Hardware Wallet Comparison
A good Bitcoin hardware wallet should verify transactions on its own screen, sign without a live computer connection, protect the seed with secure elements, use open standards, and avoid remote-validation servers. Use this table to compare devices against those security requirements.
Our 7 non-negotiable criteria, applied to six current devices. Linked notes point to primary product documentation and public security research.
Last updated: August 11, 2026
How we compare wallets
This is an opinionated security comparison, not a neutral survey of every feature or use case. We prioritize independent transaction verification, offline signing, protected key storage, reproducible firmware, open standards, and recovery without permanent dependence on a vendor. A product may be well engineered and still fail one of these criteria because it uses a different trust model.
Ratings describe documented capabilities as of the review date. They are not guarantees that a product is secure or free from undiscovered vulnerabilities. Objective ratings should be supported by linked product documentation or public research. Corrections with sources are welcome.
| Feature | COLDCARD Q | COLDCARD Mk5 | Trezor Safe 7 | Ledger Nano X | Jade Plus | Bitkey |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Open-source firmware | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ | ❌OS not fully open | ✅ | ⚠️Code published; noncommercial license |
| Fully air-gapped | ✅QR or microSD | ✅microSD | ❌USB + Bluetooth | ❌USB + BT | ✅QR / SD option | ❌NFC |
| Bitcoin-only firmware | ✅ | ✅ | ✅Optional BTC-only firmware | ❌Multi-coin | ❌+ Liquid | ✅ |
| Secure element | ✅Dual SE | ✅Dual SE | ⚠️Dual SE; TROPIC01 laser-fault disclosure | ✅ST33J2M0 | ❌Blind oracle / stateless | ✅Secure enclave |
| Reproducible builds | ✅ | ✅ | ✅Build guide | ❌ | ✅Build guide | ❌App builds documented, not device firmware |
| No remote servers | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ | ✅Recover is optional | ⚠️Oracle by default; self-host/stateless option | ❌Server key + recovery services |
| On-device screen | ✅Large color | ✅OLED | ✅Touch | ✅OLED | ✅Color | ✅OLED touch |
| External PSBT workflow | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ | ✅BIP-174 signing | ✅ | ❌No external PSBT workflow |
| Multisig | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ | ⚠️2-of-3 only |
| Duress / secondary PIN | ✅5 types | ✅5 types | ⚠️Wipe code | ⚠️Hidden passphrase wallet | ⚠️Wallet-erase PIN | ❌ |
| SeedXOR | ✅ | ✅ | ❌ | ❌ | ❌ | ❌ |
| QR code signing | ✅ | ❌ | ❌ | ❌ | ✅ | ❌ |
| Advertised price (USD) | $249.21Sale; $289 list | $169.94Sale; $189 list | $249 | $99 | From $149 | $250 |
| Security notes | Security architecture | Security architecture | TROPIC01 disclosure | Recover architecture | Blind-oracle model | 2-of-3 server-key model |
Prices are the advertised US prices observed on July 18, 2026, before tax and shipping; promotions can change. A checkmark means the device supports the row's capability, not that it has no security tradeoffs or undiscovered vulnerabilities.
Detailed comparisons: vs Ledger · vs Trezor · vs Bitkey · vs Jade · Q vs Mk5
Read Choosing a Hardware Wallet for why these criteria matter.