Review
Electrum
The original Bitcoin desktop wallet, still standing after all these years
Our Verdict
This is the oldest and most battle-tested Bitcoin desktop wallet, running since 2011. Electrum pioneered the lightweight design that lets a wallet sync fast without downloading the whole blockchain, and it was early to work with hardware wallets. It works, it is reliable, and it has lived through more than a decade of Bitcoin history. Two honest caveats: the interface has not aged gracefully, and a run of phishing attacks that abused how it displayed messages from malicious servers dented its reputation (Electrum has since changed that behavior). In our view Sparrow has overtaken it for most people now. But Electrum is still a solid pick if you value a long track record over a modern look.
What we like
- Longest track record of any Bitcoin wallet - operating since 2011
- Fully open-source (MIT License)
- Lightweight SPV architecture - fast sync, low resource usage
- Hardware wallet support (Coldcard, Trezor, Ledger)
- Multisig support and advanced scripting capabilities
- Available on Windows, macOS, Linux, and Android
What could be better
- Dated user interface - feels like 2015 software
- Phishing attacks abused the Electrum server network to push fake wallet updates (December 2018 to 2019, more than $4.6 million stolen by May 2019)
- No built-in CoinJoin or privacy features
- Coin control exists but is clunky compared to Sparrow
- No iOS version
- Community has largely migrated to Sparrow for desktop use
How We Scored This
Community score compiled from Reddit threads, expert reviews, and app store ratings.
In head-to-head comparison threads, Sparrow wins nearly every recommendation. Common take: "Electrum was the standard for years, but Sparrow is just better now." Electrum loyalists cite the longer track record and lighter resource usage. Most new users are directed to Sparrow.
The 2018-2019 phishing attacks are frequently cited in Electrum discussions. Attackers exploited the Electrum server network to push fake update notifications that tricked users into downloading malware. The vulnerability has been patched, but the reputation damage lingers.
SecurityWeek reported on 1 May 2019 that the threat, first observed in December 2018, initially tried to lure Electrum users into downloading a malicious update aimed at stealing their cryptocurrency, and that the amount of stolen funds had topped $4.6 million.
CoinDesk reported on 28 December 2018 that attackers ran multiple fake servers on the Electrum network and showed users a malicious link to a fake wallet update when they tried to broadcast a transaction, and that the attack may have stolen about 245 bitcoin.
Electrum's codebase is open-source and has been reviewed by countless developers over its 13+ year history. Reproducible builds are available.
The issue, titled "when broadcasting transaction, error message from server is displayed as is", describes how attackers ran malicious Electrum servers that replied to a transaction broadcast with an error message, which the client displayed as arbitrary rich text, and used it to push a fake wallet update. The project's maintainer wrote that versions before 3.3.3 behaved this way and that updating means servers can no longer do it.
Electrum has the longest continuous development history of any Bitcoin wallet. Creator Thomas Voegtlin has been maintaining it since 2011. Respected for reliability and minimalism, even as the community has moved toward more feature-rich alternatives.
Score History
Published aggregated community review. Community score (14/25) reflects historical respect offset by dated UI, phishing history, and Sparrow overtaking it as the recommended desktop wallet.
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