MetaMask vs Coinbase Wallet

Metamask and Coinbase Comparison

The table below is a high-level comparison of Coinbase Wallet vs Metamask Wallet to highlight the key features of each platform. Our findings concluded that Metamask was the superior wallet based on the factors outlined below.

	Coinbase Wallet	Metamask Wallet
Supported Chains	All EVM Compatible Networks (except AVAX Subnets)	All EVM Compatible Networks
DEX Fees	1%	0.25%
Year Founded	2021	2016
Decentralized
NFT Wallet
Crypto Staking
Support Team
Overall Rating

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User Friendliness

Coinbase has a more intuitive user interface, making it a good choice for beginners. In contrast, MetaMask's interface may be more complicated for novices, but its browser extension format is more convenient for those using decentralized applications. Additionally, MetaMask's interface is highly customizable, which may be appealing to users who value personalization. Overall, the decision between Coinbase and MetaMask depends on individual preferences regarding ease of use and customization.

Coinbase vs Metamask DEX Fees

The Coinbase Wallet offers an in-built DEX that allows you to seamlessly swap between most assets in DeFi. This feature is the most expensive DEX on the market, with fees of up to 1% and gas fees exceeding $120 USD a swap (even when on-chain fees are low!).The Metamask DEX in their wallet only charges 0.25% per swap in comparison. This makes Metamask 4x cheaper than Coinbase Wallet.

Supported Blockchains

Metamask Wallet supports all Ethereum Virtual Machine (EVM) compatible blockchains which include: Ethereum, Avalanche, Avalanche Subnets, Polygon, Optimism, Arbitrum, Binance Smart Chain, and many others. It is the most well-connected Web 3 wallet and supports the most blockchains by far.

Coinbase Wallet also offers support to all EVM compatible blockchains, however they do not offer support for Avalanche Subnets.

Security

When it comes to security, Coinbase and MetaMask Wallets employ different approaches. Coinbase is a centralized exchange that stores users' private keys on their behalf, meaning they are responsible for securing the funds. On the other hand, MetaMask is a decentralized wallet that stores the private keys locally on users' devices, giving them complete control over their funds.

While both wallets offer strong security measures such as two-factor authentication and seed phrases, MetaMask's decentralized nature makes it more secure in the event of a centralized exchange hack. However, this also means users bear greater responsibility for safeguarding their funds. Ultimately, the choice between Coinbase and MetaMask depends on users' preferences and risk tolerance.

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Coinbase vs Metamask NFT Wallet

Both Coinbase and Metamask provide the same NFT Wallet experience. The user experience between Web 3 wallets does not deviate much for NFTs because you are connecting to third-party platforms like OpenSea or Rarible.

When you buy NFTs on Coinbase or Metamask Wallet, you are buying a token that gets stored in your Web 3 wallet. The display only varies when you connect your wallet to different marketplaces and applications that can interact with the NFTs in your wallet.

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Final Thoughts

Coinbase has a more intuitive user interface, making it a good choice for beginners. In contrast, MetaMask's interface may be more complicated for novices, but its browser extension format is more convenient for those using decentralized applications. Additionally, MetaMask's interface is highly customizable, which may be appealing to users who value personalization. Overall, the decision between Coinbase and MetaMask depends on individual preferences regarding ease of use and customization.

That said and generally speaking, our research team found that the Metamask Wallet is an overall better wallet when compared to Coinbase because it connects to more blockchains, offers lower fees and a more secure experience. Coinbase Wallet has only been live for a year, whereas Metamask has been around since 2016, making it the most battle-tested Web 3 wallet.