Essential Nostr Tools

Nostr has a rich ecosystem of tools and services that make using the protocol easier. Here’s a curated list of essential tools organized by category.

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Key Management Tools

Key Converters & Generators

Nostr Tools (key converter)

• URL: nostr-tools.com
• What it does: Convert between npub/hex/nsec formats
• Why use it: Useful for developers or when you need different key formats

NAK (Nostr Army Knife)

• URL: nak.nostr.com
• What it does: Command-line tool and web interface for Nostr operations
• Features: Key generation, event signing, relay interaction, debugging
• Best for: Developers and power users who need CLI tools

Backup & Recovery

Key Storage Best Practices

• Password managers (Bitwarden, 1Password)
• Paper backups (written and stored safely)
• Encrypted USB drives
• A signer app such as Amber on Android, so your nsec stays in one place and other apps never see it

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Media Hosting

Image & Video Hosting

nostr.build

• URL: nostr.build
• What it does: Free image and video hosting for Nostr
• Features: Drag-and-drop upload, instant URLs, CDN delivery
• Best for: Sharing images in posts

NostrCheck (media side)

• URL: nostrcheck.me
• What it does: Hosts images and video, on the same account that gives you a NIP-05 name (see Identity below)
• Best for: Keeping uploads and your verified name in one place

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Identity & Verification

NIP-05 Providers

NostrPlebs

• URL: nostrplebs.com
• What it does: NIP-05 identifiers (you@nostrplebs.com)
• Cost: Paid only - 12,500-65,000 sats/year (pricing based on username length)
• Note: No free tier available
• Best for: Getting a human-readable identifier quickly

NostrCheck

• URL: nostrcheck.me
• What it does: NIP-05 + additional verification tools
• Features: Free tier, extra utilities

GetAlby

• URL: getalby.com
• What it does: Lightning wallet + NIP-05
• Best for: Combining payments and identity

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Analytics & Discovery

Zap Analytics

Zaplife

• URL: zaplife.lol
• What it does: Track zap activity and earnings
• Features: Top zapped content, historical data, leaderboards
• Best for: Creators tracking their earnings

Network Discovery & Stats

Nostr Band Stats

• URL: stats.nostr.band
• What it does: Nostr network statistics and analytics
• Features: Event, user and zap counts over time
• Best for: Getting a rough sense of the ecosystem. Treat user counts with suspicion: nobody can separate real people from bots and abandoned keys, so the headline numbers run high

Primal Explore

• URL: primal.net/explore
• What it does: Discover trending content and users
• Features: Topic feeds, trending posts, user recommendations

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Relay Tools

Relay Lists & Monitoring

Nostr.watch

• URL: nostr.watch
• What it does: Monitor relay uptime and performance
• Features: Real-time status, latency monitoring, global map
• Best for: Finding reliable relays

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Lightning & Zaps

Wallets

Primal Wallet (Built into Primal)

• URL: primal.net
• Best for: Zero-setup start inside a client
• Features: Self-custodial (Spark-based), activates right in the app

Coinos (Web)

• URL: coinos.io
• Best for: Beginners wanting a hosted web wallet
• Features: Lightning address (you@coinos.io), Nostr Wallet Connect; custodial, so keep amounts small

Alby Hub (Desktop/Cloud + Browser Extension)

• URL: getalby.com
• Best for: Desktop/web users
• Features: Self-custodial Lightning node, Lightning address, browser extension and Alby Go mobile companion, Nostr Wallet Connect
• Cost: Free if you run it yourself on your own machine. The hosted version, Alby Cloud, is a paid monthly subscription

Phoenix (Mobile)

• URL: phoenix.acinq.co
• Best for: Mobile users wanting self-custody
• Features: Non-custodial, automatic channel management

Zeus (Mobile)

• URL: zeusln.com
• Best for: Power users, node operators
• Features: Connect to your own node or use the built-in wallet, advanced features

Zap Tools

Zap splits

• What it is: A setting inside some clients, not a separate app. It routes a share of every zap on a post to the people you name
• Best for: Collaborative content (podcasts, co-written pieces, team projects). Look for a “zap split” or “contributors” option in the posting screen of whichever client you use

zap.stream

• URL: zap.stream
• What it does: Live streaming on Nostr, where viewers zap you while you are on air
• Best for: Musicians and streamers going live

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Search & Indexing

Primal Search

• Built into Primal client
• Fast, comprehensive results

Iris Search

• Client-integrated search

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Building on Nostr

This guide covers tools you can use without writing code. If you want to build software on Nostr, the community keeps a maintained index of libraries, relay software and SDKs at github.com/aljazceru/awesome-nostr.

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Privacy & Security

Signer Apps

A signer holds your nsec so that other apps never have to. When a web client wants to post as you, it asks the signer, and the signer asks you.

Amber (Android)

• URL: github.com/greenart7c3/Amber
• What it does: Dedicated signer app. Other Android apps hand it a request, you approve or refuse it, and your key stays inside Amber
• Features: Multiple key support, detailed signing requests
• Note: Amber is not on Google Play. Install it from Zap Store, Obtainium, F-Droid or the GitHub releases page

Primal Remote Login (iOS and Android)

• URL: primal.net
• What it does: Lets you sign into other Nostr apps using the Primal app you already have, so you never paste your nsec into a website
• Best for: iOS, where there is no system-wide signer standard the way Android has one

Nostash (Safari)

• URL: apps.apple.com/us/app/nostash/id6744309333
• What it does: Signing extension for Safari on iPhone, iPad, Mac and Vision Pro, so web clients can ask it to sign instead of asking you for your key
• Best for: Apple users who mainly browse Nostr on the web

nsec.app (Web)

• URL: use.nsec.app
• What it does: Keeps your key in one browser-based signer and approves requests from other web clients
• Best for: People who move between several web clients on a computer

VPN & Tor

Tor Support

• Many clients support Tor for enhanced privacy
• Check client documentation for setup

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Mobile Apps

See our Quickstart Guide to set up a mobile app and publish your first post.

Quick reference:

• iOS: Damus, Primal
• Android: Amethyst, Primal
• Web: Primal, Iris, Snort

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Community Resources

Lists & Directories

Awesome Nostr

• URL: github.com/aljazceru/awesome-nostr
• Community-maintained list of clients, relays and tools, updated far more often than any guide

Support

Nostr Subreddit

• r/nostr on Reddit
• Community discussions and help

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Quick Reference Table

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