BlueWallet review

Lightning that a normal person can use

Lightning on mobile is where most wallets either fail or hide the complexity so thoroughly that users cannot tell what they are trusting. BlueWallet keeps it usable and states what the arrangement is — custody for the Lightning side depends on the backend you choose, which is the honest way to present it.

Watch-only is the feature to use

Pair it with a hardware signer as a watch-only wallet and you get mobile visibility and transaction construction while the keys stay on a separate device. That configuration turns a phone wallet from a risk into a convenience.

Open, and unhurried

Published under an open licence with a clear on-chain flow that shows outputs and fees before signing, and PSBT support for anyone working across devices. Development has slowed in recent years, which is worth knowing though the codebase is mature.

Scope

Bitcoin and Lightning only, mobile only. For everything else in your portfolio you will need another wallet — which is the correct architecture anyway.

How to configure it

Use watch-only pairing with a hardware signer for savings and keep a separate small hot balance for Lightning spending. Mixing the two in one wallet gives you the risk profile of the hot side across everything.

Who it is for

Bitcoin holders who want to spend over Lightning from a phone while keeping their long-term coins on a device that never leaves the house.