Hardware wallets

Trezor Safe 3

Affordable, open-source hardware wallet with an EAL6+ secure element and a Bitcoin-only edition. Works with Windows, macOS, Linux and Android.

Official Trezor Safe 3 websitearound $59

What is Trezor Safe 3?

Trezor Safe 3 is a hardware wallet that keeps your private keys on a device with a certified EAL6+ secure element. It has a 0.96-inch monochrome OLED screen (128 x 64 pixels), a two-button pad and a USB-C connection, and it measures 59 x 32 x 7.4 mm and weighs 14 g. You manage it with the Trezor Suite app or third-party wallet apps. The maker sells it as a Universal edition, which manages thousands of coins and tokens, and as a separate Bitcoin-only edition designed exclusively for Bitcoin. The maker’s page lists the price at $59. This page describes the Safe 3; the Safe 5 and Safe 7 are separate products.

Trezor Safe 3 vs Safe 5 vs Safe 7: the three Trezor models side by side.

Key facts

Type
Hardware
Made by
Trezor (SatoshiLabs), Czech Republic
Works with
Windows, macOS, Linux, Android, Browser
Keys
You hold the keys
Bitcoin-only
Bitcoin-only edition available
Source code
Open source
Lightning
No
Multisig
Yes
Experience
Beginner
Price
around $59

Details last checked on the maker's website: . How we compare

Good for

  • First hardware wallet for savings you would hate to lose
  • People who want open-source firmware and hardware design
  • Using bitcoin from a browser through the Trezor Suite web app

Watch out

  • Small monochrome screen and two buttons
  • USB-C only. On iPhone, Trezor Suite can only show the balance and receive, not send

Trezor Safe 3 features

Secure element and open source. The Safe 3 has a certified EAL6+ chip. Trezor’s FAQ says the secure element was added without compromising the open-source nature of the Safe 3, and the product page describes a tamper-evident casing and security seals on the packaging and device. Backup formats. The Safe 3 supports 12-, 20- and 24-word backups. Its default single-share backup uses a 20-word format, the box contains two 20-word backup cards, and an advanced multi-share backup is available. Trezor’s FAQ says the device supports the SLIP39 standard and is BIP39 compatible, so 12-, 18- or 24-word backups can be restored. PIN and passphrase. The Safe 3 supports a PIN and an optional passphrase. Trezor’s guide says passphrases are disabled by default for new or restored wallets and are switched on in Trezor Suite, that the passphrase is case-sensitive, that the device does not store it, and that passphrases cannot be changed, removed or recovered. Bitcoin-only firmware. Trezor describes it as a lightweight version supporting only BTC accounts. Other networks are deactivated, and coins you hold elsewhere are not lost but are not discovered or displayed by Trezor Suite. Existing devices can switch under Settings, Device, Firmware in Trezor Suite. Trezor notes that FIDO2 and U2F need the Universal firmware. Trezor Suite. The app is available on desktop, on Google Play and on the App Store, and the maker lists coin control and Tor support. For the Safe 3 the support on iOS is limited: Trezor says you can track a portfolio, buy and receive, while signing other transactions needs desktop or Android, and its product page lists no swap, send, setup or device management on iOS.

Security and custody

The firmware is published on GitHub in the trezor-firmware repository, where the licence is GPL-3.0 and the README lists the Safe 3 among the devices it covers. The same repository asks that suspected vulnerabilities are not reported as public issues and points to its Security tab instead. The maker states that all Trezor devices are CE and RoHS certified. Your backup and, if you use one, your passphrase are what protect your funds: Trezor’s guide says a lost passphrase cannot be recovered, so keep a written copy separate from the device and the backup.

Trezor Safe 3 alternatives

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Related lists: multisig wallets bitcoin-only wallets all wallets A–Z

Trezor Safe 3 FAQ

Is there a Bitcoin-only Trezor Safe 3?

Yes. Trezor sells a Bitcoin-only edition and also lets you switch an existing device in Trezor Suite. Trezor describes the Bitcoin-only firmware as a lightweight version supporting only BTC accounts.

What does the Trezor Safe 3 look like to use?

It has a 0.96-inch monochrome OLED screen, a two-button pad and a USB-C connection. A USB-C to USB-C cable is included, according to the maker's page.

Can I send bitcoin with a Trezor Safe 3 from an iPhone?

Not according to Trezor. Its Trezor Suite page says that for the Safe 3 you can track a portfolio, buy and receive on iOS, while signing other transactions requires desktop or Android.

What happens if I forget my Trezor passphrase?

Trezor says passphrases cannot be changed, removed or recovered, so you lose access to that passphrase wallet and its funds. The device does not store the passphrase, so write it down and keep it separate from the backup.

Guides

Sources

The text above was checked on against these pages: