Guarda Wallet is a software wallet for desktop, mobile, and web browsers. Based in Portugal, Guarda also offers cryptocurrency purchases with a major credit card, exchange services, and the ability to stake crypto and earn rewards.
You can also buy more than 300 different cryptocurrencies through Guarda and hold more than 400,000 in a Guarda Wallet. Overall, it's a comprehensive and refreshing addition to the competitive world of crypto wallets.
Here’s a closer look at how Guarda Wallet works to help you decide if it’s right for your crypto.
Quick Summary
- An easy-to-use and free software wallet
- Supports thousands of tokens and altcoins
- Lets users stake crypto to earn rewards
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About Guarda Wallet
Guarda is a cryptocurrency software wallet launched in 2017. You can download versions for desktop, mobile, and the web. Guarda is available worldwide, though certain products are only available to customers in the EU.
The company Guarda is based in Portugal, with additional registrations in Estonia. Garuda supports more unique cryptocurrencies than just about any other we’ve reviewed, with the ability to hold more than 400,000 different currencies across dozens of blockchains.
With integrated features to buy crypto, exchange currencies, stake assets, and spend using a linked Visa debit card, it’s an easy-to-use, all-in-one option that’s best for newer cryptocurrency users or investors looking for an always-connected hot wallet solution.
Guarda Wallet Features
Here’s a brief look at all you can do with Guarda Wallet:
- Store Cryptocurrency: Guarda supports more than 400,000 assets across more than 50 blockchains. Most popular currencies, such as Bitcoin, Ethereum, Ripple (XRP), Dogecoin, Stellar Lumens (XLM), and thousands of others you’ve likely never heard of.
- Buy Crypto: Crypto purchases are fairly simple using Visa, Mastercard, and other supported payment methods. More than 300 cryptocurrencies are listed for purchase. Guarda says fees are up to 2%, depending on which currencies you buy and when. In addition to Guarda fees, you pay crypto network fees.
- Exchange Crypto: The crypto exchange is tied into the wallet directly. You can swap cryptos using one of two partners, ChangeNOW or Swapzone. You can swap a large number of assets. Fees are up to 0.5%, charged by the exchange partner.
- Staking & Earning: You can stake 15 different digital currencies using Guarda Wallet, with earnings up to around 25% APY. Popular currencies include Ethereum, Tron, Cardano, Cosmos, and Tezos.
- Visa Debit Card: Available only to those in the EU, the Visa debit card is a spending tool attached to your Guarda Wallet. You can sell crypto to fund your prepaid debit account. It works with a limited subset of 11 cryptocurrencies.
The ability to stake and earn passive rewards with Guarda is one massive selling point for Guarda. And the wallet also makes it easy to buy crypto with cash or crypto.
Guarda Wallet Pricing & Fees
Guarda Wallet software is free to download and use. If you don’t use the exchange or purchase features, you can use Guarda Wallet without paying anything besides any necessary network fees when transferring crypto between wallets.
You pay up to 2% fees if you use the purchase features. If you buy cryptocurrency elsewhere, fees may be more or less, so it could be worth shopping around when buying crypto with fiat (government-backed) currency.
For exchanging currencies, your fee is up to 0.5%. Fees don’t include network ‘gas’ fees required for all blockchain transactions.
Guarda Wallet Alternatives
The crypto wallet market is competitive, and there are several hardware and software wallets you can consider as an alternative to Guarda:
- Exodus: For a robust desktop wallet, consider Exodus as an alternative. Like Guarda, Exodus has built-in features to buy and exchange cryptocurrencies.
- Trust Wallet: Trust Wallet is a popular choice for a comparable software wallet. Trust Wallet works for mobile and through a Web3 plugin for Chrome and Chromium-based browsers.
- MetaMask: MetaMask is one of the best-known Web3 wallet solutions, a browser-first wallet that works well for crypto and NFTs. It also supports Android and iOS devices.
- Ledger: Ledger is a cold wallet, meaning your cryptocurrency is stored offline using a hardware device. Ledger’s introductory version is relatively affordable, while higher-end versions are appropriate for more advanced cryptocurrency users.
- Trezor: Trezor is another top hardware wallet vendor with open-source software and compatibility with software wallets, such as Exodus. Similar to Ledger, you can find an affordable introductory version and more expensive versions with better features.
Account Opening Process
To start with Guarda, you’ll need to download a version that works for your computer, mobile device, or browser. Once installed, you can create a wallet and access Guarda features.
There’s no account to open or sign up for. It’s part of the open blockchain ecosystem, where you have semi-anonymity when transacting. The Guarda company doesn’t have access to your keys, so it’s important to make backups of your codes to ensure you don’t lose access to your wallet if you delete the apps or lose your device.
Safety & Security
Guarda Wallet has been the target of hackers in the past, but savvy users were unaffected. If you keep your cryptocurrency wallet passwords unique and secure and don’t divulge your private keys, you should be safe when using Guarda Wallet.
Keep your operating system and Guarda apps updated to maximize your security and follow online security best practices. Use multi-factor authentication where available.
Customer Service
Like most cryptocurrency wallets, your product is primarily self-service, with few options to contact a human for customer support. There’s a mediocre help section with poor grammar answering common questions. You can reach out by emailing [email protected].
Guarda holds a 4.1-star rating from more than 1,600 reviewers on Trustpilot. Positive reviews praise an easy-to-use app that’s secure and works well. Critical reviews discuss challenges with the staking system and problems swapping currency.
The Bottom Line
Guarda could be a good choice if you want a hot wallet solution that works on your desktop and mobile device. And it has exceptional altcoin support and useful features like its exchange and crypto staking.
Make sure you understand what you want from a wallet and how hot wallet security works so you don’t run into surprises after getting started.
Like any wallet, it's up to users to protect their accounts and private keys to keep control over their digital assets.
Eric Rosenberg is a financial writer, speaker, and consultant based in Ventura, California. He holds an undergraduate finance degree from the University of Colorado and an MBA in finance from the University of Denver. After working as a bank manager and then nearly a decade in corporate finance and accounting, Eric left the corporate world for full-time online self-employment. His work has been featured in online publications including Business Insider, Nerdwallet, Investopedia, The Balance, HuffPo, Investor Junkie, and other fine financial blogs and publications. When away from the computer, he enjoys spending time with his wife and three children, traveling the world, and tinkering with technology. Connect with him and learn more at EricRosenberg.com.