Skip to content
buybitcoinsmart
Menu

Atomic Wallet vs Exodus

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.

Exodus2.8

The best looking wallet on this list, from an NYSE listed company, with closed source apps and swap rates starting at 0.5%.

Verdict: Exodus

Exodus rates higher on our rubric: 2.8 against 1.2 for Atomic Wallet.

Criterion
Editorial rating
Atomic Wallet
1.2
Exodus
2.8

Atomic Wallet and Exodus, 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 Exodus compared fact by fact from their reviews; a check marks the side a decidable criterion favours.
FactAtomic WalletExodus
Editorial rating1.22.8 (favoured on this row)
StatusCaution: see the reviewAvailable
Made byAtomic WalletExodus Movement, Inc.
PriceFree downloadFree download
Who holds the keysself-custodial, keys generated on your device and encrypted with your passwordself-custodial, keys generated and encrypted on your own device
Bitcoin-onlyNoNo
Runs oniOS, Android, Windows, macOS, LinuxiOS, Android, Windows, macOS, Linux, Browser extension
ScreenNot statedNot stated
ConnectivityNot statedNot stated
Released20172015
Countries on the maker's listNo published listNo published list
Last reviewed2026-08-262026-08-26

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

Exodus

What works

  • One recovery phrase carries the same wallet across desktop, mobile and a browser extension
  • Pairs with a Trezor or a Ledger, so it can be a friendly front end for keys held offline
  • Buying built in through XO Ramp with card, bank transfer, Apple Pay or Google Pay
  • Publicly listed on the NYSE as EXOD, so the company behind it files real financials
  • Device passkey locking, with no password to reuse or leak

What to watch

  • The wallet apps are closed source, so you cannot rebuild what you install and compare it to published code
  • In-app swap rates start at 0.5% and that cost is a spread inside the quote rather than a visible fee
  • Settled with OFAC for $3.1 million in December 2025 over 254 apparent violations of the Iran sanctions program, with staff found to have suggested VPN workarounds to users in Iran
  • A hot wallet unless you pair hardware, with keys on an internet connected machine
  • Bitcoin gets no special treatment in a wallet that advertises over a million assets

Frequently asked questions

Is Atomic Wallet or Exodus better?

Exodus rates higher on our rubric: 2.8 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 Exodus 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; Exodus is self-custodial, keys generated and encrypted on your own device.

Is Atomic Wallet or Exodus bitcoin-only?

Neither: both support assets beyond bitcoin. Atomic Wallet: Bitcoin plus more than 1,000 other coins and tokens, by Atomic's own count. Exodus: Bitcoin among the million-plus assets Exodus advertises, including Ethereum, Solana and stablecoins.

Does Atomic Wallet or Exodus 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 Exodus, each with its sources, and every wallet we review.

More comparisons

Every other head-to-head Atomic Wallet or Exodus appears in.