Coinbase has 100 million users. That doesn't mean it's the best option — it means it has the biggest marketing budget.
If you've been using Coinbase and noticed your account not growing as fast as it should, the fees are likely a significant part of why. This article covers the best alternatives for European users — all cheaper, most with more coins, several with better security records.
Why it beats Coinbase: 0% maker fees (vs Coinbase's 0.40-1.49%), 1,500+ coins (vs Coinbase's 200+), SEPA deposits free, cleaner interface for beginners.
| Coinbase | MEXC | |
|---|---|---|
| Maker fee | 0.40% | 0% |
| Simple buy fee | 1.49-3.99% | 0.05% |
| Trading pairs | 200+ | 1,500+ |
| SEPA deposit | ✓ | ✓ Free |
| New altcoin listings | Very slow | Among fastest |
Best for: Everyone. If you're switching from Coinbase, this is where you go.
Why it beats Coinbase: 0.10% fees (10-15x cheaper than Coinbase simple), better EUR pairs, larger P2P network. Less ideal than MEXC for pure fee savings, but Binance's EUR infrastructure is stronger in some EU countries.
Best for: High-volume traders (€50,000+/month) who need deep EUR liquidity and large P2P trades.
Check first: Binance is unavailable or restricted in Netherlands, UK (limited), and several other EU markets. Verify for your country before depositing.
Why it beats Coinbase: 0.01% futures maker fee, strong EU presence, good SEPA support, solid derivatives platform. Coinbase barely supports futures.
Best for: Traders who want spot + derivatives on one platform.
Why it beats Coinbase: Never been hacked (Coinbase had a major data breach in 2021). Strong EU regulatory standing. Fast SEPA. 24/7 live customer support (better than Coinbase's).
Trade-off: Higher fees than MEXC (0.16% maker), fewer coins (200+). Worth it for traders who prioritize security and European regulatory compliance above everything else.
Coinbase is popular for three reasons: it was first, it has a simple interface, and it runs a lot of ads. None of these are reasons to keep paying higher fees.
The interface argument is addressed: MEXC's interface takes approximately 20 minutes to learn for anyone who has used Coinbase. The fee savings start from your first trade after that.
| How long you've used Coinbase | Approximate fees paid above MEXC rates |
|---|---|
| 6 months (€500/month volume) | ~€45 overpaid |
| 1 year (€1,000/month volume) | ~€178 overpaid |
| 2 years (€2,000/month volume) | ~€714 overpaid |
| 3 years (€3,000/month volume) | ~€1,600 overpaid |
| Exchange | Major Hacks | Insurance | EU Regulation |
|---|---|---|---|
| Coinbase | 2021 data breach (6,000 accounts) | FDIC (USD only) | Licensed |
| MEXC | None public | SAFU fund | Registered |
| Binance | $570M hack (2022, repaid) | SAFU $1B+ | Mixed |
| Kraken | Never hacked | Reserves proof | Strong EU |
| Bybit | $1.5B hack (2025, repaid) | Insurance fund | Registered |
The honest answer on security: at every exchange, the biggest risk to individual users isn't exchange hacks — it's phishing attacks and personal security failures. Enable 2FA, use a hardware wallet for large amounts, and don't click links in emails claiming to be from your exchange.
If you're a European crypto user currently on Coinbase, switching to MEXC will save you real money starting from your first trade. The onboarding takes 20 minutes. The savings compound for as long as you trade.
The only people who should stay on Coinbase are those who have a specific reason — such as access to Coinbase Custody for institutional amounts, or a specific product (like their staking for US-based users) that isn't available elsewhere.
For standard spot trading? MEXC wins by a significant margin on every metric that affects your returns.
NovaCrypto readers get fee discounts applied automatically. Takes 10 minutes to set up.
Open Free MEXC Account →MEXC is available in most EU countries. It's registered as a VASP (Virtual Asset Service Provider) in multiple EU jurisdictions. Check mexc.com for your specific country's availability and KYC requirements.
The only cost when switching is a blockchain network fee (gas fee) to transfer crypto from Coinbase to MEXC. For BTC this is typically €0.50-€5 depending on network conditions. You recoup this within a few trades on MEXC due to the fee savings.
Yes. MEXC has iOS and Android apps. Both are available via direct download from mexc.com if not available in your regional app store.
Many traders do exactly this. They move most activity to MEXC (lower fees), keep Coinbase for occasional USD stablecoin movements or Coinbase Earn. There's no penalty to having accounts on multiple exchanges.
100 questions covering Bitcoin, Ethereum, DeFi, wallets, EU regulations and taxes.
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Most people score 60%. Can you beat that?
Affiliate disclosure: NovaCrypto may receive a commission if you open an account via our links. This doesn't affect our analysis — Coinbase fees are publicly documented.
Not financial advice. Crypto is volatile. Only invest what you can afford to lose.