River vs Swan: the two Bitcoin-only DCA services compared

Both are Bitcoin-only and built for recurring buys. River's recurring-buy fee drops to 0% after its qualifying period; verify Swan's current pricing before ordering.
BY PRIYA RAMANUPDATED JUL 20266 MIN READ

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Contains affiliate links. Sponsorship does not determine our ratings.

River★★★★★
BEST FOR $0 RECURRING BUYS
0% recurring-buy fee after the qualifying period, US-based, and Bitcoin-only.
Visit River →
Swan★★★★
BEST FOR IRA-LINKED DCA
~0.99% flat fee, also runs a Bitcoin IRA product, popular for its education-first approach.
View Swan IRA →

Side by side

RIVERSWAN
Recurring buy fee0% after qualifyingVerify current fee
One-time buy fee~1%~1.5–2%
Bitcoin-onlyYesYes
IRA productNoYes
Self-custody withdrawalOne free on-chain/moVerify current fee
Minimum buy$1$10
River terms verified AUG 27, 2026 from its official fee schedule; confirm both services before ordering. BTC LIVE

Category winners

Cheapest recurring buysRIVER
Bitcoin IRA optionSWAN
Lowest minimumRIVER
Education contentSWAN
OUR VERDICT
Pick River for the cheapest possible recurring DCA — 0% is hard to beat. Pick Swan if you specifically want a Bitcoin IRA alongside your taxable DCA, or prefer its educational content. Both are Bitcoin-only, which rules out any altcoin drift.

Common questions

Are River and Swan safe?
Both are Bitcoin-only US companies with full-reserve custody models and no history of customer fund loss.
Can I withdraw to my own wallet?
Both support withdrawal to self-custody. River includes one free on-chain withdrawal per month; verify each service's current fee before sending.
Which is better for a Bitcoin IRA?
Swan runs its own IRA product. For a full comparison of IRA options, see our Bitcoin IRA rankings.

BITCOIN GLOSSARY TERMS

SCORES AT A GLANCE
River★★★★★
Swan★★★★
HOW WE COMPARED
Published fee schedules, withdrawal and custody policies, and documented outage and support histories for both venues. Our methodology →

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