Best crypto hardware wallet: Ledger vs Trezor compared

If you hold cryptocurrency and want to take it off an exchange, a hardware wallet is the standard recommendation. The two brands that dominate the market are Ledger and Trezor, and the choice between them is where most people get stuck.

I've used a Ledger since 2020. I haven't owned a Trezor, so this comparison is based on published specifications and user reports for Trezor, and first-hand experience for Ledger. I'll be clear about where I'm speaking from experience versus summarising.

Why you need a hardware wallet at all

Every crypto exchange hack reinforces the same lesson: if you don't control your private keys, you don't truly own your crypto. Mt. Gox, FTX, Celsius, BlockFi: the list of platforms that lost or froze customer funds is long and still growing.

A hardware wallet stores your private keys on a physical device that never connects to the internet. Transactions are signed on the device itself, so even if your computer is compromised, your crypto stays safe.

Rule of thumb: if losing your crypto would hurt financially, get a hardware wallet.

Ledger vs Trezor: the quick comparison

Prices checked against both manufacturers' own stores in July 2026. Ledger runs seasonal sales at roughly 15 to 30% off, and the Bitcoin referral only pays on full-price orders, so during a sale you're choosing between the two.

On the currencies: Ledger prices its UK store in pounds, so those are the figures you'll actually pay. Trezor doesn't have a GBP storefront at all: its shop quotes EUR, USD and CZK, and settles in crypto at checkout. Quoting a Trezor in pounds would mean inventing an exchange rate, so I've left the dollar prices as Trezor publishes them. Budget for conversion costs and possible import charges on top.

If you've read an older version of this comparison, note that Trezor's Model One and Model T are both discontinued: their product pages now carry a "no longer sold" notice. The Safe line replaced them, and the change matters for more than the model names, as the next section explains.

Security: the old argument no longer applies

For years the honest summary was "Ledger has a secure element, Trezor doesn't, pick your trade-off." That's out of date. Every device in Trezor's current Safe range ships with an EAL6+ certified secure element. If you see a comparison telling you Trezor has no secure element, it's describing the Model One and Model T, and neither has been on sale for a while.

Ledger's approach: secure element, closed firmware

Ledger uses a CC EAL5+ certified secure element: the same type of chip found in passports and bank cards. It's designed to resist physical tampering and side-channel attacks. The trade-off is that the chip's firmware is proprietary, so the security community can't fully audit what runs on it.

Trezor's approach: secure element, open firmware

Trezor's Safe 3, Safe 5 and Safe 7 all use an EAL6+ certified secure element, paired with fully open-source firmware and hardware design. The top-end Safe 7 adds a second chip, TROPIC01, which Trezor describes as auditable: the pitch is that the tamper-resistant part shouldn't be a black box either.

Which matters more?

Both now have certified tamper-resistant chips, so the remaining split is narrower than it used to be: it's about who can inspect the code, not whether the chip exists. If full auditability is your priority, Trezor. If you want the longer certification track record and the wider ecosystem around it, Ledger.

In practice, neither brand has had user funds stolen through a device-level exploit in normal use. The overwhelming majority of crypto theft comes from phishing, social engineering, and exchange breaches, not hardware wallet vulnerabilities. For most people, both are more than secure enough.

Coin support: Ledger wins clearly

Ledger advertises support for 15,000+ coins and tokens. Trezor advertises 1,000+. Treat both as marketing counts rather than precise inventories, since each brand decides what counts as a supported asset. The gap is real regardless: if you hold mainstream coins (Bitcoin, Ethereum, Solana, Polygon), both work fine, but if you hold altcoins, DeFi tokens or newer chains, Ledger is significantly more likely to support everything on one device.

This is the single most practical difference for most buyers.

Software: Ledger Live vs Trezor Suite

Both manufacturers provide companion apps for managing your wallet:

Ledger Live is clean and functional. You can view balances, send and receive crypto, stake some assets, and access DeFi through integrations. The mobile app works well, especially with Nano X over Bluetooth.

Trezor Suite is similar in scope: portfolio overview, transaction management, and exchange integrations. It's browser-based and desktop-based (no dedicated mobile app, though mobile browser works).

Both are adequate. Neither is significantly better than the other for basic wallet management.

Which Ledger or Trezor should you buy?

Best for most people: Ledger Nano S Plus (£52)

Bank-grade security chip, 15,000+ coins, USB-C, solid build. Does everything most crypto holders need at the lowest price of any device here. This is what I'd recommend to anyone who asks.

Best for mobile use: Ledger Nano X (£90)

Same security as the Nano S Plus but adds Bluetooth so you can manage crypto from your phone without a cable. Worth it if you make frequent transactions on the go.

Best open-source option: Trezor Safe 3 ($59)

The entry point to Trezor's current range, and the direct replacement for the old Model One. Fully open-source, and unlike the Model One it now has an EAL6+ secure element. USB-C, a small monochrome OLED, and a two-button pad rather than a touchscreen. Coin support is narrower than Ledger's, but if open-source firmware is your priority this is the cheapest way in.

Best Trezor overall: Trezor Safe 5 ($129)

Adds a colour touchscreen with haptic feedback, which makes entering your PIN and passphrase on the device far more pleasant than clicking through with two buttons. Same EAL6+ secure element as the Safe 3.

If you want everything: Trezor Safe 7 ($249)

Trezor's flagship. Bigger colour touchscreen, Bluetooth (the one Trezor that has it), and a second auditable chip alongside the secure element. Priced against Ledger's Flex and Stax rather than the Nano range.

No longer worth hunting down: Model One and Model T

Both are discontinued. If you find one on a marketplace, that's a used or grey-market device, which is exactly the purchase you shouldn't make with a hardware wallet.

Where to buy (important)

Always buy directly from the manufacturer's website. Never from Amazon, eBay, or third-party resellers. Tampered hardware wallets are a known attack vector: devices have been intercepted and modified to steal seed phrases.

• Ledger: buy from the official Ledger store (referral gives $5 to $20 in Bitcoin, tiered by device, on full-price purchases)
• Trezor: buy from https://trezor.io/ (opens in new tab)

The verdict

For most people, the Ledger Nano S Plus is the best hardware wallet. It's affordable, supports the widest range of coins, uses a certified security chip, and the Ledger Live app is polished. The referral bonus gives you $5 in free Bitcoin on a Nano S Plus bought at full price (up to $20 on the touchscreen Flex and Stax).

Choose Trezor if open-source firmware is non-negotiable for you, or if you only hold Bitcoin and major coins and want full code transparency. The case for Trezor is stronger than it was: the Safe line closed the secure-element gap that used to be the main argument against it, so you're no longer trading tamper resistance for auditability.

Both are vastly better than leaving crypto on an exchange. The decision between them matters far less than the decision to get one in the first place.

Ledger vs Trezor FAQs

Is Ledger or Trezor safer?

Both are safe for storing cryptocurrency. Ledger uses a CC EAL5+ certified secure element chip. Trezor's current Safe range uses an EAL6+ certified secure element alongside fully open-source firmware. Older comparisons say Trezor has no secure element, which was true of the discontinued Model One and Model T but not of anything Trezor sells today. Neither brand has had user funds stolen through a device vulnerability.

Which hardware wallet supports the most coins?

Ledger advertises 15,000+ coins and tokens. Trezor advertises 1,000+. Both are the manufacturers' own counts, but the gap is large enough that if you hold altcoins outside the top few, Ledger is more likely to support them all on one device.

Do I need a hardware wallet for crypto?

If you hold more than a few hundred pounds in crypto, a hardware wallet is strongly recommended. It keeps your private keys offline and protects you from exchange hacks, phishing attacks, and platform insolvency.

Can hardware wallets be hacked?

No hardware wallet has been remotely hacked in normal use. Physical attacks with specialised equipment are theoretically possible but require possession of the device. The main risk is buying a tampered device from a third-party seller: always buy direct from the manufacturer.

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Useful links (official resources)

• Ledger official store: https://www.ledger.com/ (opens in new tab)
• Trezor official store: https://trezor.io/ (opens in new tab)
• Bitcoin.org wallet guide: https://bitcoin.org/en/choose-your-wallet (opens in new tab)