Kraken vs. Kraken Pro: Same Account, Very Different Fees

Kraken and Kraken Pro are two front ends on the same account. You sign in with the same credentials, and the money you deposit is the same money. The difference is how you pay: the regular Kraken app charges a flat 1% (plus a spread) for instant buys, while Kraken Pro charges maker-taker fees that start at 0.40% / 0.80% and shrink as you trade more. If you're comfortable placing a limit order, Pro is almost always cheaper.

How Kraken's products fit together in 2026

Kraken's support center lists four main products under one login, plus a fifth app for payments:

On the web, you move between them with the app switcher in the top-right corner. On a phone, you can install Kraken and Kraken Pro side by side. You don't open a second account or move funds to use Pro.

One thing that trips people up: some older Kraken help articles still give steps for "Kraken Classic." Kraken's current interface guide, updated October 2026, lists Kraken, Kraken Pro, Kraken Desktop and Krak, with no Classic interface. If a guide's menu path doesn't match your screen, look for the same setting in Pro.

The fee difference, side by side

Sources: Kraken's fee schedule and its "How trading fees work" support article, both checked October 2026.

The Pro tier ladder

Kraken places you in a Pro tier based on either your 30-day spot volume or your assets held on Kraken, whichever gets you the lower rate. A sampling of the published ladder:

The $100,000 and $500,000 rows match the worked examples in Kraken's own support article. Kraken's fee page loads its tables dynamically, so confirm your tier in the app before you rely on any one row. Buys made through the simple Kraken app don't count toward Pro volume, and neither do stablecoin or FX pair trades.

Stablecoins and FX pairs

Pairs like USDC/USD and USDT/USD sit on a separate, cheaper schedule on Pro. If you regularly convert between dollars and stablecoins, check that table rather than the main crypto ladder.

What that means in dollars

Take a single $1,000 bitcoin purchase funded by free ACH:

• Kraken app, instant buy: $10 fee, plus whatever spread is in the quote.
• Kraken Pro, market order (taker): $8 at the entry tier, no added spread.
• Kraken Pro, limit order that rests on the book (maker): $4 at the entry tier.

Once you pass $10,000 in monthly Pro volume or hold $20,000 on Kraken, that same maker order drops to $2.20. If you buy $1,000 a month, the gap between the app and a Pro limit order adds up to more than $70 a year in fees alone, before spread.

Where the simple Kraken app still wins

Pro isn't automatically the right answer. The main app makes sense when:

• You want recurring buys. Automated weekly or monthly purchases live in the main app. They carry the 1% fee, but they run without you watching the price.
• You have Kraken+. The membership ($4.99 a month in the app or $49.99 a year) waives app trading fees on up to $10,000 a month. Spreads still apply.
• You need staking or account setup. Staking and most account management happen in the main Kraken app or Pro, not Kraken Desktop.
• You want a guaranteed fill right now. The instant screen shows a final price and fills immediately. A Pro limit order might sit unfilled if the market moves away.
• You're buying something small. On a $25 buy, the difference between 1% and 0.40% is 15 cents.

What you get only on Pro

• Limit, stop and other advanced order types, so you can set a price and walk away.
• Full charts, the order book and recent trades.
• Price alerts.
• Margin trading and derivatives where you're eligible. Kraken's fee schedule notes restrictions on futures for US customers, and margin carries opening and rollover fees plus liquidation risk. It's not a beginner tool.
• API trading for bots and tax software, with permissions you control per key.

Switching to Pro without getting lost

1. Open Pro. Use the app switcher on kraken.com or install the Kraken Pro app and sign in with the same credentials.
2. Check your balance. It should match what you see in the main app.
3. Pick a market. Search for the coin and choose the USD pair, such as BTC/USD.
4. Use a limit order. Set the price and amount. Start with a small order so you learn how fills work.
5. Watch your open orders. Unfilled orders stay open until they fill or you cancel them. Cancelling an untouched order costs nothing.

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Mistakes people make on Pro the first time

Using a market order and calling it cheap

A market order on Pro is a taker order. At the entry tier that's 0.80%, which beats the app's 1% plus spread, but only by a little. The real savings come from limit orders that rest on the book at the maker rate. If you always hit "market," you're leaving most of the benefit behind.

Setting a limit price that fills instantly

If you place a limit buy above the lowest current ask, it fills right away against existing orders and you pay the taker rate. To get maker pricing, your buy needs to sit at or below the best bid until someone sells into it.

Forgetting about open orders

A limit order can sit unfilled for hours or days. If the price runs away from you, you end up with no bitcoin and cash sitting idle. Check your open orders, and cancel or reprice ones that no longer make sense.

Wandering into margin

Pro puts leverage a click away for eligible accounts. Margin adds opening and rollover fees on top of trading fees, and Kraken's fee schedule lists a 2% fee on liquidations. If you came to Pro to buy spot bitcoin more cheaply, leave margin alone.

Security settings cover both apps

Because Kraken and Kraken Pro share one account, your security setup carries across. Sign-in 2FA, your Master Key and the Global Settings Lock apply everywhere you sign in. Some of these settings are easier to find in Pro: Kraken's Global Settings Lock instructions route you to Pro's Security tab, under Advanced Settings.

API keys are created from your account settings too, and they can trade on your balance through either interface. Give each key only the permissions it needs, and never grant withdrawal rights to a third-party tool that doesn't need them. Our exchange API comparison covers how Kraken's API stacks up.

Which one should you use?

• You buy occasionally and want it simple: the Kraken app is fine, but try one Pro limit order to see the savings.
• You buy every month by hand: use Pro limit orders. That's where most of the fee savings are.
• You automate weekly buys: stay in the main app, and price out Kraken+ against what you'd pay in 1% fees.
• You trade actively: Pro, with an eye on the volume tiers. Our day-trading exchange comparison shows how Kraken stacks up.

Nothing locks you in. Both apps share one account, so you can use the instant screen one day and Pro the next.

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