On Ethereum, many users connect to DApps using Metamask, a wallet that runs inside your browser. Metamask is relatively safe and easy to use. But Metamask does not work with the Neo blockchain. So what’s the best option for Neo? What is ‘the metamask for Neo’?

Finding the Metamask for Neo

To find the Metamask for Neo, we will quickly go over some of the best Neo wallets. Whether you are a user or developer, this article will help you figure out what user-experience focused wallet is best for your needs.

First, it is important to understand the different types of wallets that exist. In general, we can distinguish the following categories of wallets:

Software wallets are standalone wallets that are downloaded onto your phone or desktop, allowing you to manage, receive and send funds.

are standalone wallets that are downloaded onto your phone or desktop, allowing you to manage, receive and send funds. Browser extensions wallets are wallets which aim to lower the barrier of entry to DApps, by integrating a wallet within your browser. Metamask itself is a browser extension wallet.

are wallets which aim to lower the barrier of entry to DApps, by integrating a wallet within your browser. Metamask itself is a browser extension wallet. Dapp-integrated wallets are a new type of wallets which don’t even require users to download a browser extension. They improve the user experience of browser extension wallets by not requiring any sort of prior downloads or installation at all.

Software wallets

In terms of software wallets for the Neo blockchain, the O3 wallet is by far the best option for Neo. It is well designed, has a great user interface and has integrated fiat & crypto onramps for the Neo and Ontology ecosystem. However, software wallets aren’t ideal in terms of user experience. Users first have to download software wallets onto their desktops/phones, before being able to access any blockchain-based Dapps. The startup behind the O3 wallet has moreover been acquired by Roger Ver’s Bitcoin.com, which sadly (but likely) means O3 is no longer under active development. Other options in this category include Neon Wallet and Neo GUI.

O3’s wallet interface

Browser extension wallets

Browser extension wallets, such as Metamask, improve the user experience of blockchain by integrating a wallet directly into your browser. With browser extension wallets, users no longer have to open a stand-alone application to interact with the DApps. When looking for the Metamask for Neo, a few options come up, including the Nash Extension, NeoLine, NeoLink, and Teemo Wallet. Some of these require the user to first clone a Github repository and then build the application yourself before integrating it into your browser, which is a terrible user experience. For those that don’t, the fact still remains that users are required to first download and install an extension, before being able to use DApps. Of these options, Nash is the most polished extension, but it sadly doesn’t allow users to connect DApps.

NeoLink’s wallet interface

Dapp-integrated wallets

As mentioned, Dapp-integrated wallets improve on browser extension wallets by integrating the wallet straight into DApps themselves. Using these wallets, users no longer have to install a browser extension. Instead, they just create an account on the Dapp itself. This automatically creates a (non-custodial) wallet, which can be used across other DApps that have integrated these wallets. For Ethereum, parties like Portis and Fortmatic are leading the way.

For Neo, we have built NeoLogin: a dapp-integrated wallet with the aim to provide the best user experience for the Neo ecosystem.

NeoLogin allows users to easily log into applications, thereby unlocking their wallets. When arriving at a DApp’s website that has integrated NeoLogin, users can be easily on-boarded, as they are not required to download some third-party software. All users have to do is register an account, at which point a secure, non-custodial wallet is automatically created. To access Neo-based Dapps, users simply log into this account on the Dapp itself, as shown in the GIF below.

NeoLogin also has integrated fiat-to-crypto gateways, which will be live soon. This means users don’t have to first go to an exchange to buy Neo/gas.

Ordering a mug from Neo.economy.store with NeoLogin

All in all, NeoLogin represents a substantial improvement in terms of user onboarding, which is of great importance for blockchain adoption. Once integrated into all DApps and games deployed on the Neo blockchain, NeoLogin will provide users with a single account which will give access to all of Neo.

For Dapp and game developers, NeoLogin dramatically improves conversion rates by improving the onboarding process. Best of all, we made integrating NeoLogin extremely easy. Our API is the same O3’s API, which means that DApps that have already integrated O3 can add NeoLogin as a wallet provider with no additional work!

NeoLogin’s Logo

Conclusion

So what’s the Metamask for neo? For users looking for something similar to Metamask, we would recommend one of the browser extensions listed above; with Neoline likely being the best option. However, if you are a developer looking to integrate the best wallet solution, NeoLogin is the way to go, as it will help you on-board users far better than any other wallet option can.