Koinly vs Recap: Honest Comparison for Crypto Investors (2026)
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Tax Disclaimer: This article is for informational purposes only and does not constitute professional tax or financial advice. Tax laws vary by country and change frequently. Consult a qualified tax professional for advice specific to your situation.
Last verified: August 2026, using Koinly’s and Recap’s official pricing and feature pages.
For most crypto investors, Koinly vs Recap comes down to one question: are you primarily a UK investor, or do you file in multiple countries? Recap was built in the UK by crypto tax specialists and is the tool most recommended by UK accountants. Koinly covers 100+ countries with deeper jurisdiction-specific reporting but a different pricing model that can cost more over time for investors with long account histories.
I am Andreas Maratheftis, thirty years in professional finance, and this comparison gives you the honest verdict for each investor profile — no padding, no percentages.
Both platforms let you preview your tax position for free before paying anything: try Koinly free here.
Key Takeaways
- Recap is the stronger choice for UK investors — built in the UK, HMRC-specialist focus, endorsed by leading UK crypto accountants.
- Koinly is the stronger choice for international investors and anyone filing outside the UK — 100+ country reports, broader integrations.
- Recap uses an annual subscription covering all tax years. Koinly charges per tax year — investors with long histories may pay more over time with Koinly.
- Recap Basic ($119/year) covers up to 5,000 transactions. Koinly’s equivalent coverage costs $199/year (3,000 tx) — Recap is better value at mid-volume.
- Both platforms offer a free preview before purchase. Start with whichever covers your jurisdiction best and verify the figures before spending anything.
Koinly vs Recap: Quick Answer
UK investors: Recap. The platform was built by UK crypto tax specialists, applies HMRC’s Section 104 pooling and 30-day matching rules automatically, and is the tool most recommended by UK crypto accountants. International investors or anyone filing in multiple countries: Koinly. It covers 100+ jurisdictions with dedicated country reports and a broader integration base. The pricing models differ significantly — understand both before deciding.
Koinly vs Recap: Head-to-Head Overview
| Feature | Koinly | Recap |
|---|---|---|
| Entry price | $49/year (100 tx, per tax year) | $119/year (5,000 tx, all years covered) |
| Mid-tier | $199/year (3,000 tx, per tax year) | $119/year Basic covers most investors |
| High volume | $279/year (10,000+ tx, per tax year) | $219/year Pro — unlimited transactions |
| Transaction model | Per tax year — resets annually | Annual subscription — all years covered |
| Free plan | Full preview, tax optimizer included | Free preview — reports require paid subscription |
| UK HMRC reports | Strong — Section 104, 30-day matching | Strongest — built specifically for HMRC |
| International coverage | 100+ countries with dedicated reports | US and UK strongest — other countries limited |
| DeFi and staking | Strong — 7,000+ protocols | Supported on all plans |
| Accountant sharing | Available on paid plans | Included on all plans |
| CSV export | Available on paid plans | Pro plan only |
| Trustpilot score | 4.6 / 5 (2,000+ reviews) | 5.0 / 5 (around 120 reviews) |
| Money-back guarantee | Check current policy at koinly.io | 30-day money-back guarantee |
| Security | SOC 2, ISO 27001 | Cyber Essentials Plus certified |
| Best for | International investors, multi-country filers | UK investors, HMRC filers, UK accountants |
Koinly vs Recap: Pricing — The Model Difference That Matters Most
The headline prices look similar until you understand that they represent fundamentally different billing models. This is the most important thing to grasp before making any decision.
Koinly: Per Tax Year
Koinly charges per tax year. If you want reports for 2023, 2024, and 2025, you pay for three separate plans — one for each year. The per-year plans are: Newbie $49 (100 transactions), Hodler $99 (1,000 transactions), Trader $199 (3,000 transactions), Pro $279 (10,000+ transactions). Each plan covers that specific year’s transaction volume.
Koinly also applies an account-wide limit across all years — your plan must cover both the current year’s transactions and your cumulative total. An investor with 3 years of moderate history may find themselves needing a larger plan than their current-year activity alone suggests. For the full explanation see our Koinly transaction limit guide.
Recap: Annual Subscription Covering All Years
Recap charges a single annual subscription that covers all historic and current year reports. Pay $119/year (Basic, up to 5,000 transactions) or $219/year (Pro, unlimited transactions) and you can generate reports for any tax year in your account history — not just the current one.
For an investor with 5 years of transaction history who wants reports for every year, Recap’s subscription model is significantly cheaper than paying Koinly for each year separately. For an investor who only needs the current year, Koinly’s entry price ($49) is lower than Recap’s Basic ($119).
Which Pricing Model Suits You
| Your situation | Better model | Reason |
|---|---|---|
| First-year investor, under 100 transactions | Koinly | $49 entry price beats Recap’s $119 minimum |
| Multi-year history, want all years covered | Recap | Single subscription covers all years vs multiple Koinly purchases |
| 3,001–5,000 transactions in one year | Recap Basic | $119 covers 5,000 tx vs Koinly’s $199 covers only 3,000 |
| Very high volume — unlimited transactions needed | Recap Pro at $219 | Koinly Pro is $279 and per-year only |
| Only need current year, under 1,000 transactions | Koinly Hodler | $99 is cheaper than Recap’s $119 minimum |
Always verify current pricing at koinly.io/pricing and recap.io/pricing — figures may be updated.
Koinly vs Recap: UK Tax Reporting
For UK investors this is the decisive category. Both platforms apply HMRC’s required tax rules — Section 104 share pooling, same-day matching, and 30-day bed-and-breakfasting — but the depth and specialist focus differs significantly.
Recap was built in the UK by a team of crypto tax specialists and is widely recommended by UK crypto accountants. Its pricing page features testimonials from practitioners at Wright Vigar, Cryptax UK, and Andersen’s crypto team — all UK specialist firms.
One testimonial from Louise Lane of Wright Vigar describes it as the only crypto tax software she recommends to clients. These are individual practitioner views and not independent assessments, but the pattern of UK accountant endorsement is consistent across public reviews.
Koinly also applies UK tax rules correctly when home country is set to United Kingdom — Section 104 pooling, 30-day matching, and HMRC Capital Gains Summary reports are all generated. The platform serves UK investors effectively and has a significantly larger global user base than Recap.
However, Koinly was not built specifically for the UK market, and UK investors with complex situations — trusts, company holdings, or edge-case DeFi treatment under HMRC — may find Recap’s specialist depth and access to UK practitioner knowledge more valuable. For a full UK filing workflow with Koinly, see our Koinly for UK taxes guide.
Koinly vs Recap: International Coverage
Koinly wins this category clearly. It generates dedicated jurisdiction-specific tax reports for 100+ countries — including the UK, Australia, Germany, Canada, the US, and dozens of others — with country-specific cost basis methods, filing formats, and report types built in. This is Koinly’s primary global competitive advantage.
Recap has expanded to the US market and supports Form 8949 and Schedule D for US investors. UK coverage is its strongest market by a significant margin. For investors filing in Germany, Australia, Canada, or any jurisdiction beyond the UK and US, Koinly’s dedicated country reports are the stronger option. Recap is building international coverage but Koinly has a multi-year head start in non-English-speaking markets.
Koinly vs Recap: DeFi and Integrations
Koinly supports over 7,000 DeFi protocols with automated categorisation across Ethereum, Solana, Binance Smart Chain, Polygon, Avalanche, and most other EVM chains. DeFi support is available from the free plan. For the common labelling issues that arise with DeFi activity, see our Koinly DeFi transactions guide.
Recap supports DeFi, mining, and staking across all plans. Its integrations include major exchanges — Coinbase, Kraken, Binance — and common EVM wallets. Both platforms handle the standard DeFi activity that most investors encounter. For highly complex or unusual DeFi protocols, Koinly’s broader protocol coverage gives it an edge in automated categorisation.
Koinly vs Recap: Which Is Better for Most Investors?
For most investors outside the UK: Koinly. The international coverage, the free plan’s depth, and the per-year pricing that works well for investors who only need occasional reports all favour Koinly for non-UK filers.
For most UK investors: Recap. The HMRC-specialist build, the accountant ecosystem, and the subscription model that covers all historic years without per-year repurchasing make it the more practical choice for UK investors with any meaningful transaction history.
| Investor profile | Better choice | Key reason |
|---|---|---|
| UK investor with 2+ years of history | Recap | Subscription covers all years, HMRC specialist |
| UK investor, first year only | Either — compare total cost | Koinly cheaper at entry; Recap stronger HMRC depth |
| Australian, German, Canadian investor | Koinly | Dedicated country reports — Recap limited outside UK/US |
| US investor | Koinly | Deeper 1099-DA support and longer US market presence |
| Multi-country investor | Koinly | Only platform with dedicated 100+ country reports |
| High-volume trader (5,000+ tx/year) | Recap Pro at $219 | Unlimited transactions vs Koinly’s per-year cap |
| Investor using a UK crypto accountant | Recap | Accountant sharing built in; preferred by UK specialist firms |
How I Would Choose Between Koinly and Recap
After thirty years in finance and reviewing both platforms carefully, here is how I would make this decision depending on situation.
If I were a UK investor with more than one year of history: Recap. The subscription model covering all years, the HMRC-specialist build, and the accountant ecosystem make it the more practical long-term choice. The higher entry price ($119 vs Koinly’s $49) is offset quickly once you need reports for multiple years.
If I were a first-year UK investor with under 100 transactions: I would compare the total cost and UK feature depth side by side. Koinly is cheaper at entry. Recap is more specialist for HMRC. Either works.
If I filed in Australia, Germany, Canada, or any country beyond the UK and US: Koinly, without hesitation. Recap’s international coverage outside these two markets is limited compared to Koinly’s 100+ country reports.
If I had over 5,000 transactions and needed unlimited coverage: Recap Pro at $219 covers unlimited transactions for one annual fee. Koinly’s equivalent would be the Pro plan at $279 per year — and that resets annually.
If I used a UK crypto accountant: Ask them which platform they prefer. Recap has a dedicated accountant sharing feature and a strong UK practitioner base. If your accountant already uses Recap, the workflow benefit alone justifies the choice.
What To Do Next
If you are a UK investor: go to recap.io, create a free account, connect your exchanges and wallets, and review your capital gains preview before subscribing. If the figures look correct and your accountant uses Recap, the subscription is likely the right choice.
If you file outside the UK, or in multiple countries: start with Koinly’s free plan. Connect your wallets, check your transaction count against the pricing tiers, and confirm your capital gains preview before purchasing. For plan costs in detail, see our Koinly pricing guide. For a full Koinly platform overview, see our Koinly review.
Start with Koinly free here — no credit card required. Check your gains preview before committing to any plan.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Koinly or Recap better for UK crypto taxes?
Recap is the stronger choice for UK investors. It was built in the UK by crypto tax specialists, applies HMRC’s Section 104 pooling and 30-day matching rules, and is the platform most recommended by UK crypto accountants. Koinly also applies UK tax rules correctly and serves UK investors well — but Recap’s specialist depth and UK accountant ecosystem give it an edge specifically for HMRC filing.
How does Recap’s pricing compare to Koinly?
Recap charges an annual subscription — $119/year (Basic, up to 5,000 transactions) or $219/year (Pro, unlimited) — covering all historic and current year reports. Koinly charges per tax year — $49 to $279 depending on transaction volume — and each plan covers only that specific year.
For investors with multiple years of history who want reports for all of them, Recap’s model is typically cheaper. For investors who only need the current year and have under 1,000 transactions, Koinly can be cheaper at entry level. Always verify current pricing at each platform’s official site.
Does Recap work for US crypto taxes?
Yes. Recap has a US product at recap.io/en-US and supports Form 8949 and Schedule D for US investors, along with per-wallet cost basis tracking under Rev. Proc. 2024-28. However, Koinly has a longer US market presence and deeper Form 1099-DA reconciliation support built in. For most US investors, Koinly is currently the stronger choice — but Recap is a credible option for US investors who also have UK tax obligations.
Which has better DeFi support — Koinly or Recap?
Both support DeFi, mining, and staking. Koinly covers over 7,000 DeFi protocols with automated categorisation across a wider range of chains, available from the free plan. Recap supports DeFi across all plans with coverage of major protocols and EVM wallets. For investors with complex or unusual DeFi activity across many chains, Koinly’s broader automated protocol coverage typically reduces the amount of manual labelling needed.
Can I switch from Koinly to Recap or vice versa?
Yes. Both platforms import from your original exchange and wallet sources directly — you reconnect your accounts rather than migrating data between tools. If you have many years of history, rebuilding your import history on a new platform takes time but is straightforward. Most investors who switch do so at the start of a new tax year to keep their reports consistent within each platform.
Does Recap cover countries other than the UK?
Recap’s primary focus is the UK and, more recently, the US. Coverage for other countries — Australia, Germany, Canada, and other jurisdictions — is more limited compared to Koinly, which has dedicated tax reports for 100+ countries. For non-UK and non-US investors, Koinly is the stronger choice for jurisdiction-specific filing support.
The Bottom Line: Koinly vs Recap
If I had to summarise the Koinly vs Recap choice in one sentence: choose Recap if you are a UK investor with any meaningful transaction history, and choose Koinly if you file outside the UK or across multiple jurisdictions.
Both are credible, well-built platforms. The decision is almost entirely driven by jurisdiction and pricing model — not by one platform being objectively better than the other. A UK investor with 3 years of history gets more value from Recap’s subscription model and HMRC-specialist depth. An investor filing in Germany, Australia, Canada, or across multiple countries gets more from Koinly’s international reach.
Start with the free plan on whichever platform suits your jurisdiction. Verify the figures before spending anything. Ready? Try Koinly free here — no credit card required.
Related reading:
- Koinly Review: Is It the Best Crypto Tax Software in 2026?
- Koinly for UK Taxes: Complete HMRC Crypto Tax Guide (2026)
- Koinly vs ZenLedger: Honest Comparison for Crypto Investors (2026)
- Koinly vs CoinLedger: Honest Comparison (2026)
- Koinly Pricing: Plans, Limits & Which One You Actually Need
