Bitcoin wallets by weight category

The importance of safe and convenient storage of BTC cannot be overestimated, so this article will be entirely devoted to bitcoin wallets.. Bitcoin can be stored in two ways: on your computer, laptop, smartphone, or on a third-party online wallet. In the first case, the keys to access the funds are usually stored locally on the computer. In the second, you are often forced to completely trust the storage of your funds to a third-party service. However, recent developments based on the HD wallet make it possible to completely dispense with the constant storage of keys anywhere. It is safest to keep coins at home without resorting to outside help.. But online services also have their advantages – for example, convenient access to funds, which requires only a browser, and many additional services.. So what choice do we have? Wallets stored on your computer These wallets require you to download and install an application on your computer. The key file is stored locally (with the exception of HD wallets), and all security settings need to be done by yourself. This type of wallets can be divided into 2 subspecies: “thick” and “thin”. Thick ones require downloading the entire chain of blocks and constantly downloading new blocks. Thin (they are also light) wallets do not require downloading the entire block history, but take all the necessary data from third-party services. This is convenient when, for example, the wallet is used on a mobile device.. But in this case, the security in using bitcoins is reduced, since you will have to trust these third-party services.. Let's go in order. Thick wallets This option for storing coins is the most reliable.. You are in control of the safety of your funds. And your client itself downloads all the blocks and checks their authenticity, controlling that indeed each subsequent block refers to the previous one. The keys are stored only with you, so do not forget to make a timely backup of the key file. Bitcoin Core (Windows, Linux, Mac OS) The original client, based on the development of Bitcoin founder Satoshi Nakamoto and maintained by a development team led by Gavin Andresen. If you're not sure which client to use, it's best to start there. The application has a high level of security, privacy and stability, and its development is ahead of all other clients, since it is the official Bitcoin client. However, this application is very resource intensive.. It is advisable to leave it on all the time, thus supporting the Bitcoin system so that other nodes can connect to you. If you have a weak computer, then it may be worth looking at other clients for managing bitcoins. Wallet Features: Your bitcoin addresses and their private keys are stored in the wallet.dat file. The client offers the option to encrypt the file with a password. The application has a Russian version. Ability to import and export keys, sign messages. And working through the command line allows you to take advantage of additional client features that are not implemented in the graphical shell. Overview of Bitcoin Core version 0.10.0. read here. Armory (Windows, MacOS, Linux) Runs on top of Bitcoin Core, expanding its functionality. Therefore, for its operation, you will need an installed official Bitcoin Core client with synchronized blocks.. If Armory does not find the database files from the blocks at startup, it will report this, indicating that the program should be launched with the –satoshi-datadir = path Armory is easy to use even for novice users. Can manage multiple wallets, improved security. With its help, to protect against attacks from the Internet, you can store wallets offline. Addresses generated with VanityGen are easy to import into your wallet. With Armory, you can even create messages that are signed with your bitcoin address's private key, so that others can verify that the message came from you. The Armory Wallet is suitable for advanced users who need additional flexibility and security to manage their funds. Please note that Armory will have a hard time running on older computers, it requires at least 2GB of RAM. And even with 2GB of memory, it can run for 10-20 minutes, or even more. There is also no Russian version of the client. Thin wallets As already mentioned, the thin client does not require downloading blocks, and all data is taken from the server used by the client. Such wallets are most convenient for installation on a laptop or tablet.. Work with them quickly and conveniently. But at the same time, all checks are carried out by a third party, which negatively affects security, although the keys are in your complete possession. MultiBit (Windows, Linux, Mac OS) MultiBit is a fast and easy to use application even for people without specific technical knowledge. He has a YouTube channel to help you get to know the wallet and its features better.. Synchronization with the network is quite fast, usually a few minutes. The application is also translated into Russian. The amount of the commission is set in the program settings. Before sending, the program displays the data on the transfer (address, amount, commission) for confirmation. Now the development of Multibit has somewhat slowed down, as the efforts of the developers are directed to a new product – Multibit HD, which is at the stage of initial testing. Electrum (Windows, Linux, Mac OS, Android) The purpose of this application is to speed up the work with the Bitcoin network as much as possible and minimize the resources consumed. After installation, the wallet offers to select the server to which the connection will occur – you can select from the list or specify your own. After that, it will generate some secret phrase (seed), which must either be written down or printed out as a QR code. In this case, there is no need to make backup copies of the wallet. The latest version of Electrum 2.0.3 introduces a new key and address derivation method (BIP32) and support for wallets using BIP32 and P2SH addresses. It is possible to create a multi-signature, and BIP70 payment requests are processed. Interacts with Trezor and Btchip HW1 hardware wallets. The application can also be installed on Android; read more about light wallets and installing Electrum 2.0.3 in this article. Online wallets Their advantages are that, firstly, you do not need to download all the blocks of the network, it takes a lot of time not only at the first download, but also every time you start a local wallet, if it is not always on. Secondly, one wallet can be managed from various devices, wherever you are, the main thing is that there is Internet access. And thirdly, most of these services provide additional convenience for their users: notifications, address books, the ability to make transfers to other users of this service, indicating their e-mail or phone number. For example, the Coinkite hybrid multi-currency web wallet offers its users not only a high level of security, but also a debit card service and POS terminals. In any case, you should always remember a significant disadvantage of using any online wallet: your funds are entrusted to someone else's resource. And you are not the only one responsible for their safety.. Such a service can be hacked, and then the coins can be stolen. As a result, you can easily be left without coins at all that were stored on such a resource, unfortunately, there are already examples of this.. Although, if you haven’t yet figured out how to protect your wallet enough to store it on your computer, then perhaps storing it on a specialized server may be an even safer way for you. It is worth using such resources only for short-term storage of bitcoins, small amounts, or to get acquainted with the system.. A list of such services, their main features can be viewed in this catalog of online wallets. Mobile wallets Mobile wallets are designed to be installed on smartphones running on iOS and Android. Offer payment options using QR codes or contactless NFC technology, provide access to bitcoins anytime and anywhere. Here we will give an example of one of the most popular mobile wallets, with other options for such applications, you will learn more in the article on mobile wallets. Bitcoin Wallet This is an offline wallet for Android. Offers fast payment via QR code scanning, supports NFC Displays Bitcoin amounts in BTC, mBTC and µBTC. The national currency conversion calculator displays your balance not only in BTC, but also in the currency indicated to it. Creates an address book from frequently used addresses. It is possible to pay via Bluetooth, sends system notifications about received coins. Has a Russian-language interface. In addition to mobile wallets, there are Android applications that allow you to manage bitcoins from your phone, display and read QR codes. But at the same time, these applications are not wallets, but only a means of accessing online wallets, for example, an application from Blockchain.