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BitBox02 vs KeepKey

Comparing
two wallets
Decided by
Editorial rating
Last reviewed
2026-08-26
BitBox024.6

Swiss made, fully open source, sold in Multi and Bitcoin-only editions, with a Nova model that works from an iPhone.

KeepKey2.6Warning

Cheap open source device with the most readable screen of its era, and a seed a thief holding it for 15 minutes can extract.

Verdict: BitBox02

BitBox02 rates higher on our rubric: 4.6 against 2.6 for KeepKey.

Criterion
Editorial rating
BitBox02
4.6
KeepKey
2.6

BitBox02 and KeepKey, 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.

BitBox02 and KeepKey compared fact by fact from their reviews; a check marks the side a decidable criterion favours.
FactBitBox02KeepKey
Editorial rating4.6 (favoured on this row)2.6
StatusAvailableCaution: see the review
Made byBitBoxKeepKey
PriceNot published$59.95
Who holds the keysself-custodial, keys held in a dual chip design, certified EAL6+ on the Nova modelself-custodial, keys generated and held on the device rather than on your computer
Bitcoin-onlyNoNo
Runs oniOS, Android, Windows, macOS, LinuxWindows, macOS, Linux
ScreenMonochrome OLED with touch sliders; the Nova uses a more readable glass OLED3.12 inch OLED, 256 x 64 pixels
ConnectivityUSB-C on both models; the Nova adds Bluetooth for iPhone and iPadUSB cable
ReleasedNot stated2015, though KeepKey's own site dates the brand to 2014
Countries on the maker's listNo published listNo published list
Last reviewed2026-08-252026-08-26

Pros and cons, side by side

BitBox02

What works

  • Fully open source firmware, in a Multi edition and a true Bitcoin-only edition
  • Dual chip design, with an EAL6+ certified secure chip on the Nova
  • microSD backup makes setup and recovery fast, and writing down the words is optional
  • Three built-in on-ramps (Pocket Bitcoin, MoonPay, BTC Direct) send coins straight to the device
  • The Nova works with an iPhone or iPad over Bluetooth

What to watch

  • No touchscreen: confirmations happen on a small OLED with touch sliders
  • The original BitBox02 has no iOS support, so an iPhone user needs the Nova
  • BitBox publishes no shipping country list, only regional tiers and a duty policy
  • Shipping cost and any unpaid import duties are only shown at checkout

KeepKey

What works

  • The 3.12 inch OLED screen was the largest of its era and makes address checks easy to read
  • Firmware is still shipping: Taproot outputs in 2025, four more chains in 2026, on signed tags
  • Each release publishes the expected hash of a reproducible build, so you can verify the binary you flash
  • Schematics, PCB layout and bill of materials are published, and the chip is named: no other major vendor goes that far
  • One of the cheapest new hardware wallets at $59.95, with simple, sturdy, beginner-friendly hardware

What to watch

  • The seed can be extracted with 15 minutes of physical access, and Kraken found that no firmware update can close it
  • No secure element, which KeepKey presents as a design choice rather than a gap, so the seed lives in flash on a general purpose chip
  • The PIN is 1 to 9 digits, so once the encrypted seed is off the device it is trivial to brute force
  • The store advertises free firmware updates for life without linking the release history that backs the promise up
  • Releases are infrequent by the standards of the field: none at all between March 2024 and February 2025

Frequently asked questions

Is BitBox02 or KeepKey better?

BitBox02 rates higher on our rubric: 4.6 against 2.6 for KeepKey. 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.

Is BitBox02 or KeepKey bitcoin-only?

Neither: both support assets beyond bitcoin. BitBox02: Multi edition supports bitcoin plus other assets; the Bitcoin-only edition runs firmware with the rest removed. KeepKey: 11 native chains plus EVM tokens by the vendor's own count, with THORChain swaps in the app.

Does BitBox02 or KeepKey carry a warning?

KeepKey: Kraken Security Labs published a voltage glitching attack in 2019 that lifts the encrypted seed off a KeepKey with about 15 minutes of physical access and roughly 75 dollars of equipment, then brute forces the short PIN that protects it. Kraken's own conclusion was that the weakness sits in the device's microcontroller and cannot be closed by firmware. The firmware itself is still shipping; the hardware is the problem, and a BIP39 passphrase is the mitigation.

The full reviews: BitBox02 and KeepKey, each with its sources, and every wallet we review.

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