German Crypto App Fees: 0.15% to 2.49% Spread Revealed

The costs associated with buying cryptocurrency through apps in Germany can be deceiving. Many providers advertise 'fee-free' trading, but the real price lies in the spread, which ranges from 0.15 to 2.49 percent per purchase. For example, if you buy bitcoin for 100 euros through Bitvavo, you might pay only 15 cents in fees, but over a year of savings-plan instalments, the difference could be several dozen euros.

The spread is the gap between the buying and selling prices, and it's not debited as a separate fee. It's built into the quote, making it easy to overlook. A study from March 2026 found that the total costs for buying and selling ranged from 0.53 percent for Bitvavo to 6.45 percent for Coinbase, a factor of twelve.

The article compares the costs and custody of five popular apps used by German beginners: Bitvavo, Kraken, Bison, Bitpanda, and Trade Republic. The comparison reveals that Bison charges a mark-up of 0.99 percent on bitcoin and stablecoins, while Bitpanda charges 1.49 percent on large coins and 2.49 percent on small ones.

Trade Republic stands out for not publishing a fixed spread for cryptocurrencies, making it difficult to estimate costs. The article concludes that the costs of buying cryptocurrency through apps can add up, especially with savings plans, and that users should carefully review the terms and conditions before investing.