Onramp vs River: Which is Best? [2025]
Key differences
- River offers 0% fees for recurring buys, while Onramp does not.
- Onramp uses insured multi-institution custody; River uses in-house custody with proof of reserves.
- River supports mining hardware purchases and hosting; Onramp does not.
- Onramp charges a $50 monthly platform fee; River has no platform fee.
vs River Fees Calculator
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vs River in Comparison
Description
River is a trusted Bitcoin-only exchange based in the USA.
Supported Countries
USA
Supported Cryptocurrencies
Bitcoin-only
Fees
- Order Size: Up to $1,000,000 | Fee: 1.00%
- Order Size: >$1,000,000 to $5,000,000 | Fee: 0.70%
- Order Size: >$5,000,000 to $15,000,000 | Fee: 0.40%
- Order Size: >$15,000,000 | Fee: 0.25%
- Order Size: All recurring buy orders | Fee: 0.00%
Payment Methods
ACH, Bank Account, Wire Transfer
Do These Exchanges Allow you To Earn Interest on Crypto?
3.8%
Earn 3.8% interest on FDIC-insured cash, paid out in Bitcoin. No fees or minimums. Withdraws allowed anytime.
Mobile App Ratings
iOS App: Not Available
Android App: Not Available
iOS Rating: 4.8 Official rating from the iOS App Store as of November 18, 2024.
Android Rating: 4.9 Official rating from the Android Play Store as of November 18, 2024.
Storage
River holds client Bitcoin in full reserve with no lending. They built their own custody systems from the ground up to minimize third-party dependencies. Security includes regular independent audits, mandatory 2FA, real-time notifications, 24/7 monitoring, and bcrypt password hashing. Users can verify holdings via Proof of Reserves.
Have These Exchanges Been Hacked Before?
No. Has never lost customer funds in any way.
Official Site
Exchange Review
No review available
"I really like the app so far. It does what it's supposed to and paired with the desktop web app, I could not personally ask for more. Great customer service and lots of upcoming features in the pipeline from my understanding."
- Real user review from iOS App Store, Android Play Store or Trustpilot
Onramp vs River Comparison
Fee Structures
Onramp charges a $50 monthly platform fee and uses a tiered fee structure:
- 0.75% for Onramp Trade tier
- 0.65% for Onramp Standard tier
- 0.32% for Onramp Private tier
- 1.00% for orders up to $1,000,000
- 0.70% for orders $1,000,000 to $5,000,000
- 0.40% for orders $5,000,000 to $15,000,000
- 0.25% for orders over $15,000,000
- 0% for all recurring buy orders
Feature Set
Onramp offers multi-institution custody with insurance, secure vaults, and a 2-of-3 multisig setup. No recurring buy discounts or mining options.
River offers recurring buys at 0% fee, private client services, Bitcoin mining hardware purchase and hosting, interest-earning cash accounts (3.8% APY), and in-house custody with proof-of-reserves.
Geographic Availability
Onramp is only available in select U.S. states. River is available in 48 U.S. states. Not available in New York or Nevada.
Security Features
Onramp uses multi-institution custody across Onramp, BitGo, and Coincover using a 2-of-3 multisig model with no single point of failure. Vaults are insured and monitored.
River holds client Bitcoin in full reserve with no lending. They built their own custody systems from the ground up to minimize third-party dependencies. Security includes regular independent audits, mandatory 2FA, real-time notifications, 24/7 monitoring, and bcrypt password hashing. Users can verify holdings via Proof of Reserves.
Payment Methods
Onramp supports Bank Transfer, Wire, and ACH. River supports ACH, Bank Account, and Wire Transfer.
Customer Support
Onramp customer support details not specified. River is known for excellent customer support.
Additional Features
Onramp focuses on vault custody only. River offers 0% DCA, Private Client services, Mining hardware purchase and hosting, and Interest accounts (3.8% APY on cash balances, paid in BTC).
Mobile Apps
Onramp mobile app availability not specified. River offers iOS app (4.8/5 rating) and Android app (4.9/5 rating).
Regulatory Compliance
Onramp is registered as an MSB with FinCEN (#31000262776236). River is registered as an MSB with FinCEN and holds various state licenses.
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