Bitcoin transactions are great on paper — no middlemen, no extra fees, and no long waits. However, if you want them to be equally great in practice, you’ll need to pick the right wallet!
Wallets are the software and hardware solutions to storing your Bitcoin’s private keys, which are the passwords that allow you to control your coins. There are loads of different kinds of wallets, like desktop and paper wallets, but by far the most useful are mobile wallets.
If you own an Android phone, then you’re in luck! There are dozens of mobile wallets which you can install on Android, and in this article, we’ll teach you all about them.
Why Store Bitcoin on my Android Phone?
Storing Bitcoin on a mobile device, like an Android phone, is one of the smartest moves you can make. Mobile wallets have quite a number of advantages — here are just a few:
- You can take them with you and use them wherever
- You can scan QR codes with your camera instead of typing long addresses
- You can be safe from most contemporary desktop viruses
How do I store Bitcoin on Android?
Storing Bitcoin on Android is as easy as you could hope for. There are only a couple of steps to set yourself up with a wallet, and using it is no more difficult.
To set yourself up:
- Head over to the Google Play Store and pick a wallet of your choice (we’ll share five of our favorites in just a moment).
- Install your wallet.
- Set yourself up with a recovery phrase and passcode.
To receive cryptocurrency:
- Find your wallet’s address.
- Copy it as text or create a QR code for others to scan.
- Wait patiently!
To send cryptocurrency:
- Go to the relevant page of your wallet.
- Enter your recipient’s address and the amount.
- Double-check the details and hit “Send”
And that’s just about it! Further instructions, like on how to recover your wallet, might vary from app to app, so consult the user guide for that.
Top 5 Bitcoin wallets for Android
Now that you know all the benefits of an Android bitcoin wallet, it’s time you pick one! There’s quite a number of wallets available on the Play Store, so in case you find the choice overwhelming, here are five wallets we love. All of these offer fantastic security, reliability, and ease of use, in addition to their extensive functionality.
Breadwallet iOS Bitcoin Wallet – Editors Choice
Breadwallet, often stylized as breadwallet, has to be our favorite mobile wallet for Android. It’s an extremely lightweight app with three priorities: ease of usage, security, and cost-effectiveness. This app offers one-tap payments online or in person, along with a simple recovery phrase in case you lose access. The best thing is that Breadwallet acts directly on the Bitcoin network, which means there are no extra fees or costs. Lastly, it’s just added the option to buy Bitcoin directly in the US.
Download Breadwallet on the Google Play Store
Airbitz
Airbitz is definitely one of the most popular Android wallets out there. It features an integrated buy/sell solution for customers in the US and Canada, along with the unique functionality of being able to pay by Bluetooth. This app supports multiple wallets with different names and takes security extremely seriously — both with two-factor authentication and recovery options. Finally, it has a built-in directory for finding Bitcoin-friendly businesses.
Download Airbitz on the Google Play Store
Mycelium
Mycelium is one of the Play Store’s most popular wallets, thanks in a big part to its focus on security. It might not have the prettiest interface, but it allows you to spend safely kept Bitcoins from your mobile device and from physical wallets, like hardware and paper wallets. Mycelium has support for passcodes and recovery phrases as you would expect, but also offers integration with Bitcoin services like Glidera (buy Bitcoins using your bank account in the US and Canada) and Cashila (convert Bitcoin into Euros and send them via SEPA wire transfer). Mycelium also has its proprietary “Local Trader” feature, which allows you to find local Bitcoin traders.
Download Mycelium on the Google Play Store
CoPay
CoPay is another fantastic mobile wallet, developed by the very reputable Bitpay. It has all the features you would expect, plus support for multiple languages and multiple users per wallet. This feature of a “joint-checking account”, as they describe it, makes CoPay unique from many other Bitcoin apps. It’s also open source and is considered to be one of the securest mobile wallets out there, although some users have complained about the fees.
Download CoPay on the Google Play Store
Jaxx
Jaxx is a highly versatile cryptocurrency wallet for iOS, Android, PC, and more. It supports Bitcoin as well as many other leading cryptocurrencies, like Litecoin, Dash, and Ethereum. Jaxx has a simple, clean interface and offers fantastic security with an open source codebase and locally created private keys (meaning that there’s no way somebody can access your keys without accessing your phone). What’s more, Jaxx offers the option of a recovery phrase and/or passcode and requires no signup or identification. The only downside of Jaxx is that it’s been said to have various glitches and bugs which might make it less reliable on some devices.
Download Jaxx on the Google Play Store
Android Bitcoin Wallets Comparison Table
And that’s it for our top 5 Bitcoin wallets for Android! If you’d like a more condensed-down version of that information, then do refer to this table:
| Extra Features | Security | Ease of Use | Score | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bread App | Minimal Design, Buy in US, Bitcoin Only | Excellent | Excellent | 9/10 |
| Airbitz | Bluetooth payment; Directory | Good | Good | 8/10 |
| Mycelium | Various integrations; Directory | Excellent | Ok | 8/10 |
| CoPay | Shared accounts | Good | Good | 7/10 |
| Jaxx | Easy to use | Good | Good | 7/10 |
If you use an iPhone or iPad, take a look at our best iOS bitcoin wallets.