We test with our own money

What we do

Choosing where to buy, store or track crypto is a decision about where real money sits. Most comparison pages are built from press kits and fee tables copied from the provider. We do the slower thing: we sign up as an ordinary customer, pass the identity checks, deposit, trade or move funds, withdraw, and contact support with a real question. Then we write down what happened, in numbers where we can.

We cover global and regulated exchanges, decentralized exchanges, hardware and software wallets, crypto cards, tax and portfolio tools, and research and market data platforms. Each review ends in a single score out of ten and a plain statement of who the product suits.

Who writes the reviews

Reviews are published under one byline, The Mintgauge Test Desk, because every review is checked by more than one person before it goes live. One tester runs the account; a second reads the review against the receipts, screenshots and support transcripts and challenges any claim that is not backed by them.

How we stay independent

• No provider can pay for a review, a score or a position in the ranking.
• Providers do not see a review before it is published, and we do not change a score because a provider asks.
• When a fact changes, such as a fee, a licence or a withdrawal limit, we re-test where we can and date the update on the review.

What we are not

We are not financial advisers and nothing on this site is a recommendation to buy, sell or hold any asset. We do not publish price predictions. Crypto assets can lose most or all of their value, and exchange balances are generally not protected the way bank deposits are.

Read how we review for the full method, or contact the desk if something on a page is wrong.

Last updated 6 October 2026