Ledger Nano S Plus Review

The Ledger Nano S Plus is the mid-range model in Ledger's hardware wallet lineup — positioned between the discontinued original Nano S and the flagship Nano X. It gives you the same secure element chip, the same coin support, and broadly the same security as the Nano X, at a lower price. What you do not get is Bluetooth or a battery.

For most people who plan to plug in, transact, and disconnect, that is a reasonable trade. If you want to use Ledger Live on your phone without a cable, you need the Nano X instead.

What You Get With Ledger Nano S Plus

The Nano S Plus supports 5,500+ coins and tokens through Ledger Live, including Bitcoin, Ethereum, USDT, Solana, XRP, and Cardano. It connects via USB-C and has a larger screen than the original Nano S — which makes it easier to verify transaction details before signing.

Private keys are generated and stored on a certified secure element chip (CC EAL5+) and never leave the device. Every transaction is confirmed on the device screen, so even if your computer is compromised, an attacker cannot approve a transaction without physical access to the Nano S Plus.

Ledger Nano S Plus vs Ledger Nano X

The Nano S Plus makes sense if you want cold storage without paying for Bluetooth. The Nano X makes sense if you regularly use Ledger Live on your phone. Both wallets carry the same core security architecture.

For more on Ledger's flagship model, see the Ledger Nano X Review. For a broader comparison, see Best Hardware Wallets.

Security

The secure element chip stores private keys in tamper-resistant hardware. Ledger uses a proprietary operating system (BOLOS) and custom firmware. Unlike Trezor, Ledger's firmware is not fully open-source — which is a genuine trade-off. Ledger's position is that the secure element's certification provides an independent security assurance.

The most significant security incident in Ledger's history was a 2020 email and personal data breach — customer contact details were exposed but private keys and wallet balances were not affected. Some Ledger users later received phishing emails exploiting the leaked data. This is worth knowing: the device security was not compromised, but personal data exposure increased phishing risk.

The main risks for users are not usually hardware failures — they are recovery phrase mistakes, phishing, and buying from unofficial sources. Never enter your 24-word recovery phrase on any website, app, or form. Ledger will never ask for it.

Who Should Use Ledger Nano S Plus?

The Nano S Plus is a good fit if you want secure offline storage and prefer not to pay for Bluetooth you do not need. It works well for desktop-first users who will plug in to transact and disconnect the rest of the time — which is the correct way to use a hardware wallet for long-term storage.

It also makes sense as a second hardware wallet — for example, keeping everyday-use crypto on a Nano X and larger holdings on a Nano S Plus stored separately.

Who Should Consider Alternatives?

• Mobile-first users — The Nano X with Bluetooth is more convenient if you manage your wallet from a phone.
• Users who prefer open-source firmware — Trezor's entire firmware is auditable; Ledger's is not. See Trezor Model T Review.
• Complete beginners who find hardware wallets intimidating — Tangem's card-format hardware wallet has a simpler setup with no seed phrase required, though it comes with its own trade-offs.

Real User Complaints

Common complaints we found during research:

• Setup confusion — some users find the initial setup process confusing, particularly the recovery phrase step. Ledger's documentation is detailed, but first-time hardware wallet users often need time.
• Recovery phrase mistakes — writing down incorrect words or losing the physical backup is the most serious error a user can make. There is no customer support path to recover lost funds.
• Phishing after the 2020 data breach — some users continue to receive convincing Ledger-branded phishing emails. These are external attacks, not security failures in the device itself.
• Shipping delays — particularly outside Europe. Some users have reported longer delivery times than expected when ordering directly.
• Reseller concerns — users who bought from unofficial sources and later found pre-configured devices or unexpected seed phrase prompts. This reinforces buying from the official shop only.

Related Pages

• Ledger Nano X Review
• Best Hardware Wallets
• Ledger vs Trezor Comparison
• Best Crypto Wallets 2026