Trezor vs. Ledger

We size Trezor and Ledger wallets up against one another to see which hardware wallet brand comes out on top

Trezor and Ledger have been the two leading manufacturers of crypto hardware wallets since 2013 and 2014, respectively.

Some differences between the wallets these companies have brought to market include cost, ease of use and the number of supported digital assets.

We've compared Trezor head to head with Ledger to help you decide which is best for your cold storage needs.

This is not an endorsement of cryptocurrency or any specific provider, service or offering. It is not a recommendation to trade or use any services.

Trezor vs. Ledger wallets overview

Trezor Model One Ledger Nano S Plus Trezor Model T Ledger Nano X Ledger Stax
Trezor Model One
Finder score
★★★★★
Read full review
Ledger Nano S Plus
Finder score
★★★★★
Read full review
Trezor Model T
Finder score
★★★★★
Read full review
Ledger Nano X
Finder score
★★★★★
Read full review
Ledger Stax
Finder score
★★★★★ Read full review
Dimensions 60 x 30 x 6mm 62.39 x 17.4 x 8.24mm 64 x 39 x 10mm 72 x 18.6 x 11.75mm 85 x 54 x 6mm
Display 128×64px OLED screen 128 x 64px OLED screen 240 × 240px LCD touch screen 128 × 64px OLED screen 672 x 400px; 3.7in curved electronic ink (e-ink) touch screen
Security mechanism ARM Cortex-M3 embedded-arm processor @ 120Mhz Secure element chip ARM Cortex-M4 embedded-arm processor @ 168Mhz Secure element chip Secure element chip
Security certifications CE and RoHS certified (consumer safety, health and environmental health award CSPN (First Level Security Certificate); CC EAL 5+ rating CE and RoHS certified (consumer safety, health and environmental health award CSPN (First Level Security Certificate); CC EAL 5+ rating CSPN (First Level Security Certificate); CC EAL 5+ rating
Connection USB-A, WebUSB, Micro USB (for mobile) USB-A to USB-C USB-C (for mobile), WebUSB USB-A to USB-C; Bluetooth USB-C to USB-C; Bluetooth
Compatibility PC (Windows 10+, macOS 10.11+ and Linux), Mobile (Android) PC (Windows 8+, macOS 10.10+ and Linux), Mobile (Android) PC (Windows 10+, macOS 10.11+ and Linux), Mobile (Android) PC (Windows 8+, macOS 10.10+ and Linux), Mobile (Android and iOS) PC (Windows 10+, macOS 12+, Linux Ubuntu LTS 20.04+), Mobile (Android and iOS)
Backup 12-24-word seed phrase 24-word seed phrase 12-24-word seed phrase 24-word seed phrase 24-word seed phrase
Coin support 9,000+ 5,500+ 1,000+ 5,500+ 5,500+
Staking Yes, but only when linked to third-party wallets Yes Yes, but only when linked to third-party wallets Yes Yes
NFT management capability
Exchange built in to native software (Ledger Live and Trezor Suite)
Price (USD) $59 $79 $129 $149 $399
Buy now Buy nowBuy now Buy now Buy now

Trezor vs. Ledger: Physical features

Trezor Model One Trezor Model T Ledger Nano S Plus Ledger Nano X Ledger Stax
Connection USB-A, WebUSB, Micro USB (for mobile) USB-A to USB-C USB-C (for mobile), WebUSB USB-A to USB-C; Bluetooth USB-C to USB-C; Bluetooth
Feel/appearance Plastic casing; lightweight; shaped like a rectangle with a triangle below it; two buttons on front of facade Plastic casing; lightweight; shaped like a rectangle with a triangle below it (and larger than Model One); touch screen Stainless steel swivel outer shell and plastic casing; hearty weight; shaped like a flash drive; two buttons at top Stainless steel swivel outer shell and plastic casing; hearty weight; shaped like a flash drive; two buttons at top Aluminum and plastic; embedded magnets for stackability; shaped like 5 credit cards stacked on top of one another
Display 128×64px OLED screen 128 x 64px OLED screen 240×240px LCD touch screen 128 × 64px OLED screen 672 x 400px; 3.7in curved electronic ink (e-ink) touch screen
Battery
Must be plugged in to function

Must be plugged in to function

Must be plugged in to function

Can function without being plugged in

Can function without being plugged in

All Trezor and Ledger devices connect via USB, but only the Ledger Nano X and the Ledger Stax connect via Bluetooth and have internal batteries.

Ledger devices also feel a bit more hearty than Trezor devices. This is largely due to the stainless steel swivel cover on the Ledger S Plus and the Ledger Nano X as well as the fact that the Ledger Stax is made with aluminum.

The Ledger Nano X, Nano S Plus and Trezor Model One all feature two buttons for scrolling and enabling yes-no decision-making. The Trezor Model T and the Ledger Stax have touch screens, but the touch screen for the Ledger Stax is larger and of a higher quality than the Trezor Model T's.

Ledger logo
Winner: Ledger

Thanks to the hardy stainless steel incorporated into the design of all Ledger devices and the Ledger Stax's superior touch screen, Ledger is the winner in this category.

Go to Ledger's website

Trezor vs. Ledger: Supported assets

Trezor Model One Trezor Model T Ledger Nano S Plus Ledger Nano X Ledger Stax
Coin support 9,000+ crypto tokens and coins 5,500+ crypto tokens and coins 1,000+ crypto tokens and coins 5,500+ crypto tokens and coins 5,500+ crypto tokens and coins
NFT private key storage
NFT support Trezor Suite does not provide native support to view or manage NFTs.

Connect your Trezor wallet to a Web3 wallet ( MetaMask, for example) to view your NFTs on the Ethereum network

Ledger Live provides native support to view and manage NFTs on the Ethereum and Polygon blockchains.

Connect your Ledger device to a Web3 wallet to view and manage NFTs stored on other blockchains.

All Ledger devices support a broader range of coins and tokens than either Trezor device.

You can store your NFTs' private keys on major blockchains on any Trezor or Ledger device.

But Ledger Live — the software for Ledger hardware wallets — provides better native support for NFT management than Trezor Suite, the native software for Trezor hardware wallets.

Ledger logo
Winner: Ledger

Ledger's wallets were the clear winner in this category because of their broad coin, token and NFT support.

Go to Ledger's website

Trezor vs. Ledger: Security

Trezor Model One Trezor Model T Ledger Nano S Plus Ledger Nano X Ledger Stax
Security chips ARM Cortex-M3 embedded-arm processor @ 120Mhz ARM Cortex-M4 embedded-arm processor @ 168Mhz Secure Element Secure Element Secure Element
Certifications CE CE CC EAL 5+ CC EAL 5+ CC EAL 5+
Other security info Designed with open-source code, which can be audited Designed with open-source code, which can be audited; offers Shamir backup system Designed with closed-source code, which cannot be audited

In 2020, Kraken Security Labs identified a security flaw in Trezor wallets, and Trezor has since changed the architecture of its wallets to remedy this.

No such vulnerability has ever been discovered in a Ledger wallet, nor has a Ledger wallet ever been successfully hacked. With that said, because Trezor hardware wallets are designed with open-source code and Ledger wallets are designed with closed-source code, it's easier for people or institutions to find a flaw in Trezor wallets.

Thanks to the Secure Element chip that Ledger uses in its wallets — the same chip used in credit cards and passports — Ledger has one of the best security track records of any hardware wallet maker on the market today.

Trezor hardware wallets are CE-certified. CE stands for "Conformite Europeenne" — French for European Conformity — and certifies that a product meets the consumer safety and environmental health standards.

Ledger hardware wallets have CC EAL 5+ certification. One of the main factors to consider for EAL (Evaluation Assurance Level) certification is whether a device can be penetrated in a hack. CC EAL 5+ is the highest level of security against penetration tests.

The Trezor Model T offers the Shamir backup system, which allows you to generate up to 16 recovery seed phrases instead of a single recovery seed phrase.

Using the Shamir backup system, you set a threshold for the number of seed phrases required to recover a wallet. This reduces the risk associated with losing access to your crypto wallet if you lose a single recovery seed phrase.

Trezor and Ledger logos
Winner: Draw

While no Ledger wallet has ever been hacked, Trezor's Shamir backup system offers a dimension of security that no Ledger wallet offers.

Trezor vs. Ledger: Built-in software

Trezor Suite Ledger Live
User interface Clean; intuitive; good portfolio overview Clean; intuitive; good portfolio overview
Staking No staking cryptos via Trezor Suite; sync Trezor wallet with a Web3 wallet to stake cryptos Stake a handful of cryptos via Ledger Live; sync Ledger wallet with a Web3 wallet to stake cryptos
Built-in exchange
Lend option
Via Compound
Mobile software app
For Android

For Android and iOS

Ledger Live allows you to stake a handful of crypto assets through the app's native interface, which Trezor Suite doesn't support. But both Trezor and Ledger devices can be connected to third-party Web3 wallets if you do want to stake your assets.

The built-in swaps on both Trezor Suite and Ledger Live are powered by Changelly. Through the built-in swap function, you can trade over [150] crypto coins and tokens.

Ledger Live allows you to borrow and lend your crypto through the Compound protocol, while Trezor Suite has no equivalent feature.

Both Trezor Suite and Ledger Live have mobile app versions, but only the Ledger Nano X is compatible with the Ledger Live mobile app.

Ledger logo
Winner: Ledger

Ledger was the winner in this category because of its staking and lending options via Ledger Live and the Nano X and Stax's compatibility with the Ledger Live mobile app.

Go to Ledger's website

Trezor vs. Ledger: Web3 apps

Trezor Ledger
Staking
  • No staking coins via Trezor Suite
  • Connect your Trezor device to a Web3 wallet to stake other assets that you manage on the device
  • Stake a handful of coins via Ledger Live
  • Connect your Ledger to a Web3 wallet to stake other assets that you manage on the device
Borrowing/lending
  • No borrowing and lending via Trezor Suite
  • Connect your Trezor device to a Web3 wallet to use borrowing and lending decentralised platforms like AAVE
  • Borrow and lend via Ledger Live's interface, which is connected to Compound
  • Also connect your Ledger Live to a Web3 wallet to borrow or lend via decentralised platforms like AAVE
NFTs
  • No managing NFTs via Trezor Suite
  • You can connect your Trezor device to a Web3 wallet to manage NFTs whose private keys are stored on your device
  • Manage NFTs on Ethereum and Polygon via Ledger Live
  • You can also connect your Ledger device to a Web3 wallet to manage NFTs on other blockchains

Ledger Live offers a gateway to some DeFi and NFT management, but Trezor Suite performs poorly in this department.

Use Ledger Live as an interface to stake a handful of crypto assets — including ETH, DOT and SOL — and lend and borrow via Compound protocol.

You can also manage NFTs on Ethereum and Polygon via Ledger Live.

Ledger logo
Winner: Ledger

Ledger was the clear winner in this category because of Ledger Live's numerous Web3 capabilities.

Go to Ledger's website

Trezor vs. Ledger: Ease of use

Trezor Model One Trezor Model T Ledger Nano S Plus Ledger Nano X Ledger Stax
Physical interface
  • 128x64px screen
  • Two buttons – for scrolling and yes-no functions
  • 240x240px screen
  • Touch screen
  • 128 x 64px screen
  • Two buttons – for scrolling and yes-no functions
  • 128x64px screen
  • Two buttons – for scrolling and yes-no functions
3.7in curved electronic ink (e-ink) touch screen; 672 x 400px
Software interface
  • Clean; intuitive; easy to use
  • Device must be connected to use
  • 128x64px screen
  • Nano S Plus must be connected to use, while Nano X and Stax can utilise Bluetooth to engage with mobile version

If you prefer a touch screen to interact with the hardware wallet itself, the Trezor Model T is the way to go.

If you prefer physical buttons, the Trezor Model One, the Ledger Nano S Plus and the Ledger Nano X are all good options. Of the three devices, the Nano X has the most space between its two buttons.

To wirelessly manage your crypto on the go, the Ledger Nano X's Bluetooth capability provides the most convenient option of the bunch.

Ledger logo
Winner: Ledger

Ledger won this category because the Stax's touch screen is more advanced than the Trezor Model T's touch screen and the Ledger Nano X and the Ledger Stax both have Bluetooth capability.

Go to Ledger's website

Trezor vs. Ledger: Price

Trezor Ledger
Model One - US$59 Nano S Plus - US$79
Model T – US$129 Nano X - US$149
Stax - US$399

The Trezor Model One and the Nano S Plus have comparable prices, but the Nano S Plus offers a broader range of features and a higher level of security than the Model One.

The Model T and the Ledger Stax — the top-tier models from Trezor and Ledger — both offer a full suite of features. They both have a touch screen, but the Ledger Stax's touch screen is more advanced and the wallet is Bluetooth-enabled.

Of these 5 devices, the Nano S Plus offers the most bang for your buck. For the moderate price of US$79, the Nano S Plus has most of Nano X's and the Ledger Stax's functionality and a great deal more features than Trezor's wallet that's comparable in price: the Model One.

Ledger logo
Winner: Ledger

Ledger was the winner in this category because of how much value the Nano S Plus offers at such a fair price point.

Go to Ledger's website

Trezor vs. Ledger: Company stats

Trezor Ledger
Year founded 2013 2014
Headquartered Prague, Czech Republic Paris, France
Employees 11-50 201-500
Monthly site traffic 1.3M 4.5M
X (formerlyTwitter) followers 183K 553K
Traffic and company profile data sourced from Similarweb and accurate as of January 2023.

Final verdict

Both Trezor and Ledger make industry-leading hardware wallets for storing the private keys to your crypto safely offline.

Either wallet maker can offer you a legitimate and secure product, so which you choose will come down to your budget and cold storage needs. But in this comparison, it was hard to overlook Ledger's strengths; it took out 6/7 of our categories and tied in one.

Trophy icon
Winner: Ledger

A summary of why we chose Ledger as our overall winner:

  • Ledger wallets support more crypto coins and tokens than Trezor wallets
  • Ledger wallets — in conjunction with Ledger Live — make it easier to manage NFTs
  • Ledger wallets offer more features for their price points
  • The Ledger Nano X and Stax are Bluetooth enabled and compatible with iOS
  • Ledger offers a higher level of security with the Secure Element chip
  • The Ledger Stax offers the most advanced touch screen of any hardware wallet yet
Go to Ledger's website

Safe storage for your assets is one of the most crucial parts to owning crypto, so make sure you've researched the best crypto wallets on the market and considered some hardware wallet alternatives before deciding which is best for you.

Methodology: Trezor vs. Ledger

We compared Trezor and Ledger hardware wallets based on a broad range of criteria. These criteria included the physical and software features, supported digital assets and NFTs and price. We also looked at how easy these devices are to use, how they engage with Web3 dapps and the level of security that they provide.

The prices and information used in this comparison are accurate as of January 2023.

Disclaimer: Cryptocurrencies are speculative, complex and involve significant risks – they are highly volatile and sensitive to secondary activity. Performance is unpredictable and past performance is no guarantee of future performance. Consider your own circumstances, and obtain your own advice, before relying on this information. You should also verify the nature of any product or service (including its legal status and relevant regulatory requirements) and consult the relevant Regulators' websites before making any decision. Finder, or the author, may have holdings in the cryptocurrencies discussed.

Frank Corva's headshot
Written by

Writer

Frank Corva is business-to-business (B2B) correspondent for Bitcoin Magazine and formerly the cryptocurrency writer and analyst for digital assets at Finder. Frank has turned his hobby of studying and writing about crypto into a career with a mission of educating the world about this burgeoning sector of finance. He worked in Ghana and Venezuela before earning a degree in applied linguistics at Teachers College, Columbia University. He also taught writing and entertainment business courses in Japan and worked with UNICEF in Namibia before returning to the US to teach at universities in New York City. Earlier in his career, he spent years working as a publicist and graphic designer for record labels like Warner Music Group and Triple Crown Records. During that time, he was also a music journalist whose writing and photography was in published in Alternative Press, Spin and other outlets. See full bio

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