Guarda Wallet vs MetaMask

Comparing: two wallets
Decided by: Editorial rating
Last reviewed: 2026-08-25

A capable multi-platform wallet whose 2020 domain hijack exposed the real weakness: a login flow built on uploading your backup.

MetaMask3.0

MetaMask holds real bitcoin since December 15, 2025, but it is still an Ethereum wallet with a BTC address attached.

No verdict

No verdict: both wallets score 3.0 out of 5 on our rubric, so the rows below decide by what you need.

Criterion: Editorial rating
Guarda Wallet: 3.0
MetaMask: 3.0

Guarda Wallet and MetaMask, 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.

Guarda Wallet and MetaMask compared fact by fact from their reviews; a check marks the side a decidable criterion favours.
Fact	Guarda Wallet	MetaMask
Editorial rating	3.0	3.0
Status	Available	Available
Made by	Guarda	Consensys
Price	Free download	Free download
Who holds the keys	self-custodial, keys generated on your device and encrypted under a password you choose	self-custodial, keys generated on your device from a 12 word Secret Recovery Phrase Consensys never sees
Bitcoin-only	No	No
Runs on	iOS, Android, Windows, macOS, Linux, Browser extension	iOS, Android, Browser extension
Screen	Not stated	Not stated
Connectivity	Not stated	Not stated
Released	2017	2016
Countries on the maker's list	No published list	228
Last reviewed	2026-08-25	2026-08-25

Pros and cons, side by side

Guarda Wallet

What works

Guarda's CEO published a dated, detailed account of the 2020 attack, including the registrar's own logs
Runs on Windows, macOS, Linux, iOS, Android, a web app and a Chrome extension
Keys are generated locally and encrypted under your own password, and Guarda never holds them
Staking on 14 networks, multisig support and 24/7 live support, per Guarda's own site
Buying built in with cards and Apple Pay across a wide asset range

What to watch

The web and extension flow involves uploading your backup file, which is precisely what the 2020 phishing page was built to collect
The 2020 breakdown came through a domain registrar account, a dependency Guarda does not control and cannot audit
Third party perpetual futures and prediction markets now sit inside the wallet, which is more moving parts than holding bitcoin needs
The user, token and blockchain counts are Guarda's own figures, published on its own homepage
A hot wallet with no hardware signing of its own

MetaMask

What works

Native bitcoin support since December 15, 2025, with a BTC address generated for you automatically
Swaps from Ethereum, other EVM networks or Solana into bitcoin without leaving the wallet
Buying supports debit and credit cards, Apple Pay, PayPal and bank transfer, depending on your region
Keys are generated on your device, and Consensys holds nothing it could freeze or reset
The extension almost every dapp is tested against, so connections rarely break

What to watch

Bitcoin support is native SegWit only: MetaMask's own announcement says Taproot is still to come
The app now bundles perpetual futures at up to 50x leverage, prediction markets and tokenized stocks next to your keys
Those extra products carry their own eligibility rules, which are separate from the wallet and change without notice
A hot wallet in a browser extension or phone app, with no secure element and no offline signing
Bitcoin is one chain among many, and the product's center of gravity is Ethereum

Frequently asked questions

Is Guarda Wallet or MetaMask better?

No verdict: both wallets score 3.0 out of 5 on our rubric, so the rows below decide by what you need. 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 Guarda Wallet and MetaMask free?

Yes, both are free to download. What differs is who holds the keys: Guarda Wallet is self-custodial, keys generated on your device and encrypted under a password you choose; MetaMask is self-custodial, keys generated on your device from a 12 word Secret Recovery Phrase Consensys never sees.

Is Guarda Wallet or MetaMask bitcoin-only?

Neither: both support assets beyond bitcoin. Guarda Wallet: Bitcoin plus more than 70 blockchains, by Guarda's own count. MetaMask: Ethereum and EVM networks, Solana, Monad and Sei, plus native bitcoin since December 15, 2025.

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

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