Greetings, crypto enthusiasts and privacy defenders. Today, we’ll dive into the realm of Monero (XMR) and explore how certain wallets can offer enhanced privacy and security compared to standard options. We’ll take a look at three unique wallets and assess whether they’re worth your consideration.
Monerujo: Lightweight and Private
Monerujo is an open-source software wallet for Monero, designed to be “light” by using remote nodes to connect with the Monero blockchain.
Remote nodes are computers that store a copy of the blockchain and make it available for viewing. They allow users to synchronize their wallets without running a full node, which for Monero requires over 90 GB of free space.
Since 2017, Monerujo has been part of the Monero ecosystem, developed specifically for storing XMR on smartphones. It’s optimized for transaction privacy and guarantees that transfers remain untraceable.
Advantages:
- Simple and intuitive interface.
- Utilizes the Tor anonymizer for added privacy.
- Multilingual support.
- Non-custodial private key storage (remember: “not your key, not your crypto”).
- Compatible with Ledger hardware wallets.
- No need to provide personal information (not even an email address).
Additionally, Monerujo uses the SideShift.ai application to convert XMR in the background to any cryptocurrency, allowing users to send Monero to any blockchain (e.g., BTC address).
Drawbacks:
- Available only for Android.
- Supports only Monero.
- Unsatisfactory support (some requests take more than a day to process, others are ignored).
- No two-factor authentication.
- No trading capabilities within the wallet.
Monerujo is a great choice for Monero holders who value their anonymity. However, it’s not suitable for iPhone users or those who prefer to trade crypto from a single app.
Download Monerujo here.
Feather: Sleek and Multifunctional
Feather is an English-language open-source software wallet for desktops. It’s easy to install and compatible with various operating systems: Linux, Tail, Whonix, Prestium, Raspberry Pi, Windows, and Mac OS.
Feather is officially listed on the Monero website as an approved solution for storing XMR.
Advantages:
- Multi-signature support: allows transaction approval by multiple users, enhancing security against unauthorized access.
- Sub-addressing technology: a Monero-specific feature that allows users to hide their main address, enhancing privacy.
- Integrated Tor anonymizer.
- No registration or KYC requirements.
- Compatible with Ledger Nano S/S+/X and Trezor Model T.
- Free installation and XMR storage.
- Minimal transaction fee (0.1%).
- Automatically hides used addresses and generates a new address for each transaction.
- Supports Monero mining with XMRig.
Drawback:
- Lacks support for P2Pool, a powerful decentralized mining pool for Monero that doesn’t charge fees.
Overall, Feather is a solid choice for users seeking a reliable and straightforward desktop wallet for XMR.
Mymonero: Simple and Integrated
Mymonero is a mobile and desktop application approved by the Monero development team. Like Monerujo, it allows synchronization with the blockchain without the need to run a full node.
This wallet features an integrated trading interface, allowing XMR to be converted to BTC through ChangeNOW. Users can also buy Monero with fiat currencies directly within the app.
The wallet developer, devinpearson, claims that Mymonero does not collect user data or share it with third parties.
Advantages:
- Two-factor authentication.
- Multilingual support.
- Free XMR storage.
- Non-custodial private key storage.
- Intuitive interface navigation.
- Fiat bridge for purchasing Monero.
Drawbacks:
- Cannot withdraw funds from Monero sales to a bank account; coins must be transferred to an exchange or another wallet. Fiat transactions work only in one direction.
- No support for hardware wallets.
- Additional fees for built-in exchange and fiat-to-crypto conversions.
- Complex fee calculation for transactions, dependent on network power.
- No multi-signature support.
- Last software update was in November 2022.
- Not all Android versions are compatible with Mymonero.
Mymonero is considered one of the safest wallets as it does not store any information on its servers, and users' private keys are encrypted with their own passwords. However, its drawbacks might deter some potential users.
Download Mymonero here.