Everyone Needs a Private (Self-custody) Crypto Wallet.

If you’ve looked into crypto wallets already, you realize that  ideally the majority of your digital assets should be kept offline in cold storage, but you also need convenient access to some for exchanging or spending.

Exodus has got all this and a lot more covered.

It’s our top recommendation once again, even though there are a lot of great crypto wallets to choose from by this point.

Since its launch back in 2016, Exodus has been continually updated and improved.

Exodus been Our Top Pick for several years in a row — in this Review we’ll go through the reasons why we keep recommending (and using it ourselves).

Introducing Exodus wallet

People buy and exchange cryptocurrencies and digital assets by using centralized crypto exchange accounts (fiat on-ramps). If you’re one of them and have your BTC, ETH, SOL  sitting in your exchange account on Coinbase or Kraken, you may want to evaluate whether it’s wise to keep it all there.

Recommendation:
Move most of your crypto off of the centralized crypto exchanges and into private self-custody wallet(s). Especially move the larger assets that you don’t plan to sell or trade into cold storage (eg. Tangem Ledger or Trezor).

Store this device somewhere safe (like in a fire-proof safe). Make absolutely sure you also store your Recovery or Seed phrase safely. This is the only way to access the assets if the device is lost or stolen.

Finally, you need to plan for how someone you know and trust would be able to recover  your crypto in the unlikely worst case scenario.

Don’t wait until it’s too late.

Exodus has been Our Top Pick for a few years in a row (we use it ourselves) — if you’re looking for the easiest way to move your crypto into self-custody, with cold storage, and be able to stake and earn yield…. keep reading to discover why Exodus should be at the top of your list too.

What’s so great about Exodus?

If you’re searching for a crypto wallet that combines convenience, ease of use and security, these are some of the main reasons Exodus should be on your radar:

💻  📲

Mobile + Desktop Apps, Browser Extention
Exodus offers seamless integration between its mobile and desktop applications, ensuring that your crypto assets are accessible from wherever you are. Also available as a browser extension. Use each of them independently or all of them together.

🔐

Secure and Private
Security is paramount in the crypto world, and Exodus doesn’t disappoint. Your private keys are stored locally on your device, putting you in control of your funds.

🤠

Non-Custodial
Exodus is a non-custodial wallet, which means you and only you will have full control over your crypto assets. No third-party holds your funds, giving you peace of mind but adding a layer of responsibility.

👊

Cold Storage Integration
Exodus goes a step further by integrating with Trezor, one of the most trusted hardware wallet providers. This added layer of security enhances the protection of your assets.

🤑

Stake and Earn Rewards
Exodus allows you to stake your assets and earn rewards while maintaining custody. It’s a win-win situation for those looking to maximize their crypto holdings.

🤝

Web3 and Multichain Access
With Exodus, you can dive into the world of Web3 and access multiple blockchains effortlessly.

🤙

Easy to Use
Even if you’re new to crypto, Exodus’s user-friendly interface makes it easy to navigate and manage your assets.

🤓

Great Looking
Let’s face it; aesthetics do matter and Exodus combines usability and functionality with an great looking user-interface design.

What makes Exodus a good choice for beginners?

Beginners (if that’s you) tend to level up quickly. Don’t worry Exodus has got you covered right from the beginning.

One of the main reasons we recommend Exodus: it’s great for people who are new to managing crypto and thinking about self-custody.

  • It’s easy to set up and intuitive to use (available as both desktop and mobile apps).
  • It’s private and non-custodial.
  • And again, no one can ever access your accounts, freeze your funds or lock you out.

Here’s the bottom line:
Once you get a crypto wallet set up and start using it, it’s really nice to know that you won’t outgrow it or need to find another wallet with more features to replace it.

Exodus has everything you’d expect along with slightly more advanced features like:

  • Staking and earning
  • Exchanges / swapping cryptos
  • Web3 multichain access
  • DApps, NFTs
  • Cold storage integration
  • Referral bonuses

You can decide if/when you need any of these features, but knowing they’re already there waiting for you is essential.

Avoid moving digital assets around unnecessarily.

Exodus ratings and user reviews

With close to 100K reviews and an average rating of 4.6 /5 on the Apple App Store and 4.4 /5 on Google Play, we aren’t the only ones who like it.

https://www.exodus.com/

Exodus Mobile and Desktop Wallets

You can download Exodus wallet as a Desktop (Mac, Windows, or Linux) or Mobile app (iOS or Android). You can use both of them together — your accounts and balances are automatically synced.

The Desktop wallet has the advantage of a larger screen and you could choose to leave it in your home office, unlike your iPhone for example.

The Mobile wallet offers more convenience.

Pro Tip:

You could set up a separate phone or laptop specifically for crypto — it doesn’t ever need to leave your house and if you can keep it offline when not in use, it’s another way to implement cold storage. Similar to using a Cold wallet and far  better than keeping all your crypto available via your iPhone.

🤫

Getting Started with Exodus Wallet

One thing Exodus does really well is on-boarding new users.

Once you’ve downloaded the desktop or mobile app, Exodus walks you through a simple step-by-step on-boarding guide.

It’s three steps that show you the most important things you need to know: Receiving, Sending and Exchanging.

The guide shows you where these buttons are.

Here’s what getting started looks like on mobile:

Receive crypto either by transferring it to your Exodus wallet  from your exchange wallet (eg. Coinbase or Binance) or get someone else to send some to you.
Send your crypto to someone else. You just need their wallet address.
Exchange one crypto for another within your wallet

Cold storage is the most secure way to store crypto.

A cold wallet is a physical device that’s disconnected from the internet when not in use. It’s usually connected by USB key or bluetooth and requires a PIN to unlock and use.

Trezor and Ledger are the two best cold wallets (hardware) but only Trezor integrates with Exodus.

 

Should you use the Trezor + Exodus combination?

It all depends on what you plan to do with your assets, how much you own, and how they are stored currently… but the answer is very often yes.

Moving some (or most) of your crypto onto a hardware wallet allows you to store it safely and keep it offline. This is widely considered a best practice, especially for storing crypto for the long term. 

Is there really any reason to have your entire crypto portfolio sitting on your iPhone? 

No. Probably certainly not. 

Bottom line:
The Exodus desktop app with the Trezor integration makes perfect sense for long-term HODL mode. You can also hide your cold storage wallet from the default view in Exodus.

Always use official links, secure sites, and buy anything crypto related directly from official sources (like Trezor.io)

 

Related:
Here’s an in-depth look at
How to Store Your Crypto Securely.

The Importance of Self-custody and Privacy

What does “custodial” mean and why should we care?

It all comes down to this:
If it’s your crypto, then you and only you are the one in charge of it. You can send or spend it at will. It can’t be confiscated or locked. Simply put, you are the custodian.

In other words:

Not Your Keys—
Not Your Coins.

 

If you want to store all your crypto on the same centralized crypto exchange where you bought it, that’s completely up to you. It will likely make things simlper overall and it should be OK if you’re using a reputable one like Coinbase, Kraken or Newton.

But it’s worth noting that FTX, Celsius and Voyager were also considered to be trustworthy by a lot of people. People who now wish they’d known better.

To be absolutely clear, your centralized crypto exchange will be the custodian of all of the crypto you store there. Again, this may simplify things becasue you don’t need to worry about seed phrases and recovery — they know who you are and if there’s an issue with your account Customer Service should be able to sort it out.

They’ll hold all your assets for you and they can make decisions that affect you – like whether to freeze your account because you donated to the wrong political cause or party. Or in the unlikely worst case scenario they even could go bankrupt and take all the customer funds with them into Chapter 11.

This happens. Unfortunately it’s not even all that uncommon.

Of course these scenarios are 100% avoidable by using a private, self-custody wallet but with great reward comes added responsibility.

Private wallets do not require KYC registration (Know Your Customer) and they do not ask for, nor keep, any information on Exodus users. They don’t need your name, phone number, credit card or anything else.

Centralized crypto exchanges require KYC, because they’re dealing with bank transfers and fiat currency. All of which is subject to anti-money laundering laws (AML), fraud prevention and other regulations depending on where you’re located.

Bottom line:
Being responsible for your own Private Keys means that you must make absolutely sure that you safely backup your Recovery Phrase. Do not ever share this with anyone. Your keywords in the correct order will be the only way to recover your wallet and funds if you ever lose your device. Anyone who has your seed phrase can also access your funds. 

It’s great power with great responsibility.

Exodus is Our Most Recommended All-Purpose Private Crypto Wallet.
(2020—Present)

Exodus

Exodus lets you do everything that you’re likely to want with your crypto including Web3 integration.

It’s non-custodial, private, secure, very user-friendly, and it’s free. Exodus also has cold storage covered by partnering with Trezor.

This could be the one crypto wallet they you use both day-to-day, and for secure, long-term HODLing.

Setting up Multiple Wallets in Exodus.


You can set up and use multiple wallets (aka Portfolios) in Exodus. You access each of them from the same login, and can toggle between them.

Why set up different portfolios?
You could use your main #1 wallet portfolio for day to day use and hold a small balance of USDC and SOL to use for transactions or small exchanges.  A 2nd wallet might hold large amounts of crypto you’ve decided to set aside for your kids college fund.
Any of your wallets could be connected to your Trezor, and have all your BTC and staked ETH held safely offline.

Web3 and Multi-chain Access

The Exodus Web3 Wallet is a gateway to the decentralized internet.

Available as a browser extension for Chrome and Brave (or as part of the mobile app via WalletConnect), it lets you connect seamlessly to Web3 applications—think decentralized finance (DeFi) platforms, NFT marketplaces, and blockchain games—all while keeping your assets secure in a non-custodial environment.

What sets it apart is how it blends Exodus’s signature ease of use with the power of Web3. You don’t need to juggle multiple wallets or complicated setups; the Web3 Wallet integrates with your existing Exodus portfolios, so you can manage your crypto, NFTs, and dApp interactions in one place. 

As of 2025, it supports over 20 blockchains like Ethereum, Solana, and Binance Smart Chain (BSC), making it a versatile tool for the multichain future.

Benefits of the Exodus Web3 Wallet:

  • Connects to dApps instantly via browser extension or WalletConnect
  • Supports 20+ blockchains for broad Web3 access
  • Manages NFTs and crypto in one unified interface
  • Keeps your private keys secure and non-custodial
  • Simplifies Web3 for beginners with a sleek, intuitive design

Buying Crypto in Exodus

Exodus allows you to buy crypto with your credit/debit card, bank account, and Apple Pay.

They feature USD, EUR, and GBP more prominently, but scrolling through the complete list offers you most major currencies including CAD and AUD.

This is completed via integration with payment services: MoonPay, Ramp Network, and others. These are custodial services and require ID verification.

Note: Every crypto that Exodus supports may not be available to buy directly. You might have to buy another crypto and exchange it within the wallet app if you are looking for something that’s not on the official list .

Of course anyone (including you) can send crypto to your Exodus wallet as long as you provide them the receiving address.

Exodus Supported Cryptos

The number of supported cryptocurrencies keeps going up every time we update this review.

Exodus offers most of the top cryptocurrencies that you’re likely to want. Sure, they might not support an obscure GameFi token or the latest celebrity meme, but for most people, their list of top coins, altcoins, and digital currencies covers their bases.

Check the latest: Exodus complete list of supported coins & altcoins.

Image: Exodus.com

Native Exodus Wallet Features:

The Exodus wallet is an app (a software hot wallet), it’s also a platform that integrates with other apps that have been developed in partnership with with 3rd parties.

The main Exodus wallet does a few things natively:

Wallet
  • Holds a wide variety of cryptocurrencies (over 300 supported assets, including Bitcoin, Ethereum, and many altcoins) across multiple blockchains.
  • Allows you to send, receive, and spend your crypto using public addresses or QR codes.
Private Key Ownership, as a non-custodial wallet, you fully control your funds.
Exchange
  • Enables in-wallet trading to swap one cryptocurrency for another without leaving the app.
  • Powered by integrated exchange partners (historically ShapeShift, now expanded to others), offering quick swaps with a small spread fee.
  • Supports cross-chain swaps, allowing trades between assets on different blockchains.
Portfolios
  • Displays a visual breakdown of all the cryptocurrencies you hold, including real-time values and percentage allocations (e.g., via a pie chart).
  • Tracks your portfolio’s performance with price charts and historical data.
  • Allows you to monitor balances and market trends directly in the app.
Staking (Rewards)
  • Lets you earn rewards by staking supported cryptocurrencies natively within the wallet.
  • Examples include staking assets like Cardano (ADA), Solana (SOL), Cosmos (ATOM), and others to earn passive income.
  • Staking is fully integrated, so you don’t need to move funds to an external platform; rewards are automatically credited.
Compound Finance (Not Natively Supported)
  • Exodus does not natively integrate with Compound Finance specifically. Instead, it offers staking (as noted above) for earning rewards on certain assets.
    However, through its Web3 integration (see below), you can connect to decentralized finance (DeFi) protocols like Compound via the Exodus Web3 Wallet browser extension or mobile app, but this isn’t a native feature—it’s a connection to external dApps.
Fiat On-Ramp
  • Allows you to buy cryptocurrencies directly in the wallet using fiat currency (e.g., USD, EUR) via third-party partners like MoonPay, Ramp, or Sardine.
  • Supports payment methods such as credit/debit cards, bank transfers, or Apple Pay/Google Pay (depending on region).
NFT Gallery
  • Provides a built-in gallery to store, view, and manage non-fungible tokens (NFTs) on supported blockchains like Ethereum, Polygon, and Solana.
  • Lets you send or receive NFTs directly within the wallet interface.
Web3 Integration
  • Connects to decentralized applications (dApps) via the Exodus Web3 Wallet (browser extension) or mobile app using WalletConnect.
  • Enables interaction with DeFi platforms, NFT marketplaces, and other Web3 services without needing a separate wallet.
Trezor Hardware Wallet Support
  • Integrates natively with Trezor hardware wallets (Trezor One and Trezor Model T) for enhanced security.
  • Allows you to manage cold storage assets through the Exodus interface while keeping private keys offline.
Transaction Export
  • Exports your transaction history as a .csv file for each blockchain, making it easier to track trades and manage tax reporting.
  • Cross-Platform Syncing
  • Syncs your wallet across desktop (Windows, Mac, Linux), mobile (iOS, Android), and browser extension (Chrome, Brave) using a 12-word seed phrase or QR code pairing.
  • Ensures consistent access to your funds and settings across devices.
Custom Fee Settings (Limited)
  • Offers some control over transaction fees for certain networks (e.g., Bitcoin), allowing you to adjust between speed and cost, though Ethereum and some altcoin fees are auto-set for simplicity.
Backup and Recovery
  • Provides a 12-word seed phrase for wallet recovery if your device is lost or damaged.
  • Offers an email-based backup link as an additional recovery option (though the seed phrase is the primary method).
Live Charts and Market Data
  • Displays real-time price charts, market trends, and asset details for each cryptocurrency you hold, updated dynamically within the app.

 

Exodus also offers apps that connect your wallet with services provided via 3rd parties.

Why does Exodus need to rely on 3rd parties to integrate certain products, services or features?

A few reasons. First, Exodus is not a bank and they aren’t licensed to deal with or accept fiat money from banks in different parts of the world. Instead they allow you to buy crypto with your credit/debit card, bank account, and Apple Pay.

Note

Note: Exodus is not a comprehensive trading platform. You can do simple exchanges within your wallet at the market rate but it’s not comprehensive.

 

Here’s a list of the 3rd party apps:

  • WebConnect – Connect to Web3 apps.
  • NFTs – Store your digital art in your Exodus wallet.
  • Lightning – Fast, cheap BTC transactions on the Lightning Network.
  • Buy – Connect to a verified payment source to buy crypto with fiat.
  • Shares – Exodus is publicly traded. Create an investor profile to buy shares.

 

Exchanging Cryptos in Exodus Wallet

Exchanging one crypto for another within Exodus is easy, but you should know that even though Exodus has a built in exchange feature, it is not a comprehensive trading platform.

They offer an integration with FTX exchange for all of that. We’ll get to that soon enough.

Here’s the process for exchanging cryptos within your Exodus wallet:

  1. Choose the Exchange icon from the bottom menu
  2. Select the crypto you want to exchange from
  3. Select the crypto you want to exchange it for
  4. Enter the amounts
  5. Confirm the transaction
  6. Receive the new crypto!

 

Transactions are recorded in your wallet history if you need to go back and review, or export for tax purposes.

Exchanges usually complete almost instantly but occasionally it can take a few minutes, depending on network traffic and congestion. 

Remember within Exodus you’ll always control your Private Keys and retain full ownership of your digital assets, unlike centralized or custodial exchanges. The coins you are exchanging never leave your possession and are always within your wallet.

Note:
Crypto transactions are not reversible and can’t be undone. You can always redo and reverse it within your own wallet, but it will simply be a new transaction on the blockchain.

Exodus native apps provide core features like: Wallet, Portfolios, Earn, and Exchange.

3rd party integrated apps allow for Buying crypto, Advanced Trading and connecting to Web3.

Staking within Exodus Wallet

With Exodus, you can stake several Proof-of-Stake (PoS) cryptocurrencies to earn passive rewards—all within the wallet. Assets like Cardano (ADA), Solana (SOL), and Cosmos (ATOM) are among the options, each offering its own yield and payout schedule. Some rewards require you to claim them manually, while others are automatically added to your staked balance.

To start staking, open the wallet for your chosen crypto and click or tap the Rewards icon (a medal) in the top right corner.

Staking SOL in Exodus wallet

Which coins are worth staking?

Here’s the list of cryptos you can stake within Exodus, ordered from highest to lowest Annual Percentage Yields (APY). Note this list is likely going to be outdated so check it for yourself here.

 

Our Picks Crypto APY CoinGecko
Ontology
ONT
21% Charts
Cosmos Hub
ATOM
18% Charts
Algorand
ALGO
8% Charts
Tezos
XTZ
5.6% Charts
Solana
SOL
5.25% Charts
Cardano
ADA
5% Charts
VeChain
VET
1.25% Charts
The Annual Percentage Yields and Coins listed here could easily change by the time you’re reading this. 

Understanding Fees

Exodus is free to download and use.

Exodus doesn’t charge you fees to send, receive or store crypto. 

So how does Exodus make money then?

They make money on the spread — whenever you exchange one crypto for another, Exodus buys it for slightly less than they sell it to you (amounts vary depending on the pair). Essentially acting as a retailer.

Exodus is not the cheapest way to trade cryptos but it’s in line with the competition and not considered to be expensive, in our opinion.

Exodus Support

Their customer service is great.

👍

Reviews of Exodus are overwhelmingly positive on the Apple App Store and Google Play — 75K total rating with an average of 4.6 stars. Granted that is directed at the wallet overall but you can be sure that if customer service was poor, it would make its way into the rating and reviews.

Personal experience:
I contacted Exodus to inquire about Polygon (ETH vs MATIC) and they got back to me quickly with a more comprehensive answer than I was expecting.

– Mark

 

You can contact wallet support by visiting Exodus.com and send a message, or start off with their Knowledge Base and FAQs.

There’s no phone number for Exodus. If you see one – do not call it.

Once again:
If you ever have to deal with a customer support rep on any app, wallet or site, you NEVER ever give out your password or worse yet your Recovery or Seed Phase. If you do, you will certainly lose everything. Only a person trying to steal your crypto would ever ask for this.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Exodus wallet safe?

Yes

It’s as safe as anything else. They’ve never been hacked or lost customer funds or account info (they don’t have account info to begin with).

Exodus is updated regularly, so make sure you keep your wallet up-to-date. Use the official links when you do.

Remember that your crypto (Exodus or any self-custody wallet) is only ever as safe as the Recovery or Backup Phrase you’ve got written down and stored. As long as you have this somewhere safe and can access it if you ever need to recover your wallet, you’ll be covered.

Is Exodus a custodial wallet?

No. Exodus never has access to your your keys so they are a not a custodial wallet.  They’re quite literally the opposite – Exodus is a non-custodial wallet, meaning that not even the developers of the wallet can access you keys, so they cannot block or interfere with your crypto in any way. And if anything were to ever go wrong with Exodus, you can always use your private keys to move to another compatible wallet.

Is Exodus a non-custodial wallet?

Yes. Exodus is a non-custodial wallet as they never have access to your keys.  Not even the developers of the wallet can access you keys, meaning that they cannot block or interfere with your crypto in any way. And if anything were to ever go wrong with Exodus, you can always use your private keys to move to another compatible wallet.

Does Exodus require KYC?

No. Exodus is a non-custodial wallet so they don’t require your personal info for anything.

If you buy crypto with fiat you will have to go through KYC registration either within Exodus or when setting up an account on a centralized (custodial) crypto exchange.

Is Exodus open source?

Only partially.  Some components of Exodus Wallet are open source and are shared on Github under the official company name Exodus Movement.  However, other components are not open source, so Exodus cannot really be considered open source software.

Is Exodus a cold wallet?

No. Exodus is actually a hot wallet but does offer cold wallet integrations such as with Trezor.  This can give you the best of both worlds, with the increased security of keeping your funds in a cold wallet while also having some available in your hot wallet to trade or use as needed.

Who started Exodus wallet?

Exodus was founded by JP Richardson and Daniel Castagnoli in 2015.  JP is known as the technical leader while Daniel drives the design and user experience.

Is the Coinbase wallet just as good as Exodus?

Yes, probably. Coinbase has been in crypto for awhile and is one of the more trusted exchanges. We prefer Exodus, but the Coinbase private wallet is certainly a reasonable competitor.

Conclusion

Here’s 10 things that summarize what we like about Exodus:

  1. Non-custodial

  2. Trezor Integration 

  3. Exchange Cryptos directly within Exodus

  4. Stake and Earn  

  5. Synch Desktop and Mobile wallets

  6. Multichain Web3 access

  7. 230+ Cryptos supported 

  8. Buy Crypto within Exodus via FTX Exchange

  9. Great Customer Support

  10. Nice looking

Nice Design

Is Exodus the most beautiful thing in the entire App Store?

Who’s to say… but check out their updated logo and a few of brand standards if you’re into that kinda thing.

Read: Exodus looks to the future with logo rebrand

 

 

 

 

Or watch this and see for yourself what the user interface looks like:

Sources

Official links:

https://www.exodus.com/

https://www.youtube.com/c/exodus

Twitter /

https://twitter.com/exodus_io

https://www.reddit.com/r/ExodusWallet

https://discord.com/invite/exodus

 

Reviewed by Digital Dave

Trezor
https://trezor.io/

Related (Best Crypto Wallets):
Here’s a thorough review of the
7 Best Bitcoin Hardware Wallets (August 2022) from Guru99.