Kraken Fees Explained: The Complete Guide to Trading, Withdrawal, and Hidden Costs
Searching for Kraken fees usually means one thing: you want to know the real cost of buying, selling, and moving crypto on Kraken—not just the headline number. Fees can come from several places at once: the maker/taker schedule, instant purchase pricing, spreads, network withdrawal costs, and (for leveraged products) ongoing charges that accumulate over time. This WordPress-ready guide breaks it all down in plain English, with practical strategies to reduce your total cost per trade.
Disclosure: This article is for educational purposes only and is not financial advice. Always verify fees inside your exchange before placing trades.
What Are Kraken Fees?
“Kraken fees” is a broad phrase that can include multiple cost layers. Most traders only look at the trading fee line, but your all-in cost can be higher (or sometimes lower) depending on how you trade. Here are the main categories to understand:
1) Trading fees (maker/taker)
These are the direct exchange fees charged when you place orders on the order book. The exact fee rate usually depends on your trading activity and whether your order is a maker or a taker order.
2) Instant Buy/Sell or conversion pricing
If you use simplified “instant” purchase flows, the cost often comes from a combination of explicit service fees and an embedded spread in the quoted price. This is convenient—but it’s not always the cheapest option for larger trades.
3) Deposit and withdrawal costs
Funding and moving assets can introduce costs. For crypto withdrawals, network fees (which can fluctuate) matter. For fiat, the method (bank transfer, card, etc.) may affect charges and processing times.
4) Product-specific costs (margin/derivatives)
If you trade with leverage, your costs may include additional charges that accumulate over time. Traders often underestimate this “time cost” and overestimate how much the entry fee matters.
Internal reading suggestion: Jump to hidden costs (spread & slippage) if your trades feel more expensive than the posted fee schedule.
Trading Fees: Maker vs Taker (The Key Concept)
The most important fee mechanic on many exchanges—including Kraken—is the maker/taker model. Understanding this can immediately lower your trading costs without changing what you trade.
What is a maker order?
A maker order adds liquidity to the order book. Typically, this happens when you place a limit order that does not fill instantly. For example, you place a buy limit order below the current market price and wait for the market to come to you. Because makers help build a deeper market, maker fees are often lower than taker fees.
What is a taker order?
A taker order removes liquidity by filling immediately against existing orders. Market orders are the classic taker behavior, but a limit order can also be taker-like if it crosses the spread and fills instantly. Takers usually pay more because they demand immediate execution.
Why maker/taker matters in real life
If you trade frequently, the difference between maker and taker can become your biggest controllable edge. Over hundreds of trades, even small fee differences can compound into a meaningful gap in performance—especially for scalping, day trading, or systematic strategies.
Practical tip: If you’re not sure what you’re using, check your order history and see whether most fills are market orders. Switching to patient limit orders is often the fastest route to reducing Kraken fees.
Instant Buy/Sell vs Kraken Pro: Which Is Cheaper?
Many traders overpay on fees because they choose convenience tools by default. The biggest cost difference is often not the exchange itself—it’s which interface you use.
Instant Buy/Sell (simple, potentially more expensive)
Instant purchase tools are designed to be beginner-friendly. The tradeoff is that you may pay more through: (1) a visible service fee, and/or (2) a wider spread embedded in the quote. This can be reasonable for small buys, but it becomes significant when trade sizes grow.
Pro / Order-book trading (more control, often lower all-in cost)
Using the order book gives you better control over price, lets you use limit orders, and helps you aim for maker execution. If your goal is to minimize Kraken fees and improve execution, migrating to an order-book workflow is usually the first upgrade.
Internal reading suggestion: Go to the fee-reduction checklist for concrete steps you can apply today.
Deposit & Withdrawal Fees: Fiat and Crypto
Even if your trading fee is competitive, deposits and withdrawals can quietly raise your overall costs. This is especially true if you move funds frequently or withdraw on high-fee networks.
Fiat deposits and withdrawals
Fiat funding costs depend on the payment rail and your region. Some methods are optimized for speed, others for low cost. If you frequently move fiat in and out, pick one reliable method and avoid paying repeated convenience premiums.
Crypto deposits
Crypto deposits are often not charged as a “deposit fee” by an exchange, but you may still pay a network fee on the sending side. The true cost comes from the blockchain network you use and the wallet/exchange sending the funds.
Crypto withdrawals (network fees matter)
Crypto withdrawals commonly include a network fee component, which can change with congestion. A withdrawal that looks cheap on a quiet day can become more expensive during busy network periods. Consider batching withdrawals when appropriate and using networks that fit your cost and risk preferences.
If you’re withdrawing frequently, the “withdrawal habit” can cost more than trading fees. Always measure your monthly total, not just per-trade costs.
Margin, Futures, and Ongoing Costs (The “Time Fee”)
If you trade leveraged products, your cost structure changes. Instead of a one-time fee on entry/exit, you may also face ongoing charges that accumulate the longer you hold.
Margin borrowing costs
Margin trading often includes borrowing-style costs (similar to interest). Even if your entry fee is modest, holding the position longer than planned can meaningfully increase total cost.
Perpetuals and funding-style mechanisms
In perpetual futures markets, many platforms use a funding mechanism to keep the contract price aligned with spot markets. Depending on market conditions and whether you’re long or short, you may pay or receive periodic funding. This can be a major factor for swing traders who hold positions for days or weeks.
Bottom line: in leveraged products, the entry fee is only the beginning—your holding time becomes part of the cost equation.
How to Reduce Kraken Fees: Action Checklist
If you want to pay less on Kraken, focus on what you control: order type, timing, liquidity, and withdrawal habits. Here’s a practical checklist that applies to most traders.
1) Use limit orders whenever possible
Aim for maker execution by placing limit orders that don’t fill instantly. This can reduce fees and also protect you from surprise slippage during volatility.
2) Avoid “panic market orders”
Market orders can be useful, but they’re expensive in thin markets and during fast moves. If you must use them, reduce size or split into smaller orders to lower slippage risk.
3) Trade more liquid pairs
Liquidity helps tighten spreads and reduce slippage. If you trade smaller tokens, consider staging entries/exits rather than forcing one large fill.
4) Batch withdrawals
Frequent small withdrawals can destroy your cost efficiency. If your security plan allows, withdraw less often and at more strategic times.
5) Track your all-in cost per trade
Build a simple tracking habit: fee + spread + slippage + ongoing costs (if any). This reveals whether your “fee problem” is actually an execution problem.
Kraken vs Alternatives: When It Makes Sense to Compare Platforms
Kraken is widely used, but “best” depends on your trading style. If fees are a deciding factor, compare platforms using the same criteria: maker/taker rates, spreads on your main pairs, liquidity depth, deposit/withdrawal friction, and any derivatives-related ongoing costs.
Common reasons traders compare exchanges
- Active trading: small fee differences compound over many trades.
- Derivatives focus: ongoing costs can dominate results.
- Token availability: access and liquidity sometimes matter more than headline fees.
Some traders also evaluate other platforms such as BITGET, MEXC, and BYBIT. Remember: your real cost is not just “fees”—it’s fees plus execution quality on the markets you trade.
FAQ: Kraken Fees
Are Kraken fees the same for every user?
No. Trading fees commonly vary by account activity (often volume tiers) and by whether you place maker or taker orders. The interface you use (instant vs order book) can also change the effective cost.
Why do my Kraken trades feel more expensive than the posted fee rate?
The usual reasons are spread and slippage. In volatile markets or illiquid pairs, execution can cost more than the stated fee. Instant buy/sell tools can also include wider spreads in the quoted price.
How can I reduce Kraken fees quickly?
Use limit orders more often, avoid large market orders in thin markets, trade liquid pairs, and batch withdrawals to reduce repeated network costs.
Do withdrawals always cost the same?
Crypto withdrawal costs can vary because network fees change with congestion. Always review the withdrawal preview before confirming.
What should I track to understand my “real” cost?
Track all-in cost: trading fee + spread + slippage + any ongoing leverage-related charges. This helps you identify whether you have a fee issue or an execution issue.
