Coinbase vs. Coinbase Pro: Coinbase and Coinbase Pro are two of the most prominent cryptocurrency exchanges, with annual transactions totaling hundreds of billions of dollars. They’re both meant to make it easier for people to buy, sell, and trade cryptocurrencies.
Coinbase and Coinbase Pro are both owned by Coinbase Global, Inc., although they provide quite distinct cryptocurrency trading platforms. Coinbase Pro is a professional-level trading platform geared at active traders, whereas Coinbase is aimed at enabling newbie investors make their first cryptocurrency buy.
The user interface is the most significant distinction between the two platforms. With only a few options for placing orders, Coinbase provides a clean, uncomplicated approach to purchasing and selling cryptocurrencies. Coinbase Pro, on the other hand, provides advanced charting and trading options, allowing professional traders more control.
We compared the two systems in terms of supported currencies, security, fees, features, and more, so you can determine which is best for you.
Pros
- Beginner friendly
- Buy/sell with debit cards
- Cryptocurrency watchlist with price alerts
- Two-factor authentication and cold storage
Cons
- Higher fees than most exchanges
- Tracks how users spend cryptocurrency
- No control over private keys
Pros
- Advanced charting and trading options
- Two-factor authentication and cold storage
- Multiple trade options including stop and limit orders
Cons
- Too complicated for beginners
- No control over private keys
- High fees compared to competing platforms
Fees for Coinbase vs. Coinbase Pro:
Coinbase Pro charges a fraction of the price of the basic Coinbase product. Coinbase Pro is the superior alternative for performing bitcoin trades because it can save you a significant amount of money on each transaction.
Coinbase calculates fees when you place an order on its standard platform depending on a number of parameters, including payment method, order size, and market conditions. A flat price applies to smaller transactions, while a variable fee of around 1.49 percent applies to bigger ones. The following are the normal charge amounts, which vary depending on the transaction size:
| Up to $10 | $0.99 |
| Above $10 to $25 | $1.49 |
| Above $25 to $50 | $1.99 |
| Above $50 up to $205 | $2.99 |
| $205 or more | 1.49% |
Coinbase imposes additional costs for some payment options in addition to transaction fees. If you pay with an ACH transfer from your bank account, you can avoid these fees.
For trading costs, Coinbase Pro uses a maker-taker arrangement. You pay the maker charge if you place an order that isn’t promptly filled by an existing order because your order provides liquidity. If you place an order that is promptly filled by another order, you will be charged a taker fee because your order is consuming liquidity.
The maker-taker costs you pay are determined by your trading volume. For up to $20 million in 30-day trading volume, here’s the Coinbase Pro fee table:
| 30-DAY TRADING VOLUME IN U.S. DOLLARS | TAKER FEE | MAKER FEE |
| Up to $10,000 | 0.50% | 0.50% |
| $10,000 to $50,000 | 0.35% | 0.35% |
| $50,000 to $100,000 | 0.25% | 0.15% |
| $100,000 to $1,000,000 | 0.20% | 0.10% |
| $1,000,000 to $20,000,000 | 0.18% | 0.08% |
Here’s how much it costs to buy Bitcoin on each platform, to give you an idea of how much you can save with Coinbase Pro:
| PLATFORM | FEE ON $100 BITCOIN PURCHASE | FEE ON $1,000 BITCOIN PURCHASE |
| Coinbase | $2.99 | $14.90 |
| Coinbase Pro | $0.50 | $5.00 |
Coinbase vs. Coinbase Pro: Cryptocurrencies Accepted
The availability of cryptocurrency is a good suit for both Coinbase versions. Each platform offers over 120 different coins, far more than most other exchanges. On Coinbase and Coinbase Pro, you may trade the following popular cryptos:
- Bitcoin (BTC)
- Ethereum (ETH)
- Litecoin (LTC)
- Cardano (ADA)
- Bitcoin Cash (BCH)
- Stellar Lumens (XLM)
- Chainlink (LINK)
- Uniswap (UNI)
- Aave (AAVE)
- Solana (SOL)
- Tether (USDT)
- Dogecoin (DOGE)
- Shiba inu (SHIB)
On Coinbase, you’ll have plenty of options whether you wish to trade market leaders or smaller types of cryptocurrencies. The exchange is also aggressive in extending its choices, adding new cryptocurrencies to the list on a regular basis.
Coinbase Pro gives you access to Golem (GLM) and Loom Network, two smaller cryptos that aren’t available on Coinbase (LOOM). Except for those few exclusions, you can buy and sell the same cryptocurrencies regardless of which Coinbase version you use.
Wallets: Coinbase vs. Coinbase Pro:
Coinbase and Coinbase Pro keep your cryptocurrency in custodial wallets by default. The private keys to your cryptocurrency are controlled by a third party in this form of wallet. You’ll have two independent custodial wallets, one on Coinbase and the other on Coinbase Pro, if you have accounts on both platforms. You can freely move funds between the two sites.
Coinbase Wallet, a hot wallet, is also available. A hot wallet is a digital wallet that you may install on your computer or phone as an app. You can download Coinbase Wallet and store your cryptocurrency there if you want complete control.
Coinbase vs. Coinbase Pro: Security
Coinbase is one of the best cryptocurrency exchanges when it comes to security. Coinbase and Coinbase Pro are equivalent in this sense because they both have the same security features, and they’re both among the safest sites to buy bitcoin.
Some of the security settings offered on both systems are as follows:
Authentication using two factors
Coinbase and Coinbase Pro include two-factor verification by SMS or the Google Authenticator app, which is an industry standard. This increases the security of logging into your account and reduces the likelihood of hackers gaining access to it.
Crypto Vaults and Cold Storage
Coinbase and Coinbase Pro keep 98 percent of their crypto assets offline, in secure cold storage (not on the internet), and out of the reach of online hackers.
Both use bitcoin vaults to give an extra layer of security to avoid fraudulent withdrawals. Vaults are time-locked and can be configured with multiple user approvals, ensuring that any withdrawal request is canceled if all approvals are not completed within a 24-hour period.
Insurance from the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (up to $250,000)
On USD deposits, Coinbase provides FDIC insurance. Like a regular bank, insures deposits up to $250,000 with the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC). Your bitcoin funds, however, are not covered by this policy.
Adding Crypto Addresses to a Whitelist
The option to restrict access to addresses that can withdraw your money adds another layer of security. These addresses are retained in your address book, preventing access to your funds by any other addresses. Only Coinbase Pro users have access to this feature.
Coinbase vs. Coinbase Pro: Features
Coinbase and Coinbase Pro both make it simple to buy and sell crypto, but they do so in different ways. A couple of each platform’s distinctive features are listed below.
Coinbase Unique Features
Free education and free crypto: Coinbase’s platform and mobile app include user education to assist novices in learning about cryptocurrencies. These are short videos that teach consumers about a cryptocurrency project and reward them with a tiny amount of the currency as a bonus.
Newsfeed: Coinbase has a built-in newsfeed that keeps users up to date on current happenings. These are chosen stories on cryptocurrency updates and breaking news from around the web.
Price Notifications: Coinbase allows you to create a watchlist of cryptocurrencies and receive price alerts when there are significant price fluctuations. These can be set up to be pushed to your phone, or they can just show up in the app.
Coinbase Pro Unique Features
Multiple trade options: Coinbase Pro gives users more control over their cryptocurrency trading by allowing them to choose from a number of different trade alternatives. Users can use stop orders to limit their losses by setting a sale price. Limit orders enable customers to establish a buy point if they believe the value of a cryptocurrency will fall, allowing them to acquire at a lower price.
Complex charting: With Coinbase Pro, customers may construct advanced charting views, such as minute-by-minute trading and viewing each cryptocurrency’s moving averages. The normal view displays a candlestick chart showing high and low prices within a given time frame, as well as open and close prices, similar to advanced stock charting applications. You may also view the 12-day and 26-day exponential moving averages (EMA) with numerous overlays to get a better understanding of how a cryptocurrency is performing.
API keys: Coinbase Pro offers you access to their API keys, which you can use to integrate third-party apps with your Coinbase account.
Final Verdict
There are a number of parallels between Coinbase and Coinbase Pro, as you might anticipate. Both offer access to similar currencies, are licensed exchanges with insurance, and store your digital assets in a highly secure manner.
Coinbase is a terrific place to start if you’re new to the cryptocurrency world. You may become knowledgeable in no time because to its clear user interface, straightforward price charts, and built-in user education. Coinbase Pro is for you if you want to actively trade cryptocurrency and have access to advanced charting and other tools.
Whatever platform you choose, keep in mind that cryptocurrency investing is very speculative, so never invest more than you can afford to lose.
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