starter.wikiSearch⌘K

Wallet connection

RainbowKit

Open-source React components and wallet-management flows for connecting external wallets to a dapp.

Visit official site

Editorial verdict

Choose RainbowKit when a React dapp needs polished external-wallet connection and the team will own authentication, sessions, account linking, RPC dependencies, and lifecycle.12

Best for

  • React dapps serving external-wallet users
  • Teams wanting customizable wallet connection UI
  • Applications prepared to implement and operate SIWE or another authentication layer
12

Not ideal for

  • Products needing managed embedded wallets
  • Teams wanting a complete identity and user-management service
  • Applications unable to own signature verification and session security
12
Main trade-off

RainbowKit keeps the connection layer focused and application-controlled, but leaves identity, session, recovery, backend verification, and wallet infrastructure responsibilities to the team.12

Product boundary

Decide whether the product needs only external-wallet connection UI or a full managed wallet identity platform.

RainbowKit is a wallet connection and interface library. It does not operate identity records, embedded-wallet custody, backend signature verification, sessions, or product authorization.123

For: React dapp teams that will own authentication and account lifecycle

  • Embedded wallets become required
  • Email or social identity must link into a managed user record
  • The team cannot own SIWE and session security
  • React, wagmi, or viem no longer matches the application stack

Why teams consider RainbowKit

  • Focused connection UIProvides customizable wallet selection, connection, chain switching, and account display.1
  • React ecosystem fitBuilds on wagmi and viem for common dapp integration patterns.1
  • Open-source controlCan be inspected, customized, upgraded, and hosted as an application dependency.34
  • Optional SIWE pathDocuments integration with SIWE and an application session system without claiming to replace either.2

Pricing

Open-source library with application-owned integration and infrastructure cost rather than a stored managed-service subscription price.4

Adoption

Open-source library

The library license does not remove engineering, wallet transport, RPC, session, security, and maintenance cost.34

Production

Application-operated integration

Budget for SIWE verification, session infrastructure, RPC providers, WalletConnect or related services, monitoring, and upgrades.34

Product fee
No managed subscription price is asserted for the open-source RainbowKit library.34
Real cost
Integration, RPC, wallet connectivity, security, sessions, support, and maintenance remain application costs.34
Freshness policy
Verify the current repository license, supported dependencies, and authentication guidance.34
Pricing checked View official pricing

RainbowKit vs alternatives

Privy

Choose when
Need managed identity, account linking, and embedded wallets.
Compared with RainbowKit
Accept a much broader managed provider boundary.710

Dynamic

Choose when
Need managed multi-chain authentication and several wallet models.
Compared with RainbowKit
Adopt a wider platform and commercial dependency.89

Custom wagmi and viem UI

Choose when
Connection behavior and interface must be fully application-specific.
Compared with RainbowKit
The team builds and maintains more wallet UX.56

Resources and sources

Start

  • Introduction
    Open
  • Authentication guide
    Open

Source and policy

  • GitHub repository
    Open
  • License
    Open

Related tools

  1. 1
    RainbowKit introduction

    RainbowKit · Accessed Official

  2. 2
    RainbowKit authentication guide

    RainbowKit · Accessed Official

  3. 3
    RainbowKit repository

    Rainbow · Accessed Official

  4. 4
    RainbowKit license

    Rainbow · Accessed Official

  5. 5
    Wagmi getting started

    Wagmi · Accessed Official

  6. 6
    Viem documentation

    Viem · Accessed Official

  7. 7
    Privy documentation

    Privy · Accessed Official

  8. 8
    Dynamic documentation

    Dynamic · Accessed Official

  9. 9
    Dynamic wallets overview

    Dynamic · Accessed Official

  10. 10
    Privy pricing

    Privy · Accessed Official