Key takeaways
- CoinSpot's order-book fee (0.1%) is materially cheaper than its own Instant Buy/Sell/Swap fee (1% plus spread) — the two products aren't directly comparable.
- Swyftx's single tiered trading fee runs from 0.6% down to 0.1%, reaching the lowest tier only at high trading volume, plus a separate spread.
- Independent Reserve offers a narrower coin selection than CoinSpot or Swyftx, with an order-book-first interface.
- All three support AUD funding, but the exact fee-free methods differ by provider.
- The 'better' choice depends on whether you value a simple interface, the widest coin selection, or the lowest achievable trading fee.
Table of contents
CoinSpot, Swyftx and Independent Reserve are three of the more commonly used exchanges among Australian beginners, but they're built around genuinely different trade-offs. Here's how they actually compare, without picking an overall "winner."
Fees
CoinSpot separates its products clearly: 0.1% on its order-book "Markets" product, versus 1% plus spread on its Instant Buy/Sell/Swap screen, plus a 0.1% OTC desk rate for trades of $20,000 AUD or more. Swyftx instead uses one tiered trading fee that starts at 0.6% and can fall to 0.1% as your rolling 30-day volume increases — reaching that lowest tier requires substantial volume (Swyftx's own materials put the bottom tier at $6 million AUD of rolling volume), with a separate spread applied on top. Independent Reserve publishes a maker/taker fee structure, though we're treating its specific published percentages as indicative rather than confirmed, since our own research found them only via third-party review sites rather than Independent Reserve's own fee page directly — check its current schedule before relying on an exact figure.
Coin selection
Swyftx advertises the widest range among the three, at more than 410 crypto assets on its own facts page. CoinSpot also offers a broad range. Independent Reserve runs a narrower, more blue-chip-focused selection — useful if you specifically want a simpler, curated list rather than hundreds of options.
Interface style
CoinSpot and Swyftx both lead with an AUD-first, beginner-oriented experience, with instant-buy screens front and centre. Independent Reserve leans more toward an order-book-first interface, which can suit someone already comfortable with limit orders but asks more of a first-time user.
AUD funding
All three support AUD deposits, though the specific fee-free methods differ — check each provider's current fee page for exactly which deposit method is free versus which carries a charge, since these details can change.
| CoinSpot | Swyftx | Independent Reserve | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Order-book fee | 0.1% | 0.6%–0.1% tiered | Tiered (verify current rate directly) |
| Instant-buy style fee | 1% + spread | Same fee + spread | N/A — order-book focused |
| Coin selection | Broad | 410+ assets | Narrower, blue-chip-focused |
| Interface style | Beginner/instant-buy first | Beginner/instant-buy first | Order-book first |
Who each tends to suit
CoinSpot suits someone who wants a simple instant-buy experience with the option to move to a cheaper order-book trade later. Swyftx suits someone who wants the widest coin selection with a similarly simple interface. Independent Reserve suits someone already comfortable with order-book trading who prefers a narrower, more curated asset list. None of these is objectively "best" — it depends on what you actually want from the account.
For the wider set of factors beyond these three, see our full exchange-selection guide, or view CoinSpot, Swyftx and Independent Reserve directly.
This is general information, not financial advice, and fee/feature details should be reconfirmed on each provider's current site before you rely on them.