Introduction
Hardware wallets are considered one of the safest means to store cryptocurrencies. This is because hardware wallets store private keys offline without compromising the privacy. This means that the funds are protected even on a virus-infected computer system. Hardware wallets are also safe from phishing activities of fake websites.
Thus crypto investors are always attracted to hardware wallets for its benefits and added security features. In this article, we will discuss and compare three wide-spread cryptocurrency hardware wallets, namely - Ledger Nano S, Trezor One and KeepKey.
Ledger Nano S
Ledger Nano S is one of the most popular hardware wallets within the crypto community. It has been around for almost four years now, and the company has sold over 1M wallets across 165 countries. It has a pendrive-like design and stores a wide range of cryptocurrencies. It supports a range of cryptocurrencies and also has a UI known as Ledger Live which is used to set up the device quickly and make transactions in a simplified manner.
You can read the detailed Ledger Nano S review and setup guide here.
Click here to buy Ledger Nano S
Trezor
Trezor is a product by SatoshiLabs. It is a flexible hardware wallet with car key-like design. It is equipped to mainly store bitcoins and has means to store altcoins as well. Trezor provides top-notch security with an add-on called passphrase. It also has various other features like hidden accounts, Dropbox account sync, etc.
You can read the detailed Trezor review and setup guide here.
Click here to buy Trezor One
KeepKey
KeepKey hardware wallet looks quite different than its peers. It is bulgy in size with large OLED screen. It does have a premium feel but doesn't offer any extra features than the other two wallets. However, KeepKey does have better firmware and security variations.
You can read the detailed KeepKey review and setup guide here.
Click here to buy Keepkey Wallet from Amazon
Now that you are familiar with these hardware wallets; let us now compare them all:
Ledger Nano S v/s Trezor v/s KeepKey
| FEATURE | LEDGER NANO S | TREZOR ONE | KEEPKEY | |
| BOX ACCESSORIES |
|
|
|
|
| APPEARANCE | SCREEN |
YES |
YES |
YES |
| BUTTONS |
YES, 2 |
YES, 2 |
YES, 1 |
|
| SECURITY | PIN |
YES |
YES |
YES |
| RECOVERY SEED |
YES |
YES |
YES |
|
| PASSPHRASE |
NO |
YES |
YES |
|
| COMPATIBILITY | OS |
Windows 7-10, Mac 10.8 +, Linux and Chrome OS |
Windows 7-10, Mac 10.11 + and Linux |
Windows, Mac, and Linux via Google Chrome |
| WALLETS |
Mycelium, Electrum, MyEtherWallet, Copay, BitGo, GreenBits, etc |
Trezor Wallet, Mycelium, Electrum, Copay, MyEtherWallet, etc |
Mycelium and Electrum |
|
| ACCESSIBILITY | BEST WAY TO ACCESS |
Ledger Live |
Trezor Site |
Chrome Plugin |
| PROS & CONS | PROS |
|
|
|
| CONS |
|
|
|
|
| PRICE |
$95 |
$82 |
$129 |
|
| WHERE TO BUY |
Which cryptocurrencies hardware wallet should I buy?
Honestly, there is no single answer. It purely depends on you. However, I can help you choose the right hardware wallet for you. All you have to do is list out the features you are looking for in the hardware wallet and then compare that list with above table. The one that has most check should work fine for you.
Also, before buying a hardware wallet, make sure to read a complete review and installation and transaction guide for each. It can help you get an overall idea of the platform it uses and complexity involved in getting your transaction completed. Moreover, consider the cryptocurrencies supported since you would want to make a one-time investment in hardware wallet. And buying another wallet just because you didn't realize that the coin you intend to store isn't supported would be a big let-down.
So take your time, research each wallet properly and then choose the right wallet for you.
