Exodus vs Wallet of Satoshi

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%.

Wallet of Satoshi2.7Bitcoin-onlyWarning

The easiest Lightning wallet to start with, and a custodial one: the company holds your coins, and it has stopped offering that in the US and the EU.

Verdict: Exodus

Exodus rates higher on our rubric: 2.8 against 2.7 for Wallet of Satoshi.

Criterion: Editorial rating
Exodus: 2.8
Wallet of Satoshi: 2.7

Exodus and Wallet of Satoshi, 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 Wallet of Satoshi compared fact by fact from their reviews; a check marks the side a decidable criterion favours.
Fact	Exodus	Wallet of Satoshi
Editorial rating	2.8 (favoured on this row)	2.7
Status	Available	Caution: see the review
Made by	Exodus Movement, Inc.	Living Room of Satoshi Pty Ltd
Price	Free download	Free download
Who holds the keys	self-custodial, keys generated and encrypted on your own device	custodial in its default mode, meaning the company holds the keys, with a separate self-custodial mode where you do
Bitcoin-only	No	Yes
Runs on	iOS, Android, Windows, macOS, Linux, Browser extension	iOS, Android
Screen	Not stated	Not stated
Connectivity	Not stated	Not stated
Released	2015	The custodial service left the US on November 23, 2023 and the European Union at the turn of 2026
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

Wallet of Satoshi

What works

The fastest way onto Lightning there is: no channels, no liquidity management and no node to run
Free Lightning address that reads like an email, so anyone can pay you without scanning a code
Pays Lightning invoices and on-chain bitcoin addresses from the same box, detecting which you pasted
A self-custodial mode is offered everywhere, including in regions where the custodial one is not
No breach of its custodial infrastructure has been publicly reported

What to watch

Custodial in its default mode, so the company can freeze, lose or stop serving your balance
Left the US market on November 23, 2023 and has not announced a return
Withdrew the custodial service across the European Union at the turn of 2026, pushing EU users into self-custody
No published country list, so which mode you get is decided by the app rather than by a page you can read first
In-app buying runs through third-party partners whose country coverage changes without the wallet saying anything

Frequently asked questions

Is Exodus or Wallet of Satoshi better?

Exodus rates higher on our rubric: 2.8 against 2.7 for Wallet of Satoshi. 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 Wallet of Satoshi 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; Wallet of Satoshi is custodial in its default mode, meaning the company holds the keys, with a separate self-custodial mode where you do.

Is Exodus or Wallet of Satoshi bitcoin-only?

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

Does Exodus or Wallet of Satoshi carry a warning?

Wallet of Satoshi: Wallet of Satoshi pulled its app from US app stores and stopped serving US customers on November 23, 2023, then withdrew its custodial Lightning service across the European Union at the turn of 2026, as the MiCA transition periods and the DAC8 reporting rules closed in on custodial providers. EU users are offered the self-custodial mode instead. Wherever the custodial mode is still available, the company holds the keys, which is the risk to weigh before you put money in it.

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

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