Skip to content
buybitcoinsmart
Menu

Edge vs Zengo

Comparing
two wallets
Decided by
Editorial rating
Last reviewed
2026-08-26
Edge3.2

Open source mobile wallet that trades the seed phrase for a username and password, and published every detail of the one time it failed.

Zengo3.4

The wallet with no seed phrase: two MPC shares replace the private key, which removes one risk and adds a dependency.

Verdict: Zengo

Zengo rates higher on our rubric: 3.4 against 3.2 for Edge.

Criterion
Editorial rating
Edge
3.2
Zengo
3.4

Edge and Zengo, 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.

Edge and Zengo compared fact by fact from their reviews; a check marks the side a decidable criterion favours.
FactEdgeZengo
Editorial rating3.23.4 (favoured on this row)
StatusAvailableAvailable
Made byEdgeZengo
PriceFree downloadFree download
Who holds the keysself-custodial, keys encrypted on your device under your password before any backup leaves itself-custodial MPC, with no seed phrase: one secret share on your phone, one on Zengo's server, never combined
Bitcoin-onlyNoNo
Runs oniOS, AndroidiOS, Android
ScreenNot statedNot stated
ConnectivityNot statedNot stated
Released2014 as Airbitz, relaunched as Edge2018
Countries on the maker's listNo published listNo published list
Last reviewed2026-08-262026-08-25

Pros and cons, side by side

Edge

What works

  • The source is public at github.com/EdgeApp, and the same key management is sold to other developers as an SDK
  • Username and password login, so a beginner is never handed a seed phrase to lose on day one
  • Backups are encrypted on your device, so Edge holds a blob it cannot read rather than your keys
  • A signed APK is offered for Android, so you are not dependent on Google Play
  • Buying, selling, swapping, gift cards and mobile top-ups are all built in through named partners

What to watch

  • Your password is the single thing protecting the wallet, and passwords are the secret people reuse
  • The logging routine that leaked keys was committed in 2019 and went unnoticed until a user lost money in 2023
  • The 2023 logging bug wrote unencrypted private keys into logs uploaded to Edge's servers, which cost some users real money
  • Encrypted key blobs pass through Edge's infrastructure, unlike wallets that keep everything local
  • Mobile only, hot wallet, no hardware signing and no secure element

Zengo

What works

  • No seed phrase exists, so there is nothing to write down, photograph, or be tricked into typing
  • Two independently created MPC shares, one on your phone and one on Zengo's server, that are never combined
  • Three factor recovery, with a documented option to register a backup for each of the three
  • Zengo says its MPC cryptography is open source, audited and peer reviewed
  • Support is available 24/7 from inside the app, which is rare in self-custody

What to watch

  • Signing requires Zengo's server, so the wallet depends on the company staying reachable in a way a seed phrase does not
  • The wallet app itself is closed source; only the cryptography underneath it is published
  • Recovery runs through your email, your cloud account and a face scan, which is three dependencies instead of one piece of paper
  • Never hacked and 2+ million wallets are Zengo's own claims on Zengo's own homepage, with no independent confirmation
  • Mobile only, with no desktop app and no hardware signing

Frequently asked questions

Is Edge or Zengo better?

Zengo rates higher on our rubric: 3.4 against 3.2 for Edge. 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 Edge and Zengo free?

Yes, both are free to download. What differs is who holds the keys: Edge is self-custodial, keys encrypted on your device under your password before any backup leaves it; Zengo is self-custodial MPC, with no seed phrase: one secret share on your phone, one on Zengo's server, never combined.

Is Edge or Zengo bitcoin-only?

Neither: both support assets beyond bitcoin. Edge: Bitcoin plus Ethereum, Litecoin, Monero, XRP, Dogecoin, Dash, Solana and more. Zengo: Bitcoin among 1,000+ assets, including Ethereum, Solana, TRON and stablecoins.

The full reviews: Edge and Zengo, each with its sources, and every wallet we review.

More comparisons

Every other head-to-head Edge or Zengo appears in.