Detailed comparison of all fees, features, and suitability — updated for 2026.
Kraken is the better choice for Krypto-Anleger, while Trade Republic wins for Beginners. Which one suits you depends on your strategy — the detailed comparison below shows every difference.
| Metric | Kraken | Trade Republic | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Order fee per trade | 0.16 € | 1.00 € | 0.84 € cheaper at Kraken |
| 10y savings plan cost @ €100/month | 19 € | 0 € | 19 € cheaper at Trade Republic |
| Interest on €10,000 cash (1 year) | — | 3.25 % = 325 € | +325 € more at Trade Republic / year |
| Free ETF savings plans | 0 | 2.200 | +2.200 more at Trade Republic |
| Available exchanges | 2 | 1 | +1 more at Kraken |
| BMInsider rating | 4.4/5 | 4.3/5 | +0.1 at Kraken |
All fees, products, and platform features compared side-by-side. The "Winner" column shows which broker leads in each category.
| Feature | Kraken | Trade Republic | Winner |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fees & Costs | |||
| Order Fee | 0.16 % / 0.26 % (Pro) | 1€ per Order | Kraken |
| ETF Savings Plan Fee | - | 0€ | Trade Republic |
| Account Fee | 0€/Year | 0€/Year | Tie |
| Minimum Deposit | $1 | 0€ | Tie |
| Interest on Cash | 0% | 3.25% | Trade Republic |
| Product Range | |||
| Stocks | Trade Republic | ||
| ETFs | Trade Republic | ||
| Crypto | Tie | ||
| Options | Tie | ||
| CFDs | Tie | ||
| Fractional Shares | Tie | ||
| Number of Exchanges | Krypto-Spot, Krypto-Futures | LS Exchange | Kraken |
| 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 | 2015 | 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 Trade Republic →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.
Trade Republic is a German neo-broker with extremely low fees (€1 per trade) and free ETF savings plans. Ideal for beginners and savings plan investors.
Particularly suitable for: Beginners, Savings Plan Investors, Mobile-First.
Kraken (Payward Inc., US parent with Payward Europe Solutions Ireland Ltd., Irish MiCA licence 2025) and Trade Republic (BaFin/Bundesbank, German tax certificate) are very different platforms. Kraken is one of the oldest crypto exchanges (founded 2011) with 400+ coins, Kraken Pro maker fees from 0.25% and taker from 0.40% (down to ~0.12/0.22% at $100k/month), crypto futures (for pro traders after MiCA restrictions) and margin trading. Trade Republic is a multi-asset neo-broker with ~50 crypto + 8 000 stocks + 2 400 ETFs + 2.75% cash interest.
Honest take: Kraken is the pick for serious crypto investors with on-chain needs, staking and margin/futures. Trade Republic is the pick for crypto casual users with German tax comfort plus stocks/ETFs.
You want lowest crypto trading fees. Kraken Pro maker 0.25% from start, taker 0.40% — vs Trade Republic implicit 0.99% spread. At €10 000/month you save ~€74 per month.
You want crypto staking rewards. Kraken offers staking on 20+ coins (ETH 2.5–4%, ADA 3%, DOT 12% p.a.). 20% commission to Kraken. Trade Republic has no native staking.
You want self-custody withdrawal. Kraken allows crypto withdrawal to external wallets without minimum. Trade Republic crypto can't be withdrawn.
You want on-chain features (NFT, DeFi bridges). Kraken offers NFT marketplace, bridges. Trade Republic only classic crypto spot buys.
You use crypto API for algo trading. Kraken REST + WebSocket API. Trade Republic has no official trading API.
You want the German tax certificate. Trade Republic withholds 25% KESt automatically on stocks, ETFs and crypto; annual certificate for Anlage KAP. Kraken pays gross — you declare all crypto trades in Anlage SO yourself.
You want 2.75% cash interest on uninvested money. Trade Republic 2.75% p.a. up to €50 000. Kraken pays no cash interest on EUR balance.
You want multi-asset (stocks + ETFs + crypto in one app). Trade Republic combines everything. Kraken is crypto-only.
You want crypto savings plans from €1. Trade Republic from €1 crypto savings plan. Kraken savings plans from $5 equivalent, less flexible.
You want free SEPA withdrawal. Trade Republic SEPA free. Kraken SEPA withdrawal €1 flat.
Germany — Trade Republic fully steuereinfach, Kraken not. Trade Republic withholds 25% KESt on all assets automatically. Kraken pays gross; declare all crypto trades in Anlage SO (§23 EStG) yourself.
§23 EStG for crypto: 1-year holding tax-free. Trade Republic tracks holding period. Kraken users export CSV and use tools like CoinTracking or Blockpit.
Austria — neither steuereinfach. Kraken AT users self-declare via FinanzOnline.
Staking tax: On Kraken staking rewards: per BMF view 10-year speculation period (extended holding period) applicable. Trade Republic has no staking.
Crypto withdrawal: Kraken allows wallet withdrawal — not a tax-neutral disposal (no sale). Trade Republic doesn't allow withdrawal.
Profile A — Crypto buy-and-hold with €12 000 volume: 12 monthly €1 000 BTC buys, held >1 year.
| Item | Trade Republic | Kraken Pro |
|---|---|---|
| 12× €1 000 BTC buy | 12× ~€10 spread = €120 | 12× ~€2.50 (0.25% maker) = €30 |
| 1× SEPA withdrawal | €0 | €1 |
| Tax (steuereinfach) | KESt automatic (none after 1y) | self-declaration |
| Yearly cost A | ≈€120 | ≈€31 |
Profile B — Active trader with €100 000 volume + €20 000 staked on ETH/ADA.
| Item | Trade Republic | Kraken Pro |
|---|---|---|
| 200× trade spread/fee | ~€990 (0.99% spread) | ~€250 (0.25% maker) |
| Staking rewards | not offered | ~€600 (5% p.a. minus 20% commission) |
| Yearly balance B | −€990 | +€350 |
Kraken clearly cheaper for crypto volume + staking. Trade Republic only wins on multi-asset casual with cash interest + steuereinfach.
Pick: Trade Republic. Steuereinfach, multi-asset, 2.75% cash interest.
Pick: Kraken Pro. 0.25% maker vs 0.99% Trade Republic spread.
Pick: Kraken. 20+ staking coins. Trade Republic has none.
Pick: Kraken. Wallet withdrawal possible. Trade Republic not.
Pick: Trade Republic. Steuereinfach. Kraken requires CoinTracking/Blockpit (~€50–150/year).
Answers to the most common questions about Kraken vs Trade Republic.
For order fees, Kraken leads at 0.16 % / 0.26 % (Pro), while Trade Republic charges 1€ pro Order. Note: with CFD brokers, spreads add hidden cost — the lower nominal price isn't always cheaper overall.
Kraken is regulated by FinCEN · FCA · BaFin, Trade Republic by BaFin. Both fall under EU oversight. Deposit protection: Kraken -, Trade Republic 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.
Trade Republic 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: -, Trade Republic: 100.000€. Securities are held in segregated accounts and protected in case of broker insolvency.
Trade Republic leads on cash interest at 3.25%. 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.
