Gemini vs Coinbase: Fees, Coins, Safety Comparison

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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.

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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

Leverage

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

Bitcoin (BTC)

Yes

Yes

Litecoin (LTC)

Yes

Yes

Dogecoin (DOGE)

Yes

Yes

Binance Coin (BNB)

Yes

Yes

Uniswap (UNI)

Yes

Yes

Ripple (XRP)

No

No

Polkadot (DOT)

Yes

Yes

Cardano (ADA)

No

Yes

Stellar (XLM)

Yes

Yes

IOTA (MIOTA)

Yes

Yes

Tron (TRX)

Yes

Yes

Options

Yes

No

Futures

Yes

No

NFT

Yes

No

ETF

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

Stop Loss

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

E-mail

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
Author, Financial Expert at Traders Union

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
Author and editor at Traders Union

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
Cryptocurrency and stock expert

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.