Comparison
Wallet of Satoshi vs Phoenix
The most-asked migration question in Lightning: should you move from Wallet of Satoshi to Phoenix? They sit on opposite ends of the custody spectrum.
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Wallet of Satoshi and Phoenix are the two Lightning wallets new users hear about most often. They are at opposite ends of the custody spectrum — WoS is fully custodial, Phoenix is self-custodial — and the question of which to use is usually a question of how much self-custody you’re ready for.
Short answer: Wallet of Satoshi if you want the easiest custodial onboarding and you are not US-based. Phoenix if you want a mobile self-custodial Lightning wallet with predictable, splicing-based fees.
At a glance
| Wallet of Satoshi | Phoenix | |
|---|---|---|
| Custody | Fully custodial | Self-custodial |
| Built by | Living Room of Satoshi | ACINQ |
| Platforms | iOS, Android | iOS, Android |
| Lightning Address | Yes (name@walletofsatoshi.com) | Yes (Phoenix-hosted; verify current domain) |
| US availability | Removed from US app stores Nov 2023 — not currently US-available | Available |
| Channel model | None (custodial) | Splicing (single dynamic channel) |
| Pricing | Free; network/routing fees on sends | Mining fee on incoming, fixed % on outgoing |
| Setup time | Under 1 minute | A few minutes (incl. seed backup) |
| Best for | Absolute beginners outside the US | Mobile self-custody, all skill levels |
What’s the same
Both wallets:
- Run on iOS and Android.
- Expose a Lightning Address out of the box — no custom domain required.
- Hide most of the Lightning complexity from the user.
- Are well-known, multi-year products with active development teams.
That’s about where the similarity ends.
What’s different
Custody
This is the headline difference and the most important one.
Wallet of Satoshi is fully custodial. Funds you receive sit on a WoS server. If WoS has an outage, a regulatory issue, or a security incident, your access to those funds depends on WoS’s ability to operate. There is no seed phrase you control — you are trusting Living Room of Satoshi, the company.
Phoenix is self-custodial. Your seed phrase, on your device, controls your funds. ACINQ operates the LSP that gives Phoenix its initial inbound liquidity, but at any point you can write down the seed and walk away — your funds remain accessible from any compatible wallet.
The custody model dictates the rest of the trade-offs.
Onboarding speed
Wallet of Satoshi is in a class of one for onboarding speed. From “install” to “receiving” is under a minute. There is no seed phrase, no channel-open notice, no liquidity disclosure. The cost of this speed is that you do not own your funds.
Phoenix is fast for a self-custodial wallet — minutes, not hours — but it is not as fast as WoS. The seed-phrase backup step is necessary and irreducible. The first incoming payment may show a mining-fee disclosure as the splice operation expands your inbound liquidity.
If onboarding speed is the only thing that matters, WoS wins. If you understand the custody trade-off and want to keep control, Phoenix wins.
Fees
Wallet of Satoshi advertises no subscription. Sends may incur network and routing fees borne by WoS, sometimes passed through to the user. The fee model is simple from the user’s perspective: receive for free, send and see what fee WoS quotes.
Phoenix moved to a splicing-based fee model around July 2023:
- Incoming payments: mining fees on the splice operation when inbound liquidity needs expansion.
- Outgoing payments: a fixed percentage on outgoing volume.
Verify the current rates with Phoenix directly. The splicing model is predictable; it can also feel more visible than the implicit fees in a custodial wallet.
For very low volume, both are close to free. For higher volume, the math diverges; compare for your actual usage profile.
US availability
Wallet of Satoshi was removed from the US Apple App Store and Google Play in November 2023. It is not currently available to US customers. A self-custodial version built on Spark is in beta as the pathway back to the US market, but it is a different product architecturally — treat it as a separate wallet, not a return of classic WoS.
Phoenix is US-available as of 2026.
For a US user, this is decisive: WoS is not an option, Phoenix is.
Best fit for…
…an absolute beginner outside the US who wants the fastest possible Lightning Address
Wallet of Satoshi. Sub-60-second setup, no seed-phrase friction. Trade-off: full custodial trust in Living Room of Satoshi.
…a US-based new Lightning user
Phoenix — WoS is not currently available to US customers. The self-custody learning curve is mild on Phoenix relative to other self-custodial wallets.
…anyone moving away from WoS for self-custody reasons
Phoenix is the closest mobile-first migration target. Alternatively, Alby Hub or Alby Cloud for users who want more configurability.
…a high-volume creator or merchant
Neither is the right primary tool at high volume. Use a processor: BTCPay Server for self-hosted, OpenNode or Strike for hosted with fiat settlement. Phoenix or WoS can be where you hold the mobile balance you keep on hand.
What to verify before switching
If you are moving from WoS to Phoenix:
- Write the Phoenix seed phrase down on day one and test recovery into a second wallet before transferring serious funds. Self-custody means recovery is on you.
- Move funds in stages. Send a small test amount first. Confirm receipt. Then move more.
- Note the new Lightning Address. Update your newsletter footer, Nostr profile, donation page — wherever the old address was published.
- Verify the current Phoenix fee schedule at signup. Fee policies change.
See also
- Custodial vs non-custodial Lightning wallets
- How to migrate from Wallet of Satoshi
- Alby vs Wallet of Satoshi
- Phoenix vs Breez
FAQ
Should I move from Wallet of Satoshi to Phoenix? +
If you can no longer use Wallet of Satoshi — for example, you're a US resident affected by the November 2023 App Store removal — Phoenix is one of the strongest mobile self-custodial options. Outside the US, the move is a step up in self-custody at the cost of a slightly different fee model and a steeper learning curve. There is no obligation to move if WoS still works for you.
Is Phoenix harder to use than Wallet of Satoshi? +
Slightly, on day one. The first time you receive a payment in Phoenix you may see a mining-fee notice on the splice operation that adds inbound liquidity — Wallet of Satoshi never shows you this because it's custodial and the operator handles channel management for you. After the first receipt, day-to-day use is similar.
Will I keep my Lightning Address if I switch? +
No. Your Lightning Address is tied to your wallet's hosting domain — `you@walletofsatoshi.com` is custodial to WoS. Phoenix gives you a Phoenix-hosted Lightning Address (`yourname@phoenixwallet.me` or similar; verify current domain) which is functionally equivalent but a different string. To keep one address across wallets, host it yourself on your own domain via BTCPay Server or Alby Hub.
Is Wallet of Satoshi coming back to the US? +
WoS announced a self-custodial version built on Spark as the pathway back to the US market. As of 2026, this is in beta and not the same product as classic WoS — it's a different architecture. Treat it as a separate product, not a return of the old one.