MetaMask
Launched 2016 · Software Wallet (Hot)
The most popular Web3 wallet — your gateway to Ethereum, DeFi, and decentralized applications.
Quick Overview
What is MetaMask?
MetaMask is the world's most popular Web3 wallet, with 30+ million monthly active users. Created in 2016 by Consensys (the company behind Infura and other core Ethereum infrastructure), it is the standard wallet for interacting with decentralized applications.
Available as a browser extension (Chrome, Firefox, Brave, Edge) and a mobile app (iOS, Android), MetaMask lets you connect to any Ethereum dApp with a single click. When a website says "Connect Wallet" — they almost always mean MetaMask.
MetaMask supports Ethereum and all EVM-compatible blockchains — Polygon, Arbitrum, BNB Chain, Avalanche, Optimism, Base, and many more. With Snaps (MetaMask's plugin system), you can even add support for non-EVM chains like Bitcoin and Solana.
The wallet includes a built-in DEX aggregator (MetaMask Swaps) that finds the best exchange rates across Uniswap, SushiSwap, 1inch, and other DEXs. There's also a bridge feature for moving assets between chains, a portfolio tracker, and the ability to buy crypto directly.
Security tip: MetaMask is a hot wallet — it's connected to the internet, so it's less secure than hardware wallets for long-term storage. The best setup is to use MetaMask with a Ledger or Trezor hardware wallet connected — you get MetaMask's excellent interface and dApp connectivity, with hardware-level key security. MetaMask is self-custodial: your keys are encrypted locally and MetaMask never has access to them.
MetaMask Highlights
What makes this wallet stand out from the crowd.
The Web3 Standard
MetaMask is THE wallet that 95%+ of dApps support. If a dApp says "Connect Wallet" — they mean MetaMask.
30 million monthly active users. The largest Web3 wallet.
MetaMask Snaps
Extend MetaMask with plugins: add Bitcoin support, Solana, transaction insights, custom notifications, and more.
Growing ecosystem of community-built extensions.
Free & Open-Source
Completely free to download and use. Fully open-source code auditable on GitHub.
MetaMask earns revenue from small fees on swaps and bridges.
Hardware Wallet Pairing
Use MetaMask's interface and dApp connections while keeping your keys secured on a Ledger or Trezor.
The best of both worlds: convenience + security.
Key Features
Everything MetaMask offers to keep your crypto safe and accessible.
Browser Extension
Seamlessly connect to any dApp or DeFi protocol directly from your browser. The standard for Web3.
Multi-Chain Support
Works with Ethereum and every EVM-compatible chain: Polygon, Arbitrum, BSC, Avalanche, Optimism, and more.
MetaMask Swaps
Built-in DEX aggregator that finds the best swap rate across multiple decentralized exchanges.
MetaMask Bridge
Bridge assets between different blockchains directly within MetaMask.
Hardware Wallet Support
Connect your Ledger or Trezor to use MetaMask's interface with hardware-level security.
Snaps (Plugins)
Extend MetaMask with community-built plugins for Bitcoin, Solana, notifications, and more.
Portfolio Tracker
View all your tokens, NFTs, and DeFi positions across multiple chains in one dashboard.
Buy Crypto
Buy crypto with cards or bank transfer directly in MetaMask via integrated providers.
NFT Support
View, manage, and send NFTs on Ethereum and other supported chains.
MetaMask Specs & Pricing
Download
Free
Browser extension + mobile app
Swap Fee
0.875%
On built-in MetaMask Swaps
Bridge Fee
0.875%
On built-in MetaMask Bridge
Network Fees
Varies
Standard blockchain gas fees apply
Supported Chains
All EVM
Ethereum, Polygon, Arbitrum, BSC, etc.
Open Source
100%
Fully auditable on GitHub
Security & Safety
MetaMask is a self-custodial wallet — you control your private keys. Your seed phrase is encrypted and stored locally on your device, never on MetaMask's servers. As a hot wallet (connected to the internet), it's less secure than hardware wallets for long-term storage, but it excels for active Web3 usage. For maximum security, pair MetaMask with a Ledger or Trezor hardware wallet.
Pros & Cons
Pros
- + #1 Web3 wallet — virtually every dApp supports MetaMask
- + Completely free and open-source
- + 30M+ monthly active users — massive community
- + Excellent browser extension for seamless dApp interaction
- + Multi-chain: Ethereum + all EVM chains
- + Hardware wallet integration (Ledger, Trezor)
- + MetaMask Snaps for extensibility (Bitcoin, Solana via plugins)
- + Built-in swap aggregator for best DEX rates
- + Strong phishing and scam detection tools
Cons
- − Hot wallet — less secure than hardware wallets for storage
- − EVM-only natively (need Snaps for Bitcoin, Solana)
- − Swap fees (0.875%) are higher than using DEXs directly
- − Default Infura RPC has raised privacy concerns
- − Can be confusing for complete beginners
- − Browser extension can be targeted by phishing attacks
- − No built-in staking for ETH (must use dApps)
MetaMask Timeline
Created by Aaron Davis and Dan Finlay at Consensys. Originally a Chrome extension for Ethereum.
Launched MetaMask Mobile for iOS and Android. Crossed 1 million users.
Explosive growth during DeFi summer. Reached 10 million monthly active users. Added token swaps.
Surpassed 30 million monthly active users. Added multi-chain support for Polygon, Arbitrum, etc.
Launched MetaMask Snaps — plugin system for extending functionality. Added portfolio tracker.
Expanded Snaps ecosystem. Improved transaction simulation and security warnings. Bridge integration.
Remains the dominant Web3 wallet with 30M+ MAU. Snaps ecosystem growing rapidly.
Our Verdict
MetaMask is the undisputed king of Web3 wallets. If you want to use DeFi, swap tokens on DEXs, mint NFTs, or interact with any decentralized application, MetaMask is the wallet you need. It's free, open-source, and supported by virtually every dApp in existence. For maximum security, pair it with a Ledger or Trezor hardware wallet. It's not the best choice for pure long-term storage (use a hardware wallet for that), but for active Web3 usage, nothing else comes close.