Desktop clients - Quick comparison chart

[caveden]

A chart like this could be on bitcoin.org.

[flatfly]

Added a new row for RAM requirements and updated various data to reflect latest releases.

[flatfly]

Just a quick update to point out that the URL has changed to http://dre.redmartian.org/compare.htm - This new host should prove more robust.

[bitminer9]

I just found this today when searching for alt clients.  Very helpful 

[flatfly]

I just found this today when searching for alt clients.  Very helpful 

Thanks, glad you like it

[World]

the Electrum desktop is very fast

[flatfly]

Updated to reflect latest versions of all clients.

[Seal]

Updated to reflect latest versions of all clients.

Good work. Have you spoken to the weusecoins people? Get them to link to you.

[flatfly]

Updated to reflect latest versions of all clients.

Good work. Have you spoken to the weusecoins people? Get them to link to you.

Good idea! I will check with them (as soon as I have some free time, the next few days
are going to be hectic).

[World]

flatfly,what about to save comparison chart also here?
http://socialcompare.com
for example:
http://socialcompare.com/en/comparison/alternative-currencies-monetary-systems

[Seal]

Updated to reflect latest versions of all clients.

Good work. Have you spoken to the weusecoins people? Get them to link to you.

Good idea! I will check with them (as soon as I have some free time, the next few days
are going to be hectic).

Yeah they already have a page with some suggested clients on it but its nowhere near as neat and concise as your table.

[dr_nix]

Nice chart!

Maybe it's also an idea to mention the security model the clients use?

[Jan]

...
Regarding mobile support: Perhaps a separate chart for mobile clients would work best - I'll think about making one too, as time permits...

I would like this table to stay focused on desktop clients and remain as uncluttered as possible so it can be easy and quick to read for new users.

The difference between mobile and desktop computers is really blurry these days, and I don't think it makes much sense to make a hard separation. If I can add a keyboard and a monitor to my phone is it then a desktop computer?
As an end-user I would be interested in comparing the wallets that are available for the OS that my computers are running. So first I would look up the platform: Windows, Linux, Android, iOS, .... Within that column I would look up the version I am running (Android 2.1, 2.2, 2.3, ...)
In the end I am not likely to install a different OS on my computer to get the wallet I want. I'd like to choose among the wallets available to the OS I am running on my various devices.

[cypherdoc]

your table has to make some sort of distinction btwn "server based" and "locally held clients".

i don't know Electrum as well as i should but i believe that the generation and encryption of deterministic wallets and the holding of private keys is on the client side.  that is good.  my only concern, which might be an invalid one, is that once private local keys are decrypted a malicious server could somehow upload the keys.  someone correct me if i'm wrong.

i admittedly use and like Armory b/c of the offline tx signing which in my opinion is superior.  again, correct me if i'm wrong.

I've put in a mention that Electrum relies on remote servers (which are open source as well).

About the risk of a malicious server: the Stratum protocol doesn't allow for any executable code or scripts, so
"uploading the keys" is impossible IMHO. The worst thing a malicious server could do, in theory, is lie about your balance.
However, note that I'm not an expert in the Electrum technicalities, better ask ThomasV for an authoritative answer.

Also Electrum DOES support offline transactions already, but only through the command-line at this time. Armory's GUI-based support for them is clearly more intuitive IMHO.

you are right.

There is no way a malicious Electrum server could steal your keys or passwords. The only malicious thing it can do is lie about your balance/history. There are 5 active servers at the moment, and they are identified by their domain name. As a user, you decide from which server you get that information, and you can also compare the answers of several servers if you have a doubt.

Electrum does have offline signing and watching-only wallets. However, these functions require to use the command line.

The command line options of Electrum are fairly comprehensive; they allow you to handle several wallets, and they give you full control on the transaction (choosing the change address, sending from an address)

Thomas, i have no reason to doubt your integrity as Electrum appears to be working for everybody quite well.  But i have to play devil's advocate and ask what is preventing you from inserting malicious code on the server end or into the client at some point in the future to allow you to upload private keys from the offline wallets once they are decrypted?

[ThomasV]

Thomas, i have no reason to doubt your integrity as Electrum appears to be working for everybody quite well.  But i have to play devil's advocate and ask what is preventing you from inserting malicious code on the server end or into the client at some point in the future to allow you to upload private keys from the offline wallets once they are decrypted?

The community.
The Electrum source code is open, and any change is being scrutinized by several developers. A malicious modification would be immediately detected by other developers.
This security model is the same for the official Bitcoin client, btw.

[flatfly]

Updated the chart as there's been a few nice changes in the meantime... (Multibit encryption, portable Electrum download, etc)

[jim618]

Hi Flatfly,

Thanks for keeping this chart up to date.

MultiBit 0.5.9 now uses a different blockstore which is smaller and it does not need a file with all the block headers in. (It has a checkpoint file instead). This makes the installer smaller.

The largest installer is the Windows one which is now 10.6 MB.

The storage requirements on disk have dropped too. The app on my Mac is 10.9 MB and the user data directory (with just one small wallet in) is just 3 MB. The wallets aren't very big so if you double that to 30 MB for the app and user data directory that would be enough for most people.

The RAM data requirements are the same. I just checked a running process and it was using 140 MB real (340 MB virtual) so the current 256 MB RAM you have is a realistic minimum.

[flatfly]

Hi Flatfly,

Thanks for keeping this chart up to date.

MultiBit 0.5.9 now uses a different blockstore which is smaller and it does not need a file with all the block headers in. (It has a checkpoint file instead). This makes the installer smaller.

The largest installer is the Windows one which is now 10.6 MB.

The storage requirements on disk have dropped too. The app on my Mac is 10.9 MB and the user data directory (with just one small wallet in) is just 3 MB. The wallets aren't very big so if you double that to 30 MB for the app and user data directory that would be enough for most people.

The RAM data requirements are the same. I just checked a running process and it was using 140 MB real (340 MB virtual) so the current 256 MB RAM you have is a realistic minimum.

Hi Jim, thanks for the info. I will update the chart accordingly (tomorrow, as I need to get going right now....)

[lunarboy]

Damn I wish I'd found this tread a week ago, would have saved me a pile of research.

Great work sir !

[flatfly]

And another (long overdue) update.
Added rows for Coin Control and Offline Transactions.

http://dre.natverk.org/compare.htm