Gemini vs Coinbase: Fees, Coins, Safety Comparison
In this guide, we will compile tons of information about both Gemini and Coinbase to determine which crypto exchange platform is right for you. We'll break down the overall score, pros and cons, safety and regulatory compliance levels, trading conditions, trading assets, trading fees, non-trading fees, margin rates, passive income tools, trading platforms, features, charting tools, mobile capabilities, order types, deposit and withdrawal capabilities, research tools, educational materials, customer support, and promotions of both Coinbase and Gemini. Our experts at Traders Union have also explored different use cases for each platform, which platform is cheaper, which is better for day trading, and which is better for cryptocurrency variety and margin trading. While both of these exchange brokers are excellent for crypto trading and holding, one might be more preferable for your trading style. Let's jump into our in-depth guide to Gemini and Coinbase.
Start trading cryptocurrencies right now with Coinbase!Gemini vs. Coinbase: Overall Score
Feature | Gemini | Coinbase |
---|---|---|
Overall |
4.3 |
4.3 |
Regulation |
4.5 |
4.8 |
Fees |
4.4 |
4 |
Trading Assets |
3.6 |
4.4 |
Investment Instruments |
3.7 |
3.7 |
Platforms and Charting Tools |
4.6 |
3.8 |
Margin Rates |
1.0 |
1.0 |
Deposit and Withdrawal |
3.8 |
3.8 |
Research |
4.1 |
4.1 |
Education |
4.8 |
4.5 |
Support |
4.8 |
4.8 |
Promo |
4.3 |
4.8 |
Gemini vs. Coinbase: A Brief Introduction
For U.S. investors, Gemini and Coinbase are two of the most popular and highly regarded crypto exchanges. They also share a lot of the same advantages and characteristics. Both are user-friendly for beginners, but they also provide premium platforms (Gemini ActiveTrader and Coinbase Pro) for those who desire more complex trading tools. Traders on either platform will receive top-notch security, low costs, high-quality instructional content, and the chance to earn interest on your holdings with each exchange.
It may be beneficial to create an account on both platforms to test out their capabilities and find a platform that you are the most comfortable with. If that’s not ideal, this guide will break down the key differences between these two excellent cryptocurrency platforms so you can make a more informed decision about your crypto exchange of choice. Let’s start by looking at the biggest advantages and disadvantages of either platform.
Gemini and Coinbase - Pros and Cons
Gemini | Coinbase | |
---|---|---|
Overall Pros |
Users can trade all of the major cryptocurrencies in addition to USD |
2 FA Authentication |
Large trading volumes |
Low Minimum Deposit |
|
No restrictions on trading strategies |
Passive Income With Staking |
|
Great investment program |
By studying courses you can get cryptocurrency |
|
Gemini Pay makes it possible to pay with crypto in stores |
Tons of crypto variety |
|
Great data security |
Registration and verification is quite simple |
|
Fund withdrawals are fast |
Cold storage available |
|
Offers all of the major deposit and withdrawal channels |
Wallets and virtual cards are free |
|
Funds are insured and the platform is regulated |
Great solutions for single traders and businesses |
|
Overall Cons |
Only offers USD for crypto-fiat pairs |
Max Leverage – 1:1 |
Trading terminal isn’t standard |
1 Account Fiat Currencу + 6 Crypto |
|
High learning curve |
High Trading and Non-Trading Fees |
|
Not as many coins available as Coinbase |
Indicators Not Available |
|
Lacks Coinbase’s reputation |
Derivatives, NFT, ETF Not Available |
Coinbase vs Gemini - Safety and Regulation
Regulated By: | Gemini | Coinbase |
---|---|---|
SEC |
No |
No |
FINRA |
No (in process) |
No |
SIPC Protection |
No |
No |
Other Regulators |
New York State Department of Financial Services |
Regulated in 45 States in the USA |
Gemini vs Coinbase - Trading Conditions
Trading Conditions | Gemini | Coinbase |
---|---|---|
Minimum Deposit |
None |
$25 |
Trading Platforms |
Gemini |
Coinbase |
None |
1:1 |
|
Number of Markets |
56 |
248 |
Number of Trading Accounts |
1 |
1 |
Base Account Currencies |
USD, most crypto |
USD + 6 Crypto |
Coinbase vs Gemini - Trading Assets
Asset Name | Gemini | Coinbase |
---|---|---|
Yes |
Yes |
|
Yes |
Yes |
|
Yes |
Yes |
|
Yes |
Yes |
|
Yes |
Yes |
|
No |
No |
|
Yes |
Yes |
|
No |
Yes |
|
Yes |
Yes |
|
Yes |
Yes |
|
Yes |
Yes |
|
Yes |
No |
|
Yes |
No |
|
Yes |
No |
|
Yes |
No |
|
De Fi Tokens |
Yes |
No |
Gemini Fees vs Coinbase Fees
Trading Fees
Fee | Gemini | Coinbase |
---|---|---|
Max Maker |
0.25% |
0.5% |
Max Taker |
0.25% |
0.5% |
Min Maker |
0.35% |
0.04% |
Min Taker |
0.35% |
0% |
Debit/Credit Card Purchase Fee |
3.49% |
3.99% |
Non-Trading Fees
Gemini | Coinbase | |
---|---|---|
Account Fee |
0% |
0% |
Deposit Fee |
0% |
0% |
Bank Transfer Withdrawal Fee |
1.49% |
1.49% |
Debit/Credit Card Withdrawal Fee |
3.49% |
3.99% |
Inactivity Fee |
0% |
0% |
Coinbase vs Gemini - Margin Rates
Feature | Gemini | Coinbase |
---|---|---|
Max for BTC (changing) |
No |
No |
Min for BTC |
No |
No |
Number of Levels |
No |
No |
Gemini or Coinbase - Passive Income Tools
Investment Tools Name | Gemini | Coinbase |
---|---|---|
Staking |
Yes |
Yes |
Mining Pool |
No |
No |
Managed Accounts |
No |
No |
MAM/PAMM |
No |
No |
Other |
No |
No |
Coinbase vs Gemini - Trading Platforms
Gemini | Coinbase | |
---|---|---|
Web |
Yes |
Yes |
Desktop |
No |
No |
Mobile (Android, iOS) |
Yes |
Yes |
Trading Platforms Features
Gemini | Coinbase | |
---|---|---|
SMS Based 2 FA |
Yes |
Yes |
App Based 2 FA |
Yes |
Yes |
Voice Call 2 FA |
N/A |
Yes |
Search Bar |
Yes |
Yes |
Filters |
Yes |
Yes |
Technical Analysis/Charting Tools
Gemini | Coinbase | |
---|---|---|
Indicators |
5 |
0 |
Drawing Tools |
0 |
0 |
Historical Trades |
Yes |
Yes |
Live 2 Quotes |
N/A |
Yes |
Mobile Trading
Features | Gemini | Coinbase |
---|---|---|
iOS Version |
Yes |
Yes |
Android Version |
Yes |
Yes |
Apple Watch App |
Yes |
No |
Touch ID |
Yes |
No |
Face ID |
Yes |
No |
Types of Orders
Gemini | Coinbase | |
---|---|---|
Market |
Yes |
Yes |
Limit |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
|
Stop Limit |
Yes |
No |
Trailing Stop |
Yes |
No |
Gemini vs Coinbase - Deposit and Withdrawal
Deposit and Withdrawal Method | Gemini | Coinbase |
---|---|---|
Bank Transfer |
Yes |
Yes |
Credit/Debit Card |
Yes |
Yes |
Electronic Wallets |
Yes |
Yes |
Crypto |
Yes |
Yes |
Coinbase vs Gemini - Research Tools
Research Type | Gemini | Coinbase |
---|---|---|
News Feed |
Yes |
Yes |
Fundamental Data |
Yes |
Yes |
Chart Analysis |
No |
No |
Trading Ideas |
No |
No |
E-Mail Reports |
No |
No |
Gemini vs Coinbase - Education
Education Type | Gemini | Coinbase |
---|---|---|
Demo-account/Paper Trading |
Yes (for Bitcoin) |
No |
Courses |
Yes (with Learn & Earn) |
Yes |
Articles |
Yes |
Yes |
Videos |
Yes |
Yes |
Webinars |
Yes |
No |
Books |
No |
No |
Gemini vs Coinbase - Support
Support Features | Gemini | Coinbase |
---|---|---|
Working Days |
24/7 |
24/7 |
Yes |
Yes |
|
Phone |
Yes |
Yes |
Online chat |
Yes |
Yes |
Other |
No |
No |
Coinbase vs Gemini - Promotions
Promo | Gemini | Coinbase |
---|---|---|
Special Offers |
$10 Bitcoin Sign-Up Bonus |
Up to $35 for learning how specific cryptocurrencies work |
Referral Program |
$10 Bitcoin Per Referral |
$10 when your friend completes a buy or sell of $100 USD |
Other |
N/A |
N/A |
Gemini or Coinbase: What Exchange is Actually Better in 2024?
Neither Gemini nor Coinbase are bad investments. They're both ranked as top exchanges for a reason. Specifically, they provide user-friendly crypto trading interfaces with good security and no major flaws.
In terms of cryptocurrency choices, Coinbase has a significant advantage over Coinbase. Coinbase is likely the best exchange for you if you want to buy a wider variety of coins. If you utilize Gemini ActiveTrader and trade less than $50,000 in cryptocurrencies each month, Gemini might save you money on transaction costs. The transaction costs between the two exchanges aren't big, but when it comes to long-term investing, even modest sums add up.
In general, we would recommend Coinbase due to its excellent reputation, low fees, a wide variety of altcoins, and overall ease of use. Still, we would recommend testing each of these platforms out to make a more informed decision for long-term crypto investments and day trading.
Gemini vs Coinbase Safety
In terms of security, Gemini and Coinbase are two of the greatest cryptocurrency exchanges. They both have extensive security mechanisms, client money insurance, and neither has ever been hacked.
Both exchanges boast the following advantages:
-
Two-factor authentication (2FA) is a security feature that requires you to log in to your account using two separate methods of authentication, such as your password and a code given to your phone through SMS. Coinbase allows 2FA but does not need it, whereas Gemini does.
-
Withdrawal addresses that have been approved include: You can make an authorized address list if you want to. Withdrawals can only be made to those addresses if you do.
-
Cryptocurrency money should be kept in cold storage. For further security, each exchange claims to hold the bulk of its customers' crypto money in cold storage. According to Coinbase, 98 percent of client crypto money are held in this manner.
Just as well, both Gemini and Coinbase have insurance in place to secure their customers' funds. They each have insurance coverage in place for all client crypto assets held in hot wallets, which aren't as safe as cold storage. Each exchange's cash deposits are covered by the same FDIC protection that most big banks have, up to $250,000 per person.
It’s difficult to choose a more secure platform, so we’d have to say both Gemini and Coinbase are tied when it comes to safety.
Gemini vs Coinbase fees - Which One is Cheaper?
On their regular platforms, Gemini and Coinbase have fairly comparable transaction costs. On their more sophisticated platforms, their cost structures differ slightly, with Gemini ActiveTrader being less expensive than Coinbase Pro when trading up to $50,000 per month.
Both of these exchanges levy a flat cost or a 1.49% fee depending on the transaction size on their basic platforms. Gemini charges a 1.49% fee on transactions exceeding $200, and Coinbase charges a fee of at least $205. When it comes to smaller purchases and transactions, the same flat fees can be found on either platform. However, Coinbase charges for wire deposits and wire withdrawals, while Gemini offers free wire transfers. We’d have to give a better overall cost rating to Gemini.
What Exchange Is Better For Day Trading?
Coinbase has a greater number of trading pairs as well as a higher trading volume than Gemini. When it comes to exchange liquidity, Coinbase definitely has the upper hand, and it's up to Gemini to step up its game and offer stronger liquidity choices to its consumers. For day traders, a higher number of available crypto trading pairs is more desirable for those who want to take on day trading as a career. As a result, we’d say Coinbase is better for day trading.
Coinbase vs Gemini – Which One Has a Better Choice of Cryptocurrencies?
Coinbase has a significantly larger selection of crypto and altcoins over Gemini. However, neither platform is exactly lacking when it comes to crypto variety. Still, if you are more interested in day trading or want to purchase as many altcoins as possible, we would recommend setting up an account on Coinbase instead.
Coinbase vs Gemini - Which One is Better for Margin Trading?
Neither Coinbase nor Gemini allows margin trading on their platforms. This is due to regulatory oversight and a desire to make a safer trading environment for investors. If you are very interested in margin trading or require margin trading access as a day trader, you might want to look into other platforms.
Summary
Both Coinbase and Gemini are excellent platforms. However, Coinbase comes out on top in terms of reputation, ease of use, and coin variety. Coinbase has been around much longer than Gemini and has a larger volume of cryptocurrencies available, but Gemini is still a great choice as an exchange that is quickly growing in popularity.
FAQs
What are Coinbase and Gemini?
Gemini and Coinbase are cryptocurrency exchange services and online broker platforms that allow crypto traders to purchase, sell, and trade a variety of different cryptocurrencies, tokens, and altcoins via the internet. Both exchanges are licensed in the United States, which means they follow anti-money laundering and know your customer (also known as KYC) policies.
To get started and learn the ropes of trading, those who wish to invest in cryptocurrencies utilize basic instruments like the Gemini and Coinbase exchanges. Although both platforms are simple to use, total beginners may favor Coinbase's simplified interface.
Who would benefit from Gemini or Coinbase?
In general, we recommend using either platform. Both Gemini and Coinbase are excellent in terms of crypto variety, fees, and overall ease of use. However, there are some key differences that might make one platform preferable over the other.
Beginners will feel at ease utilizing Gemini and Coinbase because they are both safe and easy to use. Institutional investors, on the other hand, can utilize Gemini's tools to track device usage and access rights. In addition, the Gemini exchange makes it much easier to contact customer assistance.
New users, on the other hand, may prefer the Coinbase platform's faster onboarding process, which includes earning cryptocurrency while learning about trading. The Coinbase exchange appears to be slightly more user-friendly than Gemini.
Do Gemini and Coinbase differ in terms of purchasing crypto?
While both platforms are similar, there are some key differences between them when it comes to buying crypto.
Coinbase allows customers to buy and sell Bitcoin, Litecoin, and Ethereum directly. When you buy cryptocurrencies on their site, you will be given a fixed price at the moment of purchase. Coinbase may be thought of as a "cryptocurrency retail shop." The majority of other sites that allow people to acquire Bitcoin are exchanges. They function in the same way that a foreign exchange or stock exchange does. With Coinbase, after authenticating their accounts, users may buy bitcoins instantaneously with credit and debit cards. When buying cryptocurrencies via bank transfers, users may lock in their purchase price right away, however, these transactions take time to execute.
Gemini, however, operates in a way that is a mix between typical crypto exchanges and Coinbase’s protocols. While Gemini is a cryptocurrency exchange, when consumers deposit using bank transfers, they may immediately trade for Bitcoin. To put it another way, you can start trading before your money has been completed completely. You will not be able to withdraw your Bitcoin until it has been properly processed. This might be inconvenient, but this kind of process allows users to lock in prices faster than what a typical crypto exchange could offer.
How can I pick the better crypto exchange?
As we mentioned before, both of these platforms are excellent for all types of traders. Still, it’s helpful to have some tips and best practices to find the best crypto exchange for you.
Because there are so many to select from, picking the best cryptocurrency exchange has gotten considerably more challenging in recent years. The majority of the best exchanges provide all of the essential features, including remarkable security measures to protect customer assets. Finally, the ideal crypto exchange for you will be determined by your requirements as an investor. To determine which exchange is ideal for you, learn more about the differences between Coinbase and Gemini.
When evaluating cryptocurrency exchanges, think about what you want from a platform. All investors should place a premium on an exchange's security - both Gemini and Coinbase are industry leaders in this area. Altcoin services, user interfaces, and accessibility from both mobile and desktop apps are all things to think about.
Team that worked on the article
Andrey Mastykin is an experienced author, editor, and content strategist who has been with Traders Union since 2020. As an editor, he is meticulous about fact-checking and ensuring the accuracy of all information published on the Traders Union platform. Andrey focuses on educating readers about the potential rewards and risks involved in trading financial markets.
He firmly believes that passive investing is a more suitable strategy for most individuals. Andrey's conservative approach and focus on risk management resonate with many readers, making him a trusted source of financial information.
Olga Shendetskaya has been a part of the Traders Union team as an author, editor and proofreader since 2017. Since 2020, Shendetskaya has been the assistant chief editor of the website of Traders Union, an international association of traders. She has over 10 years of experience of working with economic and financial texts. In the period of 2017-2020, Olga has worked as a journalist and editor of laftNews news agency, economic and financial news sections. At the moment, Olga is a part of the team of top industry experts involved in creation of educational articles in finance and investment, overseeing their writing and publication on the Traders Union website.
Olga has extensive experience in writing and editing articles about the specifics of working in the Forex market, cryptocurrency market, stock exchanges and also in the segment of financial investment in general. This level of expertise allows Olga to create unique and comprehensive articles, describing complex investment mechanisms in a simple and accessible way for traders of any level.
Olga’s motto: Do well and you’ll be well!
Mirjan Hipolito is a journalist and news editor at Traders Union. She is an expert crypto writer with five years of experience in the financial markets. Her specialties are daily market news, price predictions, and Initial Coin Offerings (ICO). Mirjan is a cryptocurrency and stock trader. This deep understanding of the finance sector allows her to create informative and engaging content that helps readers easily navigate the complexities of the crypto world.