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Coldcard vs OneKey

Comparing
two wallets
Decided by
Editorial rating
Last reviewed
2026-08-26
Coldcard3.4Bitcoin-onlyWarning

Bitcoin-only air-gapped signer whose seed generation was weakened by a build error from March 2021 until fixed firmware landed on July 31, 2026.

OneKey3.7

Open source line from $79 to $278, including a bitcoin-only Classic 1S Pure, with apps on every desktop, phone and the browser.

Verdict: OneKey

OneKey rates higher on our rubric: 3.7 against 3.4 for Coldcard.

Criterion
Editorial rating
Coldcard
3.4
OneKey
3.7

Coldcard and OneKey, 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.

Coldcard and OneKey compared fact by fact from their reviews; a check marks the side a decidable criterion favours.
FactColdcardOneKey
Editorial rating3.43.7 (favoured on this row)
StatusCaution: see the reviewAvailable
Made byCoinkiteOneKey
Price$189$99
Who holds the keysself-custodial, keys held behind two secure elements from different vendors, signing air-gapped by choiceself-custodial, keys held on the device, with firmware developed in the open
Bitcoin-onlyYesNo
Runs onWindows, macOS, LinuxiOS, Android, Windows, macOS, Linux, Browser extension
ScreenQ: 3.2 inch LCD with a full keyboard. Mk5: bright OLED with a numeric keypadNot stated
ConnectivityUSB-C, microSD, NFC, QR scanner on the Q and a virtual disk mode, every path off by defaultVaries by model; the companion app runs on desktop, on phones and as a browser extension
ReleasedCoinkite has made Coldcard since 2017; the Q and the Mk5 are the current modelsNot stated
Countries on the maker's listNo published listNo published list
Last reviewed2026-08-252026-08-26

Pros and cons, side by side

Coldcard

What works

  • Bitcoin only, which keeps every other chain's parsing code off the device
  • Two secure elements from independent vendors, so one chip flaw is not enough
  • Air-gapped signing over QR, microSD, NFC or virtual disk, with all data paths disabled by default
  • Reproducible open source firmware that advanced users can build and verify themselves
  • Duress PIN, brick PIN and login countdown for coercion scenarios
  • Coinkite's advisory published the technical cause, the entropy estimates and step by step migration instructions

What to watch

  • A March 2021 build error weakened seed generation for over five years, and updating the firmware does not repair an affected seed
  • Migrating means generating a new seed and moving every coin, which costs an on-chain transaction and real care
  • Coinkite publishes no loss total, so the scale rests on outside estimates from TRM Labs and Galaxy Research
  • Steeper learning curve than a Ledger or a Trezor, with no companion app of its own
  • Coinkite publishes no shipping country policy at all

OneKey

What works

  • Four signing models from $79 to $278, including a bitcoin-only Classic 1S Pure
  • Companion app on iOS, Android, Windows, macOS, Linux and as a browser extension
  • Firmware and apps are developed in public on GitHub
  • Faulty devices are replaced rather than repaired, so no repair shop handles your hardware

What to watch

  • Not bitcoin-only outside the Classic 1S Pure bitcoin edition
  • Specifications vary widely across the range, so the brand name alone tells you little about the device you are buying
  • Researchers opened a OneKey Mini in 2023 with physical access and lab hardware, which OneKey patched but which is part of the brand's record
  • No published shipping country policy: the help center article that should carry one returns a 404
  • A shorter public track record than Ledger, Trezor or Coinkite

Frequently asked questions

Is Coldcard or OneKey better?

OneKey rates higher on our rubric: 3.7 against 3.4 for Coldcard. 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.

Which is cheaper, Coldcard or OneKey?

OneKey, at $99 against $189, on each maker's own store price as of the review date.

Is Coldcard or OneKey bitcoin-only?

Coldcard is bitcoin-only; OneKey supports other assets too. Multi-asset across the line, with a bitcoin-only Classic 1S Pure sold at the same $79 as the standard model

Does Coldcard or OneKey carry a warning?

Coldcard: A build error introduced in a March 2021 firmware migration left seed generation drawing on a software pseudorandom number generator instead of the hardware one, and attackers found it before Coinkite did. Coinkite published fixed firmware for every affected model and updated its advisory on August 1, 2026, but updating does not repair a seed already generated on affected firmware: those owners have to create a new seed and move their coins.

The full reviews: Coldcard and OneKey, each with its sources, and every wallet we review.

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