Relai vs Strike

Relai, founded in 2020 in Zürich, Switzerland, is an app designed for beginners to buy and save Bitcoin easily. It stands out from competitors with its non-custodial wallet, meaning users control their Bitcoin via a 12-word seed phrase. After purchasing Bitcoin, it will be directly sent to your wallet.

Relai offers purchases starting at €50 | 54,205 sats, one free buy up to €100 | 108,409 sats monthly, until you hit €1200. After that you pay a 1% fee for any transaction. For businesses and wealthy individuals Relai offers personal service and expert guidance.

Its app, rated 4.5 stars on iOS, is praised by users for simple onboarding and smooth navigation, though some users report verification delays or high card fees. Relai focuses on privacy and self-custody, with optional KYC for small transactions.

Its vision is to make Bitcoin saving accessible across Europe, with plans to add Lightning Network support for faster payments. Beginners love its straightforward design and security, but it's limited to Europe and lacks advanced savings features.

Strike is a custodial bitcoin app focused on fast buys and cash like payments. The mobile interface puts bank, card, and direct deposit funding beside instant Lightning withdrawals, so you can move from fiat to bitcoin and back with minimal steps.

Funding options cover fee-free ACH, debit cards with a small processor fee, and same day wires. ACH deposits trade instantly yet stay pending for roughly five business days before you can withdraw, while wires settle in about one business day and debit card purchases clear immediately.

Recurring purchases waive the Strike fee after the first cycle, and optional auto-withdrawals move your balance to self custody once it reaches the threshold you set. Customer prompts inside the app highlight fee tiers, settlement speed, and the 12 hour cancel window Strike gives you before broadcasting auto-withdrawals.