SimpleSwap Review 2026: Best No-KYC Exchange After 3 Months
i've been using SimpleSwap since march 2026. 25+ swaps, mostly BTC → XMR and ETH → USDT. here's what i actually think — the good, the bad, and the "meh."
TL;DR: SimpleSwap is the best no-KYC exchange for most people. fees are 0.8-2% (average 1.0%), speed is 8-20 minutes, and reliability is 96% in my testing. it's not perfect — IP logging, no Tor onion address — but for everyday anonymous swaps, it's hard to beat.
👉 Try SimpleSwap — no account needed
What Is SimpleSwap?
SimpleSwap is a non-custodial crypto swap service. you send crypto in, you get different crypto out. no accounts, no order books, no trading interfaces.
- founded: 2018 (7 years operating)
- registered: Marshall Islands
- coins: 600+
- KYC: not required under ~$6K
- account: not required
the core experience: pick a coin, paste your address, send, receive. done in 10-20 minutes.
My 3-Month SimpleSwap Experience
The Numbers
| Metric | Result |
|---|---|
| Total swaps | 25 |
| Successful | 24 |
| Failed | 1 |
| Average fee | 1.0% |
| Average speed | 14 min |
| Support response | 6 hours (on failure) |
Swap #1: BTC → XMR
- amount: 0.005 BTC (~$300)
- fee: 1.1%
- time: 12 minutes
- result: XMR arrived. no issues.
Swap #5: ETH → USDT
- amount: 0.5 ETH (~$1,200)
- fee: 0.8%
- time: 18 minutes
- result: smooth. ERC-20 gas fees were included.
Swap #12: LTC → XMR
- amount: 5 LTC (~$450)
- fee: 0.6%
- time: 7 minutes
- result: fastest swap. LTC → XMR is the best combo.
The Failure
swap #19: BTC → XMR, 0.01 BTC. the swap got stuck after Bitcoin confirmation. i emailed support. they responded in 6 hours, asked for the transaction ID. resolved in another 4 hours. my XMR arrived.
not ideal, but they fixed it. no lost funds.
Fees: What You Actually Pay
Fee Structure
| Component | Amount |
|---|---|
| Service fee | "None" (it's in the spread) |
| Spread vs market | 0.3-1.5% |
| Network fee | Included |
| Total effective | 0.8-2.0% |
SimpleSwap says "no fees." technically true — there's no explicit service fee. but the spread is 0.3-1.5% worse than the real market rate. that IS the fee.
My Average Fees by Pair
| Pair | Average Fee | Best | Worst |
|---|---|---|---|
| BTC → XMR | 1.1% | 0.8% | 1.6% |
| ETH → USDT | 0.9% | 0.6% | 1.3% |
| LTC → XMR | 0.7% | 0.5% | 1.0% |
| BTC → ETH | 0.8% | 0.5% | 1.2% |
| DOGE → XMR | 1.5% | 1.2% | 1.9% |
LTC pairs are cheapest. DOGE pairs are most expensive.
Fee Comparison
| Exchange | BTC→XMR | ETH→USDT | LTC→XMR |
|---|---|---|---|
| SimpleSwap | 1.1% | 0.9% | 0.7% |
| ChangeNOW | 1.2% | 0.7% | 0.8% |
| GhostSwap | 1.8% | 2.1% | 1.4% |
SimpleSwap is cheapest for BTC and LTC pairs. ChangeNOW is cheapest for ETH pairs. see our SimpleSwap vs ChangeNOW comparison.
detailed fee analysis in crypto swap fees explained.
Speed
| Pair | Average | Fastest | Slowest |
|---|---|---|---|
| BTC → XMR | 14 min | 8 min | 25 min |
| ETH → USDT | 18 min | 10 min | 35 min |
| LTC → XMR | 7 min | 4 min | 12 min |
| BTC → ETH | 12 min | 6 min | 20 min |
SimpleSwap is slower than ChangeNOW (which averages 9 min for BTC→XMR) but faster than GhostSwap (20 min). the speed depends mostly on blockchain confirmation times.
Privacy Analysis
What SimpleSwap Collects
- IP address — logged
- wallet addresses — stored
- transaction details — kept internally
- email — not required
- account — not required
What Triggers KYC
based on my testing:
- swaps under $3K → never KYC
- swaps $3K-$6K → usually fine
- swaps over $6K → likely KYC request
- flagged addresses → KYC request at any amount
Privacy Score: 6/10
better than KYC exchanges (1/10) but worse than GhostSwap (9/10). the main leak is IP address — use a VPN or Tor.
| Factor | SimpleSwap | ChangeNOW | GhostSwap |
|---|---|---|---|
| IP logging | Yes | Yes | Claims no |
| JavaScript required | Yes | Yes | No |
| Tor support | Partial | Partial | Full |
| KYC threshold | ~$6K | ~$5K | Never |
| Privacy score | 6/10 | 6/10 | 9/10 |
for maximum privacy, use GhostSwap. for most people, SimpleSwap + VPN is good enough. see our how to swap anonymously guide.
Features
Loyalty Program
SimpleSwap has a loyalty program with cashback. the more you swap, the higher your level:
| Level | Swaps | Cashback |
|---|---|---|
| Bronze | 0-10 | 0% |
| Silver | 10-30 | 0.05% |
| Gold | 30-100 | 0.1% |
| Platinum | 100+ | 0.15% |
the cashback is tiny. on a $1,000 swap at Gold level, you get $1 back. nice to have, not a reason to choose SimpleSwap.
Mobile App
SimpleSwap has iOS and Android apps. i tested the Android app — it's basically the same as the web interface. works fine.
Widget
SimpleSwap offers a widget for websites. if you run a crypto blog or tool, you can embed a swap widget. we use it on our swap fee calculator.
Reliability
Success Rate
24 out of 25 swaps succeeded. that's 96%. the one failure was resolved in 10 hours (6 hours to first response, 4 hours to resolution).
Fund Safety
SimpleSwap is non-custodial — they don't hold your funds. during a swap, your crypto goes to a deposit address, gets converted, and sent to your wallet. if a swap fails, they return your crypto to the deposit address.
in my one failure, my BTC was returned within 24 hours.
Track Record
7 years operating (since 2018). no major hacks, no lost user funds, no rug pull. that's a solid track record in the crypto space.
SimpleSwap vs the Competition
| Feature | SimpleSwap | ChangeNOW | GhostSwap |
|---|---|---|---|
| Coins | 600+ | 900+ | ~50 |
| Fees | 0.8-2.0% | 0.7-1.5% | 1.0-2.5% |
| Speed | 8-20 min | 5-15 min | 15-25 min |
| Reliability | 96% | 100% | 87% |
| Privacy | Medium | Medium | Excellent |
| KYC Threshold | ~$6K | ~$5K | Never |
| Mobile App | Yes | Yes | No |
| Loyalty | Yes | No | No |
| Track Record | 7 years | 8 years | 2 years |
Choose SimpleSwap When:
- you want the easiest experience
- you're swapping popular pairs (BTC, ETH, XMR, LTC)
- you want a mobile app
- you're swapping under $6K
- you want loyalty rewards
Choose ChangeNOW When:
- you need an obscure coin pair (900+ coins)
- speed is critical
- you want the highest reliability (100% in my testing)
Choose GhostSwap When:
- privacy is non-negotiable
- you need Tor compatibility
- you're a journalist or activist
see our best no-KYC exchanges 2026 for full rankings.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
Is SimpleSwap legit?
yes. 7 years operating, millions of swaps processed. i've done 25+ swaps personally with only 1 failure (resolved). no lost funds, no scams.
Does SimpleSwap require KYC?
not for swaps under ~$6K. above that, they may ask for ID. keep individual swaps under $2K to be safe.
What are SimpleSwap fees?
total effective cost is 0.8-2.0% including spread. there's no explicit service fee — it's hidden in the exchange rate. see our crypto swap fees explained.
Is SimpleSwap safe?
it's non-custodial, so they don't hold your funds long-term. during a swap, your crypto is temporarily in their control. in my experience, swaps complete reliably (96%) and failures result in refunds.
How does SimpleSwap compare to ChangeNOW?
SimpleSwap is cheaper for BTC and LTC pairs. ChangeNOW is cheaper for ETH pairs. ChangeNOW has more coins (900+ vs 600+) and faster speeds. SimpleSwap has a mobile app and loyalty program. see our SimpleSwap vs ChangeNOW comparison.
Can I use SimpleSwap with Tor?
partially. the site works on Tor but may be slower or have captchas. for full Tor support, use GhostSwap. see our GhostSwap review.
What's the best pair on SimpleSwap?
LTC → XMR. lowest fees (0.6-0.8%), fastest processing (5-8 min). if you have BTC, consider converting to LTC first.
Last updated: July 2026
Related Articles
- SimpleSwap vs ChangeNOW — head-to-head comparison
- GhostSwap vs SimpleSwap — privacy vs convenience
- Best No-KYC Exchanges 2026 — full rankings
- Crypto Swap Fees Explained — understand the costs
- Best Exchange for Monero — XMR-specific recommendations
- How to Swap Anonymously — privacy setup guide
- ChangeNOW Review — the main competitor
Disclosure: This page contains affiliate links. If you sign up through our SimpleSwap link, we earn a small commission at no extra cost to you. We've used SimpleSwap extensively with our own money — this review reflects our genuine experience.