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Coinbase Review 2025: Pros, Cons, and Tips
Coinbase is one of the best cryptocurrency exchanges in the world, with unparalleled trading volume and a long-standing reputation for industry-leading security. Over the years, the company has entered into partnerships with various mainstream companies, such as Dell, Overstock, Time Inc., and more. This has helped to solidify the brand as one of the most trusted organizations in the community.
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Why Coinbase Exchange Stands Out
- Earn $200 in free crypto after completing sign-up process. Terms apply.
- Variety of products including exchange, staking, wallet
- Advanced Trading options for experienced traders
Pros
New users can earn free crypto through the Earn program
User friendly design with simple buy/sell buttons with clearly indicated prices
Diverse and consistently updated choice of coins
A strong line-up of products including an exchange, wallet and staking services
Cons
Fees are right in the middle of industry standards
Some complaints about customer service
Significant identity verification required
Coinbase at a glance
Notable features
Incredibly easy-to-use interface
Fees
~0.5% spread (subject to change) + flat transaction fees
Cryptocurrencies
250+
Security features
98%+ of funds held in cold storage, 2FA, asset insurance
KYC requirements
Mandatory ID verification, photo match, and proof of address for all users
Maximum daily deposit amount
Up to $25,000 a day (varies by deposit method)
Get started
In-depth Details: What’s to Like and What You Should Know
Coinbase is one of the most well-known brands in the crypto game. It has been in operation since 2012, and is now one of the most regulated exchanges in the world.
This makes it a popular option among both new and experienced crypto investors. I have summarized a few key takeaways from using the platform, to help you decide whether it’s right for your crypto investment needs.
History and Background
This platform has changed quite a bit since it was first founded in 2012, by Brian Armstrong and Fred Ehrsam. In its infancy, the exchange purely facilitated selling and buying Bitcoin through bank transfers. By 2015, the platform had expanded to include Coinbase Pro, a dashboard built for professional trading, with advanced features and lower fees.
In 2021, it officially became a publicly traded company, listed on NASDAQ under the COIN symbol. The platform’s interface, features and tools have continued to evolve over the years. Coinbase Pro was discontinued in 2023, to make way for the new Coinbase Advanced Trade Platform, and the brand has now even introduced a subscription-based service – called Coinbase One.
Safety and Security
This exchange is used by more than 100 million people around the globe and is one of the most trusted brands in the industry. The platform employs many different safety and security measures, including cold storage, two-factor authentication, and more. Moreover, as a publicly listed company, COIN is subject to stringent SEC guidelines and regulatory frameworks.
Here are some of the things that caught my eye:
- Cold storage safeguarding: 99% of assets maintained offline.
- Insurance: A portion of all the digital assets held are insured against theft.
- Two-factor authentication (2FA): Required for all users.
- Advanced encryption: AES-256 encryption for an extra layer of security.
- Data privacy control: Easy-to-access privacy settings allow you to request data, deletions, or export sensitive data in just a few clicks.
- Regulatory compliance: The company is registered with a number of trusted institutions, such as FinCEN, the Financial Conduct Authority, the Central Bank of Ireland, BaFin, and many more.
My Overview: I view Coinbase as one of the safest exchanges in the world. When it comes to crypto, safety and security has to be top of mind.
Special features
Crypto exchanges are plentiful. However, the reason why millions of users across the globe (myself included) continue to flock to Coinbase is the platform’s wide range of special products, tools and features.
For starters, the platform offers staking for coins like Ethereum, Solana, and Cosmos. The current potential APY reaches just below 15%, but this can fluctuate based on various market factors. Beyond the usual exchange and staking options available on the exchange, adventurous traders can enjoy pro-level control through the Coinbase Advanced Trade platform. And, institutional-level traders dabble in commodity futures, like oil and gold, via the regulated derivatives markets. The platform also features various fiat trading options.
Usability
In general, I found the basic Coinbase platform easy to navigate. Both the mobile app and the desktop version feature a clean and simple design, with a central “Dashboard” section to monitor your trading activities.
Although I think the Coinbase Advanced Trade platform offers better functionality for experienced traders (not to mention – significantly lower fees), this basic platform is straightforward enough for just about anyone to use.
Customer support
Coinbase offers customer support via phone, email, live chat, and even snail mail. However, this service is not quite as ironed-out as it could be. Reaching a real human to talk to about issues can be tricky, and rather than providing an actual phone line to call in an emergency, the platform only allows you to log a request for a call or chat.
This can be frustrating at times, but the website’s support prompts can assist in solving smaller issues on-the-fly.
CryptoVantage tip: Be weary of customer support scams. It is safer to reach out through the official, secure channels than through random phone numbers or email addresses you find on the internet. Do not share your password, 2FA codes, or any other sensitive information with an unknown party.
Coinbase mobile app
The Coinbase mobile app is available for Android and iOS devices, and allows you to manage your crypto even when you’re on-the-go. The app mirrors the desktop version, with live price charts, custom alerts, automation options, and more.
If you use the Coinbase Wallet, you can link both of these apps to streamline the transfer of funds.
Other useful features you should know about
As one of the best established and recognizable names in the industry, Coinbase has leveraged its stellar reputation and development capabilities to create a platform that is rich with unique features and industry-leading tools that go beyond regular trading. Some of the standout features I noticed whilst using the app include:
- The Coinbase Card – One of the best crypto credit cards that enables US residents to buy with crypto, just as they would with a Visa card
- Coinbase One – Premium subscription service, with access to zero trading fees, up to $1 million in account protection insurance, exclusive 24/7 customer support channel and other exclusive perks.
- Coinbase Earn – This program combines a proactive learning platform with real crypto rewards, allowing users to earn crypto by learning about crypto.
- Coinbase Advanced Trade – Special addition to the base platform, specifically designed for professional traders.
- Coinbase NFT – Specialized web3 platform dedicated to exploring and trading NFTs.
Coinbase Advanced Trade: For the Serious Trader
Although this exchange is widely considered to be an excellent option for beginner traders, the Coinbase Advanced Trade platform is specifically tailored to suit the needs of experienced traders.
It includes advanced order types, like limit orders and market orders, as well as real-time trading charts, exclusive order books, and more. Coinbase Advanced Trade also has a straightforward maker-taker fee model, which I much prefer to the base site’s fee structure.
Key differences between Coinbase Advanced Trade and the Base Platform
Here is how the expert trade platform compares to the regular site:
Coinbase One: Your Exclusive VIP Pass
One of the platform’s more unique features is the Coinbase One subscription service. This service acts as a premium loyalty program, where subscribers get access to top-tier perks, such as zero trading fees, exclusive partner deals, additional insurance, and priority customer support.
If you value top-class service and frequently trade with high volumes, I would say this program is definitely worth looking into.
The True Cost of Trading on This Exchange
The base platform uses a spread fee structure for all of their operations. It has a rather dynamic fee structure, which shifts depending on the operation taken on the site – Buying / Selling / Trades. They’ve implemented tiered fees depending on the type and volume of the operation. It can seem a little confusing at first, but just keep in mind that Coinbase charges a flat fee for any transactions below $200 while a percentage-based fee for anything over that amount.
All in all, it’s not surprising that Coinbase can charge the fees that it does. Seasoned cryptocurrency traders may look for exchanges with lower fees, but it’s hard to ignore the high amount of trust that this brand brings to the table.
It should be noted that Coinbase Advanced Trade offers a more traditional fee structure, with maker and taker fees for trades. The fees are much lower using this method.
Does Coinbase charge a monthly fee?
No, there is no monthly fee for using the (basic) version of the platform, or the Coinbase Advanced Trade Platform. All users can create and account, buy, sell, and hold crypto at no additional charge. Only users who sign up for Coinbase One will have to pay the monthly subscription fee.
How To Set Up a Coinbase Exchange Account
If you want to try out this exchange for yourself, all you need to do is:
- Step 1: Visit Coinbase and click on Get Started
- Step 2: Get started by providing your full name, emails address and a unique password
- Step 3: Verify your account through email/ SMS
- Step 4: Complete identity verification (KYC)
- Step 5: Link a payment method (In the US, you can choose from various methods, including bank transfers, wire transfers, debit cards, PayPal, Apple Pay Google Pay, and others)
- Step 6: Enable 2FA for added security
- Step 7: Start trading!
There’s a little bit of processing time, but you should be able to purchase Bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies, as soon as you complete the aforementioned steps. Check out our How Long Does Coinbase Verification Take? Guide for a more detailed rundown.
What Can You Buy on Coinbase?
Coinbase enables the purchase of many different cryptocurrencies, including all the majors such as Bitcoin, Ethereum, Ripple and Litecoin. You will also find some underrated coins on the exchange, including Stellar, DAI, BAT, and more. You can even purchase Apecoin on Coinbase. Here’s a look at some of the more notable available coins:
Who Is Coinbase For? What Other Users Have to Say
Between the base and Coinbase Advanced platforms, this exchange truly does offer something for everyone. The platform has earned a 3.9 rating from over 16,000 reviews on Trustpilot, with real users finding the platform fast and easy to use.
One user, @Aid, commented “Always find Coinbase easy to use.” And another, @Kevin called it “So easy to use, great services.”
Why You Should Trust CryptoVantage: How I Reviewed Coinbase
The CryptoVantage methodology for rating the best crypto exchanges on the market incorporates different aspects of the digital asset trading experience. Some of the things we look at, include:
- Trade volumes and asset availability
- Trading features and tools
- Security
- Transparency, reputation and support
- Fees and added costs
- Ease of use
Coinbase Alternatives
Coinbase is a great crypto exchange, but it’s not for everyone. If you’re curious about how it stacks up against other popular exchanges, you might want to peruse our comparison articles:
- Coinbase vs Robinhood
- Coinbase vs Kraken
- Coinbase vs Binance
- Coinbase vs Gemini
- Coinbase vs Coinbase Pro
- Coinbase vs Bitstamp
If you do decide to switch to another exchange, like Kraken – CryptoVanatge has some tips and tricks for that, too. Our guide on How to Transfer Crypto from Coinbase to Kraken leads you through each step to ensure your crypto is transferred quickly and securely.
Final Thoughts: Is Coinbase Worth It?
Coinbase is easily one of the top two crypto exchanges that’s top of mind whenever anyone asks me for a recommendation – especially for beginners. Are there places that might be better for more advanced players, maybe those looking for more altcoins? Yes. However, this is simply one of the safest, most trusted brands in the industry.
If you’re looking for a reliable place to invest and save your money, Coinbase it is. The platform also offers a lot more beyond that, like fair customer service, a wide variety of alts, some DeFi, some NFT and some staking features.
Judge for Yourself – Sign Up For the Exchange Now
Meet Our Reviewing Team
FAQ
You might have heard that cryptocurrency can be fairly volatile, so you never know exactly how much Bitcoin is going to cost on any given day. However, what we can tell you with certainty, is that the cost of purchasing Bitcoin on Coinbase will depend on various factors, such as your trading volume, the payment method you select, the order type, and more.
While most coins are technically “stored” on their blockchains, you can say that the coins you have on Coinbase are “stored” on the exchange, until you transfer them to a wallet that you alone control. They own the private keys that represent true ownership. To increase security, Coinbase stores 98% of customer funds offline where they are inaccessible to remote attacks. The platform also requires two-factor authentication on all accounts, and all user information is encrypted.
Even so, we advise that you never keep more than you are willing to lose on an exchange — always transfer your coins to a secure wallet once you’ve made your purchase.
According to Coinbase’s insurance policy, they maintain commercial criminal insurance in an aggregate amount that is greater than the value of the digital currency they maintain in online storage. That means if someone hacks Coinbase and steals their coins, they are insured for the loss.
Coinbase is 100% legal in the United States. In fact, it operates as a regulated cryptocurrency exchange – meeting strict regulations for institutions like the Financial Crimes Enforcement Network (FinCEN), the New York Department of Financial Services (NYDFS), the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), and the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC).
Yes, Canadians can use Coinbase. Canadians are not restricted to only using exchanges that are Canadian. Coinbase is an American exchange, but Coinbase is a great option for Canadians looking to purchase Bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies.
