Methodology · Crypto exchanges
Methodology: Crypto Exchanges
Here we explain how the comparison classifies fees and spreads - and what we deliberately leave out. There is no overall editorial score and no test winner. You sort and filter yourself.
On this page
No ranking
We do not award grades, points or awards. Providers start in a neutral order. If you sort by name, cost example or maker/taker basis, that is your choice — not an editorial recommendation and not a “cheapest provider”.
Product = trade route
Each listing is a specific path to purchase or action — not the brand as a whole. A product is either a Order book (Maker/Taker fees) or aSpread buying (surcharge in the app/simple buy price), never both in one line.
- Order book — classic exchange interface with maker and taker fees
- Spread buying — App or Simple Buy, costs are included in the price markup
Sister products from the same brand count separately - for example Coinbase Advanced Trade and Simple Buy or Bitvavo Orderbook and Instant.
Entry / Spot CEX / Perp DEX
The three chips are a preselection Trading interface — analogous to the card hurdles and hardware price bands, no test winner and no fee ranking.
- Entry-level — Broker and app purchase: Spread in the price, often recurring investment plan, no classic order book
- Spot CEX — Spot order book of a CEX with maker/taker fees
- Perp DEX — Perp-DEX and on-chain trading (margin, funding, liquidation)
MiCA and fees remain separate filters and sorting options; they do not determine the presets. Without a saved selection or products specified in the link, your comparison starts empty. Choose two platforms, use a preset or open the full catalogue. The overview with six examples always remains visible.
Cost example: BTC/EUR · Market order · Basic level
All three cost examples and each spread measurement use the same frame of reference:
- Trading pair BTC/EUR
- Market order / taker — no maker price in the cost column
- Basic level — without volume or token discounts
- Deposit fees are in the standard example not included
On the comparison page you can see:
- One-time purchase — one-time amount, coins remain on the platform
- Recurring buys — 12 purchases at monthly rate (annual costs = 12× rate)
- Purchase + withdrawal — One-time purchase plus on-chain BTC withdrawal
How we measure spreads
When it comes to spread purchases, just a percentage isn't enough for us. We need a comprehensible measurement:
- Time of measurement (date and time)
- Couple BTC/EUR, order size, time and source (provider site or measurement protocol)
If this is missing, the cost column remains Unknown — we do not set a zero or estimated value.
How current are the fees?
| Age of the fee status | behavior |
|---|---|
| under 90 days | display normally and sortable |
| 90 days or older | Note “Check status”, still sortable |
| 180 days or older | Display possible, but no longer as a sorting value (at the end) |
If mandatory information for the respective trade channel is missing, the cost column also remains “unknown”.
Spot availability (spot_available_de)
The field spot_available_de answers a specific question: Can DE-Retail use this asset as a spot on this one Buy exchange surface - not on Earn, Staking, Perpetuals or any other entity or sister product of the same brand.
- Not meant: Earn, staking, perps or derivatives — just the spot buying route on this very surface
- Unknown is not no: Missing knowledge remains unknown; we do not automatically see this as an exclusion
- 20 Assets: We document a curated set of 20 assets — not a full market overview
- Hardware wallets: No coin matrix; Chain flags still apply there (Bitcoin, Ethereum/EVM, Solana)
- Check: Curated set live belowCrypto availability — Exchanges and hardware according to matrix or chain flags
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In comparison, the assumptions are directly below the table. Back to the general methodology or directly to the crypto exchange comparison.