Skip to content
buybitcoinsmart
Menu

Electrum vs Exodus

Comparing
two wallets
Decided by
Editorial rating
Last reviewed
2026-08-26
Electrum4.4Bitcoin-only

The oldest bitcoin wallet still in active development, and the one whose users are hunted by a fake-update scam running since December 2018.

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: Electrum

Electrum rates higher on our rubric: 4.4 against 2.8 for Exodus.

Criterion
Editorial rating
Electrum
4.4
Exodus
2.8

Electrum 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.

Electrum and Exodus compared fact by fact from their reviews; a check marks the side a decidable criterion favours.
FactElectrumExodus
Editorial rating4.4 (favoured on this row)2.8
StatusAvailableAvailable
Made byElectrum Technologies GmbHExodus Movement, Inc.
PriceFree downloadFree download
Who holds the keysself-custodial, keys generated and encrypted on your own machine, with transactions checked by SPVself-custodial, keys generated and encrypted on your own device
Bitcoin-onlyYesNo
Runs onAndroid, Windows, macOS, LinuxiOS, Android, Windows, macOS, Linux, Browser extension
ScreenNot statedNot stated
ConnectivityConnects to public Electrum servers or one you run yourself, verifying your transactions by SPVNot stated
ReleasedNovember 2011, written by Thomas Voegtlin2015
Countries on the maker's listNo published listNo published list
Last reviewed2026-08-252026-08-26

Pros and cons, side by side

Electrum

What works

  • Continuously maintained since November 2011, which nothing else on this list can claim
  • Lightweight: it checks your transactions by SPV instead of downloading the whole chain
  • Reproducible builds, signed by several independent builders, with signatures published next to every download
  • Hardware wallet support for Ledger, Trezor and KeepKey, plus multisig and watch-only cold storage
  • MIT licensed, and anyone can run the server software it talks to, so no company controls the network
  • An official Android build on both Google Play and F-Droid

What to watch

  • Users are the target of a fake-update scam that ZDNet traced to more than 22 million dollars of thefts by October 2020
  • The interface assumes you already know what a change address and a derivation path are
  • Windows builds are often flagged by antivirus heuristics, which the project says it cannot do anything about
  • No iOS version, and no built-in way to buy bitcoin
  • Two-factor signing runs through a third party, Trustedcoin, rather than the wallet alone

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 Electrum or Exodus better?

Electrum rates higher on our rubric: 4.4 against 2.8 for Exodus. 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 Electrum and Exodus free?

Yes, both are free to download. What differs is who holds the keys: Electrum is self-custodial, keys generated and encrypted on your own machine, with transactions checked by SPV; Exodus is self-custodial, keys generated and encrypted on your own device.

Is Electrum or Exodus bitcoin-only?

Electrum is bitcoin-only; Exodus supports other assets too. Bitcoin among the million-plus assets Exodus advertises, including Ethereum, Solana and stablecoins

The full reviews: Electrum and Exodus, each with its sources, and every wallet we review.

More comparisons

Every other head-to-head Electrum or Exodus appears in.