OUR METHODOLOGY
How we review
Every score on this site comes from the same repeatable process: primary documentation, published fee schedules, documented incident histories, and criteria we publish in full below. Here's exactly how it works.
1
We define the review scope
Each review distinguishes hands-on experience from documentation-based analysis. Retail purchases, review units and specification-only evaluations are identified when that distinction affects the verdict.
2
We verify the current facts
Fees, prices, availability, custody policies and specifications are checked against official sources. Security events are traced to primary disclosures or credible reporting, and vendor claims are labelled as vendor claims.
3
We test the decision points
Where hands-on testing is part of the review, we focus on setup, withdrawals, recovery, support and fee edge cases—the moments most likely to change a reader's decision.
4
We re-check material changes
Pricing and fee claims are rechecked against published schedules; wallets and miners are reassessed after major firmware, hardware or security developments. Meaningful updates receive a current review date.
SCORING
What the numbers mean
Exchanges — five criteria, equally weighted
Ease of useonboarding to first buy, measured in minutes
Securitycustody practices, 2FA, track record
Feesreal cost of a $500 buy + withdrawal
Payment methodsbank, card, wire, recurring options
Supportour ticket's actual response time
Wallets — five criteria, equally weighted
Securityair-gap, secure elements, open source
Ease of usesetup and daily signing workflow
Build qualitymaterials, screen, buttons, durability
Recovery experiencefull wipe-and-restore drill result
Valuefeatures per dollar vs. the field
4.5–5.0
Exceptional — among our strongest recommendations
4.0–4.4
Excellent — recommended with minor caveats
3.5–3.9
Good — right for specific needs
Below 3.5
Limited recommendation — we explain the tradeoffs
INDEPENDENCE
The rules we don't break
✓Affiliate links are marked on every page and tagged as sponsored in code, per Google's guidelines.
✓Sponsored content is labeled as such — visually distinct from editorial.
✓Corrections are made visibly, with a note explaining what changed.
✕No payment ever buys a score, a ranking, or a "best of" placement.
✕No company previews or approves a review before publication.
✕No price predictions, no "signals," no trading tips — education only.
See the methodology applied
Every review links back to this page — and this page links to the reviews it produced.