Crypto hardware wallet comparison KeepKey vs Ledger Nano S Plus
Our impressions
KeepKey
Ledger Nano S Plus
- Has a great community and (d)app ecosystem
- Great form factor, paired with robust casing protection made out of medal for high portability
- Future-proof USB-C port
- Uses the BIP-39 standard, which allows wallet recovery even without hardware
- Can be used as a secure key, providing additional value outside crypto use-cases
- Outdated microUSB port
- Needs constant USB connection
- Requires constant USB connection to operate
- Firmware is closed source
- App concept (apps need to be installed on the device to support certain coins and features) can be overwhelming, especially for new users, but easy enough to start using the device in no time
The product has a nice build quality and finish, a solid (d)app ecosystem, and a great community. The product launched in 2015 and it shows its age, compared to newer hardware wallet products. Most notably it has no secure element, a microUSB port, and limits itself to a single button for on-device input.
That being said, we would still prefer it over any software wallet, though.
One of the most secure hardware wallets at a very attractive price point. The secure element chip prevents seed phrase extraction attacks, but comes at the price of closed source firmware. Users have to get familiar with the concept of individual apps that have to be manually installed by the user to make the device support the features (i.e. coins, security key functionality, etc.) they need. Installation is not much different than installing smartphone apps from the app store though, so not that difficult after all. As no company is perfect, please make sure to keep updated on Ledger controversies, before making a buying decision. Read more about Ledger controversies
All in all – a very good deal to keep your crypto assets safe with a very high level of security.
Disclaimer: Our impressions are based on a compilation of factors tailored to the average user’s perspective. It is also important to note that whether a feature is a “pro” or “con” can depend on your situation and preferences. What may be an advantage in one scenario could be a challenge in another, and vice versa. Therefore, while reviewing these points, it’s essential to consider your unique requirements and circumstances when making decisions. This list aims to provide an idea of what to anticipate, but it is not the ultimate guide to determining whether something will work for you or not.
Key features
KeepKey
Ledger Nano S Plus
2015
2022
Supports multiple coins
Supports 7.000+ assets on 340+ blockchains
Supports multiple coins, Bitcoin-only mode available
- BTC, ETH, ADA, XRP, LTC, XLM, DOGE, DASH, XMR
- in total 5,000+ coins available
- Firmware
- Companion software
- Companion software
Apps that are installed on Ledger Nano S Plus are open source
- On device PIN entry
after 3 wrong PIN entries an increasing timeout is applied for each wrong PIN (we stopped testing at 256 seconds around wrong PIN #8 or so)
- Secure element
- On device PIN entry
- Factory reset with wrong PIN
- On device passphrase entry
- On device recovery
- Windows
- macOS
- Linux
- Android
on Linux make sure to add udev rules
- Windows
- macOS
- Linux
- Android
- FIDO U2F
- FIDO2 Webauthn
can be used in conjunction with the companion app to store TOTP secrets and generate codes for TOTP based 2FA
Technical specifications
KeepKey
Ledger Nano S Plus
94 mm x 38.4 mm x 12.2 mm
3.7 in x 1.51 in x 0.48 in
62.39 mm x 17.40 mm x 8.24 mm
2.46 in x 0.69 in x 0.32 in
52 g
1.83 oz
21 g
0.74 oz
- Monochrome
- OLED
256×64 pixels
- Monochrome
- OLED
128 x 64 pixels
- micro USB
- USB-C
ST33K1M5
Certified CC EAL5+
Black plastics and Anodized Aluminum
Brushed stainless steel and plastic (available in black, but also different, exciting color schemes)