Best crypto exchange pick for beginners in 2026
River takes the top spot for average app rating, with 4.88 out of 5. A total of 8 exchanges in the US qualify.
Best crypto exchange for beginners ranking
The list ranks the highest average ratings from the App Store and Google Play first. An exchange qualifies when its app includes recurring buys. This is the simplest way for you to start with a small amount.
| Rank | Exchange | Average app rating | $1,000 bank-transfer buy | States it does not serve | Review |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | River | 4.88 out of 5 | $10 | Nevada, New York | River review |
| 2 | Cash App | 4.75 out of 5 | $9 | – | Cash App review |
| 3 |  | 4.54 out of 5 | $5 | New York | Crypto.com review |
| 4 | Coinbase | 4.50 out of 5 | – | – | Coinbase review |
| 5 |  | 4.50 out of 5 | $8 | New York, Maine | Kraken review |
| 6 |  | 4.49 out of 5 | $18 | Hawaii | PayPal review |
| 7 |  | 4.39 out of 5 | $10 | Nevada, Hawaii, Puerto Rico, US Virgin Islands, American Samoa, Guam | eToro review |
| 8 |  | 4.35 out of 5 | $12 | Serves every state | Gemini review |
How the best crypto exchange for beginners list is picked
An exchange qualifies if its app offers recurring buys. This gives you the simplest way to start with a small amount.
Each exchange's own pages provide every number; our scoring details explain how.
Why some exchanges are not on the best crypto exchange for beginners list
- Robinhood's own pages state that its app has no recurring buys.
- Binance.US states on its own pages that its app has no recurring buys.
- Uphold's own pages state that its app has no recurring buys.
- OKX US states on its own pages that its app has no recurring buys.
- Binance, KuCoin, Bybit and Hyperliquid exclude US residents, which keeps them off any list for the best crypto exchange for beginners.