If you’ve tracked the price of BTC for any significant period of time, you will know that crypto is extremely volatile.
Crypto responds to recessions and world events in unpredictable ways. It’s the target of pump-and-dump schemes by many different players. Certain names like bitcoin have become the hallmark representatives of crypto as a whole.
Bitcoin’s chief among them — but even that plummeted in price in 2022 as the Russian-Ukrainian crisis unfolded and worldwide economies took a big hit.
Whether it plunges into oblivion in the future or rises like the phoenix again, a large number of investors agree that it is a savvy long-term hold of capital — and if you believe it is worth spending time on, this following guide will give you a review of some of the best crypto trading apps on the UK market today.
How to choose a top crypto trading app
The top apps for trading crypto on Android and iOS have several things in common, including security, frequent updates, simplicity, competitive fees, and comprehensive funding methods.
Here's an outline of what to consider when selecting your chosen crypto app:
- Security: Chief among them is security. Indeed, uncertainties surrounding how to securely store crypto is one of the main reasons its adoption has been so tentative. Key features to look out for are in-app two-factor authentication (there are some vulnerabilities with SMS 2FA), confirmation of withdrawals by email, the ability to transfer onto a cold wallet, and multi-signature algorithms.
- Beginner readiness: As a beginner, you probably want something easy to understand — these markets are stressful enough without unneeded complications. The top apps have straightforward interfaces, and multi-language supports.
- Fees: Competition is good in the crypto space. The more apps fighting to win over users, the better the deals they'll offer. But before you get too stingy, remember some of the fees are unavoidable, meaning you'll have to pay them no matter which provider you go with — for example, network/miner fees, which are charged according to the system processor.
- Investment targets: Does your app allow you to set investment targets for your crypto portfolio? This could help keep you following a strategy, as opposed to impulsively selling and buying based on the day's headlines.
Ultimately, before choosing a trading app, you should test out the network and platforms before making bigger deposits. That way, you can be sure that it’s right for you before diving in head first.
🔒 Are you using a hardware crypto wallet? When it comes to more substantial balances, this can give you superior security layers than leaving your money on the exchange or using a software wallet alone.
Examples of this are the Ledger Naxo X. Hardware wallets hold special private keys that only you can see. These keys are stored offline and help safeguard transactions against hackers who do not have your secret recovery phrase.
Top apps for cryptocurrencies trading: Overview
The following is a list of our leading apps for trading and investing in crypto.
Provider | Score | Details |
---|---|---|
1. Coinbase | ★★★★★ | Learn more |
2. Binance | ★★★★★ | Learn more |
3. Kraken | ★★★★★ | Learn more |
4. Gemini | ★★★★★ | Learn more |
5. Revolut | ★★★★★ | Learn more |
6. Crypto.com | ★★★★★ | Learn more |
7. Uphold | ★★★★★ | Learn more |
8. CMC Markets | ★★★★★ | Learn more |
To summarise, the best crypto apps for beginners are Coinbase. The best for more experienced users are Binance, and Kraken.
Not every crypto trading app offers the same capabilities, so make sure you review what is the most useful to you and your circumstances. What coins do you want to buy and hold? Are you actively trading? Fees can soon rack up if you are buying and selling regularly as opposed to sitting on your coins for the long haul.
Best crypto trading apps: Reviews
Without further ado, here are the top 9 crypto trading apps. Each is available on the UK market.
🔒 To repeat, consider using a hardware wallet to keep your crypto a tad bit (or a lot) safer: this depends on how much convenience you want — using a software wallet is the most convenient method that does not charge you upfront.
By comparison, you need to pay for your Trezor One, Ledger Nano X, or whatever wallet you choose.
Hardware wallets look like USB flash drives. They generate private keys that are never put online — your recovery seed phrase gives you sole access even if your wallet is lost or stolen.
Platform | Standout Feature | Main Drawback |
Coinbase | User-friendly platform for beginners | Higher fees for debit cards and sluggish support |
Binance | Largest range of cryptos and competitive fees | Complex for beginners due to vast number of features |
Kraken | High security standards and significant leverage options | Interface can overwhelm beginners |
Gemini | Integrated app for easy crypto payments | Limited to crypto, higher fees for low activity |
Revolut | All-in-one platform with varied financial functionalities | Monthly fee for crypto trading and low withdrawal limits |
Crypto.com | Easy spending and trading of crypto | Experienced a significant security breach in 2022 |
Uphold | No withdrawal fees and versatile asset exchanges | Complicated fee structure, especially for low volumes |
CMC Markets | Simplicity in trading and diverse assets | Educational tools need improvement, some high fees |
1. Coinbase — Good for beginners
Coinbase has the second spot due to its reputation as a reliable, simple, and fast mobile app for crypto that doesn’t skimp on quality or security.
The app is a simple way to explore the crypto space and get a grip on the basics of buying and selling the coins.

How to send and receive crypto — you can do all of this while on the move. Once you are used to the nature of crypto trading apps, then you can upgrade to the more advanced version of the platform, Coinbase Pro, benefiting from reduced fees and higher capabilities.
Coinbase is accessible across more than a hundred countries. You can pay into your account using various methods — for EU, US, and UK users you can use your credit/debit cards, or by making a bank or PayPal transfer. You can also swap digital currencies. And certain awards are offered for completing lessons, or you can earn as much as 7.5% interest yearly by being a “crypto staker”.
Pros
✔️ Strong entry for beginners
✔️ Simple mobile and web platform
✔️ Trusted exchange
✔️ Strong security history
✔️ Grow interest via staking
Cons
❌ Sluggish customer support at times
❌ Reduced number of altcoins
❌ Greater fees for debit cards
2. Binance — Good trading app for fees
Binance ranks as the most prolific digital currency exchange in the world, with a massive selection of crypto coins to trade.
It has a plethora of trading features — more than any other crypto exchange in existence.
And it also has competitive fees, supporting hundreds of traditional and cryptocurrencies available in more than 100 countries internationally.

A lot of the forward-moving changes that have happened in the crypto space have been under the guidance of this leading crypto trading company. You’ll be hard-pressed to find a feature not available that is available somewhere else — for instance, earning interest by staking crypto as leverage or even using crypto loans.
The platform notably features its own innovative blockchain, known as the Smart Chain. In 2021, the Smart Chain gained significant traction, surpassing Ethereum in terms of transaction volume. This milestone further solidified its reputation and track record in the blockchain space.
Binance is renowned for its strategic deployment of advanced technologies to enhance the capabilities of its crypto trading app. This focus on cutting-edge features means the app is particularly well-suited for users who already possess some experience in cryptocurrency trading.
For those who are willing to invest time and effort in their learning journey, the platform offers a wealth of educational resources. These tools are designed to help users build a solid foundational understanding of cryptocurrency trading.
It features advanced security capabilities as well as the most basic but effective like two-factor authentication and anti-scam programming. There is an internal insurance structure and many integrations including tokens, NFTs, and crypto gains.
Pros
✔️ Biggest crypto exchange on Earth
✔️ Competitive fees
✔️ Grow interest via lending
✔️ Large number of cryptos available as well as traditional currencies
Cons
❌ Not the fastest customer support
❌ Vast number of features can intimidate beginners
3. Kraken — Trust top crypto trading app
This San Franciscan company, Kraken, has garnered attention as one of the most trusted and dependable underdogs in the crypto trading app space — owing largely to its stringent security and regulatory practices.
In fact, it’s one of the five biggest exchanges by volume and attracts many advanced crypto traders, offering lots of features and benefits for active traders such as using as much as five times leverage for margin accounts.

What can get a bit complicated is that there is not one stand-alone mobile app. Instead, there are multiple different apps based on the kind of trading you want to do. For instance, futures trading has its own dedicated app. But the main platform lets you exchange crypto, buy and sell, and store it on the exchange or in a software wallet.
Professional accounts open up greater leverage and more features, including things like technical indicators and advanced charts with drawing tools.
All in all, Kraken is a popular choice for traders and the company has a solid reputation, a strong approach to security, competitive fees, and sophisticated order types. In its decade-long history, the exchange has yet to be breached, according to the company. While this might not be the top option for beginners, Kraken offers the full gamut that professional traders need.
Pros
✔️ Reportedly has never been breached in 10 years
✔️ One of the five biggest crypto exchanges in the world
✔️ Good approach to fees
✔️ Earn rewards by staking a certain amount of coins, such as ETH2
✔️ Decent customer support
✔️ Short positions
Cons
❌ Interface and offerings can be overwhelming for beginners to understand
❌ Not the leading platform in technological innovations
4. Gemini — Great choice for crypto payments
Gemini offers a lot but where they really stand out against competitors is how easy they make it for you to make crypto payments. More and more places allow you to use crypto to pay a balance, a bill, or make a purchase.
It’s nice to have an integrated app that supports using the digital currency you own as a medium of exchange.

Gemini is all about convenience. This isn’t the only feature that customers really love about this platform. In addition, you will find that the wallet storage allows both hot and cold wallet capabilities, which is pretty unusual. They also have a huge number of crypto assets to choose between.
And Gemini doesn't skimp on security. Their wallet is one of the safest choices on the market, incorporating added layers of security to keep your data away from hackers.
The trading platform is user-friendly and ultra-intuitive. Gemini offer demo accounts to try out their offering risk free. They also have traditional accounts, professional accounts, and even student accounts for their customers.
Gemini is solely focused on cryptocurrency trading. That means if you’re expecting things like CFDs or futures, you'll be barking up the wrong tree with Gemini. They are crypto only.
Gemini is best for those who want to trade crypto while also having the option to be casual investors. It’s not the right choice for serious traders, unless they are solely focused on crypto capabilities.
The portal does allow peer-to-peer trading, which is a nice function that you won’t find with every provider.
Pros
✔️ Intuitive trading platform
✔️ Highly secure design
✔️ Access to a crypto debit card
✔️ You may be able to trade on margin
✔️ No minimum deposit required
Cons
❌ You won’t find any assets besides crypto to trade
❌ Their fees may seem high if you aren’t trading a lot
5. Revolut — Convenience of multiple financial possibilities
Revolut could be a great choice for your crypto trading needs if you’re looking for a one-stop-shop with a wide range of fintech functions. If you don’t know anything about Revolut, they are far more than just crypto.
This is a financing and investment app as well. This means that you can have access to a variety of different functionalities all in one spot. Now that’s convenience if we have ever seen it.

Revolut are a highly-rated platform. Check out places like the App Store, Google Store, and Trustpilot and you see almost 5 stars across the board. The app is competitive in many different ways, and that includes their exchange functionality, as well as exchange rates.
The mobile app is probably one of the best out there. It’s intuitive and where so many apps make trading complicated, Revolut makes it simple. They also offer a lot of advanced features and options, making it suitable for beginners as well as people who have almost no experience trading at all.
The trading platform is simply an extension of their financing platform. It’s nice to have everything wrapped up into one package. In order to utilise Revolut for trading, you will need to open separate crypto or brokerage accounts for those trading purposes. They must be doing something right because they have over 25 million customers worldwide.
Revolut supports all of the most popular crypto types. Revolut isn’t available globally like many of these apps are. Instead, they are mostly available throughout the UK, as well some areas in Europe and the US. Their primary focus is in the UK, which is a reassuring factor for many British-based traders out there.
Cryptoassets are volatile and not regulated or protected by investor compensation schemes — value can go down or up. Trading may be subject to tax. Fees payable.
Pros
✔️ All in one platform
✔️ No minimum deposit requirements
✔️ Intuitive trading app and platform
✔️ Supports a wide variety of crypto
✔️ Virtual cards available on app
Cons
❌ You do have to pay a monthly fee for crypto trading
❌ Their withdrawal limits are pretty low
6. Crypto.com — Great for spending
One of the biggest challenges that cryptocurrency traders face is the struggle to be able to spend their crypto. They either have to pay excessive fees or wait days for withdrawals, or they have to simply hold it.
But if you’re someone who is converting a lot of assets to the digital world, you'll also want access to those funds when you need them.

More and more online stores and providers are beginning to accept crypto as a form of payment. Crypto.com recognises the need to make this simple and they are one of the best apps for spending your digital currency.
Rather than just being a trading platform, they set themselves up almost like a bank. But they aren’t your everyday bank. They are a bank for crypto trading.
And they also have a lot of great capability when it comes to trading crypto. Yes, they want you to be able to use and spend your crypto as you see fit. They also want to give you the capability of trading crypto as and when you please. They took all of that and rolled it into one powerful tool. And that is where they truly stand out against the competition.
You will find that Cpypto.com is a large database and they have a lot of happy customers. That being said, they are also known for volatility and risk so this will be a detail to keep in mind. They do need to make some modifications to improve usability and simplicity, but overall, they’re a great choice.
It's also worth pointing out that Crypto.com suffered a security breach back in January 2022, losing $34m in cryptocurrency. That will understandably leave many people feeling jumpy. They do carry insurance against hacks, although that alone doesn’t do anything to shore up their cybersecurity and prevent them from happening again.
Pros
✔️ Plenty of crypto assets to choose from
✔️ Very large community
✔️ Ability to spend or trade crypto easily
✔️ Mobile app is user-friendly
✔️ Crypto Earn gives you the ability to make money
Cons
❌ Their app wasn’t really designed to accommodate more than 10 million users
❌ The only customer service is a chat feature
7. Uphold — Top choice for beginners
If you’re new to the crypto industry, things can quickly become overwhelming. There are thousands of choices out there and there are a lot of details to know.
Digital currency like crypto is definitely different from your everyday banking and cash practices. But Uphold make it simple for you to understand and start dipping your toes into the crypto world.

Uphold has access to about 100 different cryptocurrencies. This includes many of the most popular options out there and then some. They aren’t among the biggest, but they do have a couple million customers and most of them are satisfied with what they offer. There is no minimum deposit, which is another advantage for beginners.
The downside is their fee structure is slightly more confusing. They charge fees for trading crypto but the fees are tiered in different ways for different crypto and varying volume as well. This might make it challenging to figure out the specifics of the fees. You won’t know your exact fees until you’re placing a trade.
That being said, Uphold doesn’t charge withdrawal fees, so you’re more protected in that area. You have easy access to your funds when you need it. Uphold also allows withdrawals to global bank accounts and they provide services to more than 36 countries across the world. It makes it much easier to find compatibility and not to feel so limited in what you can do.
In addition, Uphold grants access to crypto wallets and will be compatible with most external wallet choices too. They pair up with five different crypto networks. You can transfer to any of their compatible locations, wallets, and bank accounts instantly and it doesn’t cost you anything to do it. That’s an unusual aspect and it’s definitely something that sets them apart.
To wrap up on Uphold, they have more than just crypto available to their customers. With this platform, you can also trade things like precious metals, forex, and some futures too. You can even trade between cryptocurrency and other assets without first cashing out the crypto, which is pretty cool and far more convenient too.
Pros
✔️ Exchange between crypto and other available assets
✔️ No withdrawal fees ever
✔️ Great for beginners in the industry
✔️ Access to a wide variety of assets
✔️ User-friendly design on app and web versions
Cons
❌ The fee structure is complicated and high for low volume trading
❌ Might be overwhelming at first with so many functionalities
8. CMC Markets — Simple yet effective
CMC Markets may not be the top choice for highly advanced or professional traders, but it can be a great choice for literally anyone else.
This platform has a lot to offer and it’s incredibly user-friendly as well. They have all of the big name cryptocurrencies, plus many of the more niche options too.
They even offer a cryptocurrency index, which is pretty unique.

CMC Markets is known for their compatibility with a wide variety of payment methods. So many crypto trading apps require wire transfers or debit cards, but they take it one step further for you. They allow the use of PayPal, Visa, MasterCard, and the other normal payments methods like bank transfers. You can fund your account just about any way that you choose.
This is one of the few platforms that makes every step of your transaction simple. You can open and close positions with ease and the execution is never delayed or slow like it can be in certain locations. It’s simply seamless, making it an effective trading tool no matter what.
It’s a great choice for beginners, but you don’t have to be a beginner to enjoy the simplicity. They have several features that experienced traders can certainly appreciate. This includes charting tools and several analysis features as well. You can plot out your trading, access helpful research and data, and really put the crypto market to work for you.
CMC Markets doesn’t just offer crypto either. They have a wide selection of trading assets. This includes things like forex and CFD so if those appeal to you, you will be covered here. They also offer a demo account, and it’s always a great idea to try those out to see if you will like the way the app functions.
CMC has mixed reviews from customers. Most people expect more from them, but they make it pretty clear what they do or do not offer. You just have to understand what you’re working with before you get started. Overall, they are an all-around reliable and quality provider when it comes to crypto trading.
Pros
✔️ Simple platform for beginners and experienced users
✔️ Wide variety of assets that include crypto, forex, CFDs, and more
✔️ Includes charting and analysis tools
✔️ Compatible with multiple payment methods
✔️ Available demo account to test things out
Cons
❌ The educational tools could definitely be better
❌ Some trading expenditures have high fees
Top crypto trading apps: Buyer’s Guide 📚
Now it’s time to review some of the fundamental aspects of how crypto trading works. This section can be handy for those who are curious about getting the most out of their chosen crypto trading app.
What to seek in a crypto trading app
Whether you are a crypto junkie or skinny-dipping into the space for the first time, the application you choose will have a substantial impact on your crypto experience. In the beginning, technical challenges were one of the main characteristics of the space.
Finding a safe and secure way to secure coins was a real problem — and many people lost enormous amounts of money from being hacked early on. But at this point, the basic infrastructure has been well established and we are in the process of gradually making updates.
Now we have customer service agents available at any hour of the day. There are new platforms popping up all the time.
But when doing a search on the best crypto trading app to pick, what are some of the characteristics and factors you want to have an eye on?
Diversity of altcoins available for trading
In many ways, diversification is the opposite of focus and can lead to you being too diluted and powerful in no one area. Some people may want to just simply focus on BTC and ETH as a long-term hold and leave the portfolio for five years or so.
Others will want to have a couple of high-risk bets that could potentially generate aggressive returns in the future.
Best practices and security protocols
One question you always want to have on the tip of your tongue is how safe the app truly is. Has the platform been breached in the past? While this isn’t necessarily an indicator of future breaches, those who are more liable may demonstrate a past record of exploits.
Look up any hacks in recent times. The answers you find to these questions should be a part of your research process and general understanding of the company.
Use 2FA security and prefer in-app versus SMS
Two-factor authentication is key for any high-quality crypto trading app or even crypto exchange, for the very reason that it is the last safeguard against being breached. In this way, your phone number is the last gatekeeper to anybody trying to get on authorised access.
Your funds cannot be successfully transferred until this authorisation stage has been completed.
There are ways of breaching SMS telecommunications in order to trick telecommunications companies into believing that the hacker is you. So, to eliminate this small risk, in-app two-factor authentication is preferential to SMS verification.
Low spreads/fees
Crypto trading apps should have competitive fees so that you are not being ripped off when you withdraw money or swap one coin for another. You can have a look at what the industry averages by using CoinMarketCap and comparing the platform you are considering to that.
Pay with and hold multiple currencies, at speed 💨
Reduce the amount of fuss by ensuring that the platform has multiple support for different currencies, so you can pay between traditional and even crypto. This lessens how much time is needed to tackle fees. Does a platform let you immediately withdraw or deposit? That’s the industry-standard today.
The speed of crypto transactions is measured in minutes, rather than days as with certain exchange. The faster you can deposit and withdrawal, the less slippage there will be with price fluctuations — as you know, the price of a coin can change overnight drastically.
Slippage occurs when a platform processes a transaction later than the value of the coin at the time of the transaction request. If this is days, there could be immense differences between the price that you closed a position or paid for a coin and the actual time of the transaction.
Talented and friendly customer agents
Customer service is important, whatever the type of asset is that you are trading.
Centralised vs. Defi exchanges
Crypto started out as a decentralised dream but the realities of how finance and money work led to this becoming highly regulated in most countries and centralised services coming to the forefront. Centralised exchanges are the most popular choice users have, owing to the greater convenience, greater accessibility, and better features.
Centralised exchanges — wins and losses
The dream is to have a digital payment medium that functions in exactly the same way as a barter system — instead of trading goats for hens or bike repair for a blacksmith’s services, you trade crypto for goods and services in a way that is accepted all over the world.
But the reality that has unfolded so far is one in which centralised exchanges rule the roost. The advantages of these exchanges is high-level stability, support by institutions, high security, strong levels of liquidity, customer support, as well as some of the more finance specific features like margin trading, market making algorithms and more.
You’ll find a higher volume of trading on most centralised exchanges compared to the centralised exchanges — and your overall likely to have faster transactions. Note that crypto derivatives trading is prohibited or very stringently regulated in most traditional markets such as forex, but many of these centralised exchanges allow them for crypto. Lastly, fees can be remarkably good.
The greatest drawback to centralised exchanges is the crux of why crypto existed in the first place: control and security.
Because the exchanges are not decentralised, they process transactions using third parties. These third parties demand certain verifications to understand exactly who their customers. This gives you less privacy to deal anonymously with people you choose to and can make you more easily targetable.
The implications of centralised exchanges go much further than this: it sets the groundwork for a highly nonprivate state where every single transaction can be controlled… Suppose you are a content creator producing material that your country does not approve of.
A platform could restrict your allowance or how you can spend your money — China’s social criticism is a vivid illustration of this period, everything you get up to can be monitored live without your permission. Everything is stored permanently — by comparison, the centralised platforms provide more anonymity because they do not transact and audit through third parties.
Decentralised exchanges — wins and losses
Decentralising changes do, indeed, have a decent portion of retail space in the crypto industry — the more sophisticated users understand that the defi offers greater potential for privacy that cannot be found elsewhere.
One of the largest advantages of decentralised exchanges is that traders can control their private keys and do not need to identify themselves. They are in charge of all of the decisions without somebody else standing in the way of the flow of their crypto.
Many believe that these exchanges will eventually dominate the market because the benefits they offer are too advantageous: strong security, high-transparency, combined with the rare offering of privacy protection.
But the main issue with these platforms is liquidity.
You want to be able to quickly transact, process, and guarantee your money flowing in and out of an exchange. But the centralised exchanges have lower volumes of users because the user base is smaller. So it can be harder to find traders to optimal prices when fulfilling an order on a decentralised platform.
And the fees stack up more greatly because the competition is harsher and the scale is lower, so you end up paying more for your trades than on centralised exchanges — the question is whether the privacy gains are worth more than those fees.
The top crypto apps for Android and iOS
Coinbase and Binance can all be downloaded on Android tablets and mobile devices. However, there are a lot of illegitimate apps out there on the Android App market. So be sure that the one you choose is squeaky clean.
As for iOS, the Apple App Store tends to have a higher standard of security and a better level of auditing scrutiny of its providers. We’re still waiting for these to be integrated with common digital banks like Monzo.
Trade vs. invest in crypto — what’s best?
What is best depends on your personality, circumstances, objectives, and the context of the market. You can either trade or invest in crypto on the cryptocurrency exchanges.
Trading means you are rapidly buying and selling crypto in order to try and turn a profit over a short period of time.
By comparison, those who invest in crypto are buying in order to hold the underlying asset — because they anticipate that it will appreciate given enough years. This could be BTC, an alternative coin, NFTs or tokens. Each of these comes with its own innate value and risk level.
Trading is more inherently demanding than investing as you have to be constantly up to date on the news and watching the charts.
The Verdict
Each crypto trading app boasts a unique suite of features. The key is to choose one that aligns best with your specific needs.
In our review, Coinbase emerges as the top overall choice. Its appeal lies in a blend of robust attributes: inclusive social trading features, heightened security, international accessibility, and a rich array of functionalities.
For newcomers to crypto trading, Coinbase offers a user-friendly experience, yet it doesn't skimp on the advanced features.
Binance, on the other hand, stands out for its competitive fees and extensive selection of available cryptocurrencies.
Kraken is renowned for its impeccable security record, having never been breached, alongside its commitment to transparency, making it one of the leading exchanges in the sector.
Methodology
The rankings in this article were created by assessing a range of factors including ease of use, security features, fee structures, customer support, and the variety of trading options available on each platform. We considered both user reviews and our own extensive testing to determine how each platform performs in real-world scenarios. For a more detailed explanation of our evaluation process and criteria, please visit our methodology page.
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