Detailed comparison of all fees, features, and suitability — updated for 2026.
Kraken is the better choice for Krypto-Anleger, while Scalable Capital wins for Active Traders. Which one suits you depends on your strategy — the detailed comparison below shows every difference.
| Metric | Kraken | Scalable Capital | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Order fee per trade | 0.16 € | 0.99 € | 0.83 € cheaper at Kraken |
| 10y savings plan cost @ €100/month | 19 € | 0 € | 19 € cheaper at Scalable Capital |
| Interest on €10,000 cash (1 year) | — | 2.60 % = 260 € | +260 € more at Scalable Capital / year |
| Free ETF savings plans | 0 | 2.400 | +2.400 more at Scalable Capital |
| Available exchanges | 2 | 2 | identical |
| BMInsider rating | 4.4/5 | 4.2/5 | +0.2 at Kraken |
All fees, products, and platform features compared side-by-side. The "Winner" column shows which broker leads in each category.
| Feature | Kraken | Scalable Capital | Winner |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fees & Costs | |||
| Order Fee | 0.16 % / 0.26 % (Pro) | 0.99€ or flat rate from 4.99€/Month | Kraken |
| ETF Savings Plan Fee | - | 0€ | Scalable Capital |
| Account Fee | 0€/Year | 0€ (Free) / 4.99€/Mo (Plus) / 9.99€/Mo (Premium) | Tie |
| Minimum Deposit | $1 | 0€ | Tie |
| Interest on Cash | 0% | 2.6% (Plus/Premium) | Scalable Capital |
| Product Range | |||
| Stocks | Scalable Capital | ||
| ETFs | Scalable Capital | ||
| Crypto | Tie | ||
| Options | Tie | ||
| CFDs | Tie | ||
| Fractional Shares | Tie | ||
| Number of Exchanges | Krypto-Spot, Krypto-Futures | gettex, Xetra | Tie |
| Platform & Tools | |||
| Mobile App | Tie | ||
| Desktop Platform | Tie | ||
| Demo Account | Kraken | ||
| Security & Regulation | |||
| Regulated by | FinCEN · FCA · BaFin | BaFin | Tie |
| Deposit Protection | - | 100.000€ | Tie |
| Founded | 2011 | 2014 | Tie |
| Overall Rating | |||
| Rating | ★★★★★ | ★★★★★ | Kraken |
Depending on your strategy and experience, one broker fits better. Here's how to decide:
Low barriers, simple app, demo account and no hidden costs — perfect to get started.
More about Kraken →Low per-order fees, many trading venues and derivatives access — important if you trade regularly.
More about Kraken →Free savings plans, interest on cash and no custody fee — what matters when you buy & hold.
More about Scalable Capital →Kraken was founded in 2011 and is one of the oldest crypto exchanges still operating. With 95% cold storage, quarterly proof-of-reserves and licenses in the US, UK and Germany, Kraken is the security benchmark of the industry.
Particularly suitable for: Krypto-Anleger, Bitcoin-Käufer, HODL-Investoren.
Scalable Capital offers a flat-rate model from €4.99/month for unlimited trades. With Xetra access and free savings plans, a good choice for active investors.
Particularly suitable for: Active Traders, Savings Plan Investors, Beginners.
Kraken (Payward Europe Solutions Ireland Ltd., MiCA licence 2025) and Scalable Capital (BaFin, Baader Bank, Munich) compete for the crypto investor with very different approaches. Kraken: 400+ real spot coins, Pro maker 0.25% / taker 0.40% (down with volume), 20+ staking coins. Scalable: 30+ crypto ETPs (securities), FREE or PRIME+ (€4.99/month) for cash interest 2.6%.
Honest take: Kraken is the pick for active crypto traders, self-custody and staking rewards. Scalable is the pick for DACH multi-asset with crypto ETPs in security form plus cash yield.
You want real spot coins. Kraken 400+ coins with wallet withdrawal. Scalable only 30+ ETPs without wallet option.
You want staking rewards. Kraken 20+ staking coins (ETH 2.5–4%, ADA 3%, DOT 12%). Scalable crypto ETPs are passive securities, no staking.
You want §23 tax-free after 1-year holding. Kraken spot coins. Scalable ETPs are §20 EStG (always KESt).
You want low maker fees. Kraken Pro 0.25% maker from start. Scalable PRIME+ 0.69% spread on ETPs.
You want API access. Kraken REST + WebSocket. Scalable has no open trading API.
You want the German tax certificate. Scalable withholds 25% KESt automatically. Kraken pays gross.
You want multi-asset (stocks + ETFs + crypto) in one app. Scalable 8 000+ stocks, 2 700+ ETFs. Kraken crypto-only.
You want PRIME+ cash interest 2.6%. Scalable. Kraken no EUR interest.
You want free ETF savings plans from €1. Scalable 2 700 ETFs. Kraken has no ETFs.
You want crypto inheritable in the portfolio. Scalable crypto ETPs are securities — inheritable to heirs without wallet complexity. Kraken spot coins require recovery-phrase inheritance.
Germany — Scalable steuereinfach, Kraken not. Scalable withholds KESt automatically. Kraken gross.
§23 vs §20 EStG: Kraken spot coins → §23 EStG (1 year tax-free). Scalable crypto ETPs → §20 EStG (always KESt).
Austria — neither steuereinfach. AT users self via FinanzOnline.
Staking tax: Kraken staking rewards: 10-year speculation period per BMF. Scalable no staking.
Profile: 100 crypto buys at €1 000, 5 coins staked at €10 000 each, €5 000 idle EUR cash.
| Item | Scalable PRIME+ | Kraken Pro |
|---|---|---|
| 100× €1 000 crypto | 100× €6.90 (0.69% ETP) = €690 | 100× €2.50 (0.25% maker) = €250 |
| Staking rewards €50 000 | not possible | ~€1 500 (3% p.a. minus 20% commission) |
| Cash interest €5 000 | +€130 | €0 |
| PRIME+ subscription | €59.88 | €0 |
| Net balance | −€620 | +€1 250 |
Kraken beats Scalable by ~€1 870 on this profile via staking rewards and lower crypto spreads. Scalable only wins on pure cash-buffer investors.
Pick: Scalable PRIME+. Steuereinfach, ETPs inheritable, cash interest.
Pick: Kraken Pro. 20+ staking coins + low fees.
Pick: Kraken. Wallet withdrawal possible.
Pick: Scalable. 2 700 ETFs vs Kraken zero.
Pick: Kraken. §23 tax-free. Scalable ETPs always KESt.
Answers to the most common questions about Kraken vs Scalable Capital.
For order fees, Kraken leads at 0.16 % / 0.26 % (Pro), while Scalable Capital charges 0.99€ oder Flatrate ab 4.99€/Monat. Note: with CFD brokers, spreads add hidden cost — the lower nominal price isn't always cheaper overall.
Kraken is regulated by FinCEN · FCA · BaFin, Scalable Capital by BaFin. Both fall under EU oversight. Deposit protection: Kraken -, Scalable Capital 100.000€.
For German/Austrian customers, language, BaFin regulation and tax-simple status often matter most. Check the 'Regulated by' and 'Languages' rows — DACH-focused brokers usually have the edge.
Scalable Capital offers free ETF savings plans from 1€. If a savings plan matters to you, that's a clear edge.
Both are covered under their home regulator's deposit protection. Kraken: -, Scalable Capital: 100.000€. Securities are held in segregated accounts and protected in case of broker insolvency.
Scalable Capital leads on cash interest at 2.60%. Watch the conditions — some brokers require a paid plan or cap the amount.
Both offer native mobile apps with good app-store ratings. Which is better depends on your needs — try both with a demo account if available.
A second broker makes sense when one offers features the other lacks (e.g. options, crypto, more exchanges). A full switch is only worth it if the cost difference or missing features are significant.
Sign up with the broker that fits your strategy. Both are regulated and offer a demo account to test risk-free.
