Crypto Day Trading Platforms Compared
After checking and confirming the spot trading fees and the futures trading fees, we were able to come up with a list of trading platforms and compare their features. The comparison wasn’t based on crypto algo trading processes, but was manually tested by our team.
Binance
Binance is the most popular day trading crypto platform as it accounts for more than 40% of global crypto traders in the world. It has deep liquidity and broad pair selection, giving active day traders notable flexibility.
- Spot trading fees: 0.10% for makers and takers
- Futures trading fees: 0.02% for makers, 0.05% for takers
- Native token: Binance Coin (BNB)
- Special discount: 25% off for spot and margin trading strategies, 10% off for futures trading via BNB
- Order types: market order, limit order, limit maker, stop loss orders, take profit orders, etc.
Kraken Pro
Kraken Pro has a tiered fee structure that’s based on the spot trading volume, futures trading volume, and your AoP. The spot and futures trading volumes are based on your activity in the last 30 days or your trading threshold.
- Spot trading fees: 0.40% spot maker and 0.80% spot taker fees, but they decrease to 0% for spot maker and 0.05% for spot taker, based on the tier.
- Futures trading fees: 0.0200% maker fee, 0.0500% taker fee, drops to 0% maker fee and 0.0200% taker fee
- Native token: No native token
- Special discount: no special discounts, but referral rewards are featured
- Order types: market order, limit order, take profit, stop loss, iceberg, etc.
OKX
OKX also has a VIP system with competitive fees. The higher you are in the ranks, the lower the spot and futures fees get, and this platform is known for its relatively low fees and its TradingView integration.
- Spot trading fees: 0.0675% maker fee, 0.0800% taker fee, drops to -0.0075% maker fee and 0.0175% taker fee
- Futures trading fees: 0.0200% maker fee, 0.0500% taker fee, drops to -0.0050% maker fee and 0.0150% taker fee
- Native token: OKB
- Special discount: 100% fee rebate on your first 5 trades
- Order types: limit, advanced limit, market order, reduce-only
Bybit
Bybit’s fees get lower as you progress in its VIP programme. The final level is Supreme VIP, and if you use the platform’s native token, you get two separate discounts for spot and futures.
- Spot trading fees: 0.10% for maker and taker starting fee, decreases to 0.0300% maker and 0.0450% taker fee
- Futures trading fees: 0.0200% maker and 0.0550% taker starting fee, decreases to 0% maker and 0.03% taker fee
- Native token: MNT
- Special discounts: 25% discounts on spot fees, 10% on futures fees with MNT
- Order types: market order, limit order, conditional order, iceberg order, take profit and stop loss, post-only, etc.
Coinbase Advanced
Coinbase Advanced offers over 550 spot pairs, and its maker fees can go as low as 0%. Special USDC rewards can be earned, even on unfilled or partial orders.
- Spot trading fees: 0.60% maker and 1.20% taker starting fee, 0.4% maker, 0.6% taker as a VIP member
- Futures trading fees: depending on the VIP status, goes as low as 0% maker fees and 0.03% taker fees
- Native token: No native token
- Special discounts: No discounts, but rewards such as 7% APY on eligible crypto balances are featured
- Order types: market limit, stop limit
Why Maker/Taker Fees Compound Faster Than You Think

The best way to distinguish maker and taker fees is to see if they’re adding an order on the market list or filling an existing one. A maker creates a new order, and as such, maker fees apply to new orders. Taker fees apply to filling existing orders. Maker fees add liquidity, whereas taker fees remove it.
In many cases, they seem like small prices that are paid for trading. However, traders who frequently visit the crypto market know that even small fees compound faster than one might think. This is where precise execution is important. Here’s an example to help you determine the scope of the fees.
Let’s say that, for the purpose of day trading, a trader places 20 round-trip trades, which totals 40 transactions with a selected crypto payment method. The trader averages $2,000 in size and thus generates around $80,000 in daily trading volume. If the blended fee is 0.10%, that equals $80 in fees per day. During a 22-day tenure, the fees stack up to $1,760. The same trading volume on a 0.40% taker fee quadruples and reaches $7,040, even though the fee difference looks extremely small at first sight.
This is the reason why high-frequency trading is far more affected and carries more significant risks compared to occasional trading. For a frequent trader, even a 0.10% difference can make a huge change.
Spot vs Futures Fees: Why They're Not the Same Trade-off
Futures fees aren’t applied the same way as spot fees. Spot fees are based on your trading volume and order type (maker vs. taker), whereas futures fees are based on your total nominal value of the position. Because futures markets have a high frequency trading volume, they have tighter margins.
Let’s take Coinbase Advanced as an example. Depending on your status there, the futures maker/trader fees go as low as 0% and 0.03%. Compared to the spot trading fees, they’re 0.4% maker and 0.6% taker fees.
One of the most important things that traders need to remember is to compare the fees for the specific product that they’re trading, not the lowest fee shown on the platform. The specific product may include crypto derivatives or spot trading.
The Hidden Costs Beyond the Posted Fee
Maker and taker fees aren’t the only fees in relation to day trading. The experienced crypto community knows that they’re just a part of the story. One of the most overlooked expenses is the funding fee. They apply to futures and perpetual contracts and aren’t kept by a specific exchange.
There are also withdrawal fees, which apply when you transfer your cryptocurrencies to your wallet. These fees aren’t based on the trading volume, but rather the specific mechanics of an exchange platform.
Fee Comparison Across Major Platforms
To help you have a better view of the base spot and futures fees at our best exchanges, we decided to compare them in a table.
| Platform | Spot maker/taker | Futures maker/taker | Native token discount |
|---|---|---|---|
| Binance | 0.10% / 0.10% | 0.02% / 0.05% | BNB discount available |
| Kraken Pro | 0.40% / 0.80% | 0.40% / 0.80% | No native token discount |
| OKX | 0.0675% / 0.080% | 0.02% / 0.05% | No native token discount |
| Bybit | 0.10% / 0.10% | 0.020% / 0.0550% | MNT discount available |
| Coinbase Advanced | 0.60% / 1.20% | 0.40% / 0.60% | No native token discount |
Liquidity and Slippage: Why Order Book Depth Matters More Than the Fee
Just because the platform that you’re currently looking into has the lowest fees, that doesn’t mean that it’s better than other crypto platforms. There’s also the factor of book depth, which refers to the total volume of buy and sell order limits. If the crypto order book is deep, then there’s a big pool of capital sitting around the market price.
Shallow books may result in the price shifting around multiple levels, which may lead to a process called slippage. The slippage represents the difference between the price that you expect on a trade and the actual price of the trade.
There’s also the liquidity factor. Platforms with reliable liquidity often lead to safer trades as you’re able to convert crypto to cash without causing a drastic change in the price. If the platform lacks high liquidity, then it’s highly likely that you’ll trigger slippage with every trade.
DEX and Onchain Day Trading
Centralised exchanges are not the only platforms where you can conduct trading. You can also complete the process on decentralised exchanges, which, as the term suggests, are exchanges that aren’t controlled from one centre. The advantage of trading on DEX platforms is that you’ll have faster access to new tokens and thus more control over your day trading strategies.
Through onchain day trading, you can use automated trading smart contracts, and you trade via a self-custodial wallet. As such, you have 100% control over your private keys and assets. Onchain trades connect trades to DEX, and every trade is public.
How to Choose a Crypto Day Trading Platform
The process of choosing a crypto trading platform should be based on local regulatory compliance, your trading goals, and the potential product that you want to trade. After you establish that, pay attention to the following features.
How We Review Day Trading Platforms
Our process of reviewing cryptocurrency exchanges for day trading includes four simple, yet important steps. Here’s how we determine which platforms meet our stop standards and offer robust security.
The team inspects the maker and taker fees for spot and futures trading, and we make sure that they’re not high. Tiered systems are welcome as they offer reduced fees for active traders.
The more pairs crypto exchanges offer, the better it is for traders. We don’t just check the major pairs; we also inspect the secondary pairs as they offer more trading flexibility.
We inspect whether the exchange has a native token and what advantages day traders can have. Reduced fees, faster processing, and access to special features are all taken into consideration.
Before we start crypto day trading, we make sure that the platform is available in the region and that it has liquidity and a decent user rating. That’s how we check the exchange’s trustworthiness and stability.
Conclusion
The process of day trading relies on deep research and knowledge of trading fees. Finding a reputable platform isn’t just about checking which site has the best trading tools. Factors such as liquidity, book depth, and local regulations should always be taken into consideration. Our list of day trading platforms features sites where you can explore several possibilities, but you should always remember that the data here is of an informational character and you shouldn’t take it as pure financial/trading advice.
FAQ
What is the best crypto exchange for day trading?
After doing thorough research, our team found the following best crypto exchange platforms: Binance, OKX, Coinbase Advanced, Bybit, and Kraken Pro.
Do maker and taker fees really make a big difference?
If you’re an active trader who actively trades on major markets, the maker and taker fees can make a huge difference. Even the slightest reduction can save you money in the long run.
Is futures trading cheaper than spot trading on crypto exchanges?
At base level, futures and spot trading fees are often similar or identical. However, as active traders progress in the VIP programme of an exchange, futures trading may become cheaper.
What is slippage in crypto trading?
Slippage in crypto trading represents the difference between an order’s expected price and the price at which the order is executed. This mainly occurs due to volatile market conditions and low liquidity.
Can I day trade crypto on a decentralised exchange?
Day trading cryptocurrency at decentralised exchanges is available, as DEXs use smart contracts to enable a trade without the need for an intermediary.