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Cheapest Method
ACH deposit (free) + Binance.US (0% maker) + limit order = 0% trading fee. On a $1,000 purchase, you pay $0 in trading fees ($0.20 with a market order). Compare to Cash App at ~$20.
Total Cost Comparison: $1,000 BTC Purchase
| Method | Deposit Fee | Trading Fee | Total Cost |
|---|---|---|---|
| Binance.US + ACH | $0 | $0-0.20 | $0-0.20 |
| Kraken + ACH | $0 | $4.00-8.00 | $4.00-8.00 |
| Coinbase Adv. + ACH | $0 | $4-6 | $4-6 |
| Coinbase Simple + ACH | $0 | $15+ | $15+ |
| Cash App | — | ~2% | ~$20 |
| Any + Debit Card | $25-45 | +$0-15 | $25-60 |
The Optimal Strategy
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1
Deposit via ACH bank transfer — Free on all major exchanges. Takes 3-5 days but many offer instant trading.
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2
Use Binance.US or Kraken — Binance.US posts the lowest trading fees (0% maker / 0.02% taker); Kraken Pro charges 0.40% maker.
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3
Place a limit order — Pays maker fee, saves 30%+ vs market orders.
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4
Keep on exchange or withdraw via Gemini — If withdrawing, use Gemini's 10 free monthly withdrawals.
What About Convenience?
If speed matters more than fees:
- Same-day purchase: Wire transfer ($10-25) + exchange trade. Total ~$15-30 on $1K.
- Instant purchase: Debit card (2.5-4.5%). Total ~$25-45 on $1K. Only for emergencies.
- Quick & reasonable: Coinbase with instant ACH trading. Free deposit, trade immediately, 0.40-0.60% fee.
Avoid These
- ❌ PayPal/Venmo — High spreads, can't withdraw BTC
- ❌ Bitcoin ATMs — 5-20% fees, absolutely brutal
- ❌ Credit cards — Cash advance fees + exchange fees
- ❌ "Simple buy" interfaces — Convenience tax of 1-2%
The Bottom Line
ACH + Binance.US + limit order = 0% trading fees. If Binance.US isn't in your state, Kraken Pro with a limit order costs 0.40%, still far less than simple buy screens. The difference between optimal ($0 per $1K) and lazy ($50+ per $1K) adds up fast over time.
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