MetaMask vs Sparrow Wallet

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

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

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 3.0 for MetaMask.

Criterion: Editorial rating
MetaMask: 3.0
Sparrow Wallet: 4.7

MetaMask 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.

MetaMask and Sparrow Wallet compared fact by fact from their reviews; a check marks the side a decidable criterion favours.
Fact	MetaMask	Sparrow Wallet
Editorial rating	3.0	4.7 (favoured on this row)
Status	Available	Available
Made by	Consensys	Sparrow Wallet
Price	Free download	Free download
Who holds the keys	self-custodial, keys generated on your device from a 12 word Secret Recovery Phrase Consensys never sees	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, 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	2016	Not stated
Countries on the maker's list	228	No published list
Last reviewed	2026-08-25	2026-08-25

Pros and cons, side by side

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

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 MetaMask or Sparrow Wallet better?

Sparrow Wallet rates higher on our rubric: 4.7 against 3.0 for MetaMask. 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 MetaMask and Sparrow Wallet free?

Yes, both are free to download. What differs is who holds the keys: MetaMask is self-custodial, keys generated on your device from a 12 word Secret Recovery Phrase Consensys never sees; Sparrow Wallet is self-custodial, keys in an encrypted file on your own computer or on a hardware signer, with no account anywhere.

Is MetaMask or Sparrow Wallet bitcoin-only?

Sparrow Wallet is bitcoin-only; MetaMask supports other assets too. Ethereum and EVM networks, Solana, Monad and Sei, plus native bitcoin since December 15, 2025

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

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