As of early 2018, Coinbase had 13.3 million users.
Of those, approximately 8 million use Coinbase to buy and sell cryptocurrencies on a monthly basis. Based on these numbers, it’s safe to say that a good portion of the crypto community uses Coinbase as their primary exchange.
Coinbase’s popularity is due in part to its ease of use. The user interface is straightforward and buying crypto is as simple as entering your payment information and clicking “buy.”
However, one downside of Coinbase’s simplicity is that it doesn’t offer much in the way of advanced trading features. If you want to do anything more than buy and sell cryptocurrencies, you’ll need to look elsewhere.
Another downside of Coinbase is its fees. The company charges a 1.49% fee for all crypto purchases and sales made with a credit or debit card. For bank transfers, the fee is 1.
NOTE: WARNING: Coinbase charges a fee for sending Bitcoin. Fees vary based on the amount of Bitcoin being sent, the speed of the transaction, and other factors. In some cases, Coinbase may charge additional fees for sending or receiving Bitcoin payments. Before sending Bitcoin, make sure to understand and accept all associated costs.
49% for purchases and 3.99% for sales.
These fees are higher than most other exchanges. For comparison, Kraken charges 0.
26% for spot trades and GDAX charges 0% for maker trades and 0.25% for taker trades.
The good news is that Coinbase waives its fees for certain types of transactions, such as transfers between two Coinbase wallets or purchases made with USDCoin (USDC). The bad news is that these waived fees only apply to transactions below $200.
Above that amount, you’ll still have to pay the full 1.49% fee.
All in all, Coinbase is a convenient place to buy cryptocurrency if you don’t mind paying a bit more in fees. Just be aware that there are cheaper options available if you’re looking to trade frequently or want more control over your buying and selling decisions.