The surging popularity of Bitcoin has led to an abundance of apps that allow you to buy, sell and trade cryptocurrency coming to the market.
As a result, it can be hard to know which is the best solution for buying your crypto with so many options available.
It’s vital that the app you pick is safe and secure, run by a legitimate organisation.
If you’re new to the world of crypto, you’ll also want one that’s easy-to-use and non-technical meaning you can buy your first coins with ease.
It’s worth mentioning here that all the mainstream apps require you to complete AML/KYC verification.
There are places you can buy Bitcoin without doing this, but they’re now few and far between.
Taking this route means you also run the risk of accidentally signing up to a scam site, especially as the world of crypto is still largely unregulated and is not covered by the Financial Services Compensation Scheme in the UK.
So, what’s the best app for buying cryptocurrency?
Without further ado, here’s our choice of apps for buying Bitcoin in the UK, although most are available to investors in other parts of the world.
Related link: Is my Bitcoin covered by the Financial Services Compensation Scheme?
1. Coinbase
This app tops the charts in several of our features and for good reason.
While not the cheapest, it’s consistently the easiest platform to use and you’ll be up and running in no time.
The app is extremely straight forward and user friendly, making it a breeze to use.
You can buy a wide range of coins, including Bitcoin (BTC), Ethereum (ETH), Litecoin (LTC), Bitcoin Cash (BCH) and Cardano (ADA), with new cryptos being added all the time.
All you need is a debit card or a linked bank account to fund your Coinbase purchases. Note: using a debit card is the most expensive method.
Once you’ve cut your teeth on the main site, you can try Coinbase Pro to reduce your fees even more.
This is a free professional trading platform that allows you to interact with the crypto markets like an expert.
There’s a bit of a learning curve to start with, but there are hundreds of tutorials out there to guide you through the trading process.
Coinbase is our choice of apps for buying Bitcoin, especially for those just getting started.
Related link: Coinbase review
2. PayPal
Despite being the granddad of online payments, PayPal is the newcomer when it comes to crypto.
The payments giant launched a basic crypto service to UK customers in 2021 following a successful trial in the US.
At the time of writing you can buy, sell and hold a limited number of coins, including Bitcoin and Ethereum.
Although brand new to the crypto app space, I’m giving PayPal a mention because of the intuitively designed app.
It’s simplicity personified and is a great starting point for those who’re already familiar with using the payments services and have an account set up.
You’ll be able to buy coins in seconds and sell them just as quickly if you choose, all for relatively low fees.
The one big drawback with the PayPal app is that currently you can’t send your coins to anyone else or receive them from third parties.
This makes for a very restricted service, but I feel sure this will change in the future.
Related link: How to buy crypto with PayPal and how does it compare to other exchanges?
3. eToro
Many people will be familiar with eToro already, mainly because of its ground-breaking share dealing service.
But the firm has been offering customers access to crypto through its app for several years.
While more complicated to use than some of the other apps on this list, eToro offers more when it comes to investment options.
You can buy and sell a limited number of cryptos, including the largest by market cap, just as Bitcoin and Ethereum.
But, like PayPal, you can’t send your coins elsewhere, or receive them.
However, with an eToro account you also have access to a huge number of stocks, shares, ETFs and other investment products.
You can also delve into the world of eToro’s popular ‘CopyPortfolios’.
This allows you to automatically track other traders’ strategies without you having to do the hard work.
The eToro app and desktop platform is quick, easy to navigate and opens up a huge world of investment opportunities to everyone.
4. CoinJar
The UK version of the popular Australian Bitcoin app gets a mention here because of its slick app and legit credentials.
You get the best of both worlds with CoinJar.
You get a clean, fluid user interface which gives you all the information you need to get started.
But, like Coinbase, you can also access a pro version which allows you to trade on a live exchange.
CoinJar is more of a fully-fledged platform than say, PayPal, meaning you can not only buy and sell crypto, but you can also send and deposit coins.
Another appealing feature is what’s called CoinJar Bundles.
These are collections of popular cryptocurrencies that you buy as a basket, rather than individually.
There several different bundles available depending on which coins you’re interested in.
They include the ‘Popular Trio’ which features equal percentages of Bitcoin, Ethereum and Ripple (XRP), and the ‘Stable Bundle’ where you buy into the USDC and DAI stablecoins.
This is great if you’re keen to diversify your crypto portfolio in the simplest way possible.
CoinJar also offers a prepaid Mastercard which allows you to spend your crypto online, and through Apple Pay and Google Pay.
5. Gemini
This platform gets a mention because of its security-focused Bitcoin app and the fact that you can earn interest on your crypto.
Gemini is the brainchild of twins Cameron and Tyler Winklevoss who famously fell out with Mark Zuckerberg over the origins of Facebook.
It bills itself as the most secure crypto app in the world and, so far, has never been hacked – as far as we know.
The app is elegantly designed and will appeal to those who want to get started without any technical hurdles to overcome.
At the time of writing Gemini’s fees were on a par with many of the other large platforms so little to distinguish it here.
But, the ability to earn up to 8% APY on your crypto and stablecoins is an appealing prospect.
Be warned though, crypto apps that offer interest are facing increasing scrutiny from regulators, such as the Financial Conduct Authority, and it remains to be seen if this feature will survive.
Gemini scores well for all round functionality, ease of use and features making it another sensible choice for those looking for the best app they can find to buy Bitcoin and crypto.
Honourable mentions
Mode (NO LONGER OPERATING) – a UK app that is planning to offer Bitcoin cashback on purchases.
Binance – global player offering an incredible powerful, albeit more complex, app with loads of features (trading, staking, options etc).
Conclusion
This list is by no means exhaustive and there are dozens of other apps out there that may be just as good.
But given the bewildering choice of crypto apps you can do a lot worse than buying your Bitcoin through one of the platforms above.
They’re all tried and tested and generate mostly positive feedback and reviews from users.
They all put a huge amount of emphasis on security and are backed by major financial companies both in and outside of the crypto space.
New apps appear all the time and it’s easy to switch platforms if you choose so don’t feel your stuck with your first choice Bitcoin trading account.
