Gemini is an industry-leading crypto exchange that’s known for its user-friendly platform and security-focused features.
But Gemini also has relatively high trading fees and limited GBP trading pairs for UK residents.
The good news is that there are a handful of excellent Gemini alternatives out there.
Here’s a look at the top crypto brokers and exchanges that you can use instead of Gemini.
Alternatives to Gemini
CoinJar: Best for Low Trading Fees
| Countries | UK and Australia |
| Cryptocurrencies | BTC, ETH, & 50+ more |
| Trading Fees | 0.10% maximum for exchange trades, 1% for instant buys |
| Funding Options | UK bank transfer (via FPS), debit and credit card, crypto deposit |
CoinJar is an Australian-based crypto trading platform that was founded in 2013. It now has offices in the UK and it is fully registered as a cryptoasset firm with the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA).
When compared to Gemini, the biggest advantage of CoinJar is that it offers much lower trading fees, both on its instant buy platform (1%) and on its exchange (0.1% maximum). CoinJar also offers a super-fast onboarding process for UK residents and supports fast GBP deposits through UK bank transfer (because of Faster Payments).
I also like CoinJar because it offers a more affordable way to buy crypto with a debit or credit card (2% fee). It also has a cool feature called CoinJar Bundles that lets you invest in multiple cryptocurrencies at once.
The downside to CoinJar is that it has fewer supported cryptocurrencies than Gemini (but still more than 50) and it doesn’t have a staking or an interest-earning feature like Gemini Earn.
But if you’re an investor in the UK that just wants a low-cost way to buy and sell crypto? CoinJar is hard to beat.
Advantages
- Lower transaction fees for instant buys and exchange trades.
- Offers low-cost crypto purchases with a credit or debit card.
- Fast onboarding process and speedy GBP deposits.
- Fully registered as a cryptoasset firm with the FCA.
Disadvantages
- Smaller number of supported cryptocurrencies.
- No option to stake crypto or earn interest.
Coinbase: Best for Extra Features
| Countries | 100+ countries, including the UK and EU |
| Cryptocurrencies | BTC, ETH, & 45+ more |
| Trading Fees | Instant Buy: 0.50% spread + either £0.99–£2.99 trading fee (under £200) or 1.49% trading fee (over £200) Exchange: 0.60% or less |
| Funding Options | UK bank transfer (via FPS), SWIFT transfer, SEPA transfer, PayPal, debit and credit card, crypto deposit |
Coinbase is a multinational crypto broker and exchange that launched in 2012 in the US. It was the first crypto exchange to be publicly traded on a US stock exchange after it was listed on the NASDAQ in 2021.
There are many similarities between Coinbase and Gemini, including their user-friendly designs. Both companies offer instant buy features and advanced exchanges. However, Coinbase’s offers fewer supported cryptocurrencies and its trading fees tend to be slightly higher than Gemini’s unless you’re buying with a credit card.
What sets Coinbase apart from Gemini, however, is its larger selection of extra features. This includes Coinbase Card (a crypto-backed debit card), crypto staking, and Coinbase Earn (where you can earn free crypto by watching videos). It also lets you send or receive crypto from any other Coinbase account for free using Coinbase Pay.
Coinbase’s exchange, Coinbase Advanced, also generally has more trading volume than Gemini’s Active Trader. So, while you might pay more to use Coinbase, it’s a solid Gemini alternative if you want extra features and want access to a high liquidity exchange.
Advantages
- Offers a much larger selection of extra features.
- Slightly lower fees on crypto purchases with a credit or debit card.
- Coinbase Advanced (its exchange) has more trading volume, even on GBP pairs.
- Publicly traded crypto exchange in the US.
Disadvantages
- Higher trading fees than Gemini.
- Fewer supported cryptocurrencies.
Coinbase WebsiteCoinbase Review
Crypto.com App: Best for Supported Cryptocurrencies
| Countries | 100+ countries, including the UK and EU |
| Cryptocurrencies | BTC, ETH, & 170+ more |
| Trading Fees | No trading fees (but quoted prices are normally above the exchange rate) unless using a debit card (2.99%) |
| Funding Options | UK bank transfer (via FPS), credit and debit card, crypto deposit |
Founded in 2016, Crypto.com is a multinational crypto trading platform with headquarters in Singapore. The company also has offices in the UK, but it’s not yet a fully registered cryptoasset firm with the FCA.
Crypto.com is a mobile-first company and most of its services are offered through the Crypto.com App. The app’s biggest advantage is that it lets you buy and sell more than 170 cryptocurrencies, which is a huge jump from the cryptoassets you can trade with Gemini.
The Crypto.com App also offers a range of extra features like the Crypto.com Visa Card, which is a crypto rewards credit card, and opportunities to earn interest on your crypto. Gemini technically has many of the same features as Crypto.com, though the Crypto.com App tends to offer higher rewards and interest rates to investors
That said, Crypto.com doesn’t let you access your account online, so you’re stuck using the mobile app for all your trades and transactions. Plus, while the company doesn’t charge trading fees, its exchange rates are usually higher than what you’re quoted at other exchanges.
But despite that, Crypto.com App is still a solid Gemini alternative if your goal is to trade a variety of altcoins.
Advantages
- Supports more than 170 cryptocurrencies in the UK.
- Offers interest on your crypto holdings.
- com Visa Card offers low fees and solid cashback rewards.
- Doesn’t charge an explicit trading fee (but its exchange rates can be high).
Disadvantages
- Only available as a mobile app (no web-based platform).
- Exchange rates on crypto trades aren’t always competitive.
Download Crypto.com AppCrypto.com Review
Kraken: Best for Advanced Traders
| Countries | 200+ countries, including the UK and EU |
| Cryptocurrencies | BTC, ETH, & 80+ more |
| Trading Fees | Instant Buy: 0.9 to 1.5% Exchange: 0.26% or less |
| Funding Options | UK bank transfer (via FPS and CHAPS), SWIFT transfer, credit and debit card, crypto deposit |
Kraken is a cryptocurrency exchange that was founded by Jesse Powell in 2011. It is currently headquartered in San Francisco, though it operates in more than 200 countries around the world. Kraken isn’t FCA registered as a cryptoasset firm, but it has offices in London and it recently became an SPDI designated bank in the US state of Wyoming.
I like Kraken as a Gemini alternative because the company has lower trading fees on both its instant buy platform and its exchange. Plus, Kraken supports more cryptocurrencies and it offers extra features for advanced investors like the Cryptowatch trading terminal, OTC trading, and crypto staking.
Kraken’s other major advantage over Gemini is that it offers a larger selection of GBP trading pairs on its exchange (35 in total). Additionally, Kraken has more trading volume on its exchange than Gemini’s Active Trader.
However, Kraken’s user interface is more complicated than Gemini’s and it can be overwhelming to new users. Kraken’s customer service is also limited when compared to Gemini’s email and phone-based support team.
But although Kraken has room for improvement, it’s a worthwhile choice for advanced traders that want to take their portfolios to the next level.
Advantages
- Well-established exchange with a solid security track record.
- Low trading fees for instant buys and exchange transactions.
- Opportunity to trade using the powerful Cryptowatch terminal.
Disadvantages
- User interface is fairly complicated.
- Limited customer support options.
Luno: Best for Beginners
| Countries | 40 countries, including the UK and EU |
| Cryptocurrencies | BTC, ETH, & 9 more |
| Trading Fees | Instant Buy (with Bank Transfer): 1.5% Instant Buy (with Debit Card): 3.5% Exchange: 0.1% or less |
| Funding Options | UK bank transfer (via FPS), credit and debit card, crypto deposit |
Luno is a crypto exchange and broker that was founded as BitX in 2013. The company is headquartered in the UK, though it was acquired by the US-based Digital Currency Group in 2020.
In comparison to Gemini, Luno’s best attribute is the user-friendliness of its platform. Luno offers both an instant buy feature through its brokerage service and a more advanced exchange for experienced traders. But if you stick to Luno’s instant buy feature, you can quickly and easily purchase crypto at lower fees than what you’d get at Gemini.
Plus, Luno’s instant buy feature usually quotes crypto prices at or near the real market exchange rate when I last checked. The company also has a speedy onboarding process and fast GBP deposits via FPS, so you can place your first crypto trades without much delay.
The downside? Luno doesn’t support many cryptocurrencies (but this includes major coins like BTC and ETH). The company’s exchange also has lower liquidity on GBP trading pairs, even though its fees are much lower than Gemini’s (maximum 0.1%).
However, if you’re new to crypto and just want an easy, low-cost way to start trading popular coins, Luno is a sure bet.
Advantages
- User friendly platform is great for beginners.
- Lower instant buy and exchange trading fees.
- Offers crypto prices at or near the real exchange rate.
- Very fast onboarding process.
Disadvantages
- Limited number of supported cryptocurrencies (11 total).
- Exchange has low trading volume for GBP pairs.
My Favourite Gemini Alternatives
Gemini is an excellent option for investors that are willing to pay more in fees in exchange for access to a reputable crypto trading platform with a solid security track record.
But if you’re looking to cut down on fees, trade a wider range of cryptocurrencies, or access extra crypto-related features, you might want to look elsewhere.
My favourite Gemini alternative is CoinJar.
CoinJar is my top choice if you’re looking for an alternative to Gemini that offers more GBP trading pairs, lower instant buy fees, and a much more affordable exchange. I also like that CoinJar is fully registered with the FCA and that it offers a super-fast onboarding process.
But what do you think? Which of these Gemini alternatives will you check out before you place your next trade?
Let me know in the comments below!