Get a wallet, buy a little bitcoin and pay with it at places that accept it. Every option is checked against the company’s own pages, with the date we checked.
How will you use it?
Where do you live?
Where are you starting from?
Step 1
Get a wallet
A wallet is the app that holds your bitcoin and pays with it. 10 wallets for saving in the United States.
In each group: quickest setup first, then A to Z. No one pays to be listed or for their place.
Self-custody wallets
You hold the keys, so only you can move the bitcoin. You keep the backup safe yourself.
Bitkey
Phone app plus hardware device from Block, a 2-of-3 multisig wallet with no seed phrase, suited to saving bitcoin long term.
Who holds it
You hold the keys
Pays with
On-chain
Works on
iPhone and Android, hardware device
Setup
Minutes · ID check depends on how much you use it
Backup
No seed phrase. Encrypted app key backup in iCloud or Google Drive, plus the hardware key, optional Recovery Contacts and an Emergency Exit Kit
Fees
Device purchase, plus network fees
Details and sources
Who holds it
Three keys: one in the app, one on the Bitkey hardware, one on Block's server. Any two are needed to move bitcoin, so Block alone cannot move your funds.
Setting up
Buy the Bitkey device, install the app (18+, Android phones need NFC) and pair them. Bitkey says guided setup takes a few minutes. The wallet itself asks for no ID. Buying through a partner (Cash App, Coinbase, MoonPay, Robinhood, Strike, Blockchain.com) follows that partner's ID checks.
All fees as published
Bitkey hardware is a one-time purchase (shown as £230 for the UK on bitkey.world, price varies by country). Sending bitcoin costs only the network fee, which Bitkey does not set. Buying goes through partners at their prices.
Buy inside the wallet
Yes
Nostr Wallet Connect
Not supported. Bitkey supports on-chain bitcoin only, so it has no Lightning or Nostr Wallet Connect.
Countries
Sold in 95+ countries on six continents. Check availability by starting checkout on bitkey.world. Does not ship to New York, APO/FPO/DPO addresses or PO boxes outside the U.S.
Blockstream app (formerly Green) for phone and desktop with Lightning in beta, plus the optional Jade hardware wallet for saving.
Who holds it
You hold the keys
Pays with
Lightning and on-chain
Works on
iPhone and Android, desktop, hardware device
Setup
Minutes · ID check depends on how much you use it
Backup
12 or 24 recovery words. With Jade, the Jade recovery phrase also restores the Lightning account.
Fees
Jade from $99
Details and sources
Who holds it
The app is a self-custody wallet. Jade is an optional bitcoin-only hardware wallet that works with the app.
Setting up
Download the app and open a wallet in seconds, adding the recovery phrase backup when you are ready. No account needed. Lightning is in beta and is switched on per wallet. Buying sends you to a third-party exchange to complete payment. Jade can be added for cold storage.
All fees as published
Jade prices on blockstream.com: Jade Plus $169.99, Jade Core $99.00. Lightning: the first inbound payment may include a one-time funding fee.
Buy inside the wallet
Yes
Countries
No country limits found for the app. Buying goes through third-party exchanges, and Blockstream does not list which countries they cover.
Open source self-custody bitcoin wallet for phones and Mac, suited to people who want control over keys, fees and multisig vaults.
Who holds it
You hold the keys
Pays with
Lightning and on-chain
Works on
iPhone and Android, desktop
Setup
Minutes · ID check depends on how much you use it
Backup
12 or 24 recovery words
Details and sources
Who holds it
Bitcoin (on-chain) wallets keep your keys on your device. Lightning only works by connecting to a Lightning node you or someone you trust runs, through LNDhub. BlueWallet's own hosted Lightning service is no longer offered: its site says you need your own node.
Setting up
No account or ID needed to create a wallet. Write down the recovery words. Buying through the in-app MoonPay link asks for ID on MoonPay's side. Lightning needs your own LNDhub node address. Desktop is macOS only. The Chrome extension (BlueWallet Portfolio) is watch-only.
Buy inside the wallet
Yes
Nostr Wallet Connect
Not supported. No Nostr Wallet Connect support found on BlueWallet's site or in its GitHub code.
Countries
No country limits found for the wallet itself. The in-app Buy Bitcoin button is hidden in the UK.
Open source self-custody phone wallet for bitcoin, Lightning and Liquid, with an optional link to the Bull Bitcoin exchange for buying.
Who holds it
You hold the keys
Pays with
Lightning and on-chain
Works on
iPhone and Android
Setup
Minutes · ID check depends on how much you use it
Backup
12 recovery words, or Recoverbull encrypted cloud backup
Fees
Network and swap fees
Details and sources
Who holds it
Keys stay on your phone. It holds a Secure Bitcoin Wallet (on-chain) and an Instant Payments Wallet (Liquid). Lightning payments work through non-custodial swaps, so no channels to manage.
Setting up
No account, email or phone needed for the wallet. Linking a Bull Bitcoin exchange account to buy or sell is optional. Lightning transfers run from 1,000 sats to 0.25 BTC each.
All fees as published
Wallet: bitcoin network fees, plus swap fees when moving between Lightning, Liquid and bitcoin (amount not published). Bull Bitcoin exchange: no processing fee to buy from your account balance or for Lightning, Liquid or on-chain payouts. Price includes a quoted buy/sell spread.
Buy inside the wallet
Yes
Nostr Wallet Connect
Not supported. No Nostr Wallet Connect support found on Bull Bitcoin's site or in the app's open source code.
Countries
The wallet is available worldwide with no account. Buying in the app needs a Bull Bitcoin exchange account, offered in Canada, Europe, Mexico, Costa Rica, Argentina and Colombia.
Optional paid Ledger Recover service stores an encrypted, split backup tied to your verified identity.
Setting up
Buy a device, set it up to get a 24-word Secret Recovery Phrase, and manage it with the Ledger Wallet app (Windows, macOS, Linux, iOS, Android). Buying in the app is done by third-party providers. Optional Ledger Recover needs a government ID.
All fees as published
Device prices on shop.ledger.com (USD): Nano S Plus $69, Nano X $99, Nano Gen5 $179, Flex $249, Stax $399.
Buy inside the wallet
Yes
Nostr Wallet Connect
Not supported. Ledger Wallet has no Lightning, so Nostr Wallet Connect does not apply.
Countries
Buy providers, assets and payment methods vary by country. Some ledger.com pages are blocked for UK visitors under UK rules.
Self-custodial bitcoin and Lightning wallet for phones with one balance for both. Suits people wanting simple payments and their own keys.
Who holds it
You hold the keys
Pays with
Lightning and on-chain
Works on
iPhone and Android
Setup
Minutes · No ID check
Backup
Emergency Kit with private keys and output descriptors, plus a Cold Recovery Code on paper or email, password and recovery code. No recovery words.
Fees
Network fees, Lightning from 1 sat
Details and sources
Who holds it
2-of-2 multisig: the phone holds one key, Muun the other, and the Emergency Kit holds both.
Setting up
Install from the App Store or Google Play. Set up recovery with either a paper Cold Recovery Code or email, password and recovery code, and export the Emergency Kit.
All fees as published
Lightning fees 'as low as 1 satoshi'. On-chain fees set by Muun's mempool-based fee estimator.
Free, open-source desktop bitcoin wallet for people who want full control, privacy features and hardware wallet support.
Who holds it
You hold the keys
Pays with
On-chain
Works on
Desktop
Setup
Minutes · No ID check
Backup
12 or 24 recovery words (BIP39)
Fees
Free, network fees only
Details and sources
Setting up
Download for macOS, Windows or Linux, connect to a public server, then create a wallet with a 12 or 24 word BIP39 recovery phrase. No account needed. Also works as the app for many hardware wallets (Trezor, Ledger, Coldcard, Jade and others).
All fees as published
Free and open source (Apache 2 licence). You pay only the bitcoin network fee when you send.
Buy inside the wallet
No
Nostr Wallet Connect
Not supported. Sparrow is an on-chain wallet with no Lightning, so Nostr Wallet Connect does not apply.
Hardware wallet that keeps your keys offline, used with the Trezor Suite app. Suits people saving bitcoin long term.
Who holds it
You hold the keys
Pays with
On-chain
Works on
iPhone and Android, desktop, web, hardware device
Setup
Minutes · ID check depends on how much you use it
Backup
12, 20 or 24 recovery words, or multi-share backup
Fees
Devices from $59
Details and sources
Setting up
Buy a device, then set it up with the Trezor Suite app (desktop, web, iOS 15+ or Android 12+). No account needed for the wallet. On iOS, full use needs the Trezor Safe 7 (Bluetooth). Other models are view-only on iOS. Android works with any model over USB. Buying bitcoin in the app is done with a partner, who handles payment and approval.
Not supported. Trezor does not run Lightning, so Nostr Wallet Connect does not apply.
Countries
Buying in Trezor Suite goes through partners. Trezor lists Hawaii, New York and South Dakota (local regulations), Iran and North Korea as not supported for buying, and says partners decide whether a purchase is approved. Trezor's buy guide pages show 'temporarily unavailable to UK users'.
Self-custodial Lightning wallet and node manager for phones. Runs a Lightning node in the app or connects to your own. Suits hands-on users.
Who holds it
You hold the keys
Pays with
Lightning and on-chain
Works on
iPhone and Android
Setup
Minutes · No ID check
Backup
24 recovery words (aezeed) for Embedded LND or 12 words (BIP-39) for LDK Node, plus encrypted channel backups uploaded automatically.
Fees
No app fee; channel opens from 10,000 sats
Details and sources
Who holds it
Can also connect to lndhub accounts (LNbits, Alby and others) or Cashu ecash mints, where a third party holds the funds.
Setting up
Choose the embedded node (Embedded LND or LDK Node) on the phone, or connect a remote LND, Core Lightning, lndhub or NWC wallet. The built-in LSP (Olympus) opens a channel on first receive for a fee. Connecting your own node takes longer.
All fees as published
No processing fees. Olympus LSP just-in-time channel: 10,000 sats up to 1m sats, 1% from 1m to 5m sats, higher when on-chain fees are high. Wrapped invoices without a channel open: 2 sats. ZEUS Pay: zero. Swaps: service fee plus network fee, shown before confirming.
Buy inside the wallet
No
Nostr Wallet Connect
Supported. Two modes. NWC service: ZEUS acts as the wallet; create connections under Menu > Tools > Nostr Wallet Connect service, each with permissions and optional spending limits. NWC client: add a remote NWC wallet such as Alby Hub as ZEUS's Lightning backend.
Bitcoin-only hardware wallet by Coinkite that can stay fully offline. Suits experienced users saving bitcoin long term.
Who holds it
You hold the keys
Pays with
On-chain
Works on
Hardware device
Setup
A few hours · No ID check
Backup
12 or 24 seed words, plus optional encrypted microSD backup
Fees
Mk5 $219, Q $319
Details and sources
Setting up
Set up on the device itself, with no Coldcard account and no required companion app. Choose 12 or 24 seed words and add your own entropy. Use it with a separate wallet app such as Sparrow or Nunchuk to see balances and send.
All fees as published
Prices on coldcard.com: Coldcard Q $319 (listed down from $369), Coldcard Mk5 $219 (listed down from $269).
Buy inside the wallet
No
Nostr Wallet Connect
Not supported. Coldcard has no app and no Lightning, so Nostr Wallet Connect does not apply.
Countries
Sold through store.coinkite.com and authorized resellers. Coldcard says order and shipping details depend on product and destination.
The company holds the bitcoin for you, like a bank account. Quick to start; you trust them to keep it safe.
None that we could confirm in the United States for this use. Try another answer above.
Step 2
Buy some bitcoin
Start small. Every service here lets you send what you buy to your own wallet. 11 services in the United States.
Bitcoin-only services first, then apps before person-to-person markets, then quickest setup, then A to Z. Some wallets above also let you buy inside the app.
AztecoBitcoin only
Bitcoin vouchers sold by online and local retailers. Redeem the code to send bitcoin to your own wallet, no account needed.
Pay with
Card, cash
Fees
Not published
ID
No ID check
Send to your wallet
On-chain or Lightning
Automatic buys
No
Details and sources
Setting up
No Azteco account or identity check. Buy a voucher from a retailer and redeem it to any bitcoin wallet. The retailer may have its own checks.
Sending to your wallet
On-chain vouchers: enter the 16-character code and your wallet address at azte.co/redeem. Lightning vouchers: scan the QR code with a wallet app. The redeem screen shows commission, payment fee and network fee, amounts not published. Vouchers start at $10.
Countries
Azteco says vouchers are sold in over 190 countries through approved online retailers (for example G2A, Kinguin, Eneba, Razer, Dundle sites across Europe) and local stores in some countries. No U.S. state list is published.
Canadian bitcoin-only platform and ATM network that sends bitcoin to your own wallet. Also serves most U.S. states by bank transfer.
Pay with
Bank transfer, cash
Fees
1.5% spread (Canada, verified)
ID
ID check depends on how much you use it
Send to your wallet
On-chain or Lightning
Automatic buys
Yes
Details and sources
Setting up
Email, bitcoin address, phone, occupation and government ID. Automated check takes a couple of minutes, up to 3 business days if more documents are needed. Canadian Lite account needs only email (cash vouchers, up to $4,950 per day).
All fees as published
Canada online portal: 1.5% buy spread for verified accounts, 4.0% spread for Lite accounts. No withdrawal or account fees. ATM and OTC rates differ and are not listed.
Sending to your wallet
No withdrawal fees on the Canadian portal. Network fee choice: lower, higher, or batched. Lightning confirmed for Canada. U.S. minimum example: $2.10 USD.
Countries
Canada and the United States. A 2023 Bitcoin Well post lists states where it cannot operate: Alabama, Alaska, Florida, Hawaii, Louisiana, Nevada, New Mexico, New York, Puerto Rico, Vermont, Washington.
U.S. bitcoin app with a debit card: buy bitcoin once or on a schedule from your Fold balance, then withdraw to your own wallet.
Pay with
Bank transfer, card
Fees
1% plus spread
ID
ID check
Send to your wallet
On-chain
Automatic buys
Yes
Details and sources
Setting up
App only (iOS and Android). 18 or older, U.S. citizen or permanent resident, valid SSN, identity verification. Fund the Fold account before buying.
All fees as published
Non-Reserve users: 1% fee plus Fold spread plus partner spread (about 0.10%) on bitcoin buys. Reserve users: no fee, partner spread only. Non-Reserve users pay the Bitcoin network fee on on-chain withdrawals; Reserve users pay no withdrawal fee. Instant debit card funding has a 1.5% fee; ACH and direct deposit funding are free.
Sending to your wallet
No minimum or maximum withdrawal limit; available balance must exceed the network fee. Recently bought bitcoin can take up to 7 days to unlock for sending.
Countries
U.S. citizens or lawful permanent residents with an SSN who live in one of the 50 states or D.C. No state exclusions are listed in the Terms. U.S. territories are not included.
U.S. bitcoin brokerage for buying and selling bitcoin, with zero-fee recurring buys and on-chain or Lightning sends.
Pay with
Bank transfer
Fees
1% one-time, 0% recurring after 7 days
ID
ID check
Send to your wallet
On-chain or Lightning
Automatic buys
Yes
Details and sources
Setting up
U.S. citizen or permanent resident with a valid Social Security number, residential address in a supported state (no PO boxes), then identity verification.
All fees as published
One-time buys and sells: 1.00% up to $1,000,000, 0.70% from $1,000,000 to $5,000,000, 0.40% from $5,000,000 to $15,000,000, 0.25% above $15,000,000 (minimum $0.01). Recurring buys are zero-fee starting 7 days after the order is set up. Payroll conversions free up to $30,000 per month.
Sending to your wallet
Send to a bitcoin address, Lightning invoice, LNURL-Pay or Lightning address. Minimum on-chain withdrawal 0.0001 BTC. One free bitcoin send per month; otherwise the Bitcoin network fee shown at send time applies.
Countries
U.S. citizens or permanent residents with a valid SSN. Every U.S. state is supported except Nevada and New York.
Bitcoin app to buy, sell and send bitcoin, with free on-chain withdrawals and Lightning sends, in 98 countries including all U.S. states.
Pay with
Bank transfer, card
Fees
0.89% one-time, 0% recurring after week one
ID
ID check
Send to your wallet
On-chain or Lightning
Automatic buys
Yes
Details and sources
Setting up
18 or older and living in a supported country. Email, phone number, then identity check in the mobile app: name, date of birth, address, government photo ID, tax ID number and a live selfie (varies by country).
All fees as published
U.S. pricing page: one-time and target orders 0.89% under $5,000, 0.79% from $5,000 to $50,000, then lower tiers down to 0.25% above $15,000,000. Recurring purchases and direct deposits 0% for personal accounts after the first week (paychecks up to $20,000 per month). On-chain withdrawals free.
Sending to your wallet
Withdraw on-chain or over Lightning. On-chain withdrawals are free. Automatic withdrawals trigger at a threshold from 1,000,000 sats to 500,000,000 sats, with no fees.
Countries
Strike lists 98 countries, including the United States (all 50 states, D.C. and Puerto Rico, so New York is included), the United Kingdom, most of the EU, much of Latin America, Africa and Asia-Pacific.
U.S. bitcoin service for one-time and recurring buys from a bank account, with free on-chain withdrawals and auto-withdrawals.
Pay with
Bank transfer
Fees
1% per buy, free withdrawals
ID
ID check
Send to your wallet
On-chain
Automatic buys
Yes
Details and sources
Setting up
18 or older, U.S. Social Security number, U.S. smartphone number, U.S. bank account with routing and account number, then identity verification with a photo ID through Persona.
All fees as published
1% on buys and 1% on sells, no buy fee on a new client's first $250. Bitcoin and cash withdrawals free. Optional custody fees: Swan Safe 0.03% of balance per month ($0 with auto-withdrawals), Swan Vault $30 per month to $150k then 0.02% per month (max $500), Swan Sovereign $25 per month, self-custody $0.
Sending to your wallet
Withdrawals free. Minimum withdrawal 0.0001 BTC (10,000 sats). Addresses starting with 1, 3 or bc1q are supported; Taproot (bc1p) is not yet supported. Auto-withdrawals at most once per week.
Countries
Swan Personal accounts are available for all U.S. residents (New York included; Swan announced it is live in New York) plus Guam, Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands. Requires a U.S. SSN. Swan International is an early-access signup only.
Private peer-to-peer exchange over Tor where you buy bitcoin on Lightning from other people, with no account or KYC.
Pay with
Person to person, bank transfer
Fees
0.025% maker, 0.175% taker
ID
No ID check
Send to your wallet
On-chain or Lightning
Details and sources
Setting up
No account. You need a Lightning wallet and a Tor-enabled browser. A random robot identity is generated for each use.
All fees as published
0.2% total platform fee: maker pays 0.025%, taker pays 0.175%. Lightning routing and on-chain fees extra. On-chain payouts carry a swap fee of 1% to 10% that changes over time.
Sending to your wallet
Trades settle in Lightning sats to your own wallet. On-chain payout is optional with a 1% to 10% swap fee. Trade size 20,000 to 4,000,000 sats.
Countries
No country restrictions stated. Access is through Tor.
U.S. payments app that sells bitcoin from $1 and lets you withdraw it on-chain or over Lightning.
Pay with
Bank transfer, card
Fees
0% to 2% plus spread
ID
ID check
Send to your wallet
On-chain or Lightning
Automatic buys
Yes
Details and sources
Setting up
Cash App account plus identity verification: legal name, date of birth and last 4 digits of SSN or ITIN. Sometimes full SSN, address, photo ID or source of funds.
All fees as published
Market buys: 2.0% ($1 to $499), 1.5% ($500 to $999), 0.9% ($1,000 to $1,999), 0% ($2,000 and up). 0% fee and no spread on Auto Invest, Round Ups and Paid in Bitcoin. Spread on other buys: 0% to 0.75%.
Sending to your wallet
Standard on-chain withdrawal is free, minimum 0.001 BTC, within 24 hours. Rush (2 hours) and Priority (10 minutes) cost a network fee plus up to $2 or $3, minimum 0.00005 BTC. Lightning sends from the bitcoin balance have no Cash App fee (0.9% if paid from the Cash balance), limit $999 every 7 days, not available in New York. Bitcoin bought with bank funds can only leave Cash App after the holding period ends.
Countries
United States only. Cash App says bitcoin services are not licensable in all U.S. states and territories. In New York it operates as Block of Delaware under an NYDFS license, but Lightning is not available to New York residents.
Crypto exchange and app; bitcoin can be sent on-chain or over Lightning, with recurring buys.
Pay with
Bank transfer, card, Apple Pay or Google Pay
Fees
Varies, shown before purchase, plus spread
ID
ID check
Send to your wallet
On-chain or Lightning
Automatic buys
Yes
Details and sources
Setting up
Coinbase account with identity verification at sign-up (photo ID, sometimes proof of address); review status within 24 hours. Verify the account before adding a payment method.
All fees as published
Coinbase fee varies by payment method, order size, location and asset and is shown before you confirm; simple buys include a spread. Limit orders: 1% execution fee and possibly a 1.875% Coinbase fee. Coinbase Advanced has no spread.
Sending to your wallet
On-chain sends are charged an estimate of the network fee. Lightning sends cost 0.2% of the amount, work with invoices only (not Lightning addresses), and are not available in New York or Canada.
Countries
Available in the U.S., UK, EU/EEA and many countries across Latin America, Africa and Asia (country list on Coinbase's identity verification page). Lightning is not available in New York or Canada. Payment methods differ by country.
Crypto exchange and app with bitcoin withdrawals on-chain and over Lightning; not available in New York or Maine.
Pay with
Bank transfer, card, Apple Pay or Google Pay
Fees
1% plus spread in app
ID
ID check
Send to your wallet
On-chain or Lightning
Automatic buys
Yes
Details and sources
Setting up
Kraken account with identity verification (Standard, or Express in the U.S.) before deposits and Lightning sends.
All fees as published
Kraken app: 1% trading fee on instant and recurring trades, 1.5% on custom orders, spreads also apply. Extra fees may apply for card, Apple Pay, Google Pay or ACH.
Sending to your wallet
Lightning withdrawals need a verified account and a Lightning invoice; the fee is shown before you confirm. Crypto transfers are not available to Indiana residents.
Countries
U.S.: not available to residents of New York or Maine; crypto transfers not available in Indiana; bank transfers not available in Indiana, Louisiana, Massachusetts and Utah. Not served: Afghanistan, Belarus, Crimea, Donetsk and Luhansk, Cuba, DR Congo, Iran, Iraq, Japan, Libya, North Korea, Russia, Sudan, South Sudan, Syria. Other countries are served as Rest of World.
Open-source desktop app for trading bitcoin peer-to-peer over Tor, with Bisq 1 (multisig escrow) and Bisq 2 (Bisq Easy).
Pay with
Person to person, bank transfer, cash
Fees
Bisq Easy: no trade fees
ID
No ID check
Send to your wallet
On-chain or Lightning
Details and sources
Setting up
Download the desktop app (Windows, macOS, Linux). No registration. Bisq 1 needs some bitcoin first for a security deposit and fees (about 0.01 BTC). Bisq Easy in Bisq 2 does not need bitcoin to start.
All fees as published
Bisq Easy (Bisq 2): no trade fees, the seller pays the miner fees. Bisq 1: trade fees apply, makers pay less than takers. Bisq 1 fee numbers could not be confirmed.
Sending to your wallet
Bisq never holds your funds. In Bisq Easy the buyer gives a bitcoin address or a Lightning invoice and the seller sends bitcoin to it.
Countries
No country restrictions stated on the official site. Runs as a peer-to-peer network over Tor.
Back up your walletIf your wallet gives you recovery words, write them on paper and keep them somewhere safe. Anyone with them can take your bitcoin.
Nobody genuine asks for your wordsNot support staff, not Saturday Bitcoin, not anyone. Ignore messages promising to double your bitcoin.
Keep spending money separateKeep a small amount on your phone for paying, and move savings to self-custody.
Coming to Saturday Bitcoin
Connect your wallet
Nostr Wallet Connect (NWC) is an open standard that lets you link your own wallet to an app, with a spending limit you set. The app never holds your bitcoin, and you can disconnect at any time.
Once Saturday Bitcoin supports it, you will be able to pay a place from its page, with your payment confirmed by you and the business, and use offers from places you follow. Your bitcoin always goes straight from your wallet to the business.
Wallets that support NWC today
Alby Hub + Alby Go
Coinos
Minibits
Primal
ZEUS
Logos belong to their owners. Saturday Bitcoin isn’t affiliated with or paid by any company listed, and doesn’t sell bitcoin or hold anyone’s money. This guide is general information, not financial advice. Fees and terms change: check the company’s current terms before you sign up.
