Which Wallet Should You Use?
The right wallet depends on how you plan to use Monero. For maximum privacy, the official Monero GUI with your own node is the strongest option. For a quick setup, Cake Wallet or Feather Wallet are the practical choices.
What all these wallets have in common: they're open source, self-custodial (your keys, your coins), and they support standard XMR addresses that btcswapxmr sends to.
Monero GUI Wallet — Official Desktop Client
The official Monero GUI is the reference implementation. It supports running a full local node — your wallet connects directly to the Monero network without trusting any third-party server. For the highest level of privacy, this is the gold standard.
The downside is initial setup time. A full node requires ~180 GB of disk space and takes hours to sync. In Simple mode you can connect to a remote node and skip this.
Pros
- Full node option — maximum privacy
- Official, maintained by Monero team
- All features: subaddresses, multisig, proof generation
Cons
- Full node requires ~180 GB disk space
- Initial sync takes hours to days
- Interface less polished than alternatives
Cake Wallet — Best Mobile Option
Cake Wallet is the most polished mobile Monero wallet and is open source. Setup takes 3–4 minutes. By default it connects to Cake's own remote node; for more privacy, point it at your own node.
Pros
- Clean, easy-to-use interface
- Works on iOS and Android
- Quick 3-minute setup
Cons
- Remote node by default (trust Cake's server unless you change it)
Monerujo — Android Power Wallet
Monerujo is an open-source Android wallet with strong privacy defaults. It allows custom remote nodes from setup. For Android users who want an alternative to Cake Wallet, Monerujo is the top choice.
Feather Wallet — Lightweight Desktop
Feather Wallet is a lightweight desktop client for Windows, macOS, and Linux. It connects to a remote node by default but doesn't require downloading the full blockchain. It's faster to set up than Monero GUI and has a cleaner interface.
Hardware Wallet Support
Both Ledger and Trezor support Monero. To use a hardware wallet with XMR, you'll need to pair it with the Monero GUI wallet. Note that Monero hardware wallet support is functional but more manual than Bitcoin — it's primarily useful for long-term cold storage.
Comparison Table
| Wallet | Platform | Node | Sync | Open Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Monero GUI | Desktop | Full or remote | Full (hours) or remote (fast) | ✓ |
| Cake Wallet | iOS/Android | Remote | Instant | ✓ |
| Monerujo | Android | Remote | Instant | ✓ |
| Feather Wallet | Desktop | Remote | Instant | ✓ |
| Ledger/Trezor | Hardware | Via Monero GUI | Via Monero GUI | ✓ |
How to Get Your First Address
1. Download and install a wallet
For quick setup: download Cake Wallet from cakewallet.com or Feather Wallet from featherwallet.org. For maximum privacy: download Monero GUI from getmonero.org.
2. Create a new wallet
Open the app and select "Create new wallet." You'll be asked to save a 25-word seed phrase — write this down on paper and store it securely. This seed is the only way to recover your wallet.
3. Copy your receive address
Go to the Receive section. Your address will start with a 4 (standard) or 8 (subaddress). This is what you paste into btcswapxmr.com's recipient field.
Subaddresses Explained
A subaddress is a derived address linked to your main wallet but unlinkable to it from the outside. Each time you make a new transaction, you can generate a fresh subaddress — this prevents external observers from linking multiple payments to the same wallet. btcswapxmr.com supports both standard addresses (starting with 4) and subaddresses (starting with 8).
Seed Phrase Backup
Your 25-word Monero seed phrase is the complete backup of your wallet. If you lose your device, you can recover all funds by entering this seed into any Monero-compatible wallet. Never store your seed digitally — write it on paper and keep it in a safe location.