Electrum is the oldest actively maintained Bitcoin wallet, and it remains one of the most capable. It runs on modest hardware, connects to your own Electrum server or a public one, and exposes the technical controls that Bitcoin actually requires — which is why it persists despite an interface that has barely changed in a decade.
Capabilities
Multisig coordination, coin control, replace-by-fee, custom fee rates, hardware wallet support across all major devices, watch-only wallets, and offline signing on an air-gapped machine. Almost everything Sparrow does, Electrum did first, and it does it with lower resource requirements.
The impersonation problem
Electrum is the most targeted Bitcoin wallet for phishing. Fake download sites rank in search results, and in earlier years malicious servers pushed in-app messages instructing users to download a compromised update — an attack that succeeded because the message appeared inside the legitimate application. Verify GPG signatures on downloads, never follow an in-app update link, and get the software from the official domain only.
Usability
The interface assumes familiarity and offers little guidance. For a competent user that is fine; for a beginner it is a source of costly mistakes.
Who should use it
Experienced Bitcoin users who want a lightweight client with full technical control, particularly on older hardware or as an offline signing machine. Newer users should choose Sparrow for the same capabilities with a clearer interface.