About wallets
If you just have learnt about bitcoin and want to start receiving your free bitcoins. Then you will need a wallet. Wallets come in different forms and they all have their pros and cons. You should always try to keep your wallet safe.
Online wallet
This is the simplest and fastest way to get a wallet. Your wallet is stored online and you can access it anywhere. Just remember to pick a strong password.
- Coinbase - Register with this link and get 0.1 btc when you have verified your account.
- Blockchain - A hybrid wallet with strong encryption and many advanced options
- Instawallet - This wallet needs no registration.
Desktop client
It's simply a software you install on your computer. The upside of a desktop client wallet is that you have more control over it. But the downside is that it may be advanced to set it up and to keep it secure. You should make backups of your wallet, in case you spill coffee on your machine.
- Bitcoin-qt - The first and standard bitcoin client.
- Armory - The most advanced client out there.
- Electrum - Lightweight client with some advanced features.
Paper wallet
You print out this wallet from your computer. It isn't very secure if you don't have a safe or access to a vault. Because anyone who finds it can just scan it in and rob you of all your money.
- Bitaddress - Here you can print out your paper wallet.
Brain wallet
This is probably the most secure and also most difficult wallet. As you might already have figured out it is stored in your own brain. You have to memorize a long series of digits.
- Bitaddress - You can also generate a brain wallet here.
Mobile wallet
The mobile wallet can be a variant of either a desktop client or an online wallet.
- Blockchain - Has an online wallet mobile app for both Android, iPhone & iPad.