Coinbase Review

Coinbase fees: simple trades vs Coinbase Advanced

Coinbase charges differently depending on how you trade. There is no single fee: the cost of a simple buy depends on your payment method, order size and country, and part of it sits in the spread. Coinbase Advanced works like an order book, with maker and taker fees instead.

• Coinbase (simple trade)Simple buys, sells and converts carry a Coinbase fee that varies with payment method, order size, market conditions, jurisdiction and asset. It is shown in the trade preview before you confirm.1 sourceThe quoted price of simple buy and sell orders includes a spread, and Coinbase may keep any excess spread. The spread can be seen in the order preview.1 source
• Coinbase (simple limit order)1%limit-order fee on simple limit ordersSimple limit orders add a separate 1% limit-order fee, and the Coinbase fee on them may be up to 1.875% depending on the payment method.1 source
• Coinbase AdvancedCoinbase adds no quoted spread on Coinbase Advanced, because you trade directly on the order book; you pay maker or taker fees set by your fee tier. The market’s bid–ask spread still applies: an order that crosses it pays the taker rate, and a market order can fill at several prices (slippage).3 sourcesNot verified yetThe numeric maker/taker rates by tier are not on the public help page; Coinbase shows them after login. We have not published numbers we could not read.1 source
• Coinbase OneCoinbase One is a subscription that removes trading fees on buys and sells, with limitations: a spread can still be included in the quoted price, and the 1% limit-order fee still applies.1 source
• Fee changesCoinbase says it occasionally tests changes to fees and spread across regions, assets, order sizes and trade types, and that the fees on its general disclosure page do not apply in every region.1 source
• Cash in and outAdding cash or cashing out may carry a fee that depends on the payment method; Coinbase shows it before you complete the transaction.1 source
• Instant cashout$100,000per instant cash-out to a US bank (RTP)US and UK customers can cash out instantly to an eligible card (Visa Fast Funds or Mastercard Send), and US customers to an RTP-enabled bank account (up to $100,000 per transaction). Standard transaction fees apply.1 source
• Crypto transfers0.2%processing fee on Lightning sendsSending crypto off Coinbase costs a network fee based on Coinbase’s estimate. Lightning sends add a 0.2% processing fee; USDT withdrawals add 0.01% (up to 20 USDT) plus the network fee.1 source

Full breakdown: Coinbase fees explained, with cash-in and cash-out costs country by country.

To compare like for like, read maker vs taker fees explained and how to compare crypto trading fees.

Features

What Coinbase offers and what it takes to open an account, from its own help pages.

• Coinbase and Coinbase AdvancedCoinbase offers two ways to trade: the default app for simple buy, sell and convert with a fixed price quote, and Coinbase Advanced, with an order book, charts and limit, stop and bracket orders. Derivatives and leverage on Advanced are limited to eligible regions.1 source

Is Coinbase safe? Custody, insurance and incidents

Safety on an exchange has two sides: what the company protects, and what you protect. Here is what Coinbase documents, including its limits.

• CustodyCoinbase says it keeps over 99% of customer assets in cold storage and moves funds in and out of hot wallets as customers deposit and withdraw. Transfers are protected by distributed keys, withdrawal limits, anomaly detection and kill switches that can halt signing.1 sourceCoinbase says customer assets are held 1:1, remain the customer’s property and are not lent or used unless the customer instructs it, and that its records track customer holdings separately from company assets.1 source
• CompanyCoinbase is a publicly traded US company in the S&P 500. It says its financials are reviewed quarterly by an external auditor and that it files annual audited financial statements with the SEC.1 source
• Custody and insuranceCrypto held on Coinbase is not insured by the FDIC, NCUSIF or SIPC. Coinbase’s crime insurance covers a portion of the crypto in its storage systems against theft, but not losses from someone accessing your account with your credentials.1 sourceUS dollar balances are held in pooled custodial accounts at FDIC-insured banks or NCUSIF-insured credit unions, set up for pass-through insurance up to $250,000 per depositor, subject to conditions.1 source
• Security incidentOn 15 May 2025 Coinbase disclosed that bribed overseas support agents copied account data of a small subset of customers. Coinbase states no passwords, private keys or funds were exposed, and that it would reimburse customers tricked into sending funds to the attackers.1 source
• Account security2-step verification is required to access a Coinbase account. Coinbase recommends more than one method, rating two security keys as the highest security, and lets you name trusted contacts to approve account recovery.1 source48 hoursbefore a new address can receive sendsAddress allowlisting limits crypto sends to addresses in your address book. A new address can receive sends only after 48 hours, and turning the feature off also takes 48 hours (unless done within 8 hours of turning it on).1 source

No exchange is risk-free. Two-factor authentication, a unique password and care with support “callbacks” matter as much as the company’s controls.

Full breakdown: Is Coinbase safe? covers cold storage, account protection, scams and regulation by country.

Coinbase by country: US, UK, Canada and Brazil

Coinbase works through a different local company in each market, with its own onboarding rules and cash options. Being offered in a country does not mean every person, state or product is eligible.

Editorial verdict

Our verdict will say who Coinbase may suit, who it may not, and why. A commercial relationship never determines the verdict. It will be added after an editor reviews this research.