RoboSats vs Strike

RoboSats is a privacy‑first, Lightning‑native peer‑to‑peer exchange for buying and selling bitcoin with fiat. It is open‑source, requires no registration or KYC, and runs primarily over Tor (with I2P and an Android app available). Each trade uses a one‑time “robot” identity tied to a secret token you control, and all peer chat is end‑to‑end encrypted with PGP. The flow is simple: make or take an order, both sides lock small Lightning bonds, the seller locks a Lightning hold‑invoice escrow, fiat moves, then sats are released.

What separates RoboSats is how deeply privacy and safety are built into the mechanics rather than bolted on. One‑trade identities reduce linkability across orders, PGP‑sealed chat prevents metadata leakage, and Lightning hold invoices act as both escrow and fidelity bonds to discourage cancellations and fraud. Pricing is transparent and market‑relative, fees are low at 0.2% split between maker and taker, and optional on‑chain payouts are handled via swaps. Clear best‑practice guides help users pick lower‑risk fiat rails and avoid chargeback traps.

The ideal audience is anyone who wants fast, low‑fee, no‑KYC bitcoin for modest amounts and is comfortable using Tor and a compatible Lightning wallet. Trade sizes are tuned to what routes reliably on Lightning today, which suits frequent smaller buys and sells. The UI is straightforward once you learn the token/robot model, and the documentation walks through wallet compatibility, order timing, disputes, and payment‑method hygiene to keep trades quick and clean.

RoboSats’ vision is to keep P2P bitcoin simple, private, and resilient, with a path toward a federated network of coordinators sharing a unified order book to reduce single‑operator risk while preserving the familiar UX.

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.