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I am planning on purchasing a hardware wallet and would like to know which is best to use? I am looking towards getting an trezor but i also know there is ledger (probably not wise since there is no input on the device to confirm transactions) and keepkey but dont know which would be best. If you use one of these three i listed, do you think it would be a good fit to use or should I use something else?

Here you go and all of your stressed for choosing the best one will get fixed for easily. i preferred for using trezor in my mind.

https://www.reddit.com/r/Bitcoin/comments/4w9vn1/bitcoin_hardware_wallet_review_keepkey_vs_trezor/

First things first, you better keep your bitcoins or altcoins in several addresses and USB stick could do the trick as well as a paper wallet, but I think as many recommend trezor is one of the best.

I prefer paperwallet as a backup over usb, but you cannot send bitcoins from a paper wallet (unless the private key is in use on a btc wallet like armory, etc). I may use trezor though due to its features, as well as it being open source. I am looking at keepkey but i dont think you can do multiple wallets (or accounts?) with keepkey. Could be wrong but from my research it doesnt look like its discussed much.

KeepKey uses forked Trezor source code. Which is legal to do but why not support the original instead? At present both Trezor and Ledger Nano S would work well for you. Nano S does not yet allow passphrase protected wallets but that is on the roadmap. Both Trezor and Nano S work with Mycelium on your Android phone and the new Nano S does confirm transactions on the device. I would not buy the older Nano as the Nano S is better in all respects.

Nano S also supports Ether which Trezor does not (yet) if that is important to you. I use both Trezor and Nano S and the Trezor is more comfortable to use in the hand, more ergonomic. Nano S takes two hands to use. If price is important to you the Nano S is 2/3 the price of the Trezor.

I just think you should make sure you have a reason to spend ~$100 on a hardware wallet when there are plenty of very secure methods out there already that don't require a purchase.

I am using Armory, but however when using armory you are restricted to the platforms it supports. I know i can have an offline wallet too, but im not always going to be around the machine that holds it, which is why i thought about having it offline completely with a hardware wallet. It might be worth it, the only risk is the device itself getting damaged or corrupted in a way that would destroy the private keys. I would have a backup, but other than that, its also one of the best ways to handle signing transactions. I do not trust my phone to hold my coins either lol.

If you have enough money to justify the purchase, then go for it. But remember that a lot of what you want to do can also be achieved with paper wallets.

The other methods out there are not bulletproof like a hardware wallet. You have to get your private keys offline where malware can not reach them. Paper wallets are not convenient and have their own problems. Really a hardware wallet is the best purchase someone who uses bitcoin can make. No one has ever had bitcoin stolen from a Trezor. Think about that for a moment and weigh the minimal cost versus the long term benefits. You can set up cold storage using Electrum or Armory and two computers but try to carry that with you. Any methods using a USB stick expose your private keys at some point, same with paper wallets. I think that owning a hardware wallet separates the serious bitcoin holder from the just started. There is no downside to using a Trezor or Nano S and you can rest easy knowing your bitcoin are as secure as possible but can still be safely spent. I have been using Trezors since they were introduced so have an affinity for that brand but also own and like the Ledger Nano S.

I manage a high amount of Bitcoin, and I am extremely paranoid about the security of the coins.

I use a Linux based PC (I never used Windows or Mac and will never try them), a pure distribution with the packages I use / need, with Electrum wallet linked to KeepKey.

KeepKey is an excellent hardware wallet you should consider.

have you tried other hardware wallets?

I did not, I'd rather spend more on a robust device than a weak one.

I got keepkey because : it have the minimal features you need, I can take it and travel with it anywhere (hard to break), discrete and hard to break its buttons.

How long have you owned it?  I'm deliiberating between Keepkey / Nano S / Trezor.

Are you required to use Chrome with Keepkey?  I only use Firefox and Electrum... will this be an issue?

I have used ledger products and have been impressed. Ledger Nano or Trezor should be equal, I prefer ledger just for the preferred product shape. I read somewhere keepkey has a small vulnerability but don't count me on it as I did not verify the information.

Just store multiple  copies of the seed SAFELY or maybe even load the same seed onto multiple ones then your golden!

Thanks for this - I think I'll go with the Trezor...

They won't disappoint! Write multiple copies of the seed after set up and store them securely, and you're golden!

KeepKey work by default with a Chrome extension, but you can easily integrate it with your Electrum wallet and no need to use the browser again.

Electrum is available on all platforms, this is one of the reasons I love it.


The configuration I have allow me to spend BTC from any of my devices, the software is electrum, the wallet is hosted on keepkey.

 

Thanks for all the insight - very helpful!!

Is keepkey really a reliable wallet? I saw this thread https://bitcointalk.org/index.php?topic=1737321.0
They are giving bounty for those who want to trace the hacker(s). Which means theres a hole in this cold storage that can be penetrated.
I have not use any cold storage but i would like to get one. Which one is the best? Trezor or Keepkey?

That hack has nothing to do with the hardware itself.

Many car manufacturer and governmental agencies got their website hacked, that does not reflect the quality of the product or the agency.

Trezor is probably the best option. Keepkey has maybe nicer design but Trezor has wider wallet and service support - http://doc.satoshilabs.com/trezor-apps/index.html#recovering-funds-without-trezor-device

Also you can use Trezor with Satoshilabs Password Manager - https://passwords.mytrezor.com/
Recently they added FIDO/UTF support so you can use Trezor as a secure hardware login token into various services - gmail, dropbox, github and so on.

They also cooperate with Cryptosteel www.cryptosteel.com - which enables to store your recovery seed and private keys on indestructible open hardware backup tool.

Yeah, Trezor's look fantastic.  I've opted with a Ledger Nano S, as it also has Fido.  I'm not sure if it has a password manager though... anyone know?

I've been debating between Tezor and Keepkey. The recent "breach" doesnt impact the devices so im not concern about keepkey if I did decide to go with them. I been doing research on both. I do not have plans on using Ledger, though it looks very reasonable for the nano s but its still debatable.

Any reason why you're not going with the Ledger?  KeepKeys are backordered BTW.

I havent used one personally but before the nano s the other devices never looked very favorable to me, and never seem like it was secured. 

Yeah, I can understand that.  I had the same apprehension with Ledger prior to the Nano S.  But everything I have read about the Nano S have been favorable...

Bro i just used the trezor wallet & it works really great!!! that one is better from other two from my side😊

Have you used KeepKey or the Nano S?

At the moment there is just 1 find trustworthy And yes it's the trezor.
Having played with cold storage myself having some luxery of software built in the trezor is very convenient.

But if you have not funds, ALWAYS store your bitcoins in cold storage.

I did go on and purchased a keepkey due to trezor pushing back the backorders til sometime in March. I may buy a trezor as well and use both but I will see when the time comes. I might hold off for their new device they talked about thats a PoC.

I think the Nano S has the edge now - love the design! Seamless all around...

what's your opinion on ledger blue?
Its a littttttttttllllleeee expensive when comparing with nano S and trezor...

I'm willing to buy a hardware wallet too but don't know what to do... trezor 2 will be available when? is it worth buying trezor 1?

They are shooting for Q2/2017 as far as I know for the Trezor 2. I guess it depends on how soon you want the Trezor on whether its worth it to wait for the Trezor 2. I'd personally probably wait for the release of Trezor 2.

i can wait... and q2 is just right on the corner....

Yes, just wait for the Trezor 2 release than buying Trezor 1.
It will be worth the wait as other features are being introduced
like faster processor, a micro-SD card and a feature they
called Trezor Core.

And what about the ledger blue?

Something I think would be best for the Trezor 2 is if they had bluetooth. Probably would work a bit better for devices that cannot connect via usb (eg iOS base devices). Doubt they will implement it, but a guy can wish. I do like the keepkey but still feel limited.

The ledger blue looks pretty nice but seems a bit pricey. It looks like a tablet more than a simple hardware wallet but it seems pretty cool you can have multiple apps on it. I'm not sure if I could justify the extra price over something like the Nano S though.

Hello everyone,

What would happen if I had some bitcoins in a Nano S wallet and someday ledger decides to drop the project. Would I be able to still use my wallet somehow if I had my seed?

Yes you can import it in a wallet which is compatible with that seed. I know electrum is, so you can restore your wallet through your seed in Electrum which supports BIP32 and BIP39. I am not sure but even Mycellium supports this, so yes there are a few options.

IMO the KeepKey is the best hardware device out there for the money.  It's just wonderful

And even if ledger decided to drop the project, the current Nano S wallet should still function fine when using a client such as Electrum or the other existing wallets that support. I'd imagine their own App would function as well, you just wouldn't receive any new updates.

Thank you Cereberus and kolloh for responses!

Yea, but it does fall behind trezor though in terms of functionality, but keepkey been pretty stable. I do wish there was a private key import so I could import some of my old btc addresses so i dont have to keep the wallet around on my computer (though I doubt that will ever happen because that could open holes which could expose the private key). However, build quality feels better than the trezor, but I do know that if the trezor falls, there is a less chance of it breaking (unless the screen breaks then idk what to say about that). The keepkey is bigger and could take more damage, but I doubt i will let it fall. I dont let it go far from me anyway.

Its all dependent on the Amount you want to spend.
In this price segment the KeepKey definetly is worth the money..
But as a starter Hardware Wallet the Ledger nano for a few bucks is nice too.
And also worth the money.

A hardware wallet is a special type of bitcoin wallet which stores the user's private keys in a secure hardware device.
They have major advantages over standard software wallets:
private keys are often stored in a protected area of a microcontroller, and cannot be transferred out of the device in plaintext
immune to computer viruses that steal from software wallets
can be used securely and interactively, as opposed to a paper wallet which must be imported to software at some point
much of the time, the software is open source, allowing a user to validate the entire operation of the device.

Reference: https://en.bitcoin.it/wiki/Hardware_wallet

for me Trezor is the best hardware wallet around
I have to admit that I don't have any other wallets to compare,but trezor satisfies me perfectly
it has all the functionality you will ever need,it is more expensive than the most of the wallets on the market
but it definitely is worth the money you spend on it!
if you have 100$ do not hesitate and buy trezor,you won't be disappointed

I agree, TREZOR seems to be the most trusted hardware wallet by far, and it mentions its use by major Bitcoin exchanges.  It's immune to viruses and is perfect for security as well as being quite convenient.

The physical wallets for bitcoins (hardware wallets) are falling in the taste of bitcoiners, mainly because they are safer than traditional Wallets software. A physical wallet stores Bitcoin's private keys on the device itself rather than storing them as a file on your computer or on internet sites / wallets. As a result, you reduce the attack area to a "hacker" who tries to steal your bitcoins.
Even if your computer is infected by a keylogger (malware used to copy user-entered keys and password stealing) or RAT (remote access tool), if your bitcoins are stored in any of these physical wallets, your money You will be safe.

Probably said a thousand times already but the ledger s nano is the best up until the next one comes out later in the year called the blu.

Have anyone tried the Ledger Blue? Didnt know that they shipped them out but havent heard much about it and been curious (though honestly I feel it is going overboard).

Casting my vote for Ledger Nano.   ;D

I don't have the S since I don't to Alts, I have the older simpler version that doesn't require you carry a dongle.

Never heard about that hardware wallet its just like a dongle for repairing cellphones looks like i am interested about this nano s
What are the advantages about this dongle?

I wouldnt bother with the regular ledger nano. It is just a simple hw wallet dongle but lacks a screen interface which opens you up to possible chance of losing your coins since there is no confirmation of an address meaning a malware could submit a fake request with a different address, have it signed, and you lose your coin. If you are interested in ledger, get the nano s, otherwise use keepkey or trezor.

There is confirmation of the address.

The 2FA card will only generate numbers based on the destination address.

Also, alternatively you can use the 2FA App that will show you the destination address before confirming send.

Ledger stopped making the Nano. The Nano S is superior in all respects to the Nano, even if you can find one in stock don't scrimp on security for your bitcoin. Get the Nano S and sleep well at night.