GhostSwap vs ChangeNOW (2026)

Updated 15 October 2026 · Written by GhostSwap. This compares us with a rival, so every ChangeNOW fact below links to ChangeNOW’s own page.

GhostSwap and ChangeNOW both let you swap one coin for another, wallet to wallet, without opening an account.

ChangeNOW is the older and bigger service. It runs since 2017 and has these extras:

• fixed and floating rates;
• mobile apps;
• card purchases in 47 fiat currencies;
• an optional custodial account, ChangeNOW Pro.

GhostSwap is a narrower swap built around privacy:

• a floating rate with the fee already in the quote;
• no account, email or ID upload to swap;
• a Tor mirror;
• a focus on Monero, Zcash and other privacy coins.

Key takeaways

• Cost. Neither service is cheaper on every pair. Both build their fee into the rate, so compare the amount you receive for the same pair and amount, quoted at the same minute.
• Rate types. ChangeNOW offers both a fixed and a floating rate. GhostSwap offers a floating rate only.
• Account and ID. Neither needs an account for a normal swap. ChangeNOW’s terms say it can put a swap on hold and ask you to verify your identity. GhostSwap asks for no account, email or ID upload to start a swap.
• Speed. ChangeNOW says its swaps usually take about 1 minute. GhostSwap’s time follows the deposit chain’s confirmations: about 20–60 minutes for a Bitcoin deposit and 5–15 minutes for Solana or Tron.
• Features. ChangeNOW has more products: apps, fiat, custody, a bridge and limit orders. GhostSwap lists more coins (1,600+ against 1,000+) and adds a Tor mirror, a Telegram bot, a public API and an MCP server that lets AI agents run swaps.

At a glance

Features, coin lists and payment options change. Everything above was checked on 11 October 2026.

Fees and rates

ChangeNOW shows no separate trading fee. Its costs sit inside the rate you see. You choose between:

• a fixed rate, which builds a small reserve into the price to cover market moves;
• a classic (floating) rate, which follows the market.

GhostSwap has one floating-rate flow. Before you send anything, the quote shows the amount you’ll receive with our fee already included, the network fee and the minimum and maximum. The final amount follows the market until your deposit confirms.

Verdict. No honest table can say one service is cheaper for every swap. The useful test is the amount you receive for the same pair and amount, checked on both sites at the same moment. Our pair pages, such as BTC to XMR, show live quotes with all fees included and a timestamp.

Account, ID and privacy

ChangeNOW. Normal swaps need no account. Its terms say it can put a swap on hold and ask you to verify your identity. ChangeNOW Pro is a separate account-based product that holds your coins for you.

GhostSwap. No account, no email, no sign-up and no ID upload. You pick the two coins, paste the address that should receive them and send the deposit. The swapped coins go straight to your wallet. You can also reach GhostSwap through its Tor onion mirror.

Verdict. Both start a swap without paperwork. GhostSwap asks for less (not even an email) and adds a Tor route. ChangeNOW’s terms say some swaps can stop for ID checks.

Speed

ChangeNOW says swaps “usually take 1 min”, with most orders done “in just a few minutes”. It also notes that block times and network problems can make a swap take longer.

GhostSwap doesn’t publish an average. A swap finishes once the deposit has enough confirmations on its own chain, so:

• a Bitcoin deposit takes about 20–60 minutes;
• a Solana or Tron deposit takes about 5–15 minutes.

You can follow every swap on its public status page.

Verdict. On published figures, ChangeNOW is faster. For both services, the deposit chain sets most of the waiting time.

Coins and privacy coins

ChangeNOW lists 1,000+ assets, including Monero and Zcash.

GhostSwap lists 1,600+ coins. Monero (XMR), Zcash (ZEC), Dash and Pirate Chain (ARRR) have dedicated pages, such as the Monero exchange and the Zcash exchange.

Apps and extras

ChangeNOW has iOS and Android apps and fiat purchases in 47 currencies. It also offers ChangeNOW Pro custody, a cross-chain bridge, limit orders, payment links and business tools.

GhostSwap works in the browser, through a Telegram bot, through the partner API and widget, and through an MCP server that lets AI assistants quote and create swaps. It has no mobile app.

Pros and cons

GhostSwap

• ✓ No account, email or ID upload to swap
• ✓ Tor onion mirror
• ✓ Fee shown inside the quote before you send
• ✓ 1,600+ coins, with a focus on Monero and Zcash
• ✓ Public API and MCP server for AI agents
• ✗ Floating rate only; no fixed-rate option
• ✗ No mobile app
• ✗ Younger service (live since October 2024)

ChangeNOW

• ✓ Fixed and floating rates
• ✓ iOS and Android apps
• ✓ Card purchases in 47 fiat currencies
• ✓ Long track record (since 2017)
• ✗ Its terms say it can put a swap on hold and ask for ID
• ✗ Fewer listed coins (1,000+)
• ✗ No Tor mirror advertised

Which one should you choose?

Pick ChangeNOW if you want to lock a fixed rate, swap from a phone app, buy crypto with a card in your local currency, or keep coins in an account.

Pick GhostSwap if you want to swap without giving an email or ID, prefer to connect over Tor, are swapping Monero, Zcash or another privacy coin, or want to swap through an AI assistant.

For anything else, quote the same pair on both and take the better receive amount.

Looking at other services too? See ChangeNOW alternatives.

How we compared

• We used only each service’s own public pages, checked on 11 October 2026: homepages, FAQs, help articles and product pages.
• We didn’t run test swaps for this page, and we don’t claim speeds or fees we can’t show.
• Where a number is ChangeNOW’s own claim (swap time, fiat currencies, languages), we say so.
• Corrections are welcome at support@ghostswap.io. We update this page when either service changes.

Sources (accessed 11 October 2026)

• ChangeNOW homepage: https://changenow.io/ (“Trusted since 2017”; fees included in the rate; fixed swap)
• ChangeNOW FAQ: https://changenow.io/faq/kyc (no registration for swaps; when a swap can be put on hold for identity verification; “usually takes 1 min”; fixed and classic rates; 1000+ coins)
• ChangeNOW Help Center, “Does ChangeNOW require registration?”: https://support.changenow.io/hc/en-us/articles/360017456132-Does-ChangeNOW-require-registration (registration not needed for swaps; ChangeNOW Pro)
• ChangeNOW, “SimpleSwap vs ChangeNOW 2026”: https://changenow.io/blog/simpleswap-vs-changenow (47 fiat currencies, 14 languages, iOS and Android apps, Pro custody)
• ChangeNOW currencies: https://changenow.io/currencies (Monero and Zcash listed)
• GhostSwap: https://ghostswap.io/, swap status page https://ghostswap.io/txs/?id=…, API docs https://partners.ghostswap.io/docs, MCP server https://mcp.ghostswap.io/mcp

Rival details come from each service’s own website and may have changed since; check their current terms before you swap.

FAQ

Is GhostSwap or ChangeNOW cheaper?

It depends on the pair, the amount and the moment. Both include their fee in the rate. Quote the same swap on both sites at the same time and compare the amount you’d receive.

Does ChangeNOW require KYC?

Not for normal swaps. ChangeNOW’s terms say it can put a swap on hold and ask you to verify your identity.

Does GhostSwap require KYC?

GhostSwap is a no-KYC crypto exchange: there’s no account, and we never ask for your name, email, phone number or identity documents to start a swap.

Which is faster, GhostSwap or ChangeNOW?

ChangeNOW says its swaps usually take about 1 minute. On GhostSwap the deposit chain sets the time: about 20–60 minutes for Bitcoin and 5–15 minutes for Solana or Tron.

Can I swap Monero on both?

Yes. Both list Monero (XMR) and Zcash (ZEC). GhostSwap also lists Dash and Pirate Chain, and it has dedicated Monero and Zcash pages.

Does either have a fixed rate?

ChangeNOW does. GhostSwap uses a floating rate only and shows the quote, with fees included, before you send.