Hardware Wallet Ledger Review [2022]: Crypto Cold Storage For Coins & Tokens| Nano X vs. S

9 min read

When you own crypto, what you really own is a private key that gives you access to your coins. You need to keep this key completely SAFE. Ledger wallets are the best way to own and secure this key.

  • A Ledger hardware wallet, combined with the Ledger Live app, is a great solution to secure, store and manage your crypto assets.
  • Ledger hardware wallets have industry-leading security
  • The Ledger Live app is a one-stop-shop for your crypto. You can buy, sell, exchange and grow your assets with Ledger easily and securely.
  • With Ledger you can secure, store and manage over 1800+ crypto assets.
  • Ledger makes the most popular hardware wallets in the world: more than 3 million+ sales.

Those who actively trade cryptocurrencies may benefit from having a portion of their crypto funds stored in exchange wallets. You should, however, choose to store your cryptocurrencies in a cold wallet if you are going to HODL them for a long time. 

When you want both the speed and flexibility of hot wallets and the security of cold hardware wallets, Ledger can be the best of both worlds: the most trusted hardware wallet on the market combined with Ledger Live, a software that enables you to easily manage your assets from your desktop or mobile.

What is Ledger?

Ledger is a cold storage crypto wallet. Cold storage wallets provide the highest security level for storing your cryptocurrencies in a protected and non-custodial way. The Ledger wallet protects you against the rising cyber security dangers and empowers an independent control of all your private keys.

Product:

Ledger offers two ways to securely hold your crypto assets: Ledger Nano X and Nano S.

Ledger Nano X

With the Ledger Nano X, you can secure and manage over 5,500 coins and tokens. Including Bitcoin, Ethereum, XRP and more. See the full list.

Ledger Nano X is a premium hardware cryptocurrency wallet that keeps your digital wealth as safe as possible. In contrast to hot wallets, which are connected to the internet and therefore vulnerable to attack, the Nano X stores your private keys offline, on your device.

Ledger’s hardware is designed to be as robust as possible with a custom built OS (BOLOS) and CC EAL5+ certified Secure Element (SE). ANSSI, the French agency for cybersecurity, has also audited and verified the device’s security. 

Ledger Nano X features all the functionality of Ledger Nano S, but also allows you to manage your portfolio on the go by connecting the device to the smartphone app through Bluetooth. You can secure your crypto with the Nano X hardware wallet, and then manage and grow it with the Ledger Live app.


Ledger uses an OS (BOLOS) and Secure Element (SE) chip that are CC EAL5+ certified to ensure the hardware is as secure as possible. ANSSI, the French national cybersecurity agency, has also audited and verified the security of the device

A much larger 100mAh battery also means you can use this hardware wallet when you’re out and about, without needing to hook it up to a power source. 

Thanks to partnerships with Coinify, Changelly, and DeFi protocol Compound, owners of the Nano X can also put their holdings to use. 

You can keep your assets safe as they generate revenues. You can grow your crypto by staking your Tezos, Tron, Cosmos, Algorand or Polkadot directly in Ledger Live! Or simply lend your DAI, USDC and USDT and let your crypto do the work.

The slightly less sophisticated Ledger Nano S offers the same security as the Nano X, but less connectivity options. If you’re concerned about securing your crypto, but aren’t looking to break the bank, the Nano S is a good option.

Ledger Nano S

Originally introduced in 2016, the Ledger Nano S is a multi-currency hardware device.

It supports over 1,150 cryptocurrencies. This wallet takes advantage of the security, flexibility, and easy backup offered by the Hierarchical Deterministic(HD) wallet.

Your wallet’s private keys are created and stored offline by the Nano S. The wallet can also be integrated with third-party wallets to manage ERC-20 tokens.

Currently the Ledger Nano S retails for $59 USD, which makes it the most affordable hardware wallet on the market.

Customer Support:

Ledger has a devoted client service page where you can without much of a stretch source all the data you need in regards to Nano X and Nano S equipment wallets.

You’ll likewise track down all the data you need concerning the Ledger Live application, coins, outside wallets just as answers to all orders and delivery. You may also subscribe to Ledger’s bulletin to get the most recent news and updates on the organization’s items. Your email address isn’t imparted to outsiders and you can withdraw whenever. For any speedy inquiries, you can visit the Ledger support bot. You may also follow the organization’s Facebook and LinkedIn pages for more details.

Security and Hacking Protection:   

Ledger utilizes the most noteworthy security principles to guarantee the wallet is hack proof. First off, both of Ledger’s wallets incorporate an affirmed chip that is intended to withstand the most sophisticated assaults and safely hold cryptographic information like private keys. Ledger goes above and beyond to make a custom working framework (BOLOS) for its wallets to guarantee your equipment gadget isn’t vulnerable to vindictive assaults.

The custom OS additionally guarantees that your applications are disconnected from one another. Ledger also moves forward safety efforts utilizing its certified check, a Ledger-created verification that guarantees your wallets have not been compromised or altered by an outsider. Any hacking endeavor on your wallet would be obstructed since a programmer would require your own PIN, which no one but you can have. After 3 mistaken PIN endeavors, Ledger goes into a planned lockout, from which you’ll have to enter your reinforcement passphrase to get to your wallet.

Hardware and Design:

Each of Ledger’s wallets accompanies a straightforward and simple-to-utilize interface. There’s a showcase screen you can use to initiate your exchanges any time, and the two route catches on the gadget make activity a breeze. The route catches help you access the menu, select applications, and enter your PIN code and a secret pass phrase.

When you just purchased the gadget, Ledger OS will walk you through the set up your wallet. The Nano wallet accompanies a miniature USB link that you can use to plug into a PC.

How does it work?

All Ledger products combine a Secure Element and a proprietary operating system that is designed specifically to protect a user’s cryptocurrency assets. These wallets also use a 24-word backup recovery phrase that can be used to access a user’s cryptocurrencies if the device containing the private key is stolen.

Mobile App:

The Ledger Live application is accessible on both Google Play and App Store. On the Ledger Nano X wallet, the application is hosted on Android 7+ and iOS 9+ utilizing a Bluetooth association. On the Ledger Nano S, the application is hosted on Android 7+ utilizing a USB link. You can also download the Ledger work area application on your Windows, macOS and Linux. With its basic and clear interface, Ledger Live allows you to partake in the straightforwardness of checking your ongoing balance and dealing with every one of your exchanges. Ledger cautions you against counterfeit Ledger Live applications, so make certain to download the application from its original page.

Hardware Wallet Price Comparison

Unless you’re a network protection master, having a safe cold storage wallet is an absolute necessity. As history has shown on various occasions that you can’t trust third party organizations. When things go south, your assets would be at risk of being frozen, hacked, stolen, or taken away from you in any other fashion. With Ledger hardware wallet you control your own destiny. You are your own bank. With that, obviously, comes a responsibility. Therefore a reliable cold storage is essential.

Ledger Products & Services:

Beside the Nano S wallet, Ledger additionally offers a wide scope of items and administrations to address customers’ issues. The items and administrations of Ledger include:

Nano X:

Ledger Nano X is the freshest Ledger wallet and the replacement of Nano S. The gadget is furnished with cutting edge highlights like Bluetooth, bigger ROM and RAM sizes for more application establishments, and a 100mAh lithium-particle battery.

Crypto Starter Pack:

Explicitly intended for crypto newbies. The bundle contains top to bottom crypto amateurs guide in PDF design, a Nano S gadget, and a $25 voucher.

Family Pack X:

The Family Pack X bundle is like that of Family Pack S. In any case, the solitary distinction is that customers will have the chance of requesting three units of the Nano X gadget at a limited cost. The thought is to get many individuals to take on cryptographic forms of money and securely store their resources.

Back-Up Pack:

This item contains the two Ledger equipment wallets – Nano S and Nano X, offering customers the chance to buy both at a decreased rate.

OTG pack:

Ledger’s OTG pack contains a bunch of three distinct USB links to assist clients with associating Nano equipment wallets to their cell phones and PC gadgets.

Ledger Live App:

The Ledger Live Application enables clients to deal with their crypto currencies in a single spot. The Live application is important to confirm the gadget, monitor applications, make crypto money accounts and wallets, and manage exchanges. As indicated by Ledger, the application is the ideal versatile application for your cold wallet as it may very well be introduced on your cell phone and PC. Clients should initially set up their wallets to have the option to utilize the application. After an effective installation, you can get to the wallet applications for every digital currency through the ‘supervisor’ area. You are just permitted to make a wallet represent specific cryptographic money after the application has been introduced on the gadget. The quantity of applications you can add to the Ledger Live relies upon the size.

After everything is set up, you can send and get coins or tokens you have added, which should be possible from the left side menu of the Live App.

Interestingly, customers are also allowed to buy crypto assets from the application using credit/debit cards or via bank transfers. Other things you can do on the Ledger Live application includes trading, staking and lending, among others.

How to get started with Ledger?

Before you can start utilizing your Nano S gadget, you should introduce the Live App, which will be used to set up and interact with your wallet. PC clients can download the application straight from the Ledger’s site, while Android clients can get it from Google Play store.

It is easy to set up your wallet whether you are a beginner or a seasoned crypto industry professional.

When the Live App is installed, connect the gadget using the USB link provided in the case.

When associated, a message will spring up on the wallet screen finding out if you need to “design as another gadget.”

Snap the catch to your right side and the vital drivers will be naturally introduced, and stand by quietly for the interaction to finish.

After a successful establishment, you will be provoked to “Pick another pin code.”

To do this, press both the left and right fastens simultaneously to bring the field where you will enter your pin.

Enter your favored four to eight-digit pin. You should just utilize a mix of numbers that you can without much of a stretch recollect as you will be commanded to enter the pin whenever the gadget is controlled on.

In the wake of picking a pin code, you will in any case be incited to affirm your entrance by returning the PIN.

Subsequent to Ledgering the words and squeezing Enter, you will be provoked to affirm the expression. The gadget will test your insight into the words by requesting you to enter some from them in an unarranged design.

When everything is good to go up, you will get an affirmation that “Your gadget is currently prepared.”

Is Ledger Safe? 

Up until this point, the item has demonstrated to be a gotten capacity arrangement that gets the wallet far from being gotten to by lawbreakers. The wallet is furnished with the most recent security device, including fostering an extraordinary OS explicitly for Ledger items, with new updates constantly carried out.

Be that as it may, wellbeing generally depends on the client on the grounds that in spite of its security capability, being thoughtless with the gadget might bring about loss of assets. Quite possibly the main things clients ought not to do is to buy the gadget from a companion or get the wallet from an outsider seller. It isn’t prudent on the grounds that you can’t completely believe anybody as these gadgets might have been controlled to sidestep Ledger’s sealed element.

Why choose Ledger?

Ledger Nano S is an across the board arrangement that presents crypto financial backers with the chance to purchase, sell, and safely store their computerized resources. Since the Nano S is an equipment wallet, it makes it practically inconceivable for programmers to get unlimited online admittance to your assets, except if obviously; you were deceived into introducing malware as an overhaul. In any case, should the Nano S be messed with, Ledger has got you covered as its carefully designed innovation consistently filters the gadget’s product to identify if any false endeavors have been made.

Can I Send My Mining Proceeds to Ledger Wallet?

Equipment crypto capacity gadgets, including the Ledger wallet, are not reasonable for getting mining rewards. This is on the grounds that mining continues for the most part as a bigger measure of little exchanges or residue installments, which causes the immersion of your block chain exchanges and an incredibly long span of approval. You might need to consider sending your mining continues first to an online wallet to amass them, prior to sending a bigger volume of your returns to your wallet.

User Experience:

Ledger has gotten magnificent audits from clients on the grounds that their equipment wallets are not difficult to utilize. It’s both speedy and simple to move crypto currency with Ledger. You associate it to your PC/portable, enter your PIN, and it’s prepared to utilize. Ledger’s software has a spotless interface and works with Windows, Mac, Linux, and Android. To utilize Ledger, you need the Google Chrome or Chromium internet browser on your PC. In any case, you can likewise utilize Ledger with different wallets like Electrum, Mycelium, My Ether Wallet, Bitgo, Copay, and Coinkite. There is a huge local area of engineers who continually make new Ledger applications. With your Ledger wallet, you can see account subtleties, make installments, get installments, check exchanges and deal with numerous addresses. There are additionally a wide range of settings, for example, cash rates, language and exchange charges. We have tried all equipment wallets sold by Ledger, and they all have a decent client experience. Be that as it may, for security reasons, we can just suggest purchasing an equipment wallet with a screen. In the segment on security, you will comprehend why it’s vital.

The safest solution:

In case you’re serious about Bitcoin and cryptocurrency we suggest purchasing two wallets. It’s a lot more secure and has a few benefits. You can make a clone of your wallet in the event that you need to make a speedy exchange. It’s also nice to have a backup wallet at home in the event that you need to quickly reestablish the wallet.

A cold storage wallet wallet is the most secure approach to store crypto currency; however it’s difficult to bear all dangers. On the off chance that your recovery private key is lost, you will be thankful for an extra wallet. For greatest security, we also recommend that you buy a Cryptosteel to securely store your seed phrase. Ledger offers a bundle of two Nano S alongside a Cryptosteel on their site.

Final Thoughts:

Generally, Ledger is a solid and remarkably secure crypto wallet. On the off chance that your favored crypto isn’t among the more than 1,800 effectively held crypto coins and tokens, you can utilize one of the 50+ viable outside wallets to deal with your crypto. As we’ve learned by investigating Ledger Nano S wallet, straightforward is the new secure. In spite of its low value, it’s the absence of additional components that makes Ledger Nano S the most secure equipment wallet alternative.

By keeping it basic, Ledger Nano S establishes a moderate, basic, safe, but yet flexible wallet for both new and experienced crypto fans.