Exodus vs Sparrow Wallet

Comparing: two wallets
Decided by: Editorial rating
Last reviewed: 2026-08-26

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

Sparrow Wallet4.7Bitcoin-only

The desktop wallet to coordinate hardware signers and multisig from, with a verification tool that also checks other projects' releases.

Verdict: Sparrow Wallet

Sparrow Wallet rates higher on our rubric: 4.7 against 2.8 for Exodus.

Criterion: Editorial rating
Exodus: 2.8
Sparrow Wallet: 4.7

Exodus and Sparrow Wallet, 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.

Exodus and Sparrow Wallet compared fact by fact from their reviews; a check marks the side a decidable criterion favours.
Fact	Exodus	Sparrow Wallet
Editorial rating	2.8	4.7 (favoured on this row)
Status	Available	Available
Made by	Exodus Movement, Inc.	Sparrow Wallet
Price	Free download	Free download
Who holds the keys	self-custodial, keys generated and encrypted on your own device	self-custodial, keys in an encrypted file on your own computer or on a hardware signer, with no account anywhere
Bitcoin-only	No	Yes
Runs on	iOS, Android, Windows, macOS, Linux, Browser extension	Windows, macOS, Linux
Screen	Not stated	Not stated
Connectivity	Not stated	Public Electrum servers, your own Electrum server, or Bitcoin Core, with Tor built in
Released	2015	Not stated
Countries on the maker's list	No published list	No published list
Last reviewed	2026-08-26	2026-08-25

Pros and cons, side by side

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

Sparrow Wallet

What works

Bitcoin only, open source and free, with no account and no server holding anything of yours
First-class multisig: build a quorum across several hardware signers and keep the descriptor
Works with hardware wallets over USB or fully air-gapped by QR code or SD card, with complete PSBT support
Full coin control and labels on every transaction, input and output, plus a transaction editor that shows the raw bytes
Every release ships a signed manifest, and Sparrow verifies the next download, Bitcoin Core and hardware wallet firmware from inside the app
Connects to your own Electrum server or Bitcoin Core, with Tor built in

What to watch

Desktop only: there is no iOS or Android app
The UTXO detail and the transaction editor are the point, and they are a lot to meet on day one
No built-in way to buy bitcoin, so the coins have to arrive from an exchange or a peer
Effectively a single maintainer, which is a concentration risk whatever the quality of the code

Frequently asked questions

Is Exodus or Sparrow Wallet better?

Sparrow Wallet rates higher on our rubric: 4.7 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 Exodus and Sparrow Wallet free?

Yes, both are free to download. What differs is who holds the keys: Exodus is self-custodial, keys generated and encrypted on your own device; Sparrow Wallet is self-custodial, keys in an encrypted file on your own computer or on a hardware signer, with no account anywhere.

Is Exodus or Sparrow Wallet bitcoin-only?

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

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

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