trusted. 

Kraken: Kraken settled with the SEC in 2023 over its staking services and paid a $30 million fine.

Gemini: Gemini has maintained a relatively clean record. The exchange faced criticism in 2022 when its Gemini Earn program (a crypto lending service) froze withdrawals after partner Genesis filed for bankruptcy. Users were later reimbursed, but the incident raised concerns about third-party risks.

Availability / International

Winner: Gemini

Gemini is one of the few cryptocurrency exchanges available in all 50 states. 

Kraken: Kraken is available in most US states but cannot operate in New York or Maine. 

Gemini: Gemini is available in all 50 US states. 

Tax Reporting

Winner: Tie

Both Kraken and Gemini provide transaction history that you can export for tax purposes. In addition, both exchanges report to the IRS via Form 1099-DA.

However, it's important to remember that these tax forms can be inaccurate, especially if you transferred crypto between wallets or exchanges. In these situations, you'll need to use crypto tax software like CoinLedger to generate a complete tax report.

CoinLedger integrates with Kraken, Gemini, and hundreds of other platforms, allowing you to save hours of time and effort during tax season.

Conclusion

Kraken and Gemini are both fantastic exchanges. Your choice should depend on your own unique needs.

Choose Kraken if you want lower trading fees, access to 500+ cryptocurrencies, more staking options, and advanced trading tools. 

Choose Gemini if you value the easiest possible user experience and availability in all 50 states.