Secure ElementNFC13+ networks
Ellipal X Card vs Ngrave Zero
Ngrave Zero stands out with IP55 water resistance, a 4" color touchscreen. Ellipal X Card is a solid alternative — Ellipal X Card costs $329 less.
2 wallets
No IP rating vs IP55
USB vs NFC
$329 price gap
Quick VerdictUpdated 2026
Ellipal X Card
Best overall
Ngrave Zero
Ngrave
$398
Open-formula rating|40+ criteria analyzed|Last updated October 2026|No sponsored rankingsSee methodology
Key Takeaways
- Ellipal X Card wins in security (66/100)
- Usability scores are close (within 1 points)
- Ellipal X Card is more affordable ($69)
- Both support 18+ cryptocurrencies
- Best for beginners: Ellipal X Card (easier setup)
Ellipal X Card vs Ngrave Zero: Key Differences
Both Ellipal X Card and Ngrave Zero can keep your crypto safe — the real question is which one fits the way you actually use it. We've put both through our open-formula scoring on 40+ criteria: Ellipal X Card (Ellipal) lands at 60/100, Ngrave Zero (Ngrave) at 56/100. The $329 gap between $69 and $398 isn't arbitrary — these are two different bets on what matters in a hardware wallet, and the right pick depends on which bet you'd take.
Winner by Category
Which wallet leads in each area
Security
Ellipal X CardWinner66/100
Ngrave Zero61/100
Ease of Use
TieEllipal X Card70/100
Ngrave Zero71/100
Price
Ellipal X CardWinner$69
Ngrave Zero$398
Coin Support
Ellipal X CardWinner45+
Ngrave Zero18+
Privacy
Ellipal X Card14/100
Ngrave ZeroWinner26/100
Beginner Friendly
TieEllipal X Card70/100
Ngrave Zero71/100
Comparing:
Ellipal X Card
Ngrave Zero
Comparison Table
Key specifications for your decision
| Criteria | Ellipal X Card Ellipal $69 | Ngrave Zero Ngrave $398 |
|---|---|---|
Overall Rating | 60 | 56 |
Security | 66 | 61 |
Usability | 70 | 71 |
Price | $69 | $398 |
A secure element is a tamper-resistant chip built to store secrets and resist physical attacks such as side-channel analysis and fault injection. Learn more — Secure Element | Yes | Yes |
Open Source Firmware refers to firmware in hardware devices, like wallets, where the source code is publicly available, allowing transparency, auditability, and customization. Learn more — Open Source | No | No |
Bluetooth Connectivity enables wireless communication between devices, like hardware wallets and smartphones, using Bluetooth or Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE) for secure data transfer. Learn more — Bluetooth | No | No |
USB | No | No |
Networks | 45+ | 18+ |
A passphrase is an additional security layer for cryptocurrency wallets, acting as a 25th word in the BIP39 seed phrase, protecting access to hidden wallets. Learn more — Passphrase | Yes | Yes |
A touchscreen display is a screen that allows users to interact with a device by touching the surface, commonly used in hardware wallets for easy navigation and transaction confirmation. Learn more — Display | None (No Screen On The Card; Transactions Reviewed In The Phone App) | LCD Capacitive Touchscreen (480x800, 600 Cd/M²) |
Recovery is the process of restoring access to a cryptocurrency wallet using its seed phrase or mnemonic backup if the original wallet is lost or inaccessible. Learn more — Backup Method | Multi-card | 24-word seed |
Setup Time | ~3 min | ~20 min |
IP Rating refers to the level of protection a device has against dust and water, often used for hardware wallets to indicate their durability in various environments. Learn more — Water Resist | Yes | IP55 |
Our Verdict: Ellipal X Card or Ngrave Zero?
Choose Ellipal X Card if...
- You prefer seedless backup via multiple linked cards
- You want wireless NFC connectivity — no cables needed
- You want to save $329 without sacrificing core security
- You want a quick ~3-minute setup
Skip Ellipal X Card if...
- ×You manage crypto from a desktop (no Windows, macOS, or Linux app)
- ×You need a device with an official IP rating against water and dust
Choose Ngrave Zero if...
- You are comfortable managing a seed phrase
- You need full desktop support (Windows, macOS, Linux)
- You need a durable, IP55-rated waterproof device
- You want a modern touchscreen interface
Skip Ngrave Zero if...
- ×Budget is tight — you'd be better served by a cheaper option in this comparison
- ×You want wireless NFC connection — no cables
- ×You want a seedless backup design instead of a 12/24-word phrase
Our pick for most users
Both wallets score similarly (60 vs 56/100) — your choice depends on which features matter most to you.
Bottom line: Usability is close enough to call a wash. Ellipal X Card pulls ahead on security — which is where it matters most. If budget is real, Ellipal X Card comes in $329 cheaper without giving up the basics.
Price: Ellipal X Card vs Ngrave Zero
Ellipal X Card costs $69, while Ngrave Zero is priced at $398 — a $329 difference. The extra cost of Ngrave Zero gets you a -4-point higher overall rating. For budget buyers, Ellipal X Card offers solid security at a lower price point.
Who Should Pick Which Wallet
Recommendations based on real-world use cases
Ellipal X Card
$69Best for:
AffordableWalletConnect supportAndroid supportiOS support
Pros
- +Always creates a standard BIP39 seed phrase, so recovery does not depend on Ellipal or on the cards
- +Credit-card format with no battery, cable or charging; signs by tapping an iPhone or Android phone
- +Secure chip that Ellipal describes as CC EAL6+, with keys generated by its hardware random number generator
- +Optional duplicate cards and passphrase (hidden wallet) support
Cons
- −No screen on the card: addresses and amounts are checked only in the phone app
- −Firmware is locked at the factory and can never be updated, so a flaw could not be patched
- −No published chip model, certificate or independent audit; security claims are Ellipal's
- −No desktop app: phone with NFC only
Ngrave Zero
$398Best for:
Water resistanceBuilt-in batteryAndroid supportiOS support
Pros
- +Air-gapped: transactions move by QR code; USB-C is used only for charging and firmware updates
- +8-digit PIN on a scrambled keypad; the device wipes itself after 10 wrong attempts
- +4-inch 480 x 800 touchscreen, built-in camera, 1200 mAh battery and an IP55-rated metal-alloy body
- +Secure boot, GPG-signed firmware verifiable by hash, no downgrades and a genuine check at first use
Cons
- −Closed-source firmware; WalletScrutiny's verdict is 'no source', so builds cannot be checked
- −No published audit; EAL7 is an NGRAVE claim, and the public EAL7 certificate does not name the ZERO
- −LIQUID collects usage data via Google Analytics/Firebase; its notifications were hijacked in Oct 2026
- −$398, plus $148 for the GRAPHENE steel backup; no WalletConnect, no staking, no multisig documented
Best for These Profiles
Pre-Purchase Checklist
Important points to verify regardless of your choice
All wallets ship from official manufacturer stores with full warranty.
Ellipal X Card vs Ngrave Zero: Frequently Asked Questions
Answers about Ellipal X Card vs Ngrave Zero
Is Ellipal X Card better than Ngrave Zero?
On the numbers, Ellipal X Card comes out ahead — 60/100 vs 56/100 — but 'better' isn't quite the right frame. Ngrave Zero is easier to use (71/100 usability), which matters more for some buyers than overall score does. If overall rating is what you actually weigh first, take Ellipal X Card. If ease of use is the constraint that shapes your decision, Ngrave Zero is the smarter buy. Either way, both are real hardware wallets — neither is a mistake.
How much do Ellipal X Card and Ngrave Zero cost?
Ellipal X Card costs $69, Ngrave Zero costs $398. These are list prices for the standard edition from official manufacturer stores. A few things worth knowing: hardware wallet prices barely move during the year, so 'waiting for a sale' rarely pays off — Black Friday is the one exception, with 10–20% off being typical. Avoid third-party listings even if they're cheaper; the supply chain risk on a tampered device wipes out any savings the first time you load funds. And don't buy a 'used' hardware wallet, ever — even if it claims to be reset.
What happens if I lose all my Ellipal X Card cards?
Funds are unrecoverable. There's no seed phrase to fall back on, no recovery service, no manufacturer override — that's the explicit design trade-off. The mitigation is the multi-card set: every card you receive is a complete, independent backup of the same wallet. Realistic plan: keep one card on you, one at home in a safe, and one with a trusted person or in a bank deposit box. Lose any two and you're still fine. Lose all of them and the coins are gone forever.
Is Ellipal X Card waterproof?
No — Ellipal X Card has no official water or dust resistance rating, so treat it like any other small electronic. A spilled drink or a rainstorm in your jacket pocket is enough to brick it. Ngrave Zero, by contrast, carries an IP55 rating, which means it's tested against dust and pressurized water — that's the device you'd actually take camping or to a beach. For most people, water resistance isn't a deciding factor, but it matters if you travel light or carry your wallet daily.
Which wallet is better for DeFi and Web3: Ellipal X Card or Ngrave Zero?
Ellipal X Card — and the gap is bigger than the spec sheets make it look. Ellipal X Card has WalletConnect built in, which means you sign DeFi transactions directly from a hardware wallet without exposing keys to a hot wallet. Ngrave Zero can technically work with DeFi via third-party software, but every extra step is one more place an attacker can intercept the transaction you're approving. If you're going to be clicking 'Sign' on smart contracts more than once a month, the difference compounds fast.
Ellipal X Card vs Ngrave Zero: which has better backup options?
Ellipal X Card uses multiple linked NFC cards as encrypted backups (no seed phrase). Ngrave Zero uses a standard 24-word seed phrase. Both work — but they reflect different ideas about what 'backup' should be. The seed phrase approach (BIP-39) is the open industry standard: portable across most wallets, well-documented, and recoverable on any compatible device. The downside is well-known too — it's a piece of paper that's a single photograph or careless moment away from disaster. Card-based backups can't be photographed and don't write themselves down, but they're proprietary, which means you trust one manufacturer to stay in business and keep the format alive. Pick based on which failure mode worries you more.
Can Ellipal X Card be used with a desktop computer?
No — Ellipal X Card is mobile-only with no Windows, macOS, or Linux app available. If you do most of your crypto work on a laptop or desktop (DeFi power users, traders, anyone running a full node), this is a real limitation, not a minor inconvenience. Ngrave Zero supports all three desktop operating systems with a polished companion app, and that's the practical pick if desktop is your main interface.
Where to buy Ellipal X Card at the best price?
Always buy Ellipal X Card from the official Ellipal store — never from Amazon, eBay, or third-party marketplaces, even if the price looks better. Hardware wallets have been physically tampered with in the supply chain before (compromised devices shipped to unsuspecting buyers, then drained the moment funds were loaded). Buying direct from Ellipal gets you a sealed unit with full warranty, firmware integrity, and a clean chain of custody. Free shipping and occasional discounts at the source make the price difference negligible anyway.
Made your decision?
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Official store
Ellipal X Card$69 · 60/100
Ngrave Zero$398 · 56/100
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