Crypto hardware wallet comparison Trezor Safe 3 vs Ledger Nano X

Our impressions

Trezor Safe 3

Ledger Nano X

Pros
  • Small form factor and very portable
  • Excellent value at an affordable price point
  • Phenomenally intuitive and efficient on-device recovery, PIN and seedphrase entry

  • Bluetooth connectivity and built-in battery
  • Great form factor, paired with robust casing protection made out of medal for high portability
  • Future-proof USB-C port
  • Uses theΒ BIP-39 standard, which allows wallet recovery even without hardware
  • Can be used as a secure key, providing additional value outside crypto use-cases
Cons
  • 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
Verdict

Finally the first line of Trezor products incorporating a secure element has arrived. In our opinion it easily takes the lead in the current Trezor product lineup – in terms of security and portability. Even with the launch of the newer Trezor Safe 5 it’s easily our price/performance winner.

Even though the device uses only two buttons for input, like the Model One did, and does not offer a touch-screen, like the Model T and Safe 5, its on-device recovery, PIN and seedphrase entry are phenomenal. Trezor really did something truly special with the way they handle user input despite the minimalist form factor. At less than half the price of the Trezor Safe 5 it is an easy recommendation.

Read more about the new generation of Trezor Safe 3 products.

Currently definitely one of the best hardware wallets out there. Bluetooth connectivity allows for easy cable-free use. The built-in battery lasts a very long time – users typically don’t experience any low battery anxiety at all. 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.Β 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

Trezor Safe 3

Ledger Nano X

Release year

2023

2019

Supported coins

Supports multiple coins, Bitcoin-only mode available

  • BTC, ETH, LTC, XLM , DOGE, DASH, ZEC, NEM,
  • and a thousand others. See a full list at trezor.io/coins

Supports multiple coins, Bitcoin-only mode available

  • BTC, ETH, ADA, XRP, LTC, XLM, DOGE, DASH, XMR
  • in total 5,500+ coins and tokens available
Open source
  • Firmware
  • Companion software
  • Companion software

Apps that are installed on to Ledger Nano X are open source

Seedphrase support
  • BIP-39 (Mnemonic phrase)
  • SLIP-39 (Shamir backup)
  • Passphrase
  • BIP-39 (Mnemonic phrase)
  • Passphrase
Security protections
  • Secure element
  • On device PIN entry
  • Factory reset with wrong PIN
  • Factory reset with decoy PIN
  • On device passphrase entry
  • On device recovery

Secure Element protected Certified Chip EAL6+

  • Secure element
  • On device PIN entry
  • Factory reset with wrong PIN
  • On device passphrase entry
  • On device recovery
Platform compatibility
  • Windows
  • macOS
  • Linux
  • Android
  • iOS
  • ChromeOS

iOS view only, ChromeOS is not officially supported, but it should work via Google chrome WebUSB protocol.

  • Windows
  • macOS
  • Linux
  • Android
  • iOS
Authentication token
  • FIDO U2F
  • FIDO2 Webauthn
  • SSH
  • FIDO U2F
  • FIDO2 Webauthn

Technical specifications

Trezor Safe 3

Ledger Nano X

Dimensions

59 mm x 32 mm x 7.4 mm
2.32 in x 1.26 in x 0.29 in

72 mm x 18.6 mm x 11.75 mm
2.83 in x 0.73 in x 0.46 in

Weight

14 g
0.49 oz

34 g
1.2 oz

Display
  • Monochrome
  • OLED

Monochrome display
128 x 64 px

  • Monochrome
  • OLED

128 x 64 pixels

Connectivity
  • USB-C
  • USB-C
  • Bluetooth
Processor

180MHz embedded ARM processor (Cortex M4)

ST33J2M0

Safety & Certifications

CE and RoHS certifications
Airplane and X-ray safe

Certified CC EAL5+

Housing

Robust plastics
Available in black and multiple colors

Brushed stainless steel and plastic (available in black, but also different, exciting color schemes)

Where to buy

Trezor Safe 3

Ledger Nano X