Hardware Wallet Comparison: 9 Models by Spec

Where the data comes from and what a dash means

Every cell in the table is taken from a product page or help article on the maker's own site, checked in October 2026. The source links are in the next section and in the notes on each model. Where the official page did not state something, the cell shows a dash, and I have not filled it in from anywhere else. A dash means that page did not say; it does not mean the device lacks the feature.

Specs and prices change. Before you buy, open the official page again and go by what it shows at that moment. A spec table cannot tell you how a device feels in the hand or how pleasant its companion app is to use, and this page does not rate either.

Which 9 models are covered, with their official spec pages

All nine were still listed for sale on their makers' sites in October 2026. Prices are the US dollar list prices shown on those pages. Ledger's two prices are not listed here; see the product pages.

• Ledger Nano S Plus: official product page
• Ledger Stax: official product page; for the two side by side, see Ledger's own comparison page
• Trezor Safe 3 ($59): official product page
• Trezor Safe 5 ($129): official product page
• Trezor Safe 7 ($249): official product page
• OneKey Classic 1S ($99): official product page
• OneKey Pro ($278): official product page
• Keystone 3 Pro ($149): official product page
• Coldcard Mk5 ($219): official product page

Models on sale that are not in the table: Ledger's comparison page also lists the Flex, Nano Gen5 and Nano X; OneKey's site also sells the Pro 2 (listed at $299) and the battery-free Classic 1S Pure ($79); Coldcard's site also sells the Q ($319). The Coldcard Mk4 page now says the Mk4 has been succeeded by the Mk5, which is why the table covers the Mk5.

Spec comparison table for the 9 hardware wallets

The table is wide. On a phone, swipe sideways.

Two things to keep in mind when reading the table. The certification level belongs to the chip, not to the whole device, and each maker words it differently. Each maker also counts supported assets in its own way, and a large number does not guarantee that the chain you need is included, so look up the specific coin in the official support list before buying.

Ledger Nano S Plus vs Stax

According to Ledger's product pages, both models use the same secure element, the ST33K1M5, and both list it as CC EAL6+ certified. They differ in screen and connectivity. The Nano S Plus has a small 1.1-inch monochrome OLED, USB-C only and no battery. The Stax has a 3.7-inch curved E Ink touchscreen, adds Bluetooth and NFC, and has a battery with Qi wireless charging. The Stax box also includes a Ledger Recovery Key, which Ledger describes as a private backup that restores access to your assets with a tap; the product page says NFC is there for it and for Security Key use.

The companion software is now called Ledger Wallet, and the product page notes it was formerly Ledger Live. Ledger says the Nano S Plus supports more than 15,000 coins and tokens, of which 500-plus can be managed directly in Ledger Wallet; the rest go through third-party wallets.

Neither product page says whether the code is open source, so those cells show a dash. The optional paid backup service, Ledger Recover, is available on both. What it is and what to know before subscribing is covered in the security incidents section below.

How to choose. The chip is the same; the extra money buys the large screen, wireless connections and a battery. The Nano S Plus has a small screen, so checking a full address takes a few more scrolls. If you only plan to use it over a cable and do not mind the scrolling, there is no need to pay more for the Stax.

Trezor Safe 3 vs Safe 5 vs Safe 7

All three have a secure element. According to Trezor's explanation of the secure element, the Safe 3 and Safe 5 use the OPTIGA Trust M (V3), which is Common Criteria EAL6+ certified, and the Safe 7 adds a second chip, the TROPIC01. The chip does two jobs: it enforces PIN verification, and it holds a certificate that proves the device is genuine. A PIN-related secret inside the chip is combined with your PIN to encrypt the private keys stored on the main chip. Trezor also stresses that the OPTIGA chip does not require a non-disclosure agreement.

The three differ mainly in screen and connectivity. The Safe 3 has a 0.96-inch monochrome OLED and two buttons, at $59. The Safe 5 has a 1.54-inch color touchscreen, at $129. The Safe 7 has a 2.5-inch color touchscreen, Bluetooth, a 330 mAh battery and Qi2 wireless charging, at $249. All three product pages say open-source or open-source firmware, and all three use Trezor Suite.

For backup, all three support 12-, 20- and 24-word backups and Multi-share Backup. According to Trezor's Multi-share Backup guide, it is built on SLIP39, which is Shamir's secret sharing: the backup is split into several shares of 20 words each, the number of shares can be anywhere from 1 to 16, and the example Trezor gives is any 3 of 5 shares being enough to recover. You hold every share yourself and the maker never handles them.

One caveat: the SLIP-39 specification states that it is not compatible with BIP-39, and SLIP-39 shares cannot be converted back into a BIP-39 recovery phrase (called a seed phrase elsewhere on this site). Trezor's guide lists other wallets that support this kind of backup: Rabby, Electrum, Sparrow, BlueWallet, Wasabi and NuFi on the software side, and OneKey and Keystone on the hardware side. Once you use a split backup, a later change of brand is limited to devices that support SLIP-39.

How to choose. If all you want is public code plus split backup, the $59 Safe 3 has both. If entering things with two buttons bothers you, the extra cost of the Safe 5 buys a touchscreen. What the Safe 7 adds on top is Bluetooth, a battery and a second secure element.

OneKey Classic 1S vs Pro

According to OneKey's product pages, the Classic 1S lists at $99: a monochrome OLED (128×64) with buttons, one EAL 6+ secure element, USB-C and Bluetooth, a 110 mAh battery, and a 12- or 24-word recovery phrase as its backup. In the comparison table on the product page, the Classic 1S column lists neither SLIP-39 shares nor QR-code signing. The same page shows a battery-free Classic 1S Pure at $79.

The Pro lists at $278: a 3.5-inch IPS color touchscreen (480×800), four EAL 6+ secure elements, a fingerprint sensor, and a 530 mAh battery with wireless charging. Besides USB-C, Bluetooth and NFC, it can sign by scanning QR codes with its camera, which OneKey calls Air-Gap Signing. On top of 12 or 24 words, its backup options include 20-word SLIP-39 shares, and the product page also lists an optional passphrase.

Neither product page names the chip model. On open source, OneKey's wording is that the firmware and app are fully open source and can be reproducibly built from GitHub, with an independent audit by SlowMist. The site states support for more than 100 chains and more than 30,000 coins.

How to choose. The price gap buys the large screen, fingerprint sensor, QR-code signing and split backup. If you only want to move coins off an exchange and leave them on the device, the Classic 1S does enough. The Pro is worth a look only if you want split backup, or want signing to bypass USB and Bluetooth. OneKey's site also sells the Pro 2 at $299, which this table does not cover.

Keystone 3 Pro: QR codes and microSD only

According to the Keystone product page, the Keystone 3 Pro lists at $149 and has a 4-inch touchscreen and a fingerprint sensor used for unlocking and signing. Data moves on and off the device offline, through QR codes and a microSD card. The USB cable in the box is, per the official FAQ, for charging from a 5V/1A charger or power bank; the FAQ also mentions that firmware can be upgraded over WebUSB.

On secure elements, the product page says there are three independent chips and gives neither model names nor a certification level, so those two cells show a dash. The page also describes an anti-tamper design: if the device is opened or tampered with, it wipes its internal data. On open source, the wording is 100% Open Source, with both hardware and software code published.

Backup supports Shamir Backup, and the official guide offers a choice of 20 or 33 words when importing shares. A passphrase is supported too, which Keystone calls the 25th word. The site states support for more than 5,500 assets and compatibility with more than 45 software wallets.

How to choose. QR-code signing means two scans for every transaction: the phone builds the transaction, the device scans and signs it, and the phone scans the signature back. That is slower than a cable. In return, the signing device never touches a data cable or a wireless link. Money that is large and rarely moved suits this slower routine.

Coldcard Mk5: Bitcoin only

Coldcard is made by Coinkite, and the official site positions it as a Bitcoin-only hardware wallet. The Mk5 lists at $219 and has an OLED screen and a numeric keypad; the product page gives no screen size. The PSBT to be signed can travel over microSD, NFC or USB, and the site states that all of these channels are off when the device ships, so you switch on only the one you want.

The seed is protected by two secure elements from different vendors: Microchip's ATECC608 and Maxim's DS28C36B. Coinkite's explanation is that a flaw in either chip alone is not enough to get at the seed. The site says the firmware is open source and reproducibly built. The backup is a 24-word BIP-39 recovery phrase, a passphrase can be added, and there are two further features, Seed XOR and encrypted backup.

It has several special PINs. A Duress PIN opens a different wallet with nothing on screen to give it away. A Brick Me PIN, per the official description, destroys both secure elements when entered at any PIN prompt, leaving the device permanently dead. There are countdown-type PINs as well.

One thing you must know before buying. In July 2026 Coinkite disclosed a seed-generation flaw, and the Mk5 is among the affected devices. Details are in the security incidents section below. On a new unit, upgrade and verify the firmware first, then generate the seed.

Security incidents these makers have disclosed

This section lists only incidents where I have read the maker's own notice or the original report, and each one links to that source. A brand that does not appear here is one for which I found no source I could link; that is not the same as a clean record.

Ledger: the 2020 e-commerce and marketing database breach

According to Ledger's notice of 29 July 2020, an unauthorized third party gained access to its e-commerce and marketing database, which was used to send order confirmations and promotional emails. The problem was reported on 14 July 2020 by a researcher in Ledger's bug bounty program. The scope given at the time was about 1 million email addresses, and for 9,500 of those customers also name, postal address, phone number or products ordered. The notice stated that payment information and crypto funds were safe and that the breach had nothing to do with the hardware wallets themselves.

The scope later grew. According to Ledger's follow-up of 13 January 2021, the full contents of the stolen database were dumped on a forum on 20 December 2020, including about 272,000 customer records with names, addresses and phone numbers and more than 1 million email addresses. The same notice disclosed that support staff at Shopify, Ledger's e-commerce provider, had improperly exported customer transaction records covering about 292,000 Ledger customers.

What this means for a buyer: the devices were not broken into; the customer list was. Once a list like that is out, phishing emails and text messages aimed at the people on it follow. Ledger's notice says it will never ask you for your 24-word recovery phrase. When buying a hardware wallet, consider using a separate email address, and treat any email, text or phone call that asks you to enter your recovery phrase as phishing.

Ledger: Ledger Recover, launched in 2023

According to Ledger's Recover page, this is a paid subscription key-recovery service that restores access through identity verification and gives your recovery phrase one more backup. Once you subscribe, the entropy behind your private keys is encrypted inside the secure element and split into three fragments, held by three separate companies: Coincover, Ledger and EscrowTech. Recovery needs two of the three, plus identity verification in Ledger Wallet. Subscribing requires an identity document such as a passport or national ID card. In a technical post from July 2023, Ledger explains that it uses 2-of-3 Shamir's secret sharing and that the fragments are computed entirely inside the secure element.

Two points to think through before subscribing. First, the service is only active once you subscribe, but it shows that the device firmware is able, with your consent, to hand encrypted fragments to third parties. That differs from the common assumption that the recovery phrase exists only inside the device and on the sheet you wrote it on. Second, the backup becomes tied to your legal identity. If either point matters to you, simply do not subscribe. If you want a split backup with no company involved, look at the models that support SLIP-39, where every share stays in your hands.

Trezor: phishing emails after its email provider was breached in 2022

According to BleepingComputer's report of 4 April 2022, the email marketing provider Mailchimp disclosed that attackers used social engineering to obtain employee credentials, got into its internal customer support and account administration tools, accessed 319 Mailchimp accounts and exported audience data from 102 customer accounts. Trezor was one of the affected customers. Its users then received phishing emails claiming that Trezor had suffered a data breach and telling them to download software to reset their PIN. That software was malicious.

What was taken was a mailing list, and the weak link was the email provider Trezor used; the devices themselves had no problem. The response is the same as for the Ledger breach above: download wallet software only from the official site, and do not click download links in emails.

Coldcard: the seed-generation flaw disclosed in July 2026

According to Coinkite's security advisory of 30 July 2026, affected firmware versions had a flaw that weakened the randomness of seed generation. On the Mk2 and Mk3 the affected firmware is 4.0.1 through 4.1.9, and the impact is more severe. On the Mk4, Mk5 and Q, seeds generated before the fixed releases have only about 72 bits of entropy instead of the expected 128. The advisory states that attackers have already regenerated the private keys behind these weak seeds offline and stolen funds.

The fixed firmware is: standard 5.6.0 or later for the Mk4 and Mk5, standard 1.5.0Q or later for the Q, and 4.2.0 for the Mk2 and Mk3. Edge firmware is a separate release track: its fixed releases are 6.6.0X for the Mk4 and Mk5 and 6.6.0QX for the Q, and an older Edge 6.x release is not fixed just because its version number is higher than 5.6.0. The advisory repeats one point several times: updating the firmware does not change or repair a seed that already exists. Anyone who generated a seed on affected firmware needs to follow the official migration guide, generate a new seed on an updated device and move the coins to it. Coinkite sets out separate exception conditions for seeds that were generated with enough dice rolls mixed in. For the current status and recommended versions, see the Coldcard security status page, which is kept up to date.

Which one fits your situation

First, whether to buy one at all. A hardware wallet is for money you cannot afford to lose. Once the amount you hold has reached the point where losing it would really hurt, buy one. While the amount is still small and on-chain operations are still unfamiliar, getting your recovery phrase backup right matters more. Once you have decided to buy, find your own case among the ones below. The basis for each is in the table above.

You want a split backup, with the pieces kept in several places

The table shows support on all three Trezor models, the OneKey Pro and the Keystone 3 Pro. For this feature alone, the cheapest is the $59 Trezor Safe 3. Remember that a split backup is not interchangeable with an ordinary BIP-39 recovery phrase, so any later device also has to support SLIP-39.

You do not want the signing device on a data cable or on Bluetooth

The Keystone 3 Pro moves data only by QR code and microSD. The OneKey Pro can sign by QR code. The Coldcard Mk5 can be used with microSD alone. The price is that every transaction takes a little longer.

You hold only Bitcoin

The one Bitcoin-only device in the table is the Coldcard Mk5. Before buying it, read the 2026 seed-generation advisory above in full, and on arrival upgrade and verify the firmware before generating a seed. The other models all support Bitcoin as well.

Your eyesight is poor, or you want to see the full address clearly

Checking an address means checking the full address character by character, and a bigger screen makes that easier. From largest to smaller, the screens in the table are the Keystone 3 Pro (4 inches), Ledger Stax (3.7 inches), OneKey Pro (3.5 inches) and Trezor Safe 7 (2.5 inches). The Ledger Nano S Plus and Trezor Safe 3 both have small 128×64 screens.

Your budget is under $100

Among the models with a price in the table, the Trezor Safe 3 is $59 and the OneKey Classic 1S is $99. Both have a small screen and buttons. The Safe 3 has split backup; the Classic 1S has Bluetooth and a battery.

You care whether the code can be inspected

The official pages for Trezor, OneKey, Keystone and Coldcard all state open source, and OneKey and Coldcard also state reproducible builds. The two Ledger product pages do not mention it; if this matters to you, check the scope yourself in Ledger's developer documentation.

The amount is too large to trust to one device

However good a single device is, losing it, breaking it or having it stolen is a single point of failure. For large amounts, rather than hunting for the one safest device, use 2-of-3 multisig with the three keys kept in three places: lose one and you can still spend, and a thief with one cannot move anything. Keep a copy of the multisig configuration with each key, because the remaining keys cannot restore the wallet without it. The three keys can sit on devices from different brands, so that one firmware flaw cannot affect all three at once.

What to do after the device arrives is covered in separate articles: how to update firmware and what to check first, in hardware wallet firmware updates; where to write down and keep the recovery phrase, in how to store your seed phrase; and how to change devices if the maker stops supporting yours, in what to do when a hardware wallet is discontinued.