- >Best Crypto Exchanges
- >Uphold vs Coinbase: Discover the Best Choice for Your Trading Needs
Uphold vs Coinbase, Coinbase vs Uphold? Got your future asset investment plans narrowed down to two choices, but still struggling to take the plunge? There is no need to worry. We have done the legwork for you.
Find out which exchange will best suit your needs. Compare Uphold and Coinbase, their pros, cons, fees, user-friendliness, and more, before you make your final decision.
Important Key Features Compared at a Glance
Investing is time-consuming, and we know you not always have time to dive into the details. That’s why we have summarized our comprehensive Uphold vs Coinbase showdown for you here. Take a look at how these two well-known platforms really compare:
Features
Uphold
Coinbase
Accessibility
Beginner-friendly, with easy-to-use interface. Limited charting tools available for experts
Great for beginners, with responsive design and interface
Security
Highly secure, with 2FA, strong encryption, and excellent transparency for asset reserves
Well-known for excellent security, regulated in the US, with 2FA and cold storage
Fees
Higher spread fees with no added deposit fees
Various fees, including flat fees, spread fees, maker- and taker-fees
Account Setup
Relatively quick setup with KYC
Simple process with various levels
Crypto
Over 250, including BTC, ETH, XRP, LTC, DOT, USDT, SOL and more
More than 250 coins, including BTC, ETH, USDT, XRP, DOGE, DOT, LTC, LINK and more
Flagship Features
Flexible conversions, crypto card, built-in self-custody wallet
Intuitive interface, crypto card, Coinbase Advanced Trade platform for experts
Coinbase Quick Overview
Coinbase has gained a lot of traction since its launch in 2012, due to its easy-to-navigate interface, its strong security measures, and the wide range of cryptocurrencies on offer.
This exchange has come a long way since its initial Bitcoin buying and selling days. It is now one of only a few crypto-related currencies publicly traded on Nasdaq, and is suitable for both beginner traders and experts. Check out our in-depth Coinbase Exchange Review for more information about what makes this exchange stand 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
My Overview of Coinbase
I am a big fan of Coinbase, simply because of what they’ve done for the space. They are safe, secure and have a great reputation with regulators.
Pros
Industry-leading cryptocurrency exchange with fantastic volume
Straightforward on-boarding process (although significant customer verification is required)
Solid UI for new crypto users who simply want to buy crypto ASAP
Cons
Base version of the platform has less advanced features
There have been some complaints about slow customer service
Higher-than-average fees
Uphold Quick Overview
Uphold launched in the United States back in 2015. The platform actually functions more like a traditional e-currency wallet, such as PayPal, and less than a traditional cryptocurrency exchange. However, it does offer the ability to buy and sell crypto, in addition to fiat currencies and commodities, such as silver and gold.
Users have free rein to trade on the platform, as the easy-to-navigate interface makes it easy to swap between different currencies, and even different types if assets. Check out our full Uphold Exchange Review.
- The ultimate anything-to-anything exchange with support for foreign currencies, crypto, precious metals and more
- Easy sign-up process with streamlined UI
- Remarkably secure with proof of assets feature
- Available to people in over 150 different countries
My Overview of Uphold
I recommend Uphold to those who want to do more than just trading cryptocurrency back and forth. They’re great for foreign exchange, precious metals, crypto and more.
Pros
Users can store cryptocurrency, precious metals, and fiat currencies
Uphold hasn’t faced any serious security issues since its launch in 2015
Uphold is available in more than 180 different countries
Transactions sent between Uphold users are completely free
Uphold has a powerful API that developers can use to build applications on top of the platform
Cons
The fees are relatively high compared to platforms built for pro traders
Users are not in complete control of their funds
Fees are hidden in the buy and sell spreads
Other exchanges have a much longer list of cryptocurrencies available to trade
You must submit KYC documents to use Uphold
How Uphold vs Coinbase Stack Up in Terms of Key Features
We get it, picking the right assets can be tricky. That’s why we have summarized all the most important facts and figures for you, below. Once you have a good overview of everything Uphold vs Coinbase, you can dive into the more nitty-gritty details of what sets these two exchanges apart.
Beginner Friendliness
While both Coinbase and Uphold have easy sign up processes, Coinbase ultimately wins this Uphold vs Coinbase battle. Coinbase employs a tiered verification system, which means that both new and experienced traders can get started on the platform with as little as one photo ID. With Uphold, the process is slightly more complicated.
That said, it is not too complicated to have your identity verified through Uphold. This verification provides you with access to not only crypto assets, but commodities and fiat trading as well.
Trust & Security
Both Coinbase and Uphold offer top-notch security. Coinbase holds 99% of users’ funds in cold storage and offers up to $250,000 FDIC insurance for US citizens. Uphold holds 90% of user funds in cold storage, but offers no insurance.
That said, neither service has a history of security issues and both are known to be incredibly trustworthy.
Coinbase vs. Uphold: Crypto Exchange Fee Structure
This is where things really get tricky. Comparing the fees of Uphold vs Coinbase is much more complicated than it may seem at first glance, since these platforms employ two entirely different models for structuring their fees.
Coinbase uses a maker-taker fee model, where the fees you pay, largely depend on your trading volume. For example, traders who exchange less than $10,000 USD in 30 days, can expect maker fees of around 0.4% and taker fees of about 0.6%. These fees decrease as trading volume increases. Uphold, however, diverges from this traditional model in favor of a spread-based system, where your fees are dependent on the types of assets you trade.
At the end of the day, high-volume traders stand to benefit most from Coinbase’s fees in the long-run, whereas more casual, low-volume traders might prefer Uphold’s flexibility. Be sure to do some research into the specific assets you plan to trade, before you jump in.
Sign-Up Process
The sign-up process for both Coinbase and Uphold is essentially the same. The only difference is that you can buy slightly more crypto without completing full verification through Coinbase.
Full identity verification requires the same information on both platforms, due to various overarching regulatory and legal frameworks. The difference between the two platforms’ sign-up processes is negligible, as you will eventually need to do the full verification to enjoy all the features and high trading volumes that both platforms have to offer.
Available Cryptocurrencies
The number of cryptocurrencies available on these platforms is quite comparable. Though, Coinbase does shine ever so slightly brighter in the crypto department, because of the higher volume.
However, Uphold also offers commodities in the form of gold and silver – something that is not available on Coinbase. If you are interested in commodities, then Uphold is clearly the superior option.
Some of the notable assets that you can expect to see on both platforms include:
- Bitcoin
- Ethereum
- Solana
- Avalanche
- Litecoin
- Bitcoin Cash
- Dogecoin
- Cardano
- Polkadot
- Polygon
- AAVE
- Uniswap
- Algorand
- Flow
- GRT
- HBar
- XRP
- Atom
Standout Features
Coinbase’s standout feature stems from its easy-to-use, simple interface. This may seem like a somewhat underwhelming thing to mention for an exchange that offers one-of-a-kind cashback rewards, a crypto card, and top-of-the-line security features, but we have our reasons. This simple brokerage service for buying and selling crypto, gives you ease of access to a huge variety of access, not to mention, seamless withdrawals.
Uphold sets itself apart by allowing users to trade crypto for commodities, or even fiat currencies, and vice versa. There are also no fees for trades between internal accounts. This exchange has also kicked things up a notch recently, introducing its own crypto-enabled card. As an extra feather in the cap, Uphold is the official exchange service for the Brave Browser.
CryptoVantage Verdict: Coinbase is Better Unless You Want Commodities
If you are strictly looking for one of the best crypto exchanges to buy and sell your assets with ease, then Coinbase is certainly the better option. Put simply, it has more assets, more liquidity, a responsive user interface and an easy process for registration. This makes it ideal for both beginner traders who are just starting out, and advanced traders who do not want to deal with complicated systems.
However, it is not fair to completely disregard Uphold. This platform is ideal for traders interested in commodities such as gold, silver and other precious metals. It offers almost unrivaled flexibility for more adventurous traders looking to expand their portfolios.
Frequently Asked Questions
Coinbase is the safer, more secure exchange. It offers a more traditional exchange experience, with an easy-to-use interface and many useful features. Uphold is better for those who want to buy and sell things beyond just crypto (precious metals, for example).
The fee structures of these two exchanges differ greatly. Coinbase’s tiered system should be better for high-volume traders. However, Uphold’s fee structure should work out better for those who intend to make small, infrequent trades.
Yes, you can trust both. Coinbase is US-regulated and publicly traded. It also offers FDIC insurance on top of standard security measures like two-factor authentication (2FA), encryption, and cold storage measures. Although Uphold is not publicly traded, it is registered with FinCEN. Cold storage, 2FA, and AI-driven fraud monitoring, add extra layers of security to all transactions made on the platform.
Both platforms are pretty easy to use, even for those who are just starting out. The Coinbase base platform offers an easy-to-navigate interface, a quick setup process, and extensive support in the form of guides and tutorials. Uphold also makes it fairly easy to get started, and it is a true one-stop-shop for traders of crypto, commodities and stocks.
These two are pretty evenly matched. Coinbase currently offers 253 different currencies, while Uphold is right about the same, with 250+. Look to other factors, such as user-friendliness, fees, and features to help you narrow down your final decision.
Coinbase has the better reputation for safety and security. It also offers lower fees for traders who intend to trade high volumes, continually. This makes it a great choice for traders who have long-term goals.
