Most people know the basics: wallets, nodes, and exchanges. But Bitcoin’s ecosystem is way deeper than that. Here are 10 underrated tools that hardcore Bitcoiners (and builders) should have in their toolbox:
-
Mempool.space (with API mode) Not just a mempool visualizer—its API lets you track fee pressure, TX IDs, and mining pool behavior in real-time.
-
Sparrow Wallet’s Airgap Mode Turn any old laptop into a fully offline signing device with a sleek interface. Better UX than most hardware wallets.
-
SeedSigner Build your own DIY hardware wallet for ~$50. Camera-based seed input, open-source, no memory = ultimate stateless setup.
-
Bitcoin Dev Kit (BDK) Build Bitcoin apps with modern tools in Rust. You get full control over UTXOs, key management, and wallet logic.
-
Lightning Terminal (LiT) An all-in-one Lightning dashboard from Lightning Labs. Manage channels, run loop/swap, and monitor your LND node from a browser.
-
SeedQR / UR2 Standard A new QR format for sharing Bitcoin seeds securely, error-resistant, and compatible with devices like SeedSigner.
-
Lightning Box Instantly spin up test Lightning nodes in Docker—great for devs testing new ideas with zero setup friction.
-
KYCP.org See how much data your TX leaks. Great for privacy testing—check if a TX has identifiable fingerprints.
-
Silent Payments (via JoinMarket beta) A privacy improvement that lets people pay you without ever showing your address on-chain. Still experimental but very cool.
-
Ordisrespector Filters out Ordinal inscriptions and BRC-20 junk from your node’s mempool. Keep your blockspace clean.