explaingit

maggo83/bitcoin-safe

Analysis updated 2026-05-18

0Audience · generalComplexity · 3/5LicenseSetup · moderate

TLDR

Desktop software for setting up and managing cold storage Bitcoin wallets, including multisig setups that require multiple hardware devices to approve a transaction.

Mindmap

mindmap
  root((bitcoin-safe))
    What it does
      Cold storage wallet manager
      Multisig setup
      Hardware signer support
    Tech stack
      Python
      BDK
    Use cases
      Secure wallet setup
      Label sync
      Fee management
    Audience
      Bitcoin users

Code map

Detail Auto

An interactive map of this repo's files and how they connect — its source is parsed live in your browser. Click Visualize to build it.

filefunction / class

What do people build with it?

USE CASE 1

Set up a multisig Bitcoin wallet requiring approval from multiple hardware signers.

USE CASE 2

Generate a printable PDF backup sheet for wallet recovery information.

USE CASE 3

Sync wallet labels privately between computers using an encrypted plugin.

USE CASE 4

Trace how funds move through a transaction with a visual flow diagram.

What is it built with?

PythonBDK

How does it compare?

maggo83/bitcoin-safe00kaku/gallery-slider-block04amanrajj/netwatch
Stars00
LanguageJavaScriptRust
Last pushed2021-05-19
MaintenanceDormant
Setup difficultymoderateeasymoderate
Complexity3/52/53/5
Audiencegeneralgeneralops devops

Figures from each repo's GitHub metadata at analysis time.

How do you get it running?

Difficulty · moderate Time to first run · 30min

Requires at least one supported hardware signing device, software-only wallets are not supported.

You can use and modify the code, but any modified version you distribute must also remain open source under the same license.

In plain English

Bitcoin-Safe is desktop software for managing cold storage Bitcoin wallets, meaning wallets whose private keys are kept on offline hardware devices rather than connected to the internet, which reduces the risk of theft. It is designed to work only with dedicated hardware signing devices such as Coldcard, BitBox, Ledger, Trezor, and several others, connecting to them over USB, QR codes, or an SD card depending on the device. The software walks users through setting up a multisig wallet, where more than one hardware device must approve a transaction before it can be sent, and provides step-by-step instructions along with printable PDF backup sheets for safely recording wallet recovery information. It can run test transactions to confirm every hardware signer is correctly connected before real funds are ever moved. For everyday use, Bitcoin-Safe supports organizing addresses into categories such as personal, work, or verified-identity funds, offers one-click fee selection based on current network congestion, and can visually diagram how money flows between transaction inputs and outputs. An optional plugin adds encrypted backup and synchronization of wallet labels between different computers using the Nostr protocol, along with basic chat and file sharing between wallet users. The project syncs to the Bitcoin network using compact block filters by default, a privacy-friendly method that avoids relying on a single centralized server, though it can also be configured to use a standard Electrum or Esplora server instead. It runs on Windows, Mac, and Linux, and its interface has been translated into more than twenty languages. Bitcoin-Safe is released under the GPLv3 license, which requires that any modified versions distributed to others also remain open source under the same terms.

Copy-paste prompts

Prompt 1
Walk me through setting up a multisig wallet in Bitcoin-Safe with a Coldcard and a Trezor.
Prompt 2
Explain what compact block filters are and why Bitcoin-Safe uses them by default.
Prompt 3
How does Bitcoin-Safe's Sync and Chat plugin keep my wallet labels private?
Prompt 4
What hardware signers does Bitcoin-Safe support and how do I connect one over USB?

Frequently asked questions

What is bitcoin-safe?

Desktop software for setting up and managing cold storage Bitcoin wallets, including multisig setups that require multiple hardware devices to approve a transaction.

What license does bitcoin-safe use?

You can use and modify the code, but any modified version you distribute must also remain open source under the same license.

How hard is bitcoin-safe to set up?

Setup difficulty is rated moderate, with roughly 30min to a first successful run.

Who is bitcoin-safe for?

Mainly general.

Open on GitHub → Explain another repo

This repo across BitVibe Labs

Verify against the repo before relying on details.