3 Best Coinbase Alternatives with Trustpilot Reviews (2024)

Coinbase is the largest crypto exchange in the U.S. Used by millions of traders, it’s the go-to destination for many newcomers to the cryptocurrency world…

But with the sudden collapse of FTX, formerly the world’s largest crypto exchange, some wonder if Coinbase is the best place for them to buy and trade Bitcoin (and other cryptocurrencies).

NOTE: (We recommend sticking with Bitcoin, a well-established, widely accepted digital asset in good standing with the U.S. government, and using Bitcoin-only companies.)

The concern stems from the wide variety of issues facing the company recently. Coinbase is facing significant obstacles in the form of hostile regulators (including the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), which sued the company), other lawsuits, data breaches, disgruntled customers, high costs, outages, and technical glitches.

Another reason to seek an alternative to Coinbase is their support for many cryptocurrencies. Many of the tokens sold there are iffy gambles, and some are even outright scams. The future of these tokens is uncertain, so Coinbase’s support of these assets is questionable.

With all these developments, many customers (or potential customers) wonder if there’s a better alternative.

In this article, we will examine three alternatives that can replace Coinbase as the place you buy and sell crypto. 

1. Swan Bitcoin — 4.6 Trustpilot, 4.8 Apple App, 4.5 Google Play

2. Uphold — 3.3 Trustpilot, 4.6 Apple App, 4.3 Google Play

3. Bitstamp — 2.1 Truspilot, 4.7 Apple App, 4.3 Google Play

Fees: 0.99%*
Custody Provider: BitGo Trust Company
Trustpilot Rating: 4.6/5 out of 1,020 reviews
Apple App Store: 4.8/5 out of +1,000 reviews
Google Play Store: 4.5/5 out of 443 reviews, +50,000 downloads

Swan focuses on Bitcoin because it believes Bitcoin is better money that will improve the world.

With Swan, you can buy Bitcoin instantly with your bank account or bank wires and sign up for recurring purchases so you can “set it and forget it.”

Customers can also withdraw Bitcoin to self-custody for free.

• Start buying in minutes

• No fees on your first $10,000

• Friendly expert service

• Full suite of Bitcoin financial services

• World-class Bitcoin education

• Rated 4.8/5 on the App Store

• Does not offer non-Bitcoin currencies

Swan Bitcoin is a U.S.-based company founded in 2019 by Cory Klippsten, Yan Pritzker, and Brady Swenson. The user-friendly and intuitive platform simplifies investing in, storing, and learning about Bitcoin.

A key Swan feature is the ability to automate Bitcoin purchases at regular intervals. This creates a disciplined, low-time preference investment strategy to build wealth over time. 

Swan offers investors free withdrawals into self-custody of purchased Bitcoin with a secure, non-custodial Bitcoin wallet. This gives investors complete control over their digital assets and an added layer of security.

Swan stands out by not charging any fees on your initial $10,000 investment. After that, a modest 0.99% fee is applied to all Bitcoin buys. No deposit fees, no withdrawal fees, and absolutely no hidden fees. 

• Swan’s knowledge base includes comprehensive educational resources, in-depth market analysis, and up-to-date information on Bitcoin and the crypto industry.

• Swan’s experts work around the clock to guide you on the technical aspects, market trends, and potential risks of Bitcoin.

• Swan Advisor Services helps financial advisors integrate Bitcoin into their clients' investment portfolios seamlessly.

• Investors get advice and strategic recommendations tailored to their financial goals and risk tolerance, ensuring Bitcoin is a beneficial asset.

• Swan’s Specter Labs offers a range of safe and easy-to-use self-custody options for Bitcoiners who prefer direct control of their wealth.

• Swan Support offers top-notch customer service.

Fees: 0.25% — 2.5%
Custody Provider: Uphold Vault
Trustpilot Rating: 3.3/5 out of 8,852 reviews
Apple App Store: 4.6/5 out of +46,600k reviews
Google Play Store: 4.3/5 out of +47,800k reviews, +5M downloads

Uphold bills itself as “the platform to discover important new tokens early.”

The crypto broker is connected to 28 underlying trading venues, including centralized and decentralized exchanges, Layer 2 networks, and roll-ups.

Uphold allows you to trade in just one step between any supported asset. It aims to quickly bring customers a variety of choices. Uphold serves over 10 million customers in more than 180 countries.

• Trade in just one step between any supported asset.

• Flexible experience with a broad range of assets.

• Publishes assets and liabilities every 30 seconds at the site.

• Users report face scans required for transactions.

• Unpredictable processing times. 

• Customer support is provided by automated bots.

It also supports traditional fiat currencies like the U.S. dollar, Euro, and British pound, allowing users to easily convert between cryptocurrencies and fiat currencies.

NOTE: Swan does not recommend investing in (or holding) any altcoins, only Bitcoin.

In the U.S., U.K., and most of Europe, fees are typically:

• Stablecoins: 0.25%

• Major market FX: 0.25%

• BTC, ETH: 1.4% — 1.6%

• Altcoins: 1.9% — 2.5%

• Precious metals: 1.9% — 2.5%

The complete fee schedule is available on Uphold’s website.

Uphold claims to offer a seamless and user-friendly experience for accessing and transacting a variety of cryptocurrencies, including Bitcoin (BTC), Ethereum (ETH), Litecoin (LTC), and Ripple (XRP), among others.

• Provides seamless conversions between cryptocurrencies and fiat currencies for convenient and fast exchanges, allowing investors to manage their portfolios and benefit from price fluctuations.

• Investors can safely store their cryptocurrencies and digital assets in a digital wallet protected by multi-factor authentication and encryption.

• Uphold members can easily send and receive cryptocurrencies or fiat currencies to and from other Uphold users worldwide without delays or transaction fees.

• Users can fractionally own cryptocurrencies, stocks, commodities, and real estate and diversify their investments through a single platform.

They also get prepaid debit cards to spend cryptocurrencies at any location that accepts regular debit or credit card purchases.

Fees: 1% — 1.5%
Custody Provider: BitGo
Trustpilot Rating: 2.1/5 out of 815 reviews
Apple Store App: 4.7/5 out of 158 reviews
Google Play Store: 4.3/5 out of 321 reviews, +10,000 downloads

Security, transparency, and regulation are the pillars on which Bitstamp has made crypto securely accessible to over 4 million customers globally.

It is Europe’s biggest exchange by trading volume and offers trading of BTC, ETH, LTC, SOL, ADA, DOT (and more than 70 other assets). The exchange is a pioneer in crypto security and regulation, having developed things like cold storage of assets, multi-sig wallets, and SegWit implementation. 

• Industry-leading security

• Transparency through internal and external audits

• Global presence 

• Holds 50 licenses and registrations in key global jurisdictions

• A short list of coins supported for staking

• No margin trading or lending features

• Some customers have complained about additional fees

With high liquidity and competitive trading fees, Bitstamp offers various order types, including market, limit, and stop orders, giving users greater control over their trading strategies. Bitstamp’s user-friendly interface and commitment to transparency and reliability have earned it the trust of many traders worldwide.

Bitstamp’s user-friendly interface and commitment to transparency and reliability have earned it the trust of many traders worldwide. It’s also been a leader in the security industry since its founding.

All funds and crypto on Bitstamp are backed 100% and ready to be withdrawn anytime. External parties review its financial controls annually and are subject to regular internal audit reviews.

Bitstamp uses a complex maker-taker fee model to determine trading fees. The fees are calculated based on your current pricing tier at the time of your order execution. Generally speaking, you are paying between 1% and 1.5% in trading fees.

• Trust and security 

• Bitstamp is one of the first cryptocurrency exchanges to receive a BitLicense, ensuring compliance with strict regulatory standards.

• Liquidity and competitive fees

• Bitstamp’s trading fees decrease as trading volume increases, making it attractive for traders of all levels.

• Global accessibility.

• Bitstamp’s services are available to users worldwide for international cryptocurrency trading. It also offers multilingual customer support so users can get help in their preferred language.

• Industry-leading compliance.

• Bitstamp adheres to Know Your Customer (KYC) and Anti-Money Laundering (AML) procedures to ensure a secure trading environment.  

These are our top recommendations if you’re looking for a Coinbase alternative: Swan, Uphold, and Bitstamp. If you’re a Bitcoin-only trader, Swan is the no-brainer choice, considering its next-level support, lack of fees on your first $10,000, and the ability to start buying in minutes.

If you care about customer service, education, and integrity and want a committed team of experts in your corner, available to help you whenever you need it, Swan Bitcoin is the best option to buy and hold Bitcoin. 

Start securing your Bitcoin future with Swan today.