MetaMask vs Electrum
On coverage MetaMask is broader (100 chains vs 1). Electrum is Bitcoin-only (minimal attack surface), MetaMask is multi-asset. On code, Electrum is fully open-source and auditable, the other is not: if sovereignty matters to you, that weighs a lot. The right wallet is the one you will actually use: assess your flow first (holding vs frequent use), then the spec sheet.
| MetaMask | Electrum | |
|---|---|---|
| Tier | S | A |
| Rating | ★ 4.6 | ★ 4.4 |
| Fund custody | Self-custody (funds in your control) | Self-custody (funds in your control) |
| Type | Software (hot wallet) | Software (hot wallet) |
| Source code | Partly open-source | Open-source |
| Recovery | Seed phrase 12 parole (BIP-39) | Seed phrase (Electrum seed / BIP-39) |
| Bitcoin-only | No | Yes |
| Supported chains | Ethereum, Polygon, Arbitrum, Optimism, Base, BNB Chain, Avalanche, Linea | Bitcoin |
| Built-in swap | Yes | — |
| Built-in staking | Yes | — |
| dApp browser | Yes | — |
| WalletConnect | Yes | No |
| Hardware wallet support | Yes | Yes |
| Built-in fiat on-ramp | Yes | — |
| Security audits | Cure53, Least Authority | — |
| Segment | B2C | B2C |
| Regions | US, EU/EEA, UK, APAC, LATAM, MENA, Africa | US, EU/EEA, UK, APAC, LATAM, MENA, Africa |
| Licences & safety | Nessuna (wallet self-custody non-custodial) | Nessuna (wallet self-custody non-custodial) |
Frequently asked questions
MetaMask vs Electrum: which is better?
On coverage MetaMask is broader (100 chains vs 1). Electrum is Bitcoin-only (minimal attack surface), MetaMask is multi-asset. On code, Electrum is fully open-source and auditable, the other is not: if sovereignty matters to you, that weighs a lot. The right wallet is the one you will actually use: assess your flow first (holding vs frequent use), then the spec sheet.
Is MetaMask custodial or self-custody?
MetaMask is self-custody: you keep the keys, while Electrum is self-custody.