Base has rapidly become one of the most popular L2s, and its native Smart Wallet (built on Coinbase Wallet SDK) offers a seamless way for users to onboard. However, for developers building sophisticated applications that require cross-chain compatibility, custom authentication, or granular control over the user experience, the default Base Smart Wallet might not be enough.
If you are looking for alternatives that offer more flexibility, vendor neutrality, and broader ecosystem support, here are the top alternatives to consider in 2025.
1. Openfort
Openfort (that's us 👋) is an open-source wallet infrastructure solution that provides powerful wallet capabilities to abstract crypto complexity for both users and developers. Its platform allows developers to plug and play any signer (including OpenSigner) and contract they prefer, simplifying the whole vertical use case—from cross-app ecosystems and AI agents to fintech and DeFi.
Key Features
- If you're currently using Base Smart Wallet and hitting limits around cross-chain support (e.g. need to support Arbitrum or Polygon) or want to use your own custom authentication provider instead of being tied to Coinbase's ecosystem.
- Open source, Self-hosting option, Vendor neutrality: Openfort is fully open-source (MIT licensed) and offers a self-hosting option, ensuring you are never locked into a single vendor or infrastructure provider. Learn more about how to avoid wallet vendor dependency.
- Concrete example: You want to run embedded wallets + smart accounts across 3 different apps in your ecosystem (e.g. a game on Base, a DeFi app on Arbitrum, and a social app on Polygon), all under your own auth provider.
Comparison Table: Openfort vs. Base Smart Wallet
| Feature | Openfort | Base Smart Wallet |
|---|---|---|
| Open Source | ✅ (OpenSigner) | ❌ |
| Multi-chain Support | ✅ EVM, SVM | ⚠️ Base / EVM (Limited) |
| Trust Anchor | Self-hostable / User | Coinbase |
| Authentication | Any (OIDC, Custom) | Coinbase / Web3Auth |
| Custom UI | ✅ Full Control | ⚠️ Limited |
| Smart Account Type | Modular (4337, 7702) | Native (Coinbase) |
| Gas Sponsorship | ✅ Granular Policies | ✅ (Base only) |
| Session Keys | ✅ Flexible | ✅ Session signer |
| Ecosystem SDK | ✅ Cross-app support | ❌ Single App |
Scaling Considerations
- High User Volume, Low Transaction Volume: Openfort offers a generous free tier (up to 1k MAUs and 500 transactions), allowing you to scale your user base without immediate cost pressure. Base Smart Wallet is generally free for the wallet itself, but you are tied to their ecosystem.
- Transaction Orchestration: Unlike many providers that rely on third-party vendors for transaction infrastructure (bundlers/paymasters), Openfort orchestrates this natively. This means you get a unified billing and support experience, rather than managing multiple vendor relationships.
- Low User Volume, High Transaction Volume: Openfort provides transparent, volume-based pricing for transactions. With Base, you may face constraints or lack of sponsorship flexibility compared to Openfort's native gas sponsorship policies.
Why developers choose Openfort
Developers choose Openfort when they want the "Base Smart Wallet experience" (passkeys, seamless onboarding) but need it to work everywhere—not just on Base—and want to own the underlying infrastructure.
2. Privy
Privy (acquired by Stripe) is a popular choice for consumer crypto apps, offering a streamlined onboarding library that handles authentication and embedded wallets. Privy focuses heavily on the "onboarding" piece of the puzzle, making it incredibly easy for users to sign in with email, social, or existing wallets.
Comparison Table: Privy vs. Base Smart Wallet
| Feature | Privy | Base Smart Wallet |
|---|---|---|
| Focus | Onboarding & Auth | Base Ecosystem Onboarding |
| Auth Methods | Email, Socials, Wallets | Passkeys, Coinbase Wallet |
| Multi-chain | ✅ EVM, SVM, BTC | ⚠️ Base / EVM |
| Customization | ✅ High | ⚠️ Medium |
| Pricing | $299/mo+ | Free (Gas only) |
Scaling Considerations
Privy's pricing model starts with a free tier up to 500 MAUs, then jumps to $299/month.
- Growth: For apps scaling beyond 500 users, the fixed cost is significant compared to Base's free model, but Privy offers superior cross-chain and auth capabilities.
Why developers choose Privy
Teams choose Privy when their primary goal is conversion and onboarding across multiple chains, and they are willing to pay for a premium, managed service.
3. Dynamic
Dynamic (acquired by Fireblocks) provides a powerful multi-chain wallet adapter and embedded wallet solution with a focus on developer experience. Dynamic offers a sleek, customizable UI for wallet connection and management, supporting a wide range of chains and authentication methods.
Comparison Table: Dynamic vs. Base Smart Wallet
| Feature | Dynamic | Base Smart Wallet |
|---|---|---|
| Web SDK | ✅ React, JS | ✅ React |
| Multi-chain | ✅ EVM, SVM, Cosmos | ⚠️ Base / EVM |
| Smart Wallets | ✅ Third-party | ✅ Native |
| Auth | Flexible (Socials, Email) | Coinbase / Passkeys |
| Pricing | $249/mo+ | Free (Gas only) |
Scaling Considerations
Dynamic's pricing starts at $249/month (includes 5,000 MAUs).
- Cost Efficiency: For larger user bases, Dynamic's per-MAU pricing ($0.05) can be cost-effective compared to building custom auth, but is an added cost over Base's free offering.
Why developers choose Dynamic
Developers choose Dynamic for its polished UI and extensive multi-chain support, which provides a consistent experience across different networks.
4. Sequence
Sequence is a comprehensive development platform for web3 games, offering smart wallets, indexers, and marketplaces. Sequence is built specifically for gaming, with Unity and Unreal SDKs that go beyond what Base Smart Wallet offers for game developers.
Comparison Table: Sequence vs. Base Smart Wallet
| Feature | Sequence | Base Smart Wallet |
|---|---|---|
| Gaming SDKs | ✅ Unity, Unreal | ❌ |
| Smart Wallets | ✅ Native | ✅ Native |
| Marketplace | ✅ Built-in | ❌ |
| Indexer | ✅ Built-in | ❌ |
| Focus | Gaming | General |
Scaling Considerations
Sequence offers a "Builder" plan (Free) and "Pro" plans. Their pricing is tailored to gaming metrics.
- Gaming Focus: If you are building a game, Sequence's bundled services (wallet + indexer + marketplace) might offer better value than piecing together Base Smart Wallet with other tools.
Why developers choose Sequence
Game studios choose Sequence for its all-in-one gaming stack and robust Unity/Unreal support.
5. Thirdweb
Thirdweb is a full-stack web3 development platform providing wallets, contracts, and infrastructure. Thirdweb offers a "Connect" SDK that includes embedded wallets and smart accounts, integrated with their broader suite of tools.
Comparison Table: Thirdweb vs. Base Smart Wallet
| Feature | Thirdweb | Base Smart Wallet |
|---|---|---|
| Platform | Full Stack (Contracts + Wallets) | Wallet Focus |
| Smart Wallets | ✅ Third-party | ✅ Native |
| Analytics | ✅ Built-in | ❌ |
| Deploy Tools | ✅ Extensive | ❌ |
| Pricing | Bundle Model | Free (Gas only) |
Scaling Considerations
Thirdweb has a generous free tier and a $99/month Growth plan.
- Bundling: The value comes from using their entire stack (RPC, Storage, Wallets). If you only need a wallet, the pricing might be less competitive than specialized providers.
Why developers choose Thirdweb
Teams choose Thirdweb when they want a single vendor for their entire web3 backend, from smart contracts to wallets.
6. Turnkey
Turnkey provides low-level cryptographic infrastructure for building custom wallet experiences. Turnkey is for teams that want to build their own wallet product, similar to how Coinbase built Base Smart Wallet, but using Turnkey's security infrastructure.
Comparison Table: Turnkey vs. Base Smart Wallet
| Feature | Turnkey | Base Smart Wallet |
|---|---|---|
| Level | Infrastructure (API) | Product (SDK) |
| Security | TEE (Enclaves) | MPC / Passkeys |
| Flexibility | ✅ Unlimited | ⚠️ Limited |
| Signer | ✅ Programmable | ❌ |
| Pricing | Usage-based | Free (Gas only) |
Scaling Considerations
Turnkey has a free tier and a $99/month Pro plan.
- Build vs Buy: Using Turnkey is cheaper than building MPC from scratch but requires more engineering effort than using Base Smart Wallet.
Why developers choose Turnkey
Fintechs and enterprises choose Turnkey to build custom, compliant wallet infrastructure where they own the UX completely.
7. Web3Auth
Web3Auth (acquired by Metamask) specializes in "Plug and Play" authentication and key management. Web3Auth is often used as the authentication layer behind other wallets, but can be used directly to create MPC wallets.
Comparison Table: Web3Auth vs. Base Smart Wallet
| Feature | Web3Auth | Base Smart Wallet |
|---|---|---|
| Key Mgmt | MPC TSS | MPC / Passkeys |
| Auth Network | Distributed | Coinbase |
| White Label | ✅ Yes | ⚠️ Partial |
| Login Methods | Socials / Email / Custom | Passkeys / Coinbase |
| Pricing | $69/mo+ | Free (Gas only) |
Scaling Considerations
Web3Auth offers a free tier (1,000 MAUs) and a Growth plan at $69/month.
- Auth Focus: It is a cost-effective solution if you primarily need the "login with Google" functionality and are handling the wallet UX yourself.
Why developers choose Web3Auth
Developers choose Web3Auth for its robust, battle-tested MPC infrastructure and wide range of social login options.
Building In-House Wallet Product
While Base Smart Wallet is a great off-the-shelf solution, some teams consider building in-house.
Pros
- Complete Control: Tailor the wallet exactly to your app's needs.
- No Vendor Lock-in: You own the keys and the code.
Cons
- Security Risk: Managing keys is hard and risky.
- Maintenance: Requires ongoing updates for new chains and standards.
- Cost: Engineering time often exceeds the cost of a SaaS provider.
For a deeper dive into the trade-offs, check out our guide on building vs buying wallet infrastructure.
FAQ
1. Is Base Smart Wallet free? Yes, the SDK is free to use, but users (or you) still pay network gas fees.
2. Can I use Openfort on Base? Absolutely. Openfort supports Base fully, along with all other EVM chains, giving you the same experience everywhere.
3. What is the difference between Base Smart Wallet and Coinbase Wallet? Base Smart Wallet is an embedded, smart contract-based wallet (ERC-4337) for apps. Coinbase Wallet is a standalone consumer wallet app.
Conclusion
If you are building exclusively on Base and want a quick, free solution, Base Smart Wallet is an excellent choice.
However, if you need cross-chain support, custom authentication, or infrastructure sovereignty, alternatives like Openfort offer the flexibility and scale required for growing applications.
Check out Openfort's documentation to see how you can build a scalable, multi-chain wallet experience today.