SafePal sells two hardware wallets at prices well below most rivals, and they take opposite approaches to the same job. The S1 is air gapped: a camera, a screen and no connection to anything. The X1 is a slim Bluetooth device built to be fast from a phone. Both work with the same SafePal app and both support a very long list of coins. This guide explains what each one is, what it does well, what it gives up, and which one we would send to which kind of customer.
SafePal in a sentence
SafePal is a Singapore based company backed early on by Binance, and its app is the centre of everything. The app is a full software wallet with swaps, a DeFi browser and support for well over a hundred chains. The hardware wallets plug into that app as a signing layer: the keys move off the phone and into a device with a Secure Element, and every transaction must be approved on that device. If you already like the SafePal app, the hardware is the natural upgrade.
SafePal S1: fully air gapped
The S1 is a credit card sized device with a 1.3 inch screen, a small keypad, a camera and a battery. It has no USB data connection, no Bluetooth, no Wi-Fi and no NFC. The only way information gets in or out is through QR codes: the app shows a code, the S1 scans it, the S1 shows a signed code, the phone scans that. The USB port is for charging only.
What that buys you. There is no cable or radio for an attacker to reach the device through. The S1 also has a self destruct mechanism that wipes the keys if the case is opened. For someone who wants the most isolated design available at a low price, this is it.
What it costs you. Every transaction is three scans. It is not difficult, but it is slower than tapping a button, and the small camera needs decent light. The screen is small, so long addresses take scrolling. It is a device for holding, not for daily trading.
SafePal X1: Bluetooth and speed
The X1 is thinner and lighter, with a 1.8 inch screen, two buttons, a Secure Element and Bluetooth. Pair it once with the app and a transaction is a few taps: build it on the phone, confirm the details on the X1 screen, press to approve. It charges over USB-C and the battery lasts weeks on standby.
What that buys you. Speed and convenience that make it realistic to use the hardware for every transaction rather than keeping a "spending" balance in a hot wallet.
What it costs you. Bluetooth is a radio. SafePal encrypts the link and the keys never leave the chip, but a purist will prefer no radio at all. The X1 also does not have the S1's camera, so it cannot do QR signing.
Side by side
| SafePal S1 | SafePal X1 | |
|---|---|---|
| Connection | QR codes only | Bluetooth |
| Secure Element | Yes, EAL5+ | Yes, EAL6+ |
| Screen | 1.3 inch | 1.8 inch |
| Battery | Yes, USB charge | Yes, USB-C charge |
| Self destruct on tamper | Yes | No |
| Best for | Holding, rarely moved | Frequent use from a phone |
| Price | Around $50 | Around $70 |
Prices are what we charge at the time of writing. The product pages show current stock and price; the S1 in particular sells out from time to time.
Coin support
Both devices support Bitcoin, Ethereum, BNB Chain, Solana, Tron, Polygon, Avalanche and more than a hundred other networks, with tokens on each. This is wider than Ledger's native support for some smaller chains, and it is the reason SafePal is popular with people holding many altcoins. The app's built in swap routes through third party providers; every swap still requires approval on the device.
How they compare with Ledger and Trezor
SafePal competes on price and chain coverage. Where Ledger and Trezor win is software depth and track record: Ledger Live and Trezor Suite are more mature on the desktop, both companies publish more about their security, and Trezor's firmware is fully open source while SafePal's is not. If you want a cheap, capable wallet for a broad altcoin portfolio managed from a phone, SafePal makes sense. If you hold mostly Bitcoin and Ethereum and want the longest track record, a Nano S Plus or Safe 3 is the safer default.
Our recommendation
- Buy the S1 if you move coins a few times a year and want the most isolated design at the lowest price.
- Buy the X1 if you use your phone for everything and want hardware security without friction.
- Either way, write the recovery phrase on steel. SafePal's phrase follows the BIP39 standard, so a Billfodl or Keystone Tablet works.
We have a separate guide on setting up the S1 and X1 once yours arrives. The Crypto Merchant is an authorized SafePal reseller; both devices ship sealed from Florida with free US shipping.
