Alby
Open-source Lightning wallet ecosystem with browser extension, self-custodial Hub, and mobile app for seamless Bitcoin payments across web, apps, and Nostr.
Why We Recommend Alby
Alby operates on a self-custodial model where users control their own private keys. Alby Hub is explicitly designed so that Alby never has access to user funds - you run your own Lightning node either self-hosted or via Alby Cloud with encrypted keys. All products are open-source, enabling community verification of the codebase across repositories.
The platform implements OAuth 2.0 for API security, GDPR-compliant data handling, and employees are bound by confidentiality agreements. Technical and organizational measures protect against data risks, with log files retained for 60 days for security and incident resolution. The browser extension secures key storage and Nostr interactions with user-controlled backups.
Alby has maintained a positive reputation in the Bitcoin and Nostr communities, with users on BitcoinTalk and app stores affirming its legitimacy for Lightning usage. No security incidents have been reported in public sources.
Best For
Alby is ideal for Bitcoin users who want seamless Lightning payments integrated into their web browsing experience. The browser extension makes it perfect for anyone who tips content creators, pays for paywalled content, or uses Nostr social clients - you can pay invoices and sign events without copying addresses or scanning QR codes.
Content creators and podcasters benefit significantly from Alby's Value-for-Value and Podcasting 2.0 integrations, enabling streaming sats and boosts directly from listeners. The platform connects to over 100 Bitcoin, Lightning, and Nostr apps including Stacker News, Wavlake, and various marketplaces.
Developers building Lightning-enabled applications will appreciate the APIs, WebLN support, and Nostr Wallet Connect protocol that lets apps request payments securely. Alby Hub supports six different Lightning backends (LDK, LND, Greenlight, Phoenixd, Breez SDK, Cashu mints), giving technical users flexibility in their infrastructure choices.
Advanced users who want self-custody without running complex infrastructure can use Alby Cloud for hosted Hub management, while power users can self-host on Umbrel, Start9, or their own servers. The Friends and Family sub-wallets feature makes it easy to onboard others with controlled spending limits.
Services & Features
- Browser extension for web payments
- Self-custodial Lightning Hub
- Nostr Wallet Connect support
- Lightning Address (you@getalby.com)
- Mobile app (Alby Go)
- 100+ app integrations
- Podcasting 2.0 streaming sats
- Sub-wallets with spending limits
- Multiple Lightning backends
- Developer APIs and WebLN
Considerations
Alby Hub requires always-online infrastructure with 300-400MB RAM, making it unsuitable for casual users who cannot maintain uptime. The legacy shared wallet has strict limits (50K sats balance, 500K sats weekly send) and is being phased out. Users in sanctioned jurisdictions or on OFAC lists cannot use the service.
