On the schedules this desk read on 19 September 2026, Kraken Pro is cheaper than Gemini ActiveTrader at the entry tier: 0.40% maker and 0.80% taker against Gemini’s 0.600% and 1.200%. Kraken stays cheaper through $100K of 30-day volume; from $250K, Gemini’s taker rate is the lower of the two.
Gemini ActiveTrader vs Kraken Pro fees is a question the three comparison guides this desk read (CoinLedger, Hedge With Crypto, CryptoRyancy) answer with three different Kraken entry figures, none of which Kraken’s live schedule prints; Kraken changed its tiering on 9 July 2026. We read Kraken’s fee schedule and Gemini’s ActiveTrader schedule, dated September 1, 2026, on 19 September 2026; every figure below is per those pages on that date. Kraken served its pages in Bengali from this desk’s IP; the figures are Latin-script and reprinted as shown.
The file
Gemini ActiveTrader vs Kraken Pro fees: both ladders side by side
Kraken’s standard spot crypto ladder, per the schedule; any one of the three middle columns earns the tier.
| Tier | Spot 30-day | Futures 30-day | AoP | Maker/Taker |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | $0+ | under $5M | n/a | 0.40%/0.80% |
| 2 | $2.5K+ | $5M+ | n/a | 0.30%/0.60% |
| 3 | $10K+ | $10M+ | $20K | 0.22%/0.38% |
| 4 | $25K+ | $15M+ | $50K | 0.20%/0.35% |
| 5 | $50K+ | $25M+ | $100K | 0.15%/0.30% |
| 6 | $100K+ | $40M+ | $200K | 0.12%/0.25% |
| 7 | $250K+ | $50M+ | $400K | 0.10%/0.22% |
| 8 | $500K+ | $75M+ | $600K | 0.08%/0.20% |
| 9 | $1M+ | $100M+ | $1M | 0.06%/0.18% |
| 10 | $2.5M+ | $150M+ | $2.5M | 0.04%/0.15% |
| 11 | $5M+ | $250M+ | $5M | 0.02%/0.12% |
| 12 | $10M+ | $300M+ | $10M | 0.0%/0.10% |
| Pro 1 | $50M+ | $400M+ | $20M | 0.0%/0.09% |
| Pro 2 | $100M+ | $500M+ | $25M | 0.0%/0.08% |
| Pro 3 | $250M+ | $1B+ | $50M | 0.0%/0.07% |
| Pro 4 | $400M+ | $2B+ | $80M | 0.0%/0.06% |
| Pro 5 | $500M+ | over $5B | $100M | 0.0%/0.05% |
Gemini’s spot ladder, per the page dated September 1, 2026:
| Maker/Taker | 30-day volume | Asset balance |
|---|---|---|
| 0.000%/0.020% | $250M | N/A |
| 0.000%/0.025% | $100M | N/A |
| 0.000%/0.035% | $50M | N/A |
| 0.010%/0.050% | $20M | N/A |
| 0.025%/0.065% | $10M | N/A |
| 0.040%/0.085% | $5M | N/A |
| 0.050%/0.100% | $1M | N/A |
| 0.060%/0.125% | $500K | N/A |
| 0.075%/0.150% | $250K | $25M |
| 0.125%/0.250% | $75K | $15M |
| 0.250%/0.500% | $25K | $5M |
| 0.400%/0.800% | $10K | $1M |
| 0.600%/1.200% | ≥$0 | ≥$0 |
At $10K Kraken is 0.22%/0.38% against Gemini’s 0.400%/0.800%; at $50K, 0.15%/0.30% against 0.250%/0.500%; at $100K the taker rates are level at 0.25%. The crossover is $250K, where Gemini’s 0.075%/0.150% undercuts Kraken’s 0.10%/0.22%, and Gemini keeps the lower taker rate from there up.
What a $10K round trip costs
Arithmetic on the published rates: $10K bought then sold, both legs at one rate, the tier already held, no spread or funding cost. At the entry tier Kraken Pro charges $80 with both legs maker or $160 with both taker; Gemini charges $120 or $240. With $50K of 30-day volume, Kraken’s Tier 5 charges $30 or $60; Gemini’s $25K tier, where $50K lands, charges $50 or $100.
Holding versus trading
Per Kraken’s support article, last updated 9 July 2026, AoP is the USD value of eligible assets held on Kraken, staked assets included, loans and equities excluded. A $20K balance reaches Tier 3 without a trade; Gemini’s balance route starts at $1M. The catch, per the same article: AoP is assessed point-in-time, not averaged over 30 days, so a market fall or a withdrawal moves the tier immediately. Kraken’s blog post of July 9, 2026, read the same day, adds that for CA, US and NZ customers futures volume does not count toward the tier.
Questions readers ask
What are Kraken Pro maker and taker fees?
Per Kraken’s fee schedule read on 19 September 2026, the standard spot crypto ladder runs from 0.40% maker and 0.80% taker at Tier 1 to 0.0% and 0.05% at Pro 5, from $500M of 30-day volume. Stablecoin, FX and selected low-liquidity pairs use separate ladders this desk did not fully read.
How does Kraken calculate fee tiers?
Since 9 July 2026, per Kraken’s support article, the tier is the most favourable of spot 30-day volume, futures 30-day volume or assets on platform; qualifying twice at one tier adds nothing. Instant Buy purchases, conversions and stablecoin or FX pairs do not count toward spot volume.
Is Gemini or Kraken better for beginners?
On fees alone, Kraken Pro: 0.40% maker and 0.80% taker with no volume against Gemini ActiveTrader’s 0.600% and 1.200%, per the schedules read on 19 September 2026, with a first discount at $2.5K of volume where Gemini’s needs $10K. Custody, asset lists and jurisdiction are separate questions.
The two columns
Verdict
This repeats our Gemini against Coinbase Advanced exercise: Kraken’s post-July ladder undercuts the Gemini schedule we reviewed line by line, and the Kraken that those three comparison sites print no longer exists on Kraken’s page.
Crypto assets are high risk on both venues. Nothing above is financial advice; it is two fee pages read on one date and some multiplication. Open both schedules before you size an order; the tier you think you hold and the one the engine prints can differ.