Verdict
Higher trust score: Hodl Hodl
Based on our trust scoring, Hodl Hodl comes out ahead of Kraken (8.9 vs 4.8). The gap reflects differences in KYC stance, custody model and operational track record.
Note: Scores are our independent assessment. Both services have valid use cases — read each detail page before deciding.
Score breakdown
Overall /10
Hodl Hodl
8.9
Good
Kraken
4.8
Weak
Privacy /100
Hodl Hodl
100
Good
Kraken
2
Poor
Trust /100
Hodl Hodl
88
Good
Kraken
68
Average
Side by side
KYC level
L1Anonymous
L5Mandatory
Tagline
Non-custodial P2P Bitcoin marketplace with 2-of-3 multisig escrow, running since 2016 — 100+ fiat currencies, 300+ payment methods, 0.5-0.6% fees. Email required but no ID; US not served.
Veteran US-regulated exchange founded 2011 with 600+ assets, full mandatory KYC, and bi-annual proof-of-reserves audits — listed here as a comparison baseline for custodial KYC platforms, not as a no-KYC option.
Jurisdiction
United Kingdom (Hodlex Ltd)
United States
Founded
2016
2011
Tor / .onion
No
No
Categories
Exchange, P2P
Exchange
Feature comparison 12
Hodl Hodl
Kraken
Bitcoin (BTC)
Cash
—
Non-custodial
—
Open source
—
Lightning Network
—
Peer-to-peer
—
Accepts fiat
Mobile app
—
Web app
—
Available worldwide
—
Custodial
—
Requires email
Read the full reviews
The side-by-side covers the headlines — the detail pages walk through every claim and citation.