Kraken vs Bitbuy: Which crypto platform is better?

Kraken and Bitbuy are two popular trading platforms where you can buy crypto in Canada. Both are legit, established exchanges, and both make it easy to buy and sell a variety of crypto coins and tokens.

But which of these crypto platforms is better? Let’s compare Kraken vs Bitbuy side-by-side to find out.

Kraken vs Bitbuy: Supported coins and tokens

If you’re just interested in trading major assets like Bitcoin (BTC) and Ethereum (ETH), Kraken and Bitbuy have both got you covered. But what if you want to trade a much wider range of coins and tokens?

Kraken supports over 600 coins and tokens globally, but some of them are not available for Canadian users to trade. You’ll still find a host of popular and lesser-known cryptos on the platform, including some of the best cryptocurrencies to buy right now.

Bitbuy offers a smaller range of coins and tokens. You can trade over 65 cryptos on the platform, including many of the world’s largest digital currencies in terms of market capitalization. Just like on Kraken, you have the option to buy directly with Canadian dollars or trade one crypto for another.

Who’s the winner?

Kraken supports a wider range of coins and tokens.

Kraken vs Bitbuy: Fees

Which platform is cheaper, Kraken or Bitbuy? Well, it’s complicated. The fees that apply can vary depending on your payment method, your 30-day trading volume, and whether you place an instant buy/sell order or use either exchange’s advanced trading platform.

Deposit fees

Bitbuy doesn’t charge any deposit fees.

On Kraken, whether or not deposit fees apply will depend on the payment method you choose. e-Transfers and wire transfers are free, but fees apply to other methods. For example, deposit using a debit card and you’ll pay a fee of $0.25 + 3.75%.

Trading fees

Place an instant buy/sell order on Kraken and a flat 1% trading fee applies. Kraken also includes a spread in the buy/sell price, but the size of the spread varies depending on factors such as market volatility, which crypto you’re trading, the size and type of your order, and your account activity.

Alternatively, you can get lower fees by using the advanced Kraken Pro platform. Maker fees on Kraken Pro range from 0% to 0.4%, while taker fees range from 0.05% to 0.8%—the greater your 30-day trading volume, the lower the fees that apply.

Over at Bitbuy, if you place an express trade, you’ll need to contend with a spread of 0.5%-1.85%. However, in times of adverse market conditions or low liquidity, this spread could be as high as 3%.

Experienced traders might prefer to use Bitbuy Pro instead, in which case you will get a maker fee of 0.50% and a taker fee of 0.50%

Withdrawal fees

Fees apply when you want to withdraw Canadian dollars from your Kraken account. You’ll pay $10 for an e-Transfer withdrawal, 0.35% for EFT or $13 for a SWIFT transfer.

Bitbuy doesn’t charge any fees for e-Transfer withdrawals, but bank deposits and wire transfers incur a 1.5% fee.

Bitbuy vs Coinbase: Fees

Who’s the winner?

It’s a tie. We like the fact that Bitbuy has a simple and transparent free structure, but it’s worth noting that frequent traders will get lower fees with Kraken Pro. Ultimately, you may need to compare prices based on the trade(s) you want to make to work out which platform is cheaper.

Kraken vs Bitbuy: Canadian regulatory bodies

No matter where you buy and sell crypto, it’s vital that you choose a platform that is properly regulated and licensed to operate in Canada. Happily, both Kraken and Bitbuy fit the bill.

Kraken is registered with the Ontario Securities Commission and securities regulators in all provinces and territories as a Restricted Dealer. It’s also registered with FINTRAC as a Money Services Business.

Meanwhile, Bitbuy is a trading name of Coinsquare Capital Markets, which is a member of the Canadian Investment Regulatory Organization (CIRO). It is also registered with FINTRAC as a Money Services Business, and with the Ontario Securities Commission as an Investment Dealer.

Who’s the winner?

It’s a tie. Both platforms are properly regulated in Canada.

Kraken vs Bitbuy: Payment methods

When you open an account with Kraken, you can deposit funds via e-Transfer, wire transfer, SWIFT transfer, debit/credit card, bill payment and crypto transfer. If you’d prefer to pay with cash, you can also deposit or via debit at a Canada Post location.

Bitbuy doesn’t support quite as many payment methods as Kraken, but you can still deposit funds via e-Transfer, wire transfer or crypto deposit.

Who’s the winner?

Kraken supports a wider range of payment options, including cash.

Kraken vs Bitbuy: Trading tools

Kraken and Bitbuy both offer user-friendly platforms that allow you to buy crypto with CAD in a matter of minutes. But both exchanges also offer their own advanced trading platforms that offer a wide range of tools for more experienced traders.

Kraken’s advanced platform is known as Kraken Pro. Pro users can access lower trading fees and a host of advanced order types, including stop losses, trailing stops and iceberg orders. You can also customize a trading layout to suit your preferences, make use of advanced charting tools and technical indicators, and access live market data. Handily, the advanced features of Pro are also available in a dedicated Kraken Pro app

Bitbuy Pro Trade is Bitbuy’s platform for experienced traders, and it also offers reduced trading fees. Pro Trade users can place market or limit orders, with advanced instructions like Good Til Cancelled and Fill or Kill available. Other features include a live order book and market depth chart, integrated TradingView charts for technical analysis, and trade markers that show your buy and sell history on crypto price charts.

Who’s the winner?

Kraken offers a wider range of advanced order types and trading tools.

Kraken vs Bitbuy: Security features

The crypto world is certainly no stranger to hacks and scams, so it’s important to find a trading platform that offers strong security features to protect your funds.

Kraken has a well-earned reputation as a secure crypto exchange and has received ISO/IEC 27001:2022 information security certification. It encrypts all sensitive account information, conducts real-time monitoring for suspicious activity, and requires email confirmation when you add a new withdrawal address. Two-factor authentication also helps to secure your account, and Kraken also runs a Bug Bounty program to help identify any security issues.

Bitbuy also has a good reputation for security and a strong track record of keeping client funds safe. It supports two-factor authentication, has secure servers across multiple cloud providers around the world, and has insurance coverage provided by BitGo. It also runs a 90% cold storage policy.

Who’s the winner?

It’s a tie. Both platforms have robust security measures in place.

How do the mobile apps for Kraken vs Bitbuy compare?

Prefer to trade and manage your crypto holdings on the go? Kraken and Bitbuy both offer highly rated mobile apps that you can use to:

• Buy and sell crypto
• Track your portfolio
• Deposit and withdraw funds
• Stake crypto

The standard Kraken and Bitbuy apps both offer a sleek user interface, making it easy to perform day-to-day transactions with a minimum of fuss. Kraken Pro users also get a dedicated Pro app, while Bitbuy Pro Trade users can access advanced trading features in the Bitbuy app.

Check out the table below for details of how users rate Kraken and Bitbuy’s apps.

* Ratings as of 28 May 2026

Who’s the winner?

Kraken. The higher average ratings for the user-friendly Kraken app see it take the win here.

Other features we like about Kraken vs Bitbuy

Staking

If you want to stake your crypto holdings to earn rewards, Kraken lets you stake over 20 cryptos. These include Ethereum (ETH), Cosmos (ATOM), Polkadot (DOT), Solana (SOL) and TRON (TRX). You can choose bonded staking to access the highest earn rate, or flexible staking if you want the freedom of fast access to your tokens at any time.

Staking is also supported on Bitbuy, but for 9 crypto assets. You can earn rewards by staking ETH, DOT, Polygon (POL), SOL, Cardano (ADA), Near Protocol (NEAR), ATOM, Injective (INJ) and Celestia (TIA).

OTC trading

If you’re a high-net-worth individual and you want to place large crypto trades, both providers have OTC trading desks.

The Kraken OTC Desk lets you execute orders off the open Kraken exchange for all assets Kraken supports. The minimum order size is US$50,000, and OTC clients get access to 1-on-1 service that is available 24/7.

Bitbuy Alpha is Bitbuy’s OTC desk. It lets you place trades of a minimum of $50,000 for BTC and ETH, and $20,000 for any other coin listed on the platform. This allows you to access better rates, personalized service from a dedicated account manager, and the ability to get instant quotes from live traders 7 days a week.

Recurring buys

Dollar-cost averaging involves making crypto purchases on a regular schedule to help reduce the impact of price volatility. Kraken and Bitbuy both allow you to set up recurring buy orders. Bitbuy supports weekly, bi-weekly, or monthly purchases, while Kraken also adds daily purchases into the mix.

Membership plans

Kraken offers a membership program known as Kraken+. Sign up for a subscription (US$4.99 a month) and you get fee-free trading on up to $10,000 worth of trades per month, plus access to exclusive airdrops, priority support and other perks.

Bitbuy does not offer any membership or subscription plans.

Customer support

If you need help with your account, Kraken offers 24/7 global support. Priority support is also available for advanced traders as part of the Kraken Account Management program.

Bitbuy has an online support centre with answers to a long list of frequently asked questions. If you want to contact the team, you can submit a support ticket online.

What does Reddit think of the Kraken vs Bitbuy debate?

Like pretty much every other crypto platform, Kraken and Bitbuy receive mixed feedback among Reddit users. Kraken earns praise for its low fees and support for a wide range of cryptos, but it also receives complaints for poor customer support. Bitbuy receives positive feedback as a legit exchange, and a Canadian one at that, but complaints about delayed withdrawals and slow customer support cause some users to recommend Kraken or other platforms instead.

Alternatives to Kraken and Bitbuy

Still not convinced that either Kraken or Bitbuy is the right trading platform for you? Check out these reputable alternatives.

Coinbase

Coinbase is one of the world’s largest and best-known crypto exchanges. Headquartered in the US, it lets you trade over 200 cryptos. You can buy directly with Canadian dollars, with a variety of payment options supported, and trade online or via a sleek mobile app. Experienced traders can also access interactive TradingView charts and advanced order types with Coinbase Advanced.

Paybis

Founded in 2014, Paybis offers crypto trading services in over 180 countries around the world. You can buy over 80 cryptos on the platform, but selling options are restricted to a small handful of coins and tokens. It’s quick and easy to buy crypto with CAD on Paybis, while the platform also offers 24/7 support for added peace of mind.

VirgoCX

VirgoCX is a Canadian crypto platform founded in 2018 and based in Toronto. The focus of this platform is on making crypto trading easily accessible for all Canadians. You can buy dozens of crypto assets with VirgoCX, including plenty of the world’s largest coins and tokens by market cap. You can fund your account instantly by e-Transfer, and there are no deposit or withdrawal fees to worry about.

Wealthsimple

Wealthsimple is a Canadian fintech company that offers a chequing account, a credit card, customized investment portfolios, and stock, ETF and crypto trading. Trade online or via the user-friendly Wealthsimple app to invest in over 140 cryptos. Trading fees range from 0.05%–2%, staking is supported for 4 cryptos, and convenient features like recurring buy orders help make this another platform worth considering.

Frequently asked questions about Kraken vs Bitbuy

• Is Kraken better than Bitbuy?

  It depends on what you’re looking for in a crypto trading platform. If you want access to a wider range of cryptocurrencies, more payment options and the potential for lower trading fees with Kraken Pro, Kraken may be a better option for you. But if you want to buy and sell crypto on a user-friendly Canadian exchange with a transparent fee structure, Bitbuy might be a more suitable fit for your needs.

• Is it cheaper to buy on Kraken Pro?

  Yes, Kraken Pro offers lower trading fees than the standard Kraken platform. Pro offers maker fees of 0% to 0.4% and taker fees of 0.05% to 0.8%, and the fee that applies is determined by your 30-day trading volume on the platform. The greater the volume, the lower the fee you can qualify for.

• Are Kraken and Bitbuy available outside Canada?

  Kraken is a global exchange that offers trading services in over 190 countries, so it’s accessible right around the world. But Bitbuy is available for Canadians only, so residents of other countries cannot open a trading account.

• Is Bitbuy a safe platform?

  Yes, Bitbuy is a safe and secure trading platform. Founded in 2016, Bitbuy is a Canadian exchange headquartered in Toronto. Bitbuy is a trading name of Coinsquare Capital Markets, which is a member of the Canadian Investment Regulatory Organization (CIRO). It is also registered with the Ontario Securities Commission as an Investment Dealer, registered with FINTRAC as a Money Services Business, and implements safety measures like two-factor authentication to help ensure the security of your funds.

• What is the best crypto exchange in Canada?

  The best crypto exchange for you varies depending on factors such as your trading experience and the coins and tokens you want to trade. For example, Bitbuy is a great option for beginners who want to buy crypto with CAD, while Kraken has plenty of tools to suit advanced traders. Learn more in our guide to the best crypto exchanges and apps in Canada.

Written by

Tim Falk

Writer

Tim Falk is a freelance writer for Finder. Over the course of his 20-year writing career, he has reported on a wide range of personal finance topics. Whether you're investing in stocks and ETFs, comparing savings accounts or choosing a credit card, Tim wants to make it easier for you to understand. When he’s not staring at his computer, you can usually find him exploring the great outdoors. See full bio

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