New to crypto exchanges — what should beginners actually look at first?

I’ve been thinking about trying crypto again, but honestly the exchange part is more confusing than I expected.

Every site says the same stuff. Low fees, easy to use, safe, fast, good for beginners… but when you’re new, that all kind of blends together. I’m not really sure what actually matters first and what’s just marketing.

I’ve seen people talk about the big exchanges, and I’ve also seen BYDFI mentioned here and there. The clean interface looks nice, but I don’t know if that’s enough of a reason to pick one platform over another.

I’m not trying to jump straight into leverage or anything crazy. Mostly just trying to figure out what a beginner should pay attention to before putting real money in.

Like, should I care more about fees, withdrawals, security, support, or just how easy it is to use? And is demo trading actually helpful, or does it just make you feel more confident than you should?

Not looking for referrals or hype. Just curious what people wish they checked before choosing their first crypto exchange.