MetaMask vs Phantom, what is the difference?

MetaMask vs Phantom is a comparison of two of the most widely used self-custody crypto wallets. MetaMask started as an Ethereum wallet and later added Solana and Bitcoin. Phantom started on Solana and later added Ethereum and Bitcoin. In both, you hold the recovery phrase and no company can restore lost access. This page compares features and does not rank either one.

Does Phantom support Ethereum?

Yes. As of October 2026, Phantom's help center lists Solana, Ethereum, Robinhood Chain, Arc, HyperEVM, Bitcoin, Base, Polygon and BNB Chain. It names Arbitrum, Optimism, Avalanche, Unichain and Linea as unsupported. Tokens sent to your Phantom address on one of those networks are not lost, but you need another EVM-compatible wallet to reach them.

Phantom also says you cannot add new or custom networks yourself. More detail is in what is Phantom wallet.

Does MetaMask support Solana?

Yes. MetaMask's multichain accounts give each account one EVM address, one Solana address and one Bitcoin address. The EVM address works on Ethereum and on other EVM chains such as Arbitrum, Base and Linea. MetaMask's support pages note two limits: Solana is not yet supported on hardware wallet accounts, which stay EVM-only, and private key import is not yet available for Solana or Bitcoin addresses.

MetaMask also lists Tron, Monad, Sei, Avalanche, zkSync Era and others among its networks, and users can add any other EVM network by entering its details. MetaMask warns that it does not maintain third-party network lists such as Chainlist, so the details need checking first. Its broader design is covered in what is MetaMask.

What are the fees for MetaMask vs Phantom?

Neither wallet charges to create an account or hold crypto. Every onchain transaction carries a network fee paid to the blockchain, not the wallet. The gas fees guide explains how those work.

The difference is in built-in swaps:

• MetaMask lists a MetaMask fee of 0.875% on swaps, shown alongside the quote and the network fee.
• Phantom lists a flat 0.85% fee on swaps where both assets are on its list (SOL, USDC, USDT, ETH, BTC and renBTC), already included in the rate shown in the app. Phantom says it posts fee changes at least 10 days before they take effect.

Both companies can change fees, so the in-app quote is the figure that applies to a given trade.

Phantom vs MetaMask, which wallet fits which use?

The choice usually comes down to which networks you use. Someone who mainly uses Solana apps will find Phantom's design built around them, while someone who uses many EVM layer 2s or niche EVM chains may need MetaMask's custom networks. Nothing stops a person from using both, as long as each recovery phrase is backed up separately.

Security works the same way in both. Your recovery phrase controls everything, and approving a malicious signature can empty the wallet. The guide to crypto phishing and wallet drainers covers the common traps.