Blockstream Bitcoin Wallet vs Bisq
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
Blockstream Bitcoin Wallet
A secure and user-friendly Bitcoin wallet designed for both beginners and experienced users. It offers easy setup, direct Bitcoin purchasing, and advanced features like Lightning Network and Liquid asset support. Prioritizes privacy with no KYC required and optional Tor connectivity.
- Simple wallet setup
- Buy Bitcoin directly
- Open-source and community-trusted
- Track portfolio and history
- Hardware wallet support
- Lightning Network and Liquid support
- Connect to your own node
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Buy, send, and secure your bitcoin with no sign-up required. The Blockstream app is a self-custodial wallet that works across all three layers of Bitcoin: On-chain, Lightning, and Liquid. Create your wallet, unlock with PIN or Face ID, and start in seconds. 100% open-source, built by Blockstream, the global leader in Bitcoin infrastructure. KEY FEATURES Transact Between Layers: Hold on-chain bitcoin, make instant Lightning payments, and use Liquid for fast, confidential transactions. Swap between networks directly inside the app. Buy Bitcoin: Purchase bitcoin in 200+ currencies using Apple Pay, card, or bank transfer. Funds arrive in your self-custodial wallet. No Sign-Up Required: Create a wallet with Face ID alone. No email, phone number, or personal information collected. Security That Grows with You: Start with a PIN. Store your recovery phrase when you're ready. Upgrade to a hardware wallet as your holdings grow. Each layer adds protection without switching apps. Hardware Wallet Ready: Pair with Blockstream Jade for cold storage that works seamlessly with Lightning and Liquid. Jade signs transactions while staying offline. Also supports Ledger, Trezor, Coldcard, and more through direct pairing or watch-only import. Lightning Without the Complexity: Lightning payments work through trustless atomic swaps. No channels to manage, no inbound liquidity to worry about, no node to run. Just scan and pay. Privacy First: No KYC. No mandatory personal data. Connect through Tor with a single tap. Route through your own Bitcoin node. Address rotation by default. Flexible & Functional: Liquid asset support. Replace-by-fee for stuck transactions. Custom fee settings. PSBT export for watch-only workflows. Testnet support for developers. Open Source: Every line of code is publicly auditable under GPL-3.0. Built on GDK, Blockstream's cross-platform wallet library.
Bisq
Stay informed about your decentralized trading activities even when away from your desktop. Receive timely alerts for trade updates and new offers directly on your mobile device.
- Trade update notifications
- Offer alerts
- Desktop app integration
- Mobile convenience
- Decentralized finance alerts
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Since Bisq is a desktop-based application, this app enables you to receive important notifications such as trade updates and offer alerts when you are not near your computer.
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is ratings volume: Blockstream Bitcoin Wallet at 1.3K against Bisq's 19. Blockstream Bitcoin Wallet also leads on rating (4.7 vs 4.5) and update cadence (every 2 weeks vs every 2 months). Bisq's advantage is review sentiment (67% vs 48%) and device support (3 vs 1). On price, ads, in-app purchases and monetization model there is nothing between them.
Scored on Price · Rating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings · Update frequency · Ads · In-app purchases · Monetization · Best chart rank · Devices · Requires iOS
Both are free to download. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.
Blockstream Bitcoin Wallet holds the better App Store score, 4.7 against 4.5. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Blockstream Bitcoin Wallet has 1.3K ratings behind it against 19, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews complicate that: 48% of Blockstream Bitcoin Wallet's written reviews are positive against 67% of Bisq's, so the app with the better star average is not the one people write more warmly about.
Blockstream Bitcoin Wallet ships an update every 2 weeks, Bisq every 2 months. The most recent releases landed on November 6, 2026 and November 2, 2026 respectively.
| Parameter | Blockstream Bitcoin Wallet | Bisq |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | 4.7 (1.3K ratings) — better | 4.5 (19 ratings) |
| Positive reviews | 47.9% of reviews | 66.7% of reviews — better |
| Number of ratings | 1.3K — better | 19 |
| Update frequency | Every 2 weeks — better | Every 2 months |
| Ads | No | No |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Monetization | Free | Free |
| Devices | iPhone | iPhone, iPad, iPod — better |
| Requires iOS | 16.0 | 13.0 — better |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 169 MB | 2 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | Blockstream | Devin Bileck |
Customer experience
Blockstream Bitcoin Wallet
Bisq
Bugs and requests
Blockstream Bitcoin Wallet
Reported bugs
5 issues- Login/connection issues
- Wallet restoration problems
- Disappearing transaction history
- Incompatibility with newer iOS devices
- 2FA-related bugs locking users out of their wallets
Requested features
5 requests- Support for Taproot addresses
- Lightning network integration
- Advanced reporting and export options
- Improved wallet management (renaming, deleting, etc.)
- Ability to see balance without hardware device connected
Bisq
Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.
In-app purchases
Blockstream Bitcoin Wallet
No in-app purchases
Bisq
No in-app purchases
Questions
Is Blockstream Bitcoin Wallet free?
Is Bisq free?
Which has better reviews, Blockstream Bitcoin Wallet or Bisq?
Do Blockstream Bitcoin Wallet or Bisq have ads?
Which is updated more often, Blockstream Bitcoin Wallet or Bisq?
Other comparisons
