Updated July 29, 2021
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Shakepay vs Newton TL;DR: Shakepay
I recommend beginners buying Bitcoin in Canada use Shakepay as their first app / website to buy some crypto.
Compare Shakepay vs Newton
 |  | |
Ease of Use | Easy. Would recommend it for beginners. | Easy. Would recommend it for beginners. |
Sign Up Bonus | Get a $30 sign up bonus with $100 deposit. Shaking Sats Rewards. | Get a $25 sign up bonus with $100 deposit. |
Coins | Bitcoin, Ethereum | Bitcoin, Ethereum, Litecoin, Ripple, DOGE, Tether, Bitcoin Cash, Stellar Lumens, USD Coin, and QCAD |
Limit Orders | Has Limit buy & sell orders. | Has Limit buy & sell orders. |
Customer Service | Good | Good |
Deposit & Withdraw Options | Interac e-Transfer, wire transfers, crypto | Interac e-Transfer, wire transfers, pre-authorized debit, crypto |
Spread | ~1% – 2% | ~0.6% |
Transfer Fees | Covers fees to deposit to your wallet | Surge pricing. Covers $5. Read More. |
Rewards | Refer friends, get $30. Shaking Sats Rewards. | Refer friends, get $25. |
Security | 2FA, SMS | 2FA with Authy, SMS |
Device Support | Web, IOS, Android | Web, IOS, Android |
Design / UI | OK | Very Nice |
Social Media | ||
Recuring Buys | Yes | No |
Review | Coming Soon | |
Notes | Simplicity and shaking satoshi rewards. Covers network fees for deposits to wallet. | Nice design. Low spread fees when buying. Lots more coins to buy and sell. |
Referrals |
*Prices and fees are subject to change. Compare more cryptocurrency exchanges in Canada.
Newton Pros & Cons
Pros
- Low spread fee (~0.5%)
- $25 sign up bonus
- Number of altcoins and $ CAD trading pairs
- Adding more altcoins regularly
- Company communicates on their subreddit / social media about technical issues.
- Withdraw fee is usually free
Cons
- Has had issues at peak times. Has made changes and improvements for the future.
- Limit orders and recurring buys “coming soon”
- Overwhelmed customers support agents resolve issues in a weekly thread on Reddit (https://www.reddit.com/r/newtonco/) if they didn’t respond to your customer support ticket.
- Withdraw network fee (Cost minus $5) is confusing for beginners
Shakepay Pros & Cons
Pros
- Free withdrawal fee. Shakepay covers the network fees when sending the crypto to your wallet.
- Shaking Sats Rewards
- App works solid at peak times
- Limit orders
- Set up recurring buys
Cons
- High spread fee (~1% – 2%)
- Limited coin selection. Shakepay only offers Bitcoin and Ethereum to trade for $ CAD.
- Website not fully functional for sending crypto to wallet. The Shakepay app is the main way to buy, sell and send crypto to your wallet.
Pros & Cons Summary
Both exchanges have their pros and cons. Choosing the right exchange depends on what you want.
The higher spread fee and free fee to withdraw crypto that Shakepay has makes it great for buying and sending smaller amounts. The app works wll at peak times.
Newton on the other hand has a better spread fee and more altcoins so that might be a better choice for when you are buying or selling. The app can be glitchy at peak times. The website works well.
Neither exchange offers crypto to crypto trading pairs. You can only trade $ CAD for crypto.
I recommend to my friends that they sign up for both exchanges for there reasons:
- Maximize the sign up bonuses and shaking sats rewards
- Going through the KYC process on both exchanges at the same time while you have the documents ready and on hand.
- If an exchange goes out of business or is having technical difficulties, I don’t want to be trying to sign up to a new exchange at the same everyone else is.
Why Trust This Comparison / Review
You should NOT trust this Shakepay vs Newton comparison.
You should always do your research when it comes to cryptocurrency and other financial decisions.
I have been using both exchanges for over a year for buying and selling crypto.
I am just a random guy on the internet who likes Bitcoin — sharing my experience and opinions on crypto for beginners get some more perspective on navigating this space that can be confusing at times.
Review Criteria
Getting started in cryptocurrency can be a lot of new terminology to learn, websites and apps to download and sign up for.
This review is geared to a very beginner who just wants to buy some Bitcoin in as few steps as possible, leasts fees as possible, and maximizes rewards / bonuses.
Learn some risks or common beginner debates so you don’t to help you when deciding on an exchange and debating between Shakepay vs Newton to make your first crypto purchase.
Beginner Friendly
Does it pass the Mom test?
That is basically what I am looking to do. A process that I would tell less tech savvy users to get their first Bitcoin.
App
Both exchange app for IOS and Android. Designs are nice, simple and easy to use.
Any complexity or confusion seems to be from general clunkiness of the whole crypto space as it is still an early tech in development. Everyone is still learning.
App Reviews
Shakepay
Newton
Website Design
The Shakepay website is lacking compared to the Newton website but has been evolving lots over the last year.
Shakepay Website
I like the simplicity of service Shakepay offers. It is simple on ramp and off ramp of BTC and ETH in Canada. Can’t send crypto to wallet on the website. Need to use the app.
Newton Website
I like the Newton is a dark design. Newton website work well with more features coming soon.
Exchange Reputation
I would recommend both exchanges to friends.
Both Shakepay and Newton are active on Reddit and Twitter answering customers questions and issues.
My support tickets have been answered and I have no reason not to trust either exchange at this time.
I regularly read comments on Reddit and social media to gauge customer sentiment and how long it is taking for transactions to process on different exchanges and any support or liquidity issues that may be cause for concern.
Customer Service
I have contacted the support at both companies and had a response within 24 hours.
My issues were resolved and/or questions were answered.
Recently due to the influx of new customers there may be slight delays with new signups, deposits and support tickets.
Security
Both Shakepay and Newton offer 2FA (2 Factor Authentication).
Newton requires the app Authy which is made by Twilio for 2FA.
Fees / Spread
Shakepay covers the fees of sending Bitcoin to your wallet.
This is nice for simplicity and clarity. They charge a slightly larger spread to exchange Canadian dollars ($ CAD) for Bitcoin ฿.
Newton has a surge pricing. They previously covered the fees to send to your wallet.
The spread is lower (cheaper) for buying crypto on Newton than Shakepay but Newton may charge a small fee for withdrawals.
Account Setup & Authentication
The process of authenticating my ID to comply with Canadian KYC laws was easier and faster on Shakepay. It took multiple attempts on Newton to authenticate my info.
This process on both exchanges may have been updated or changed since I first created my account.
Which is better Newton or Shakepay?
Shakepay or Newton are both good and safe exchanges to buy your crypto in Canada.
Sign up to both. Choosing a crypto exchange is not an exclusive relationship. Trust neither of them and send your crypto to your own wallet.
Fees and spreads are always changing. It is best to be able to make your purchases at the best price when you are buying or selling Bitcoin, Ethereum or crypto.
It also gives me ease of mind being able to have more than one on and off ramp for buying and selling… you know… just in case.
But,
Shakepay is the WINNER in the 2021 Shakepay vs Newton review and comparison!
For ease of use, sign up bonus value and and the warm fuzzy feeling I get from earning bitcoin daily from shaking my phone for sats (satoshis). Read how to activate Shaking Sats Rewards on your phone.
HowToBuyBitcoin101.com is basic how to crypto guides, reviews and information for beginners to get started with cryptocurrency in Canada. NOT investment advice. Please do your own research. We like Bitcoin & crypto. [READ ABOUT]
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