Coinbase may charge a different fee for using different payment methods (e.g. bank account, debit card). When you use a debit card to purchase cryptocurrency, a fee may be charged. The exact fee will be disclosed at the time of the transaction on the trading preview screen.
Many users default to debit card payments without realizing the significant fee premium over bank account transfers, and the fee is not prominently disclosed until the final confirmation screen.
Every time you buy, sell, or convert cryptocurrency on Coinbase, you pay at least two layers of cost: a spread embedded in the displayed price plus an explicit Coinbase Fee, meaning the true cost is higher than the price shown before you preview the transaction. Debit card purchases incur significantly higher fees than bank account transactions, making payment method selection a material financial decision. You can reduce your fees by using a linked bank account instead of a debit card and by reviewing the full fee breakdown on the transaction preview screen before confirming.