Do I need a hardware wallet to start?

No. For amounts under a few hundred dollars, a properly configured software wallet like Xaman is enough. Add hardware once you're holding more than you'd be comfortable losing.

Where do I buy XRP first?

Most beginners buy through Uphold, Coinbase or Kraken, then withdraw to their wallet. Our Getting Started guide walks through it step by step.

For beginners

Best XRP Wallets for Beginners (2026)

If you've just bought your first XRP, you don't need a hardware device or a complicated setup yet. You need a free, well-built wallet that won't trip you up. These three are what we recommend to anyone starting out.

Last updated April 2026 by the All Things XRPL editorial team

Our pick

Xaman (XUMM)

Xaman is free, downloads in under a minute and is built by the same team that contributes to the XRP Ledger itself. The interface is friendly enough for a complete beginner but powerful enough that you won't outgrow it. Set up biometric login, write down your recovery phrase, and you have a wallet that handles XRP, NFTs and the XRPL DEX out of the box.

Why it wins

100% free, no premium tier or hidden fees
Beginner-friendly setup with clear backup steps
Works on iOS and Android

Watch out for

Mobile only — no desktop version
Still a hot wallet; don't store huge amounts long-term

Also great

Crossmark — If you'd rather log into XRPL dApps from your laptop, Crossmark is the easy on-ramp.

See Crossmark

The shortlist

Our top recommendations for this use case, ranked.

Wallet	Type	Price	Best for	Score
Xaman (XUMM) Our pick	Mobile · Software	Free	Daily use, DEX, NFTs	9.9
Crossmark	Browser extension	Free	Web3 logins	9.5
Bifrost Wallet	Mobile · Software	Free	Multi-chain XRPL	9.0
Tangem	Hardware (Card)	$54.90	Portable hardware	9.4

Xaman (XUMM)

Mobile · Software • Free

9.9

Score

Best for: Daily use, DEX, NFTs

Crossmark

Browser extension • Free

9.5

Score

Best for: Web3 logins

Bifrost Wallet

Mobile · Software • Free

9.0

Score

Best for: Multi-chain XRPL

Tangem

Hardware (Card) • $54.90

9.4

Score

Best for: Portable hardware

Why these picks

New holders almost always overcomplicate their first wallet. The right starter setup is simple: one free, well-supported software wallet on your phone. From there you can add a hardware wallet once your XRP holdings grow large enough to justify the $50–$150 cost.

We recommend Xaman first because it's the most actively maintained XRPL wallet, free forever, and gives you instant access to the entire XRP Ledger ecosystem — DEX trading, NFTs, AMM positions and xApps. Crossmark is a great companion if you spend time on XRPL dApps in your browser, and Tangem is the simplest first hardware wallet if you want to upgrade later without learning Ledger Live.