Webull vs. Coinbase: How They Compare

Webull and Coinbase are two of the top online investment platforms. Webull offers a relatively new online brokerage that deals mostly in liquid assets. Webull is a favorite of young millennial investors who are just starting, but it also attracts medium-level and advanced traders due to low fees. Coinbase is an online brokerage that focuses entirely on cryptocurrencies. It offers many cryptocurrency-related services. We compare Webull vs. Coinbase regarding their fees, services, online experiences, mobile features, and more.

A financial advisor can help you pick the online platform best suited for your goals and interests.

Webull vs. Coinbase: Overview

Webull is a U.S.-based fintech startup, regulated by the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) and the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA). It was launched in 2017. Initially it was primarily a mobile app, but now it has a desktop and web-based version. Webull has grown rapidly into one of the most popular online brokerages. Webull has a limited line of investment products, but it does allow some trading in cryptocurrencies.

Coinbase is one of the leading U.S.-based cryptocurrency exchanges. It offers a wide array of cryptocurrency investments, many payment options and advanced trader applications. If you are looking for analytical tools and technical trading applications, Coinbase is for you. Coinbase has its own cryptocurrency wallet and even its own stable cryptocurrency coin called USD Coin. The USD Coin is backed by U.S. dollars. The company offers several digital products and services that you do not usually find unless you look at other online brokerages that specialize in cryptocurrency as an investment product. Coinbase has been around since 2012 and went public in 2021.

Webull vs. Coinbase: Products

Webull offers four types of investment securities, equities, exchange-traded funds (ETFs), options, and cryptocurrencies. It has a limited offering of digital tokens and you must sign up for the privilege of trading cryptocurrency on Webull. Webull also offers the trading of fractional shares, which often appeals to young investors.

Webull’s account types include cash and margin accounts. IRAs are available if you already have an individual account with Webull. It supports traditional and Roth IRAs along with rollover IRAs. Webull doesn’t offer long-term investment products like bonds and other fixed-income securities.

Coinbase offers exclusively cryptocurrency trading and investment. It offers access to thousands of digital coins or tokens, including its own coin USD Coin. Webull has a very limited selection of digital coins and no stable coin. It also offers a digital wallet known as Webull Pay. 

Webull vs. Coinbase: Fees and Payment Methods

Webull offers no-commission trading and no minimum deposit or balance for accounts except a $1 deposit fee for Webull Pay cryptocurrency accounts. It requires a $2,000 deposit to open a margin account. Webull’s margin rates start at 8.74% for standard users and between 4.65-5.95% for premium users depending on their account balance. Webull charges a fee of $0.10 per contract for all option orders above 500 contracts. 

Webull offers wire transfers for $8 in the U.S. ($12.50 for international wires). The brokerage also charges $25 for withdrawals in the U.S. (and $45 abroad). Webull, however,  does not charge an inactivity fee.

Coinbase, by comparison, charges a fixed percentage, depending on whether you are a trade taker or a trade maker.

Both platforms allow an investor to buy fractional coins. Webull only accepts U.S. dollars for transactions. Coinbase accepts U.S. dollars, the euro, and the British pound. Coinbase accepts buy, sell, send, limit, receive and exchange orders. 

Webull vs. Coinbase: Education and Research

Webull has a reasonably strong research presence on its platform. It specializes in technical analysis with some tools available for fundamental analysis. Some technical indicators are a paid upgrade. Webull does have a strong investor dashboard with alert and watch lists available along with real-time streaming quotes and analyst reviews. Portfolio management tools are lacking.

Coinbase has a strong library of educational content. It has a specialized program that incentivizes its use called Coinbase Quests. Coinbase has developed a series of video classes and exams that teach you about cryptocurrency and how to trade it. If you take the classes and exams, you can earn a set amount of the cryptocurrency you are learning about. 

Webull vs. Coinbase: Platforms and Online Experiences

Webull’s platform has mobile, web-based, and desktop capabilities. Investors find it intuitive and easy to use. There is a customizable workplace station that provides news, technical trading tools like charting, fundamental analysis, a stock screener, and ratings from analysts. Webull also offers extended trading hours, which are particularly important to many investors. To use Webull, investors have to be relatively knowledgeable and self-sufficient since it is lacking tools for investment portfolio management. It’s difficult to reach customer service by phone and there is no chat feature.

Coinbase offers the original Coinbase platform and Coinbase One. Coinbase One is a $5 per month plan that includes 4.5% APY on the first $10,000 in your Coinbase account, offers a 5% boost to staking rewards, and allows $500 in free trades a month. Regarding customer service, Coinbase was criticized for its lack of phone support and, in general, poor customer service. Its response was to add many phone support customer service agents. It’s easier to reach them on the phone now, but it offers no email support. Instead, there is an online contact form.

Webull vs. Coinbase: Account Types and Minimums

When it comes to account offerings, Webull provides more flexibility than Coinbase. Investors can choose between cash accounts, margin accounts, and retirement options such as Traditional IRAs, Roth IRAs and rollover IRAs. This range makes Webull attractive for those who want to balance active trading with long-term saving. Opening a standard brokerage account requires no minimum deposit, though margin accounts require a $2,000 minimum, and cryptocurrency trading requires just $1 to get started.

Coinbase, by contrast, is designed specifically for cryptocurrency investing. It primarily offers individual trading accounts and custodial wallets for retail investors, along with business and institutional accounts for larger players in the crypto space. Unlike Webull, Coinbase does not provide retirement accounts or access to traditional investment securities. While there is no minimum to open a Coinbase account, individual crypto purchases typically start at $2, including recurring purchases.

Ultimately, Webull appeals to investors looking for both stock market and retirement account access alongside limited crypto trading, while Coinbase focuses exclusively on digital assets, wallets, and institutional-level services. Choosing between the two comes down to whether you want a broader investment platform or one that is fully dedicated to cryptocurrency.

Webull vs. Coinbase: Mobile Apps

Webull offers a good mobile app ranking 4.7 in the App Store and 4.5 on Google Play. The setup is consistent with its web-based and desktop platforms albeit with some design differences to accommodate the smaller screen. Watchlists can be created through the mobile app as easily as on the other platforms. You don’t need to set up multiple platforms. You can also customize trading ticket information on the mobile app. Research is available when you use the mobile app.

Coinbase provides a mobile app that ranks 4.7 in the App Store and 4.5 on Google Play. Customers review these mobile apps very highly as they have many of the same features as the Coinbase desktop site.

Webull vs. Coinbase: Security Measures

Both Coinbase and Webull use two-factor authentication. Both companies have Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation coverage. Webull has it on all accounts, while Coinbase has it on only U.S. accounts. Webull does not use a digital wallet for coin storage and it doesn’t provide cold storage, while Coinbase does. About 98% of all investor funds with Coinbase are kept in cold storage, the most secure method of housing cryptocurrencies.

Bottom Line 

Coinbase is one of the top cryptocurrency exchanges and is a full-service broker for cryptocurrencies. Webull offers a bit of everything, with a crypto wallet featured alongside traditional securities for novice investors. Both firms take security seriously, although Webull has no way to put investor funds in cold storage. If you’re unsure whether crypto is right for your portfolio, you can consider consulting a financial advisor for insights on products and strategies.

Tips on Investing

• Do you need guidance on investing in cryptocurrency? If you want to know how a cryptocurrency investment would impact your portfolio, you may want to talk to a financial advisor. Finding a financial advisor doesn’t have to be hard. SmartAsset’s free tool matches you with vetted financial advisors in your area, and you can interview your advisor matches at no cost to decide which one is right for you. If you’re ready to find an advisor, get started now.
• If you want to see how different types of investments would improve your portfolio, check out  SmartAsset’s asset allocation calculator.

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