Cake Wallet review (2026)
Cake Wallet is one of the strongest mobile wallets for Monero and private Bitcoin use, with Silent Payments, Payjoin, Litecoin MWEB, Tor and hardware wallet support in one free, open-source app. Its weak points are a paused Windows app, builds that cannot be independently reproduced, swap fees that are not fully disclosed, and a serious Bitcoin seed flaw in 2020–2021. It suits privacy-minded mobile users; desktop-first users may prefer other wallets.
This review covers Cake Wallet version 6.5.0, released in October 2026. It is based on Cake's documentation and release notes, the open-source code, store listings, independent security research and community discussion. Frosting Guide is independent: we have no affiliate links and no relationship with Cake Labs.
Verdict
Cake Wallet does more for on-chain privacy than almost any other multi-coin mobile wallet. Monero is a first-class citizen, and Bitcoin users get privacy tools that most wallets still lack. The 6.0 redesign in February 2026 made the app easier to use, and the team ships updates often.
The trade-offs are real, though. Desktop support is in limbo, Lightning relies on outside operators, and the business model around swaps is not spelled out. If you mainly want Monero or private Bitcoin on a phone, Cake Wallet is a sensible first choice. If you need Windows, verifiable builds or maximum Bitcoin control, look at the alternatives.
At a glance
| Area | Our take (October 2026) |
|---|---|
| Custody | Self-custody for on-chain coins; Lightning balance depends on Spark operators |
| Coins | Monero, Bitcoin, Litecoin, Ethereum and five other EVM chains, Solana, Tron, Zcash, Dogecoin, Bitcoin Cash, Nano, Decred |
| Privacy | Excellent: subaddresses, Silent Payments, Payjoin, MWEB, coin control, Tor |
| Ease of use | Good on mobile after the 6.0 redesign; many settings for advanced users |
| Platforms | Android, iPhone, iPad, Mac, Linux; Windows paused |
| Fees | No Cake fee to send or receive; swap markups not fully disclosed |
| Open source | Yes (MIT), but builds are not reproducible |
| Security record | One serious flaw (weak Bitcoin seeds, 2020–2021) and one moderate advisory (2026) |
What Cake Wallet does well
Monero
Cake Wallet supports Monero subaddresses and accounts, 16-word Polyseed seeds that store the wallet's birthday, view-only wallets, coin control, custom and trusted nodes, and Ledger and Trezor devices. The 6.5.0 release moved Monero to core version 0.18.5.3 and added account archiving. Few mobile wallets match this, and after Exodus dropped Monero on 18 August 2025 and MyMonero shut down on 6 January 2026, Cake Wallet became the default landing place for many Monero users. See Monero in Cake Wallet.
Bitcoin privacy
Cake added BIP-352 Silent Payments in May 2024 and claims it was the first wallet to do so. Payjoin v2 followed in May 2025. Coin control, replace-by-fee ("bump fee"), several address types and, since 6.5.0, multiple Bitcoin accounts round out a capable Bitcoin wallet.
Litecoin MWEB
Cake Wallet supports Litecoin's MimbleWimble Extension Blocks on Android and iOS, giving Litecoin users a confidential balance. Cake calls itself the first cross-platform MWEB wallet. See Litecoin MWEB.
Network privacy
A built-in Tor option, Tor-only modes for price data and swaps, Cake onion nodes for Bitcoin, Litecoin, Monero and Zcash, and full control over which nodes you use make it practical to keep your IP address away from the services the app talks to. See privacy and Tor.
Hardware and air-gapped signing
Ledger and Trezor work with Monero, Bitcoin, Litecoin, Ethereum and Polygon; BitBox works on Android; COLDCARD signs Bitcoin by QR code. Cake's free Cupcake app turns a spare phone into an offline signer. See hardware wallets and Cupcake.
No account
There is no sign-up, email or KYC for the wallet itself, and Apple's privacy label says the developer collects no data (App Store, October 2026; Apple notes that labels are self-reported).
Where it falls short
Windows is paused
New Windows builds are on hold while Cake redesigns its desktop app; only pre-6.0 Windows versions remain on GitHub, and they lack recent fixes. Linux and macOS builds exist but leave out Zcash, Decred and Zano, and Lightning is not available on Linux. Cake expects a refreshed desktop app in late 2026 (Cake Wallet docs, 2026). See Cake Wallet on desktop.
Builds are not reproducible
The code is open, but Cake states that its builds are not yet reproducible, so nobody can confirm that a published app was built from the public code. In September 2026 Cake created a release key for signing the checksum files and tags of new releases, which helps prove that a download is authentic, but it is not the same as a reproducible build.
Lightning depends on operators
Lightning, added in 6.0, runs on Spark through the Breez SDK. Cake describes it as self-custodial, but its own docs say Spark transfers are co-signed by a small, permissioned set of operators who can see amounts and addresses (Cake Wallet docs, 2026). On 6 October 2026 the independent site WalletScrutiny relabelled Cake Wallet "Custodial" because the app does not let users exit the Lightning balance without those operators. The classification is disputed, and it does not concern on-chain coins. If this matters to you, keep only small amounts in the Lightning balance. See Lightning in Cake Wallet.
Swap costs are not fully transparent
Cake says it charges nothing to send or receive. For swaps, it says providers build their costs into the quoted rate, but it does not say what share it receives. The code passes affiliate, commission or markup settings to several of the providers offered in 6.5.0, and their values are not public (source code, October 2026). Compare quotes with our swap cost calculator.
Past security flaw
Cake Wallet versions from 2020 and early 2021 created weak 12-word Bitcoin seeds. Cake fixed this in May 2021 and told users to move funds, but some never did. Researchers found that coins were being taken from weak wallets from May 2024. Details are in Is Cake Wallet safe?
Coins can disappear
Haven was removed in 2025, Wownero is reduced to seed export, and Zano is being phased out since 6.5.0. Cake gave warnings each time, but smaller coins in a multi-coin wallet are not guaranteed long-term support.
No independent app audit found
We found no published third-party audit of the Cake Wallet app as of October 2026. Cake runs a vulnerability disclosure policy and publishes advisories on GitHub.
Fees
| Action | What you pay |
|---|---|
| Send and receive | Network fee only; you choose a priority, and Bitcoin allows a custom rate |
| Swaps | Provider rate, which includes the provider's fee and may include a Cake share; fixed rates cost slightly more than floating |
| Buy and sell | Set by the provider and payment method |
| Cake Pay | Cards sold at face value, according to Cake's docs; check the invoice in the app before paying |
More in Cake Wallet fees.
Ease of use and support
Version 6.0 rebuilt the home, send, receive, swap and settings screens, added a customisable balance card and an option to show Bitcoin in sats. Version 6.5.0 gave each coin its own settings page. Beginners can ignore the advanced options; experienced users will find node, fee and privacy controls where they expect them. Monero sync can still be slow on a busy node, which is the most common complaint; see Cake Wallet not syncing.
Support is by in-app chat, email and a Telegram bot, plus a public forum and detailed documentation at docs.cakewallet.com.
Who should use it
- Good fit: Monero users, Bitcoin users who want Silent Payments or Payjoin, Litecoin users who want MWEB, and anyone who wants several coins with privacy controls on a phone.
- Think twice: Windows users, people who want reproducible builds, heavy DeFi users, and anyone who wants a purely non-custodial Lightning setup with no operators.
Comparisons: vs Monerujo, vs Feather, vs Stack Wallet, vs Sparrow and Electrum.
Before you start, read our safe download guide. Cake Wallet says its support never asks for your seed. Back up every seed, and for 25-word Monero seeds note the restore height.
Frequently asked questions
Is Cake Wallet good for beginners?
Yes, on mobile. Version 6.0 simplified the main screens, and you can ignore the advanced settings. The main beginner task is backing up the seed correctly.
Is Cake Wallet better than Exodus for Monero?
Exodus no longer supports Monero; it ended support on 18 August 2025 and pointed users to wallets such as Cake Wallet.
Does Cake Wallet have hidden fees?
Cake charges no fee to send or receive. Swap quotes include the provider's fee and may include an affiliate share or markup for Cake that is not shown separately.
Is Cake Wallet open source?
Yes, under the MIT licence. Its builds are not yet reproducible, so you cannot prove a store build matches the public code.
Is Cake Wallet's Lightning custodial?
Cake calls it self-custodial, but it runs on Spark, where operators co-sign transfers. WalletScrutiny rated Cake Wallet custodial in October 2026 because of this. On-chain coins are not affected.