Best for: Mobile-first Lightning payments with self-custody and automated channel care.
Consider if: You expect to receive euro Lightning tips without running your own node.
Not ideal when: You need desktop access or stronger payment privacy.
Gotcha: Never upload the seed to email, chat apps, or cloud drives.
Gotcha: First payment may open a channel and charge ~1,000 sat plus current mining fees if the network is busy.
Gotcha: For large invoices, adjust the maximum acceptable fee in Settings → Channel management before sending.
0.4% of the amount + 4 sat
What happens:
Your payment routes over Lightning.
Save money:
Avoid lots of tiny payments when the network is busy.
Every outgoing Lightning payment includes this fee. The 4 sat is Phoenix's service charge, and the 0.4% covers routing through the Lightning network.
≈1,000 sat channel creation + current mining fee
What happens:
Phoenix opens a Lightning channel so you can receive payments.
Save money:
Wait for low on-chain fees (check mempool.space); receive when network is quiet.
Your first Lightning receive triggers channel creation. Phoenix must commit an on-chain transaction to open the channel, which incurs the current Bitcoin mining fee plus a 1,000 sat setup charge.
1% of the amount + mining fee (splice-in)
What happens:
Phoenix resizes your channel to accept more sats than current capacity allows.
Save money:
Consolidate into fewer, larger receives; spend down balance before receiving large amounts.
When incoming payment exceeds available channel capacity, Phoenix performs a splice-in operation. This on-chain transaction increases your channel size and costs 1% of the received amount plus current mining fees.
Not always. Once your channel exists and has room, small Lightning receives can be free aside from routing.
On your first Lightning receive or when more inbound capacity is needed.
Consolidate larger receives and avoid on-chain fee spikes.
Invoices Pay links Lightning Address
Phoenix natively routes payments over Lightning with low fees (0.4% + 4 sat).
Gotcha: For very large payments, adjust the maximum fee cap in Settings → Channel management before sending.
Send to Bitcoin addresses
You can send to regular Bitcoin addresses by closing channels or using swap-out.
Gotcha: On-chain sends incur mining fees that vary with network congestion. Check mempool.space first.
Invoices Pay links Auto-opens channels
Phoenix automatically manages channels so you can receive without manual setup.
Gotcha: First receive or large amounts may trigger channel creation/splice-in, costing ~1,000 sat + current mining fee.
Converts to Lightning 3 confirmations
You can receive Bitcoin from exchanges and other on-chain wallets; Phoenix converts to Lightning.
Gotcha: Phoenix waits 3 confirmations before swapping on-chain funds to Lightning. Set a swap fee limit in Settings.
Choose: When you get a new device and want to keep using Phoenix.
Tips: Don't run Phoenix on two phones at the same time: channel states will conflict. Keep the new device online during resync; it may take a few minutes.
Gotcha: Android transaction history won't migrate; only your balance and channels restore.
Choose: When you want to start using Phoenix but have funds in a different Lightning wallet.
Tips: Always test with a small amount first. Phoenix will automatically open a channel if needed (costs ~1,000 sat + mining fee). Keep both apps open during the transfer.
Gotcha: Your old wallet's channel balance can't be transferred directly—you must send payments to Phoenix, which takes a minute or two.
Choose: When you want to move Bitcoin for long-term storage.
Tips: Prefer cooperative close over force close; it's faster and cheaper. Check current fees before closing; wait for low-fee periods to save sats.
Gotcha: Forced close can take up to 5 days and costs more. Only use if ACINQ is offline.
Choose: When you want to try a different Lightning wallet and move your Phoenix balance.
Tips: Test first with a small amount (~10,000 sats) to catch issues before moving everything. Verify the new wallet's recovery model matches your security preferences.
Yes. Connect your Electrum server to improve privacy; Lightning peers still see routing metadata.
No. The seed never leaves your device.
Use Force close; funds appear in the Final wallet after confirmations, then sweep.
October 2025
Store pageACINQ
VerifyYes
RepoActive in last 30 days
Commits
Phoenix is designed to provide a simple, self-custodial experience for fast, low-cost Lightning transactions directly on mobile devices, emphasizing ease of use for beginners.
Phoenix is designed to provide a simple, self-custodial experience for fast, low-cost Lightning transactions directly on mobile devices, emphasizing ease of use for beginners.
Phoenix charges 0.4% plus 4 sat for every Lightning payment you send.
Phoenix may open or splice a channel and charge 1% of the amount plus the mining fee when incoming liquidity is insufficient.
ACINQ sees the destination and amount of your payments for now, although privacy upgrades are planned.
Phoenix gives you a Bitcoin address; after three confirmations the app swaps the funds to Lightning if fees are below your limit.
Install Phoenix, choose Restore my wallet, enter the 12-word seed, and let channels resync; Android history will not migrate.
