Updated September 29, 2026 · BrokerCue Editorial Team
Kraken vs Trading 212
Where Kraken and Trading 212 differ
| Compare |  Kraken | Trading 212 ReviewSee alternativesSee alternatives |
|---|---|---|
| Minimum deposit | $1 | £1 |
| Stock trade fee | $0 | £0 |
| Markets | Stocks, ETFs, Forex, Crypto, Futures | Stocks, ETFs, Forex, CFDs |
| Regulators | Central Bank of Ireland, Cyprus Securities and Exchange Commission, Financial Conduct Authority, Financial Crimes Enforcement Network, Central Bank of Ireland (CBI) | Financial Conduct Authority, Cyprus Securities and Exchange Commission, Cyprus Securities and Exchange Commission (CySEC) |
| Investor protection | EU ICS up to EUR 20,000 | FSCS up to GBP 85,000 |
| Platforms | Kraken App, Kraken Pro, Kraken Desktop, Kraken Wallet | Trading 212 App, Web Platform |
| Account fee | Not confirmed | £0 |
| Inactivity fee | Not confirmed | £0 |
| Deposit and withdrawal fees | Free bank deposits, card 3.75% + 0.25 | Not confirmed |
| Account types | Not confirmed | ISA, SIPP, Joint |
| Maximum retail leverage | Up to 10x | Not confirmed |
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Key differences
- Trading 212 scores higher overall: 9.3 vs 9.2.
- Regulators: only Kraken offers Central Bank of Ireland, Financial Crimes Enforcement Network, Central Bank of Ireland (CBI).
- Regulators: only Trading 212 offers Cyprus Securities and Exchange Commission (CySEC).
- Markets: only Kraken offers Crypto, Futures.
- Markets: only Trading 212 offers CFDs.
- Platforms: only Kraken offers Kraken App, Kraken Pro, Kraken Desktop.
- Platforms: only Trading 212 offers Trading 212 App, Web Platform.
- Features: only Kraken offers Crypto.
- Features: only Trading 212 offers Fractional shares, Demo account.
- Audience: only Kraken offers Experienced.
Our verdict on each
Kraken
Kraken suits beginners and experienced investors who want stocks, ETFs and crypto together through app and desktop access. Stock dealing is priced at $0 with entry at $1 and funding terms shown as Free bank deposits, card 3.75% + 0.25 for cost planning across small balance accounts.
Trading 212
Trading 212 suits UK and European beginners who want flat costs: a stock trade fee of £0, an account fee of £0 and an ISA, SIPP and joint account. Forex and CFDs share the same menu, so the easy entry is the reason to look closer, not to trade heavily.
Score breakdown
| Area | Kraken | Trading 212 |
|---|---|---|
| Cost | 9.3Stock dealing is priced at $0 with entry at $1. | 9.3Charges sit at the floor: £0 on a trade, £0 on the account, £0 when idle. |
| Offer | 9.0Coverage spans stocks, ETFs and forex accessed through Kraken App, Kraken Pro and Kraken Desktop. | 9.2Higher |
| Trust | 9.3Registers cite 1010381 and 31000270997766. | 9.5Higher |
Where each is licensed and available
| Country | Kraken | Trading 212 |
|---|---|---|
| Cyprus | Not confirmed | Cyprus Securities and Exchange Commission (CySEC) MiCA CASP 21380045KC28948FNE32 |
| Ireland | Central Bank of Ireland (CBI) MiCA CASP 9845003D98SCC2851458 IE_CBI PSD_EMI IE_CBI!C453020 | Not confirmed |
| United Kingdom | Not confirmed | |
| United States | SIPC SIPC member 71030 | Not confirmed |
Where they rank in our lists
| Ranking | Kraken | Trading 212 |
|---|---|---|
| Stock and ETF brokers | 21 of 471 | 83 of 471 |
| Brokers for beginners | 10 of 88 | 28 of 88 |
What we checked
Kraken
- kraken.com: 9 facts, checked September 28, 2026
- support.kraken.com: 2 facts, checked September 28, 2026
Trading 212
- en.wikipedia.org: 13 facts, checked September 26, 2026
- esma.europa.eu: 2 facts, checked September 26, 2026
Every fact side by side
| Fact | Kraken | Trading 212 |
|---|---|---|
| Features | Crypto, Mobile app | Fractional shares, Demo account, Mobile app |
| Pricing model | Commission free | Commission free |
| Audience | Beginners, ExperiencedCovers more | Beginners |
| Legal entity | Not confirmed | Trading 212 Markets Ltd |
| Headquarters | Not confirmed | Cyprus |
| Founded | Not confirmed | 2006 |
Where each stands against the rest
| Fact | Kraken | Trading 212 | Median |
|---|---|---|---|
| Account fee | Not confirmed | £0at the median | £0 |
Median across 13 listed brokers.
Pros and cons
Kraken
Pros
- Stock trades priced at $0 within a model shown as commission free.
- Entry at $1, below $50 at eToro for smaller starting balances.
- Coverage spans stocks, ETFs and forex, pairing stocks and ETFs with crypto and futures.
Cons
- Support runs on help centre only, without phone or live chat help found at many rivals.
- Card funding terms run Free bank deposits, card 3.75% + 0.25, which adds cost next to bank transfer options.
- Entry at $1 sits above $0 at ActivTrades and €0 at XTB for tight budgets.
Trading 212
Pros
- Nothing to pay for holding or for going quiet: the account fee reads £0 and the inactivity fee reads £0.
- Trading shares costs £0, the same stock trade fee eToro lists at $0, so the trade price is not the reason to move.
- The entry of £1 sits under the $5 Vantage asks for, which matters for a first transfer.
Cons
- The market list pairs shares and ETFs with forex and CFDs in stocks, etfs and forex, so a platform aimed at beginners, beginners, also carries leveraged products.
- The fee sheet is the easy part: retail accounts lose money at 70.15% across the brokers compared, and a £0 trade cost does not remove that risk.
- The money side runs through Trading 212 Markets Ltd in Cyprus, registered with the Cyprus Securities and Exchange Commission as MiCA CASP 21380045KC28948FNE32, so a UK saver is dealing with a Cyprus entity alongside the UK one.
Who each suits
Kraken
Who it suits
- You want stocks plus crypto in stocks, ETFs and forex in a single login rather than an equity only account at XTB.
- You want app led dealing through Kraken App, Kraken Pro and Kraken Desktop with modest entry at $1 rather than higher entry at eToro at $50.
Who should look elsewhere
- You want phone or chat help rather than help centre only, consider XTB or ActivTrades for wider contact choice.
- You want the lowest cash entry rather than $1, consider ActivTrades at $0 or XTB at €0.
Trading 212
Who it suits
- Beginners and small regular investors who want a low bar to entry, since the minimum deposit is £1 and the app and demo account in fractional shares, demo account and mobile app support a cautious start.
- UK and European savers who care about holding cost, because the account fee of £0 and the inactivity fee of £0 leave the account free to sit and free to open.
- Savers who want a tax-wrapped and shared holding together, since isa, sipp and joint covers an ISA, a SIPP and a joint account under one provider.
Who should look elsewhere
- Not for forex and CFD traders who want a deeper market list: Trading 212 stops at stocks, etfs and forex, while eToro and Vantage cover more of the leveraged side.
- Not for anyone who needs a no-cost opening: CFI takes a minimum deposit of $0 against the £1 asked here.
- Not for savers who want a bigger spread of wrappers: the account range is listed as isa, sipp and joint, which does not stretch to every tax-sheltered account type.
Questions about each
Kraken
What does Kraken charge for stock trades+
Stock dealing is priced at $0 and Kraken describes its model as commission free. Bank funding is framed separately as Free bank deposits, card 3.75% + 0.25, so card use adds cost while bank transfer terms remain distinct. Check the fee schedule before placing orders.
What is the minimum deposit to open an account+
Account entry is set at $1. That level sits below $50 at eToro, yet above $0 at ActivTrades and €0 at XTB. It keeps starting balances modest while leaving room for funding charges.
Trading 212
What is the minimum deposit to open a Trading 212 account?+
The published minimum deposit is £1, low enough to open and fund in one step. That entry sits under the €4.64 level seen across the brokers compared here, and under the $5 Vantage asks for, so a small first transfer is enough to get going.
Does Trading 212 charge for keeping an account open or leaving it idle?+
The account fee reads £0 and the inactivity fee reads £0, so neither holding the account nor letting it sit dormant is billed on the published sheet. The €10 inactivity level across the brokers compared sits well above that floor, which is where dormant-account charges usually show up.
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