Blockstream Bitcoin Wallet vs Phoenix Wallet
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. Available in 30+ languages. Built for iOS, Android, and desktop.
Phoenix Wallet
This app offers a fast, easy, and secure way to manage Bitcoin. It leverages the Lightning Network for near-instantaneous payments with minimal fees, making it ideal for everyday transactions like buying coffee. It's a non-custodial, open-source wallet designed for user-friendliness.
- Instant Bitcoin payments
- Minimal transaction fees
- Secure Bitcoin storage
- Automatic Lightning channel management
- Non-custodial wallet
- Open source
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Phoenix makes using bitcoin easy, fast and safe. Payments are nearly instantaneous, and fees are minimal. You can use it to send payments (e.g. buy a cup of coffee), receive payments, and store your bitcoin safely for day-to-day spending. The bitcoin lightning network means faster payments and smaller fees. Lightning is 100% bitcoin - an open standardized payments layer, engineered to improve speed while maintaining security and decentralization. And Phoenix makes it possible for everyone to use. Lightning channels are managed for you automatically. And inbound liquidity is automatically handled too. If you don't know what any of that means, then this is the wallet for you! Phoenix is a non-custodial wallet, and is fully open source. It was created by ACINQ, one of the pioneering companies in the bitcoin lightning network. And the same company that runs the largest lightning node in the world. Bitcoin is for everyone. Enjoy.
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is rating: Blockstream Bitcoin Wallet at 4.7 against Phoenix Wallet's 4.2. Blockstream Bitcoin Wallet also leads on ratings volume (1.2K vs 75). Phoenix Wallet's advantage is review sentiment (57% vs 48%). On price, update cadence, ads and in-app purchases 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 4.2. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Blockstream Bitcoin Wallet has 1.2K ratings behind it against 75, 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 57% of Phoenix Wallet'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, Phoenix Wallet monthly. The most recent releases landed on September 19, 2026 and September 9, 2026 respectively.
| Parameter | Blockstream Bitcoin Wallet | Phoenix Wallet |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | 4.7 (1.2K ratings) — better | 4.2 (75 ratings) |
| Positive reviews | 47.9% of reviews | 57.1% of reviews — better |
| Number of ratings | 1.2K — better | 75 |
| Update frequency | Every 2 weeks — better | Monthly |
| Ads | No | No |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Monetization | Free | Free |
| Devices | iPhone | iPhone, iPad — better |
| Requires iOS | 16.0 | 16.0 |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 168 MB | 60 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | Blockstream | ACINQ |
Customer experience
Blockstream Bitcoin Wallet
Phoenix Wallet
User reviews
Blockstream Bitcoin Wallet
From 1.2K App Store ratingsWhat we love
- 🔒 Top notch security
- 👍 User-friendly
- 🚀 Secure app
- 👍 Trustworthy and easy to navigate
- 👍 Simple, agile, and easy to understand
Room to improve
- 🐛 Buggy and poor support
- 🔍 Privacy issues
- 🐛 Connectivity issues with iOS and Bluetooth
- 🐛 Unreliable balance updates
- 🐛 Wallet deletion and management issues
Phoenix Wallet
From 75 App Store ratingsWhat we love
- 👍 Easy to use
- 🚀 Fast transactions
- 💡 Innovative features (splicing, client-side keys)
- 🔒 Non-custodial
- ✅ Reliable performance
Room to improve
- 💸 High fees
- 🐛 Funds stuck/not received
- ⚠️ Scam accusations
- 🤷♂️ Confusing for new users
- ❌ App not opening/crashing
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
Phoenix Wallet
Reported bugs
18 issues- Money not reflecting in account
- Crypto locked in wallet
- Bitcoin sent without user action
- App not opening on iOS
- Funds never arrived after transaction
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- UI display incorrect for amounts
- Transaction pending for over 30 hours
- Seed backup to iCloud not resolved
- Funds stuck for months
- App deleted wallet after upgrade
- Restoring connections indefinitely
- Sat incoming message with 3 z
- Ghost notification badge
- V2 broken, 'restoring connections'
- Receiving not working for days
- Transactions not going through
- App offline, no internet message
- Malware activity warnings
Requested features
7 requests- Add LN Address
- Show preimage in detail
- Add Portuguese language
- Add CZK fiat currency
- Option to connect via TOR on iOS
Show 2 moreShow fewer
- Ability to open own channels
- QR code receiving for bleskomat
In-app purchases
Blockstream Bitcoin Wallet
No in-app purchases
Phoenix Wallet
No in-app purchases
Questions
Is Blockstream Bitcoin Wallet free?
Is Phoenix Wallet free?
Which has better reviews, Blockstream Bitcoin Wallet or Phoenix Wallet?
Do Blockstream Bitcoin Wallet or Phoenix Wallet have ads?
Which is updated more often, Blockstream Bitcoin Wallet or Phoenix Wallet?
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