CoinTracking Review: Is This the Most Complete Crypto Tax and Portfolio Tracker?

• What it is: CoinTracking is a long-standing crypto tax calculator and portfolio tracking platform that consolidates all your transactions from hundreds of exchanges, wallets, and blockchains into one dashboard, then generates country-specific tax reports.
• Core value: It combines automatic imports from 300+ exchanges and wallets, 25+ reports on gains, losses, and performance, tax reports for multiple jurisdictions, and support for DeFi, NFTs, and staking so you can stop wrestling with spreadsheets.
• Workflow focus: CoinTracking is built around the loop: import → clean and classify → analyze → generate tax report → export or send to your accountant. It does not file taxes for you; it prepares compliant reports you or your tax pro can use.
• Who it is for: Anyone who trades more than a handful of times per year, uses multiple exchanges, or dabbles in DeFi, NFTs, and staking, and wants clear, auditable records in case the tax office ever asks questions.
• Who it is not for: People who only buy and hold a single coin on one exchange, or those who prefer to manually track everything in a simple spreadsheet and have very few transactions.
• Pricing: There is a free tier for smaller portfolios and several paid plans that unlock more transactions, automatic sync (API), advanced tax options, backups, and premium support. Higher tiers are aimed at heavy traders, power users, and professionals.
• Biggest strengths: Deep historical coverage, support for 300+ exchanges and wallets, flexible tax methods (FIFO, LIFO, etc.), detailed reports, and a robust reputation as one of the earliest crypto tax tools.
• Main drawbacks: Interface can feel overwhelming at first, there is a learning curve around classifying special transactions, and the most useful features for active or DeFi-heavy users live behind paid tiers.

1) What is CoinTracking and where does it fit in your stack?

CoinTracking is a crypto portfolio and tax reporting platform that consolidates everything you do in crypto into a single, structured record. It does not replace your exchange, wallet, or tax authority portal. Instead, it sits in the middle as a:

• Transaction hub that imports trades, deposits, withdrawals, and income from hundreds of exchanges, wallets, and blockchains.
• Portfolio tracker that shows your overall holdings, performance, and risk across all platforms.
• Tax calculator that applies the correct cost basis method and tax logic to compute capital gains, income, and losses.
• Report generator that outputs tax reports and summaries you or your accountant can use when filing returns.
• Record archive that stores your historical data and gives you an audit-ready trail of every transaction.

You still buy and sell on your exchange of choice (Binance, Coinbase, Kraken, KuCoin, Bybit, etc.), and you still hold coins in wallets and DeFi protocols. CoinTracking helps you see all of that in one place and translate it into numbers the tax office understands.

2) CoinTracking core features at a glance

CoinTracking is a big platform. Before diving into specifics, here is a quick map of what it offers and who benefits from each part.

3) Imports, exchange integrations, and data quality

The import engine is the heart of CoinTracking. If it cannot see your trades, it cannot calculate accurate taxes. This is where the platform is especially strong.

• Supports 300+ exchanges and wallets with templates and guides.
• Imports via API (read-only), CSV files, and sometimes public blockchain addresses.
• Covers spot trades, margin trades, deposits, withdrawals, airdrops, and many staking rewards.
• Lets you correct, delete, or manually add transactions when something is missing or misclassified.

3.1 API imports (automatic sync)

API imports allow CoinTracking to pull your trades automatically from major platforms like Binance, Coinbase, Kraken, KuCoin, and others. You generate read-only API keys on your exchange, paste them into CoinTracking, and it retrieves the history periodically.

Benefits:

• Time-saving: No manual CSV exports whenever you trade.
• Fewer errors: Reduces the chance of missing or duplicated trades.
• Ongoing sync: Keeps your portfolio and tax data nearly up to date throughout the year.

3.2 CSV imports and manual entries

For platforms without API support, CoinTracking offers CSV import templates and step-by-step guides. You export trade history from your exchange, upload it, and map the columns. This is particularly useful for:

• Older exchanges you no longer use.
• Closed platforms or discontinued products.
• Historic data where APIs are incomplete.

You can also add individual transactions by hand. That is handy for ICO purchases, peer-to-peer deals, or one-off events where no automated history exists.

4) Portfolio tracking, dashboards, and analytics

Even outside tax season, CoinTracking functions as a full portfolio tracker. Once your imports are set up, the dashboard shows:

• Your total portfolio value in your preferred fiat currency.
• Holdings broken down by coin, exchange, or wallet.
• Unrealized gains and losses per asset and in total.
• Historical balance charts over time.
• Distribution across sectors or categories, depending on how you tag assets.

For many users, this replaces ad-hoc spreadsheets and messy screenshots of multiple exchange dashboards.

4.1 Real-time overview and long-term history

Because CoinTracking stores all historic prices and trades, you can slice your portfolio in ways that pure exchange dashboards cannot. For example:

• See how your holdings changed across bull and bear cycles.
• Identify which coins contributed most to your gains or losses.
• Spot overconcentration in a single asset or exchange.

4.2 Using reports to understand your behavior

The platform’s 25+ analytical reports help you move beyond “line goes up or down” and actually understand how you trade:

• Trade statistics: how many trades, average holding period, win/loss ratios.
• Realized and unrealized gains: what you have locked in vs what is still at risk.
• Income reports: staking, interest, mining, referral rewards if properly tagged.
• Asset allocation: how much is in Bitcoin, Ethereum, stablecoins, altcoins, etc.

[HOW TO USE COINTRACKING PORTFOLIO DATA]
• Stop relying only on exchange apps for your “net worth”.
• Use CoinTracking to see the full picture across all wallets and chains.
• Check allocation and risk at least monthly.
• Review which coins or strategies actually drive your performance.
    

5) Tax engine and country-specific reports

CoinTracking’s tax engine is the reason most people sign up. Once it has your clean transaction history, it can:

• Calculate capital gains and losses from trades, swaps, and some DeFi actions.
• Classify income from staking, interest, mining, airdrops, and referrals.
• Recognize tax-free transfers between your own wallets and exchanges.
• Generate tax reports tailored to multiple jurisdictions (such as IRS in the United States, HMRC in the UK, BMF in Germany, and more).

Reports can usually be exported as PDFs, CSV files, or forms that you or your accountant use when filing returns.

5.1 Handling different types of transactions

Crypto taxes are not just about “bought and sold”. CoinTracking allows you to label transactions as:

• Trade: exchanging one coin for another or for fiat.
• Deposit / withdrawal: moving funds in or out of an exchange or wallet.
• Income: staking rewards, interest, mining, airdrops, salary paid in crypto.
• Gift or donation: depending on your country’s rules.
• Fee: gas fees, trading commissions, and withdrawal fees.

Getting these labels right is essential because they change how the tax engine treats each line item.

5.2 Export formats and collaboration with tax pros

Once your data is reconciled, you can generate:

• Capital gains reports summarizing every taxable disposal by date, amount, and gain or loss.
• Income reports detailing rewards and other taxable inflows.
• Loss carryover summaries in jurisdictions where losses can be carried forward.
• Supporting CSVs that your tax software or accountant can import or review.

6) Tax methods, compliance, and audit readiness

One of CoinTracking’s biggest strengths is support for multiple cost basis and accounting methods, such as:

• FIFO (First in, first out)
• LIFO (Last in, first out)
• HIFO (Highest in, first out) in some jurisdictions
• Average cost methods where allowed
• Special features for wash sale rules or country-specific adjustments

You can usually choose your method per tax report, in line with what your jurisdiction permits.

6.1 Preparing for audits and questions

Many users care about CoinTracking not just for annual reports but for peace of mind if tax authorities ever ask for details. Because the system:

• Keeps copies of your original import files (on some plans).
• Maintains a transaction-by-transaction history of every trade.
• Lets you annotate and classify unusual items.
• Can regenerate reports using your saved configuration.

it becomes much easier to show how you arrived at your numbers than if you had built everything in a spreadsheet from scratch.

7) DeFi, NFTs, and advanced activities

DeFi and NFTs are where crypto tax tools are stress-tested. CoinTracking has been expanding support for:

• Staking rewards from popular chains and platforms.
• Yield farming and liquidity provision on supported protocols.
• NFT trades on major marketplaces on select chains.
• Complex flows like wrapping, bridging, and token migrations, which often require careful classification.

Reality check: no tool handles every DeFi edge case perfectly. You should still expect some manual cleanup in:

• Brand new protocols and chains.
• Experimental yield strategies with multiple contract interactions.
• Cross-chain bridges that break simple in/out patterns.

8) Pricing, plans, and how to think about value

CoinTracking is a freemium subscription product. Exact prices can change, but the structure generally looks like:

• A Free plan with limited transaction counts and basic portfolio tracking suitable for testing the interface or very small portfolios.
• Starter and Pro plans that raise transaction limits, unlock tax reports, and enable more imports and backups.
• Expert and Unlimited plans aimed at high-volume traders, professionals, and firms, with:
  • Higher or unlimited transaction limits.
  • Multiple backups of your data.
  • Full tax options and advanced tools.
  • Priority support and access to expert sessions.

Instead of fixating only on the monthly or yearly price, ask:

• How many hours of manual work does this realistically replace?
• Can it help me avoid penalties or interest by filing correctly and on time?
• Does it make me comfortable enough to stay compliant as my crypto activity grows?
• Could I reclaim that subscription cost in one saved mistake or an avoided audit headache?

9) Suggested workflow for tax season with CoinTracking

Knowing what the tool can do is one thing; using it in a repeatable workflow is another. Here is a simple pattern to follow around tax season.

In practice, you can make this even smoother by:

• Keeping APIs connected all year so imports are continuous.
• Reviewing new DeFi or NFT activity monthly and assigning correct labels.
• Flagging any “problem transactions” for your accountant early, not the night before filing.

10) Pros and cons vs other crypto tax tools

CoinTracking operates in a crowded space alongside newer, more minimalist crypto tax apps. Here is how it tends to position itself.

10.1 Major strengths

• Depth and history: One of the oldest crypto tax platforms, with years of iteration and support for many legacy exchanges.
• Wide integration coverage: 300+ exchanges and wallets, plus DeFi and NFT support on paid plans.
• Powerful reports: 25+ portfolio and tax-related reports, not just a single “tax summary” screen.
• Advanced options: Multiple cost basis methods and country-specific tweaks for serious compliance.
• Scalability: Transaction limits and tools suitable for both casual users and heavy traders.

10.2 Key trade-offs and limitations

• Interface complexity: New users can feel overwhelmed by the number of menus, options, and reports, especially if they expect a “one-click magic” app.
• Learning curve: You need to invest time to understand how to classify transactions correctly and how your local tax rules apply.
• Paid features: The most powerful functions (large transaction limits, automatic sync, DeFi, backups, priority support) are on higher tiers.
• DeFi edge cases: Like any platform, there will be exotic protocols and contracts that require manual adjustment.

11) Step-by-step: getting started with CoinTracking

Here is a straightforward way to set up CoinTracking and get value within your first week.

1. Create an account and explore the main sections.
   Sign up via the official site using our partner link, then click through: Enter Coins, Reporting, Tax Report, Settings, and Imports.
2. List all the exchanges and wallets you use.
   On a piece of paper or note, write down every place you have ever traded or stored crypto. Include discontinued platforms and old wallets.
3. Connect the biggest exchanges first.
   Use APIs or CSV files to import from the exchanges where you did most of your trading (for example, Binance, Coinbase, or Kraken). Confirm that trade counts match your expectations.
4. Add wallets and DeFi activity.
   Import from on-chain wallets or upload CSV exports from DeFi dashboards where available. For unsupported protocols, create manual entries to capture major events.
5. Clean and classify special transactions.
   Go through any warnings or unknown transactions. Label transfers between your wallets correctly so they are not taxed as disposals. Mark staking rewards, airdrops, and interest as income.
6. Generate a draft tax report for last year.
   Even if you have already filed, generate a report as a test. Compare the numbers to what you reported or expected. Note any gaps or surprises.
7. Set a recurring review schedule.
   Decide when you will review imports (for example, once a month) and stick to it. This keeps your data fresh instead of piling up unresolved issues.
8. Upgrade or stay free based on your needs.
   Once you see how many transactions you have and how much CoinTracking helps, choose a plan that fits. Many users start free, then upgrade as their activity grows.

12) Risk management, privacy, and best practices

A tax and portfolio tool touches sensitive data. While CoinTracking uses industry-standard security practices and offers read-only API keys, you still need to manage your own operational security.

• Use read-only API keys: never grant withdrawal permissions to any tax or portfolio tool.
• Enable two-factor authentication on your CoinTracking account and the email linked to it.
• Keep backups of your CSV exports and critical tax reports in secure storage.
• Limit shared access: if you invite an accountant, use formal access options instead of sharing your personal login.
• Review privacy policies: understand what data CoinTracking stores and how it is handled in your jurisdiction.

[RISK PLAYBOOK FOR COINTRACKING]
1. Treat API keys like keys to your house — even read-only ones.
2. Keep a copy of your raw exchange exports in a secure archive.
3. Do not blindly trust default labels; check unusual transactions.
4. When in doubt on tax treatment, flag items and speak to a professional.
    

13) FAQ: common questions about CoinTracking

14) Verdict: Should CoinTracking be in your toolkit?

CoinTracking is a serious tool for people who take crypto seriously. Its real strength lies not in a single magic feature, but in the way it ties together:

• Imports that collect years of scattered exchange history into one ledger.
• Portfolio views that show you your real exposure and performance.
• Tax engines and reports that translate crypto chaos into compliant numbers.
• Advanced options that support different tax methods and countries.
• A structure that rewards users who keep their data clean over time.

Used that way, CoinTracking stops being “just another app” and becomes the backbone of your crypto record-keeping.

15) Official resources and further reading

Before committing to any tax tool, you should combine reviews like this with your own tests and the platform’s official material. For CoinTracking, useful starting points include:

• The official CoinTracking homepage and portfolio tracker overview.
• The import section listing supported exchanges, wallets, and blockchains.
• The tax report documentation explaining country-specific options and cost basis methods.
• Independent reviews and community discussions comparing CoinTracking with other crypto tax tools.
• Blog posts and guides on topics like DeFi tax treatment, NFT taxes, and loss harvesting in your jurisdiction.

Combine those resources with a small but realistic test: import your last year of transactions on a free or paid plan, generate trial reports, and ask yourself the one question that matters: does this tool make my crypto life simpler and more compliant?