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MetaMask vs Phantom
The Ethereum default against the Solana one. Both have since added the other's chains, which is why the comparison exists at all.
Both links below are affiliate links — what that means. It does not change what is written here; every entry carries a drawback for the same reason.
Short answer
Choose MetaMask if…Ethereum, layer 2s and anything DeFi-heavy — the integration depth is not close.
Visit MetaMask →Choose Phantom if…Solana is where you actually spend your time, or you want the better-designed wallet. Its spam-token filtering alone makes a Solana wallet usable.
Visit Phantom →Side by side
| What is being compared | MetaMask | Phantom |
|---|---|---|
| Launched | 2016 | 2021 |
| Based / registered | United States (Consensys) | United States |
| Who holds the assets | Self-custody — keys stay in your browser or phone | Self-custody — keys stay on your device |
| Identity verification | None for the wallet itself | None |
| Available to US residents | Yes | Yes |
| Supports |
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What each one is actually good at
MetaMaskThe default doorway to Ethereum. Practically every EVM application supports it first, so it is the wallet that never turns out to be unsupported.
Worth knowing. Built-in swaps charge a service fee on top of the DEX's own, so routing through an aggregator directly is usually cheaper. And a browser wallet is only as safe as the browser: approval scams and drainers target MetaMask users more than anyone.
PhantomThe best-designed wallet on this list, and unusually good at hiding the spam tokens that make a Solana wallet unusable otherwise.
Worth knowing. Still Solana-first despite adding chains — for anything deep in the Ethereum ecosystem, MetaMask remains better supported. Swaps carry a service fee.
What do they cost?
Both are one-off hardware purchases, and both run several models at different prices. We do not reprint a price list — it would be wrong the next time either runs a sale — so here are the official shops:
Buy direct from the manufacturer, never from a marketplace listing. A hardware wallet bought second-hand or from a reseller can arrive pre-initialised with somebody else’s recovery phrase, and the coins leave the moment you fund it. How to choose one →
Frequently asked questions
＋Which should I use for Solana?
Phantom — it was built for Solana and the experience shows it, including its scam-token filtering. MetaMask's strength is the Ethereum and EVM world, and using either outside its home ecosystem is possible but rarely the smoother path.
＋Do I need both?
If you are active on both Solana and EVM chains, most people end up with both rather than forcing one to cover everything. They are free, and keeping ecosystems in separate wallets also limits what a single bad signature can reach.
＋Does scam-token filtering make a wallet safe?
It reduces the noise, which is genuinely useful — but the losses that matter come from signing a malicious approval, not from seeing a junk token in your list. No filter substitutes for reading what a transaction actually authorises.
Before you commit
Availability changes. Regulators bar platforms, platforms withdraw from markets, and this page was last checked on 2026-08-05 — confirm on the platform’s own terms that it serves your country before you sign up.
And whichever you pick, the device is the easy half. The recovery phrase is what actually protects the coins — how to store one properly matters more than which brand you bought.