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Updated September 28, 2026 · VaultCue Editorial Team

Kraken vs Skrill

Kraken scores 8.7 and Skrill 9.0 out of 10. Compare their differences and shared features below.
Kraken

Kraken

8.7/10
Visit
Skrill

Skrill

Higher score in this comparison

9.0/10
Visit

What sets them apart

Kraken vs Skrill
CompareKrakenKrakenReviewVisitVisitSkrillSkrillReviewVisitVisit
Monthly fee$4.99€0
Licence typePayment institutionE money
Currency conversion fee0.2%Lower3.99%
Currencies647Higher
Transfer feeBased on method and currency used; funding fees can be static (fixed) or dynamic (variable)Skrill to Skrill 2.99% (min EUR 0.50); Skrill Money Transfer by bank transfer zero fees; international transfer up to 4.99% incl. exchange rate mark-up

Same on both: Deposit protection (EU DGS up to EUR 100,000).

We earn a commission when you sign up through links on this site. Partner status can affect where a brand appears in our rankings. Partners with a live offer in your country come first, then every other brand by score.

Key differences

  • Skrill scores higher overall: 9.0 vs 8.7.
  • Founded is lower at Skrill: 2001 vs 2011.
  • Kraken is licensed in 5 more countries.
  • Kraken is available in 3 more countries.
  • Currency conversion fee is lower at Kraken: 0.2% vs 3.99%.
  • Currencies is higher at Skrill: 47 vs 6.

Our verdict on each

Kraken

Kraken settles the fee trade-off by charging a subscription rather than staying free: the monthly fee of $4.99 applies to the account, and currency conversion runs at 0.2% with transfer delivery quoted as instant. It suits people who hold and convert several currencies and move money often.

Read the full Kraken review

Skrill

Skrill suits expats, travellers and businesses who want many currencies and no monthly charge, with the monthly fee at €0 and 47 currencies. The trade-off is the pace and cost of moving money: international transfers land in 24 - 72 hours and conversion costs 3.99% on top.

Read the full Skrill review

Score breakdown

Kraken vs Skrill
AreaKrakenSkrill
Cost8.7Subscription costs a monthly fee of $4.99 with conversion at 0.2%, against a site median fee of €0.8.7Cost is the weak side: 3.99% to convert, a fee set on the amount sent for transfers, and a mark-up of 4.99% on international ones.
Offer9.2The account holds 6 currencies, pays out to bank, wallet and card, and delivery is instant.9.6HigherOffer is strong: 47 currencies, EU deposit protection of EU DGS up to EUR 100,000 and support on help centre, email and phone.
Trust8.48.9Higher

Pick Kraken if, pick Skrill if

Pick Kraken if currency conversion fee matter most.

Pick Skrill if offer, trust, and currencies matter most.

Spending 1,000 abroad

Kraken

2

0.2% of 1,000

Skrill

39.9

3.99% of 1,000

Kraken comes out 37.9 lower in this example.

Worked out from the stated prices and rates; your own total depends on how you use it. Facts checked September 26, 2026.

Licences and countries

Kraken vs Skrill
CountryKrakenSkrill
Ireland
IE_CBI PSD_EMI IE_CBI!C453020
IE_CBI PSD_EMI IE_CBI!C184986
United Kingdom
United States
ArgentinaNot confirmed
AustraliaNot confirmed
BermudaNot confirmed
CanadaNot confirmed
CyprusNot confirmed

Available in 2 countries for both. Additional countries for Kraken: 5. Additional countries for Skrill: 2.

A third option

eToro has currency conversion fee at 0%, against 0.2% for Kraken and 3.99% for Skrill.

eToro review

How they place

Kraken vs Skrill
RankingKrakenSkrill
Current and checking accounts14 of 8854 of 885
Money transfer services21 of 15644 of 1564
Multi-currency accounts9 of 3484 of 348

Every fact side by side

Kraken vs Skrill
FactKrakenSkrill
AudienceNot confirmedExpats, Travelers, Business
Pricing modelNot confirmedNo monthly fee
Legal entityPayward Europe Solutions LimitedPaysafe Payment Solutions Limited
HeadquartersIrelandIreland
Founded20112001Lower
Support channelsEmail, Phone, Help centreHelp centre, Email, Phone

Money transfer

Kraken vs Skrill
FactKrakenSkrill
Exchange rate markupNot confirmed4.99%
Delivery timeinstant24 - 72 hours
Payout methodsBank, Wallet, CardBank, Card, Wallet
Fee to send 1,000Not confirmed€0

Where each stands against the rest

Kraken vs Skrill
FactKrakenSkrillMedian
Currency conversion fee0.2%below the median3.99%highest quarter0.5%
Currencies6above the median47highest quarter5

Median across 536 listed accounts.

Pros and cons

Kraken

Pros

  • Deposit protection in the EU is EU DGS up to EUR 100,000 under the deposit guarantee scheme.
  • Currency conversion costs 0.2%, under the 0.5% seen across the site.
  • Support runs on email, phone and help centre, including phone and a help centre.

Cons

  • The account carries a monthly fee of $4.99, where the site median is €0.
  • The currency list is limited to 6, below the 9 in this group.
  • Transfer fees depend on the method and currency used, and funding fees can be fixed or variable.

Skrill

Pros

  • The monthly fee is €0, the same as Starling Personal Account Debit Card at £0, so the wallet costs nothing to keep open.
  • The stated audience covers expats, travelers and business, so expats, travellers and businesses are the groups the service is built around.
  • 47 currencies sit in one wallet, well above the site median of 5.

Cons

  • Currency conversion costs 3.99%, against 0% at AXI Card Tarjeta y Credito and 0.5% at XTB.
  • An exchange rate mark-up of 4.99% can be added to international transfers on top of the fee.
  • The currency conversion fee ranking puts it at 297 out of 312, so exchange is the weak spot.

Who each suits

Kraken

Who it suits

  • Anyone whose money sits in more than one currency
  • People willing to pay a monthly subscription for a longer currency list
  • Users who want phone and help centre support alongside email

Who should look elsewhere

  • Anyone after a free everyday account: Skrill charges €0 a month
  • Readers who want more than 6 currencies: XTB charges €0 a month, as does AXI Card at €0
  • Anyone who needs a fixed transfer price before choosing a method, since transfer fees depend on the method and currency used

Skrill

Who it suits

  • Expats and travellers who need to hold and send money in several currencies, with 47 available.
  • Businesses paying suppliers abroad that want no monthly charge, since the monthly fee is €0.
  • People who want help on a stuck transfer, since support covers help centre, email and phone.

Who should look elsewhere

  • Readers who convert money often, since AXI Card Tarjeta y Credito charges 0% to convert against 3.99% here.
  • People hunting for the lowest exchange cost, who would find XTB's 0.5% conversion fee easier to weigh.

Current offers

Kraken

Current offer

  • Free trial

    Kraken+ free 30-day trial: 30 days free, then $4.99/mo

    Monthly billing and the free 30-day trial are offered exclusively through the Kraken mobile app; Kraken Web currently supports annual plans only; only one free trial available per user; automatically renews at $4.99/month unless canceled

    Source, checked September 26, 2026

Skrill

Current offer

  • Bonus

    Final Score: Up to EUR 10,000 every week

    6 matches, 6 predictions; free to play; get all 6 right to win EUR 10,000; log in or register; T&Cs apply

    Source, checked September 26, 2026

Country by country

Kraken vs Skrill
CountryKrakenSkrill
ArgentinaYesNo
AustraliaYesNo
BermudaYesNo
BrazilNoYes
CanadaYesNo
CyprusYesNo
United StatesNoYes
IrelandYesYes

8 of 9 countries where either is available.

Questions about each

Kraken

What does the Kraken subscription cost each month?+

The subscription account is billed a monthly fee of $4.99. That sits above the site median of €0, so the fee suits readers who will use the extra currencies rather than pay for a dormant account.

How much does Kraken charge to convert currency?+

Currency conversion is charged at 0.2%, which sits under the 0.5% recorded across the site. The gap widens for anyone converting often, which is how the subscription tends to pay back its cost.

Skrill

How much does it cost to keep a Skrill account?+

The monthly fee is €0 and the account is sold as no monthly fee, so holding the wallet costs nothing each month. A bank transfer through Skrill Money Transfer is free, while a transfer to another Skrill wallet takes a fee set on the amount sent and an international transfer can cost more.

What does it cost to change currency?+

Converting between currencies costs 3.99%, and an exchange rate mark-up of 4.99% can apply on international transfers on top. AXI Card Tarjeta y Credito lists 0% for conversion and XTB lists 0.5%, so a wallet holding a single currency costs far less to change.

Other options to compare

Kraken

Visit

Skrill

Visit