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Amber.App Review

Last Updated: Jul 9, 2022  |  Published: Jun 21, 2022


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Today, we're reviewing Amber, a bitcoin-only exchange built for dollar-cost averaging. Being 100% focused on Bitcoin, Amber does not have any altcoins. They do, however, have many unique ways to stack Bitcoin which we'll get into.

We'll cover a wide range of topics like the fees, features, security, and more to help you decide if Amber is right for you. At RankFi, we've reviewed over 50 cryptocurrency exchanges so we know what to look for. Let's start.

Our Review 

Want just the summary? Here is my two cents:

If you want somewhere to set and forget your Bitcoin purchases and don't mind paying slightly higher fees than other apps, Amber is a great choice. 

Bitcoiners will love Amber if you want to dollar-cost average Bitcoin automatically. You can also set custom orders like "Buy the Dip," "Buy the Schiff," and more which you won’t find on other apps. The downsides are 0.99% trading fees and a $13/month subscription for premium features.

Where It Shines

  • Great U/X: Good design and easy to use
  • Made by Bitcoiners: Bitcoiners will love Amber's marketing and unique features
  • DCA: Simple and advanced features to Dollar Cost Average (DCA) on autopilot. Set up recurring purchases or advanced settings like "Buy The Dip" and "Buy the Schiff"
  • Unique Features: Amber offers the best DCA features among other things you won't find on other exchanges

Where It Falls Short

  • USD Withdrawals Not Available (You can withdraw Bitcoin though)
  • No Altcoins: Amber's goal is to focus on Bitcoin only with no distractions
  • Most Features Are Paid: Amber Black costs $10-$13 USD per month to get 0% trading fees and more
  • 0.99% Trading Fee: Amber Basic (free plan) is more expensive than the industry average

Overview

Coins Offered

1 (Bitcoin)

Trading Fee

Basic Plan: 0.99%

Black Plan: 0.00% (subscription is $10 or $13/month)

Funding Methods

ACH

USD Deposit Fees

0% up to 1.80%

USD Withdrawal Fees

Not supported yet

BTC Withdrawal Fee

0.0003 BTC (flat)

Notable Features

Easy-to-use

Buy Bitcoin on autopilot

"Buy the Schiff" and "Stack Like a Saylor" features

What Is Amber?

Amber is a bitcoin-only exchange that makes it easy to accumulate and dollar cost average (DCA) Bitcoin. Deposits and purchases can be fully automated allowing you to stack Bitcoin with as little as $5 a month.

You can buy Bitcoin at regular intervals (daily, weekly, monthly) or set up more sophisticated automations. For example, you can set up "Buy The Dip", "Fear and Greed," and even "Buy The Schiff." So whenever Peter Schiff makes a tweet about Bitcoin, it will automatically make a purchase. They also have "Stack Like A Saylor" and other fun features that serious Bitcoiners will get a kick out of.

The Amber app is also very easy and requires zero experience to use all these features.

Amber.App

About Amber

Amber is based in Brisbane, Australia and was founded in 2017. They are fully compliant and considered a safe company. Their mission is to "make Bitcoin simple for serious Bitcoiners."

The company is backed by various investors like Morgan Creek Capital and others. 

Some Stats:

  • Founded in 2017
  • 🇦🇺 Based in Brisbane, Australia
  • Available in USA and Australia
  • Backed by Morgan Creek Capital and other investors

User Interface

  • Web app

  • Mobile App

Platform & Features

Amber is a mobile-first app designed to make buying Bitcoin as easy as possible. The app is divided into two main categories: Amber Basic (free) and Amber Black ($10 - $13 USD per month) which we'll cover below.

Instant Buy/Sell

Amber's core feature is recurring purchases but you can always make instant buy/sell orders as well. Inside the app, investors can also see useful data like their return on investment, simple price insights, and estimated portfolio value.

Amber Basic

Amber Basic is the free version of the app. You can access the primary features like instant buy/sell, and automatic recurring purchases. The main drawback of the Basic plan are the fees. You will pay 0.99% trading fees and higher spreads than Amber Black. You also do not get access to the fun features like "Buy The Dip", "Buy the Schiff," and more.

Features in Basic:

  • Instant Buy/Sell
  • Automated recurring orders (daily/weekly/fortnightly/monthly)
  • 0.99% Trading Fees
  • "Standard Spreads"

Amber Black

Amber Black is their subscription service that gives users access to tighter spreads, zero trading fees, and more. The service costs $10/month if billed annually or $13/monthly (USD).

The subscription cuts the 0.99% trading fee down to 0%. So if you're investing over $1,000/month, the service will pay for itself. You also get more savings through "tighter spreads" however, there is no data or info on the difference in spreads. The subscription is pretty compelling if you'll be investing a lot. Here is a list of what you'll get:

Features in Amber Black:

  • Everything in Basic
  • 0% Trading Fees
  • Tighter spreads
  • 1 Free BTC withdrawal per month
  • Auto withdraw into cold storage or another wallet
  • Buy the Dip
  • Sell the Pump
  • "Buy the Schiff"
  • Custom Automations
  • Limit Orders
  • And other premium features

Recurring Purchases

Dollar-cost averaging (DCA) is a well-known investing strategy where you invest small amounts regularly, rather than tying to time the market. It's proven to be one of the most effective investing strategies over the long run.

Amber has various (free and paid) automations to help you set and forget your purchases. You can have money deposited from your bank account automatically through ACH, so no input is needed.

Automations:

  • Buy the Dip - Buy Bitcoin price dumps based on the settings you set
  • Buy the Schiff - Automatically buy BTC every time Peter Schiff tweets about #Bitcoin
  • Stack like a Saylor - Automatically buy BTC every time Michael Saylor tweets about #Bitcoin
  • Fear & Greed - Buy Bitcoin when the Fear & Greed Index is showing a lot of red
  • Mayer Multiple - See if Bitcoin is undervalued, fairly priced, or overpriced by comparing the current price with the 200-day moving average

Other Amber Features

Customer Support

Amber offers customer service via email and in-app messaging. You can reach them 5 days a week during "business hours". They boast fast response times, usually under 20 minutes. We have not tested their customer service so we cannot vouch for the quality or speed of their responses.

Opening An Account

Amber is a compliant exchange that requires KYC and AML verification. Simply put, you need to verify your identity to deposit, trade, and withdraw funds using Amber. The entire process is simple and takes just a few minutes to complete.

Requirements

Application Time

Under 10 minutes

KYC

Mandatory

Instant Verification

Yes

Who Is Eligible?

  • USA or Australia
  • 18 years old

Restricted States

  • Connecticut
  • Hawaii
  • New York
  • New Hampshire
  • Texas
  • Vermont
  • Virginia

Sign Up Requirements

  • Email address
  • Legal name
  • Date of birth
  • Phone number
  • Government-issued ID
  • US Bank Account
  • Social Security Number

Fees & Spread

Fee Type

Amount

Trading Fee

Amber Basic: 0.99%

Amber Black: 0.00%

Subscriptions

Amber Basic: Free

Amber Black: $10 or $13/month

USD Deposits

Free

USD Withdrawals

Not Supported

BTC Withdrawals

0.0003 BTC

Other Fees

Spreads

Deposit & Withdrawals

USD Deposit Methods

Type

Fee

Time

Limits

ACH

Free

2-5 Days

Min $20 - No Max Limit

USD Withdrawal Methods

Not Supported Yet.

Crypto Withdrawals

Coin

Fee

Minimum Withdrawal

Bitcoin

0.0003 BTC

?

Security

Company Security Features

  • Never been hacked (founded in 2017)
  • 100% of Bitcoin is stored in cold storage
  • Their custodian is Unchained Capital
  • Multi-signature storage
  • "Bank-level encryption" to protect your account and information
  • Mandatory KYC

User Security Features

  • 2 Factor Authentication
  • Pin for login
  • Bank account verification
  • 24-hours to cancel Bitcoin send requests (optional)

Is Amber Safe?

Amber is a safe and compliant crypto exchange that's never been hacked (founded in 2017). They hold 100% of Bitcoin in cold storage with their custodian, Unchained Capital. Users also have 2-factor authentication for added protection.

⚠️ Although this platform is safe, exchanges are prone to hacks. We strongly recommend storing and protecting your crypto on a hardware wallet or any wallet where you own the private keys.

The Bottom Line

Amber is one of the easiest apps to accumulate Bitcoin on autopilot. They offer various features for dollar-cost averaging as well as a great user interface. However, the downsides include 0.99% trading fees, or you must pay $13/month for access to all features.

Reasons To Use Amber:

  • Great U/X and easy to use
  • Several Dollar Cost Averaging features
  • Unique features to stack Bitcoin

Reasons Not To Use Amber:

  • Relatively high fees unless you buy the subscription
  • No altcoins available
  • Most features are a paid subscription
Amber.App

Get $10 worth of Bitcoin on your first purchase


Amber.App

Amber App

Get $10 worth of Bitcoin with your first purchase