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Atomic Wallet vs BlueWallet

Comparing
two wallets
Decided by
Editorial rating
Last reviewed
2026-08-26
Atomic Wallet1.2Warning

Do not keep bitcoin here: over 5,500 wallets were emptied in June 2023 and the cause was never published.

BlueWallet4.2Bitcoin-only

Bitcoin-only phone wallet with real coin control and multisig vaults, whose Lightning side is custodial unless you run the server yourself.

Verdict: BlueWallet

BlueWallet rates higher on our rubric: 4.2 against 1.2 for Atomic Wallet.

Criterion
Editorial rating
Atomic Wallet
1.2
BlueWallet
4.2

Atomic Wallet and BlueWallet, fact by fact

Every row is from the two reviews as of their review dates, with sources on each. A check marks the side a decidable criterion favours; rows without one are information, not a score.

Atomic Wallet and BlueWallet compared fact by fact from their reviews; a check marks the side a decidable criterion favours.
FactAtomic WalletBlueWallet
Editorial rating1.24.2 (favoured on this row)
StatusCaution: see the reviewAvailable
Made byAtomic WalletBlueWallet
PriceFree downloadFree download
Who holds the keysself-custodial, keys generated on your device and encrypted with your passwordself-custodial on-chain, while a Lightning balance is only as self-custodial as the LNDHub server behind it
Bitcoin-onlyNoYes
Runs oniOS, Android, Windows, macOS, LinuxiOS, Android
ScreenNot statedNot stated
ConnectivityNot statedTalks to public Electrum servers or one you run; Lightning needs an LNDHub server, yours or someone else's
Released2017BlueWallet dates itself to the 2017 fork wars; the iOS and Android apps followed
Countries on the maker's listNo published listNo published list
Last reviewed2026-08-262026-08-25

Pros and cons, side by side

Atomic Wallet

What works

  • Keys are held on your device, so a working install still lets you move your own coins out
  • Desktop builds are published for Windows, macOS, Ubuntu, Debian and Fedora, with a hashsum check for the download
  • One app covers bitcoin and more than a thousand other assets, which is why so many people kept so much in it

What to watch

  • More than 5,500 wallets were drained on June 2 and 3, 2023, for over $100 million by Elliptic's count
  • Atomic has never published a confirmed technical cause, offering four possibilities and picking none
  • No compensation has been paid to the people who lost money
  • Its first public statements put the damage at under 0.1% and then under 1% of users, which the on-chain evidence contradicted
  • The first class action was thrown out in 2024 on jurisdiction rather than on the facts, and a second is now pending in California
  • The homepage says nothing about the incident and still runs testimonials from a man who died in 2021

BlueWallet

What works

  • Bitcoin only, open source and free, from the App Store, Google Play or a direct download
  • Genuine coin control: label and freeze individual coins, batch sends, and speed up or cancel with RBF and CPFP
  • Signs for Coldcard, Passport, Jade, Keystone and other PSBT hardware wallets, and runs watch-only so keys never touch the phone
  • Multisig vaults for larger holdings, documented step by step by the project
  • Connects to your own Electrum server, so you do not have to hand your addresses to a stranger's
  • Plausible deniability storage for a forced-disclosure situation

What to watch

  • A Lightning wallet here is an account on an LNDHub server, and whoever runs it can move those funds
  • Running your own LNDHub means a VPS or a home node, which is far past what most phone users will do
  • Lightning funds are not covered by the on-chain recovery phrase and need a separate backup
  • A hot wallet on a phone, so device malware or an unlocked screen reaches what the app can spend

Frequently asked questions

Is Atomic Wallet or BlueWallet better?

BlueWallet rates higher on our rubric: 4.2 against 1.2 for Atomic Wallet. The rating follows the product rubric published on our about page; the rows above set custody, price and platforms side by side so you can check it.

Are Atomic Wallet and BlueWallet free?

Yes, both are free to download. What differs is who holds the keys: Atomic Wallet is self-custodial, keys generated on your device and encrypted with your password; BlueWallet is self-custodial on-chain, while a Lightning balance is only as self-custodial as the LNDHub server behind it.

Is Atomic Wallet or BlueWallet bitcoin-only?

BlueWallet is bitcoin-only; Atomic Wallet supports other assets too. Bitcoin plus more than 1,000 other coins and tokens, by Atomic's own count

Does Atomic Wallet or BlueWallet carry a warning?

Atomic Wallet: On June 2 and 3, 2023, more than 5,500 Atomic Wallet users had their balances emptied in a single coordinated event. Elliptic put the total above $100 million and attributed it to North Korea's Lazarus Group. Atomic Wallet has never published a confirmed technical cause and no compensation has been paid. The first US class action was dismissed in September 2024 for lack of personal jurisdiction rather than on the facts, and a second was filed in California in June 2025. The company's own homepage carries no mention of any of it.

The full reviews: Atomic Wallet and BlueWallet, each with its sources, and every wallet we review.

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