Secure ElementOpen SourceUSBBT100+ networks
Trezor Model One vs Trezor Safe 3
Trezor Model One stands out with open-source code. Trezor Safe 3 is a solid alternative — Trezor Model One costs $10 less.
2 wallets
Security notice ·
October 2026: suspected implant in a Trezor bought from CryptoBilis
On 28 October 2026 Trezor received a report from a buyer in Indonesia of an extra circuit board inside a Trezor Safe 5 bought in August 2026 from CryptoBilis, the same Southeast Asian reseller whose Ledger devices carried hardware implants. According to the report, the board sits between the main board and the screen, reads what the screen shows, including the recovery phrase, and sends it out over a mobile network. Trezor has not yet examined the device, calls the report credible and is having the unit sent to its lab.
Trezor says it has no reports involving any other reseller and no evidence that any customer has lost funds; the person who reported the implant had already moved their funds. Trezor removed CryptoBilis from its authorized resellers on 9 October 2026.
Trezor’s advice applies to every Trezor model bought from CryptoBilis from March 2026 onwards:
- If the device is not set up yet, do not set it up and never enter an existing recovery phrase on it.
- If you already use it, move your funds as soon as possible to a new wallet with a newly generated recovery phrase. Restoring the old phrase on another device does not help.
- Keep the device and contact Trezor Support: affected buyers can get a new device or a voucher. Do not open it; Trezor says weighing it is not a reliable test.
The report concerns how one device reached a buyer, not the device design, so it does not change our ratings. We will update this notice when Trezor publishes the result of its examination.
Sources
Open-formula rating|40+ criteria analyzed|Last updated November 2026|No sponsored rankingsSee methodology
Key Takeaways
- Trezor Safe 3 wins in security (83/100)
- Trezor Safe 3 wins in ease of use (57/100)
- Trezor Model One is more affordable ($49)
- Both support 47+ cryptocurrencies
- Best for beginners: Trezor Safe 3 (easier setup)
Trezor Model One vs Trezor Safe 3: Key Differences
Both Trezor Model One and Trezor Safe 3 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: Trezor Model One (Trezor) lands at 44/100, Trezor Safe 3 (Trezor) at 77/100. The $10 gap between $49 and $59 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
Trezor Model One29/100
Trezor Safe 3Winner83/100
Ease of Use
Trezor Model One44/100
Trezor Safe 3Winner57/100
Price
TieTrezor Model One$49
Trezor Safe 3$59
Coin Support
TieTrezor Model One47+
Trezor Safe 352+
Privacy
TieTrezor Model One79/100
Trezor Safe 379/100
Beginner Friendly
Trezor Model One44/100
Trezor Safe 3Winner57/100
Comparing:
Trezor Model One
Trezor Safe 3
Comparison Table
Key specifications for your decision
| Criteria |  Trezor Model One Trezor $49 |  Trezor Safe 3 Trezor $59 |
|---|---|---|
Overall Rating | 44 | 77 |
Security | 29 | 83 |
Usability | 44 | 57 |
Price | $49 | $59 |
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 | No | 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 | Firmware | Firmware |
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 | Yes | Yes |
Networks | 47+ | 52+ |
Wallet apps | — | Sparrow, Electrum, Nunchuk, Specter, MetaMask, Rabby |
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 | OLED (Monochrome, 128x64) | OLED |
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 | 24-word seed | 20-word + Shamir |
Setup Time | ~5 min | ~5 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 | None | None |
Which other apps each device works with, and how it connects: software compatibility matrix
Our Verdict: Trezor Model One or Trezor Safe 3?
Trezor Model One is discontinued
Trezor no longer sells this model. If you already own one, the full review covers how to keep using it; for a new purchase, pick one of the models on this page that are still on sale.
Choose Trezor Safe 3 if...
- You want advanced backup with Shamir Secret Sharing
- You actively use DeFi and WalletConnect dApps
Our pick for most users
Based on the overall rating, Trezor Safe 3 scores 77/100 and offers the best balance of security, usability, and value in this comparison.
Bottom line: Trezor Safe 3 is our pick — it leads on both security and ease of use, and the overall score reflects that. Prices are close enough that they shouldn't drive the decision.
Price: Trezor Model One vs Trezor Safe 3
Trezor Model One costs $49, while Trezor Safe 3 is priced at $59 — a $10 difference. At similar price points, the choice comes down to features rather than budget — compare the specific capabilities above.
Who Should Pick Which Wallet
Recommendations based on real-world use cases
Trezor Model One
$49Best for:
AffordableCoin controlTor supportFull node support
Pros
- +Open-source firmware and hardware, with reproducible firmware builds
- +Trezor promises critical security updates until at least 2036; latest firmware released October 2026
- +Standard 24-word BIP39 backup, restorable in other BIP39 wallets
- +Passphrase support, which protects funds even against the known physical attack
Cons
- −No secure element: the seed can be extracted with physical access unless a passphrase is used
- −Discontinued: Trezor no longer sells it, and new coin support is not promised
- −No clear signing for most transactions: the device shows raw data
- −Passphrase and recovery words are typed on the computer, not on the device
Trezor Safe 3
$59Best for:
AffordableGreat priceCoin controlTor support
Pros
- +Infineon OPTIGA Trust M (V3) secure element, certified to Common Criteria EAL6+ according to Trezor
- +Open-source firmware with reproducible builds, shared with Trezor’s more expensive Safe models
- +20-word SLIP-39 backup by default, with multi-share Shamir or 12/24-word BIP39 options
- +Coin control, own-node support, Tor switch and staking in Trezor Suite at a $59 price
Cons
- −Ledger Donjon (2024) bypassed some supply-chain checks via MCU voltage glitching with physical access
- −Small 0.96-inch monochrome screen and two-button PIN entry without a shuffled keypad
- −USB-C only: no Bluetooth, NFC, QR or battery
- −Limited iOS support: no setup, sending, swaps or device management on an iPhone
Pre-Purchase Checklist
Important points to verify regardless of your choice
Every wallet linked here ships from its manufacturer's official store with full warranty.
Trezor Model One vs Trezor Safe 3: Frequently Asked Questions
Answers about Trezor Model One vs Trezor Safe 3
Is Trezor Model One better than Trezor Safe 3?
On the numbers, Trezor Safe 3 comes out ahead — 77/100 vs 44/100 — but 'better' isn't quite the right frame. Trezor Model One is more affordable at $49, which matters more for some buyers than overall score does. If overall rating is what you actually weigh first, take Trezor Safe 3. If budget is the constraint that shapes your decision, Trezor Model One is the smarter buy. Either way, both are real hardware wallets — neither is a mistake.
How much do Trezor Model One and Trezor Safe 3 cost?
Trezor Model One costs $49, Trezor Safe 3 costs $59. 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.
Which wallet is better for DeFi and Web3: Trezor Model One or Trezor Safe 3?
Trezor Model One — and the gap is bigger than the spec sheets make it look. Trezor Model One has WalletConnect built in, which means you sign DeFi transactions directly from a hardware wallet without exposing keys to a hot wallet. Trezor Safe 3 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.
Trezor Model One vs Trezor Safe 3: which has better backup options?
Trezor Model One uses a standard 24-word seed phrase. Trezor Safe 3 uses a 20-word seed phrase with optional Shamir Secret Sharing for split backups. 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.
Do Trezor Model One and Trezor Safe 3 come with a warranty?
Yes — both ship with a manufacturer warranty (typically 1–2 years) when bought from the official store. That said, a hardware wallet warranty is mostly about hardware defects, not lost funds. If the device fails, the manufacturer will replace it — but your seed phrase or backup cards are what actually restore your crypto onto the new device. The warranty is real but secondary; what protects your funds is your backup discipline, not a piece of paper from {{wallet1}} or {{wallet2}}.
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