Every comparison
Which one, and why
You want the simplest, most tested claim on a scarce asset, and you value a network that changes as little as possible.
Full Bitcoin pageYou want to actually use crypto rather than only hold it: apps, stablecoins, lending and everything built on top.
Full Ethereum pageThey are not competitors, and treating them as one is the most common mistake beginners make. Bitcoin is money designed not to change. Ethereum is a computer designed to run things. Most people who hold both hold them for unrelated reasons.
The specifications
| Bitcoin | Ethereum | |
|---|---|---|
| Consensus | Proof of work | Proof of stake |
| Throughput | About 7 | About 15 on layer 1 |
| Finality | About 60 minutes for 6 blocks | About 13 minutes |
| Live since | 2009 | 2015 |
| In one line | The original blockchain, and still the one everything else is measured against. | The programmable settlement layer that most of crypto is built on top of. |
The parts that change the answer
What each one is for
Bitcoin does one job and has done it without interruption since 2009. Ethereum runs smart contracts, which makes it the base layer for stablecoins, DeFi and nearly every application in crypto.
How they are secured
Bitcoin uses proof of work, where energy is the cost of rewriting history. Ethereum uses proof of stake, where locked capital is. Both are arguments about what makes an attack expensive.
Supply
Bitcoin has a hard cap of 21 million with a halving schedule anybody can read. Ethereum has no cap; issuance and fee burning move it in both directions depending on how busy the network is.
Speed and cost
Bitcoin settles slowly by design. Ethereum layer 1 is faster and still expensive when busy, which is why most Ethereum activity now happens on layer 2s that settle back to it.
Common questions
Which is the better investment?
Can Ethereum replace Bitcoin?
Why is Ethereum so expensive to use?
Where to go next
More networks comparisons
Want a second opinion on your own setup?
A comparison page cannot see what you already hold or what you are trying to do. On a call we can, and we will tell you when the honest answer is that it does not matter.