For anyone looking for a feature-light, reliable, and drama-free hardware wallet, the Ledger Nano S Plus offers the best value in Ledger’s lineup. It covers most chains and doesn’t require an overly complicated setup. Ledger Stax features an E-Ink touch screen for ergonomic ease, and both the Nano X and Stax add Bluetooth for mobile convenience. All three models, however, use a certified secure element and Ledger’s OS which ensures private keys are contained within the hardware.
Update on pricing: Last confirmed estimates for 2024 pricing models had the Nano S Plus set to $79, the Nano X at $149, and Stax at 279. Check the official store for updated pricing and regional promotions.
The evolution of the Nano S Plus
The S Plus serves as both the entry point and flagship device, along with the Square device. It now features an improved OLED screen, a USB-C port, and enables the use of up to 100 apps simultaneously. It offers secure element signing feature parity with pricier models and Bluetooth-enabled mobile convenience. Ledger, based in Paris and led by Pascal Gauthier, manufactures the hardware with CC EAL5+-grade secure element alongside their proprietary OS, which shields keys from the device.
Translation: Even in the case where your laptop is compromised, the root key should not be extractable, and you still need to approve actions physically on the device in order for them to proceed.
Real-world trade-offs you should weigh
Security model: Secure element + closed firmware (audited, attested). You trade open-source transparency for tamper-resistant silicon and app vetting.
Connectivity: S Plus is wired USB-C; X/Stax add Bluetooth. Wireless is convenient for mobile, but some users prefer fewer radios for peace of mind.
App capacity: S Plus and X handle ~100 apps; Stax similar (firmware dependent). Legacy Nano S had far less headroom.
Coin control: Ledger Live provides basic UTXO features for BTC; advanced users still pair with Sparrow, Specter, or Electrum for fine-grained policies.
Backups: Standard 24-word BIP39 seed; optional passphrase (a.k.a. “25th word”) for plausible deniability. Consider steel backups for fire/flood resilience.
“Your funds follow the seed phrase—not the plastic stick. Initialize yourself, verify genuine status in Ledger Live, and store the seed offline.”
Ledger Live: where you actually operate
Ledger Live centralizes portfolio tracking, swaps, staking and some DeFi access via vetted partners. It’s the default UX for most users, with sensible guardrails. For taxes, export CSV from Ledger Live and import to tools like ZenLedger (Imports → Exchanges → Ledger Live) to generate reports without manual reconciliation hell.
Who should buy which Ledger?
Ledger Nano S Plus
USB-C~100 appsBest value
Desktop-first, multi-chain portfolios, you don’t need Bluetooth. Clean, predictable, inexpensive.
Ledger Nano X
BluetoothBatteryMobile workflows
Great if you routinely sign on the go with iOS/Android. Keys stay in the SE; Bluetooth moves only tx data.
Ledger Stax
E-Ink touchWireless chargePremium
Bigger, calmer UI for frequent signers. Expensive, but ergonomics matter if you approve transactions daily.
Specs snapshot (concise)
Feature
Nano S Plus
Nano X
Stax
Connection
USB-C
USB-C + Bluetooth
USB-C + Bluetooth
Battery
No
Yes
Yes (Qi)
Screen
OLED (larger than legacy S)
OLED (larger)
E-Ink touch
App capacity
~100
~100
~100 (fw dependent)
Secure Element
Yes (CC EAL5+ class)
Yes
Yes
Typical MSRP*
$79
$149
$279
*Verify current 2025 pricing on the official store; bundles and regional VAT can shift totals.
Supported assets & staking
Ledger supports 5,000+ assets across L1s and L2s. ETH, BTC, SOL, ADA, XRP, and a wide long tail are available via Ledger Live or companion apps. Staking flows exist for major networks—either natively in Live or through partners—with on-device confirmation for critical steps.
Security model in plain English
Secure element (SE): Tamper-resistant chip designed to resist key extraction and side-channel attacks. Keys are generated and stored inside the SE.
Closed firmware: Not community-auditable line-by-line; Ledger uses attestation and signing to prevent malicious firmware from loading.
On-device approvals: Every transaction, message, or app install requires a button press. No click, no spend.
Backups: 24-word BIP39 seed (optionally with passphrase). Store it offline; steel beats paper for disasters.
Genuine check: Ledger Live verifies device authenticity on first connect to mitigate supply-chain tampering.
Context: In 2023, an optional “Recover” feature proposal sparked debate about trust boundaries and firmware permissions. Ledger revised communications and tightened scopes. Regardless of vendor, always evaluate your threat model and choose features accordingly.
How Ledger compares to other 2025 wallets
These are typical MSRPs last broadly referenced by late-2024. Confirm 2025 pricing before buying.
Wallet
Open-source?
SE
Connection
Best for
Typical price
Standout traits
Ledger Nano S Plus / X / Stax
Closed (audited)
Yes
USB-C; X/Stax add BT
General multi-chain
$79 / $149 / $279
Large ecosystem; 5k+ assets; Ledger Live
Trezor Safe 3 / Safe 5 / Model T
Open firmware
Safe 3/5: Yes
USB-C
Open-source preference
~$79 / ~$169 / ~$219
Shamir backup (Model T/Safe 5); polished UX
Coldcard Mk4 (BTC-only)
Open-leaning
Yes
USB-C + microSD (air-gap)
Bitcoin multisig
~$157
PSBT mastery; duress/brick PIN options
BitBox02 (BTC-only / Multi)
Open firmware
SE + MCU
USB-C
Simple desktop
~$149
microSD backup; clean app
Keystone 3 Pro
Open
Yes
QR (air-gapped)
Camera/QR signing
~$169
Great with Sparrow/Specter/Nunchuk
Ellipal Titan 2.0
Closed
Yes
QR (air-gapped)
Phone-centric
~$169
Sealed metal body; app-driven
SafePal S1
Closed
Yes
QR + app
Budget
~$50
Low cost; broad coin list
NGRAVE ZERO
Closed (audited)
High-grade
QR (air-gapped)
Security-max
~$398–$499
GRAPHENE steel plates; tamper evidence
A quick sanity check: if you need Bluetooth and mobile, Ledger X or Stax are purpose-built. If you insist on open firmware, Trezor or BitBox02 are the natural picks. For BTC-only and heavy multisig, Coldcard plus PSBT tooling is hard to beat.
Threat model 101 (so you pick wisely)
Malware on host: Any Ledger mitigates with on-device confirmations and SE isolation.
Targeted theft: Consider passphrase wallets and decoy accounts. Keep your seed physically separate.
Supply-chain risk: Buy direct or from vetted resellers. Run Ledger’s “genuine check” before use.
Disaster risk: Steel backup beats paper. Split storage locations. Test your recovery (with small amounts).
Social engineering: No support agent needs your seed. Ever. Keep it offline; never type it into a computer.
Set-up & daily use: what to expect
Initialize on-device, write the 24 words, set a PIN, install apps in Ledger Live, and add accounts. For Bitcoin power users, connect to Sparrow or Specter to enable coin control, labels, and PSBT multisig; for ETH DeFi, prefer WalletConnect via Ledger Live’s bridge and verify contract calls on the screen before you approve.
On-device review before every approval
Verdict
The Nano S Plus hits the sweet spot: serious security, broad coin coverage, and a pragmatic price. Choose the Nano X or Stax if you need mobile signing or a calmer, larger UI. If your priorities are open firmware or BTC-only multisig, the Trezor/BitBox02/Coldcard camp might be a better fit. There’s no “best” wallet in the abstract—only the wallet that aligns with your threat model and workflow.
Nano X - I am very satisfied because the user-friendliness is so good. After a long time thinking it over, I decided on the Ledger Nano X. Since it had developed its own app at the time (2023), it seemed to me the most practical form of a wallet. On top of that, you can buy or sell your crypto directly from the platform. Staking is also possible.
The only downside back then was the Ledger Recovery feature. “Not your keys, not your crypto” was preached by every possible blogger. What is often forgotten to mention, however, is that it’s a voluntary option to have your keys stored by Ledger. As long as you don’t opt in, your keys are not stored anywhere—at least that’s how I’ve understood it so far.
I can recommend the Ledger Nano X to anyone who appreciates a discreet design and wants good mobile accessibility to their coins.
I have had the Ledger Nano X for about 3 months and it does what it’s supposed to do. Operating the device with only two buttons is a bit cumbersome, but you get used to it quickly. The Live app, on the other hand, makes operating it from the desktop side quite convenient. Overall, a good mix.
In the medium term, I will probably buy a more expensive wallet and then keep the Nano X as a backup. In any case, I have the impression that it will last for years, if not decades. Customer support is good in the sense that I have found answers online to all my questions so far – including the integration into Blockpit, where I had to look up and modify some code. But it worked.
Points deducted because I wanted to exchange Bitcoin for TRUMP on Solana in the wallet, and after installing an “Exchange” app, the wallet told me it was not supported.
Conclusion: Good for long-term storage, less suitable for trading. But that is exactly the purpose of a cold wallet.
I’ve been really happy with my experience so far — the device is super user-friendly. After thinking it over for a while, I went with the Nano X back in 2023 because it had its own dedicated app at the time, which felt like the most practical wallet option. I like that you can buy or sell crypto directly through the platform and even stake your coins. The only thing I was a bit unsure about was the whole recovery feature. Everyone online keeps saying, “Not your keys, not your crypto,” but what most people don’t mention is that storing your keys with the company is completely optional. As long as you don’t enable it, your keys aren’t kept anywhere — at least that’s how I understand it. I’d definitely recommend the Nano X to anyone who wants a discreet design and easy mobile access to their coins.
