Best Monero (XMR) wallets in 2026
Every wallet in this roundup is non-custodial — your seed, your keys, your XMR. We've ranked them by the job they're actually best at, from "just hand my Mom a phone" (Cake) to "run my own node on a Raspberry Pi over Tor" (Monero GUI + Feather). No affiliate order, no sponsored placements.
Quick pick
- • New to XMR? Cake Wallet.
- • Privacy purist on desktop? Feather Wallet.
- • Running your own node? Monero GUI.
- • Android only? Monerujo (F-Droid build).
- • Cold storage? Ledger or Trezor paired with Feather.
- • Just need a warm wallet fast? MyMonero — small balances only.
What to look for in a Monero wallet
- Non-custodial by default. If a wallet holds your seed on a server or requires an email login, it's an exchange in disguise. Every wallet on this list stores keys locally.
- Open source. XMR's security depends on being able to audit ring-signature generation. Every recommended wallet publishes source under an OSI license.
- Your-node friendly. Remote nodes are convenient but see your IP. The best wallets make it a one-click swap to point at your own node or a Tor-only community node.
- Active protocol tracking. Monero hard-forks about every 6 months. Wallets that lag on ring-size or view-tag upgrades will stop working after a fork; all wallets listed here have shipped every upgrade within days.
Comparison table
| Wallet | Best for | Platforms | Hardware |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cake Wallet | Mobile all-rounder | iOS, Android, macOS, Linux, Windows | Ledger (via desktop) |
| Feather Wallet | Desktop power users & privacy purists | macOS, Linux, Windows, Tails | Ledger, Trezor |
| Monero GUI (official) | Running a full node | macOS, Linux, Windows | Ledger, Trezor |
| Monerujo | Android-first & merchant payments | Android (F-Droid + Play) | Ledger (via USB / OTG) |
| MyMonero | Quick web / mobile access | Web, iOS, Android, desktop | No |
| Ledger / Trezor (hardware) | Cold storage of larger balances | Pairs with Monero GUI, Feather, Cake, Monerujo | Ledger Nano S+/X, Trezor Model T & Safe 3 |
Cake Wallet
Mobile all-rounder
Cake is the wallet most new Monero users should start with. Setup takes under 60 seconds, seed backup is clear, and you can point it at your own node once you're comfortable. On mobile it's the closest thing XMR has to a polished 'default' wallet.
Pros
- • Easiest onboarding of any XMR wallet — pick a node and go.
- • Multi-currency: XMR, BTC, LTC, ETH, USDT and more in one app.
- • Built-in exchange, buy and sell flows for quick moves.
- • Actively maintained with frequent Monero release parity.
Cons
- • Default remote node means you trust Cake Labs for tx broadcast unless you swap it.
- • Feature-rich UI is heavier than a pure XMR wallet.
- Platforms:
- iOS, Android, macOS, Linux, Windows
- Sync mode:
- Remote node (default) or your own
- Hardware support:
- Ledger (via desktop)
- Open source:
- Yes (MIT)
Download: cakewallet.com
Feather Wallet
Desktop power users & privacy purists
Feather is what the Monero community itself uses. It's the closest match to the original Monero GUI in features, but ships in a much lighter Qt shell with sensible privacy defaults. Pair it with your own remote node over Tor for the strongest setup.
Pros
- • Lightweight, opens fast, minimal attack surface.
- • First-class Tor / i2p support built in.
- • CoinControl, subaddress management and PSBT-style tx signing for advanced flows.
- • Runs on Tails and Whonix out of the box.
Cons
- • Desktop only — no mobile app.
- • Sparse UI intimidates first-time XMR users.
- Platforms:
- macOS, Linux, Windows, Tails
- Sync mode:
- Remote node, embedded node, or your own
- Hardware support:
- Ledger, Trezor
- Open source:
- Yes (BSD-3)
Download: featherwallet.org
Monero GUI (official)
Running a full node
If you want to run your own node and verify every ring signature yourself, Monero GUI is the gold standard. Most users will run it in 'remote node' mode day-to-day and treat the full-node sync as a background task on a home server.
Pros
- • The reference implementation — first to receive protocol upgrades.
- • Full node mode means zero trust in third-party infrastructure.
- • Deep configuration: mining, multisig, cold signing, seed offset.
Cons
- • First sync downloads ~200 GB of blockchain — days on a slow line.
- • UI feels dated and dense for casual users.
- Platforms:
- macOS, Linux, Windows
- Sync mode:
- Full node (default), remote, or bootstrap
- Hardware support:
- Ledger, Trezor
- Open source:
- Yes (BSD-3)
Download: getmonero.org
Monerujo
Android-first & merchant payments
Monerujo is the sensible Android choice if you want a pure Monero wallet rather than Cake's multi-coin approach. F-Droid distribution and Ledger-over-USB make it the picks for privacy-conscious Android users.
Pros
- • Long-standing Android wallet, battle-tested since 2017.
- • Ledger support directly from the phone over USB OTG.
- • SideShift.ai integration for quick swaps in-app.
- • Available on F-Droid — no Google account required.
Cons
- • iOS users are out of luck — Android only.
- • UI is functional rather than beautiful.
- Platforms:
- Android (F-Droid + Play)
- Sync mode:
- Remote node or your own
- Hardware support:
- Ledger (via USB / OTG)
- Open source:
- Yes (Apache-2)
Download: monerujo.io
MyMonero
Quick web / mobile access
MyMonero is the fastest way to spin up an XMR wallet, but you're trading privacy for convenience — the server sees your view key. Fine for pocket money; don't hold your stack here.
Pros
- • Fastest onboarding — no blockchain sync at all.
- • Cross-device: same seed works on web and mobile.
- • Good for small balances or a warm wallet.
Cons
- • You share your view key with MyMonero's server, which sees your incoming tx history (spend key stays with you).
- • Weaker privacy model than Cake, Feather or Monerujo.
- Platforms:
- Web, iOS, Android, desktop
- Sync mode:
- Hosted view-key server
- Hardware support:
- No
- Open source:
- Partial
Download: mymonero.com
Ledger / Trezor (hardware)
Cold storage of larger balances
For balances you'd be sad to lose, pair a Ledger or Trezor with Feather or Monero GUI. You keep the privacy of a real Monero wallet plus hardware-level spend-key isolation.
Pros
- • Spend key never leaves the device.
- • Works with all major XMR desktop wallets.
- • Trezor Safe 3 added native XMR support in 2024 — no side-loading tricks.
Cons
- • Transaction signing is slower than software wallets — expect 30–90s per tx.
- • Setup is fiddlier than a hot wallet; not ideal for daily use.
- Platforms:
- Pairs with Monero GUI, Feather, Cake, Monerujo
- Sync mode:
- Depends on paired wallet
- Hardware support:
- Ledger Nano S+/X, Trezor Model T & Safe 3
- Open source:
- Firmware partially open
Download: ledger.com / trezor.io
Setup checklist for any XMR wallet
- 1. Verify the download. Check PGP signatures where provided (Feather, Monero GUI) or install from the official app store link. Never download from a search-engine ad.
- 2. Write the 25-word seed offline. Paper or metal plate — never a screenshot, never cloud notes.
- 3. Set a strong wallet password. This encrypts the local keys-file so a stolen device isn't instantly a stolen wallet.
- 4. Switch to your own node when you can. Settings → Node → paste your node URL. If you don't run one, pick a community node over Tor rather than the vendor default.
- 5. Test with a small amount first. Send a fraction of an XMR to confirm subaddress generation, then move the stack.
Frequently asked questions
What's the best Monero wallet for beginners?
Cake Wallet. It runs on every major platform, uses a remote node by default so you skip the multi-day blockchain sync, and its onboarding is friendlier than any other XMR wallet. Once you're comfortable, you can point it at your own node or move to Feather for a lighter privacy-first experience.
Which Monero wallet is the most private?
Feather Wallet or Monero GUI paired with your own node over Tor. Feather ships with Tor support out of the box and runs cleanly on Tails; Monero GUI in full-node mode requires zero trust in third-party infrastructure. Both keep view and spend keys entirely local.
Do I need to run my own Monero node?
No, but it strengthens privacy. Remote nodes see the IP address that queries them and can correlate that with subaddress lookups. If you can spare ~200 GB of disk and a couple of days of initial sync, running a node — even on a home Raspberry Pi — is the biggest single privacy upgrade you can make.
Can I store Monero on a hardware wallet?
Yes. Ledger Nano S+/X and Trezor Model T + Safe 3 all support XMR. Pair the device with Monero GUI, Feather, Cake (desktop) or Monerujo (Android over USB-OTG). Signing is slower than for BTC or ETH because ring signatures are heavier — expect 30 to 90 seconds per outbound transaction.
Is Cake Wallet safe?
Cake Wallet is non-custodial and open source — your seed never leaves the device. The main caveat is that by default it uses Cake Labs' remote node, which sees the IP that queried it. Swap to your own node or a public community node in Settings and you close that gap.
What's the difference between a view key and a spend key?
The view key lets a wallet see incoming transactions to your addresses; the spend key is what authorises outgoing transactions. Sharing your view key (as MyMonero requires) exposes your incoming history but not your funds. Sharing your spend key gives full control of your XMR — never do it.
Which wallet works best with Monivo swaps?
Any non-custodial Monero wallet works — Monivo just needs a valid XMR receiving address for buys and a source wallet you control for sells. Cake and Feather are the smoothest because they show subaddresses clearly and let you copy them in one tap.
Got a wallet? Fund it privately.
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