Kraken App Review: Fees, Security, and Who It Fits (2026)

The Kraken app is the mobile version of the Kraken exchange, built for buying, selling, and holding crypto on iOS and Android^†. It fits traders who want a long-running, US-based exchange with ACH deposits and a wide set of products. It does not fit anyone looking for copy trading, P2P transfers, or a published proof-of-reserves report^††.

DISCLOSURE: CompareCEX may earn a commission when you sign up through our links. This does not influence our editorial scores. RISK: Crypto assets are volatile and unregulated in many jurisdictions. Not financial advice.

What is the Kraken app?

The Kraken app is Kraken.com in your pocket. Same account, same order book, same fee structure, just on a phone screen. Kraken itself is a centralized exchange (CEX) launched in 2011 and headquartered in San Francisco^†††.

What is the Kraken app good for? Checking prices, placing spot trades, and managing deposits or withdrawals from your phone. Kraken confirms both iOS and Android versions exist^†, though our data does not break out whether every feature on Kraken.com (the web platform) is mirrored exactly in the app, or whether the "Kraken Pro" app charges a separate fee schedule. That detail is not verified here. Check Kraken's official fee page before trading on either version.

How much does the Kraken app charge in fees?

Kraken publishes more than one fee schedule, and which one applies depends on your account tier. At the base schedule, maker fee is 0.25% and taker fee is 0.40%^††. At the standard Tier 1 bracket, for accounts under $2,500 in 30-day trading volume, maker fee is 0.40% and taker fee is 0.80%^††.

Here's the math on a $1,000 trade. At the base taker fee of 0.40%^†, you pay $4. At the Tier 1 taker fee of 0.80%^†, you pay $8. Same trade, double the cost, depending on which schedule your account sits in.

Want to run your own trade size against these numbers? Use our fee calculator.

Is the Kraken app safe, and what KYC does it require?

Kraken requires identity verification before most features unlock. You'll need a government-issued ID and proof of address^†. That's standard for a US-regulated exchange, not unique to Kraken.

On security, Kraken does not publish a proof-of-reserves report in our data, and its public messaging leans on self-custody wallets rather than third-party audits^†. That's a disclosure gap, not evidence of a problem. But if proof-of-reserves is a must-have for you, Kraken's current public stance doesn't check that box.

Kraken also holds FINRA self-regulatory status and SIPC broker-dealer status in the US^†. Neither covers crypto holdings the way SIPC covers cash and securities at a traditional brokerage. That distinction matters and often gets skipped.

What can you trade on the Kraken app?

Kraken supports spot trading, futures, margin, staking, and a card product^†. It does not offer copy trading or P2P trading^†. If either of those is the reason you're shopping for an app, Kraken won't deliver it.

Deposits and withdrawals carry their own fee quirks:

• ACH deposits are free for US users outside New York, Washington, and Texas, with a 7-day withdrawal hold on funds moved in that way^†.
• USD ACH withdrawals are free; instant USD withdrawals cost 1.5%, capped at $50^†.
• Wire transfers run $25 to $30, but that's a bank-side reference figure Kraken cites, not a fee Kraken itself sets^†.
• Crypto withdrawal fees aren't fixed. Kraken shows the exact amount only at confirmation^†.

A quick example: withdraw $2,000 instantly in USD, and the 1.5% instant fee^† comes to $30, under the $50 cap, so you pay $30.

How do you set up the Kraken app?

1. Download Kraken from the App Store or Google Play^†.
2. Create an account with an email address and password.
3. Complete identity verification: government ID plus proof of address^†.
4. Fund the account, for example by ACH if you're in the US outside NY, WA, or TX^†.
5. Place a trade, or explore staking, margin, or futures if those fit your plan^†.

Kraken app pros and cons

Pros

• Over a decade in operation, since 2011^†.
• Broad product range: spot, futures, margin, staking, card^†.
• Free ACH deposits and withdrawals for most US users^††.
• Support available around the clock^†.

Cons

Fees jump sharply at the standard Tier 1 bracket: 0.80% taker versus 0.40% at the base schedule^††. No proof-of-reserves report is published^†. Copy trading and P2P trading aren't offered^†. And KYC is mandatory before you can do much at all^†.

Common mistakes when using the Kraken app

• Assuming the regular Kraken app and the separate Kraken Pro app bill the same fees. That pairing isn't verified in our data, so check Kraken's official fee schedule directly.
• Forgetting the 7-day hold on ACH-funded withdrawals^†. Planning a same-week cash-out around that hold causes real problems.
• Treating the 1.5% instant withdrawal fee as small. On a $3,000 withdrawal, that's $45, close to the $50 cap^†.
• Reading "no proof-of-reserves" as proof of fraud. It isn't. It's a gap in public disclosure^†, and it's worth weighing in your own risk decision rather than ignoring it or overreacting to it.

Who should use the Kraken app?

Kraken fits someone who wants a US-based exchange with a long track record, free ACH funding, and access to staking or futures alongside basic spot trading^†††. It does not fit someone chasing copy trading, P2P trades, or a published proof-of-reserves report^††.

Still comparing options? Our exchange finder tool walks through your priorities step by step, and the full Kraken profile has more detail than fits in one review.

FAQ

Is the Kraken app free to download?

Yes. Downloading costs nothing. Trading triggers maker or taker fees once you place an order^††.

Does the Kraken app require KYC?

Yes. Kraken requires a government ID and proof of address before most account features open up^†.

What's the difference between the Kraken app and Kraken Pro?

Not verified in our Knowledge Graph. Kraken lists separate apps for standard and Pro trading, but the exact fee or feature split between them isn't confirmed in our data. Check Kraken's official site before assuming either way.

Is the Kraken.com app available outside the US?

Kraken serves users beyond the US, but our data confirms US regulation status specifically (FINRA, SIPC)^†. Country-by-country availability for crypto trading isn't verified here. Confirm on Kraken's official site for your location.

Scores and comparisons on this site follow a fixed process. Read the methodology for how we weigh fees, security, and KYC across exchanges.