Ledger Flutter is an open-source plugin for developers who build Flutter applications and want those apps to talk to Ledger Nano hardware wallets. It lets an app find nearby Ledger devices, connect to them over USB or Bluetooth Low Energy, fetch public keys and send transactions to the device for signing. It is aimed at app developers, not end users looking for a ready-made wallet.
The plugin is free and released under the MIT license, so it can be used in commercial and personal projects. The source code is hosted on GitHub. The last code update recorded for this project is from March 2023, which means it is older than most actively maintained libraries. Check the repository's commit history and open issues before building on it, and test it against your current Ledger firmware and Flutter version.
What Is Ledger Flutter and Who Is It For?
Ledger Flutter is a code library, not a standalone desktop program. You add it to a Flutter project as a dependency, and the resulting app includes the logic for working with Ledger hardware. The people who benefit most are mobile and cross-platform developers who want a wallet, portfolio or signing feature inside their own application.
If you are an end user who simply wants to manage crypto on a Windows PC, this package will not give you a finished interface. You would need an application built with it. Users of Ledger hardware generally manage their assets through the official Ledger Live app or a wallet that supports the device.
How Hardware Wallet Signing Works
A hardware wallet such as a Ledger Nano stores the private key in a secure chip. When an application wants to send a transaction, it builds the transaction data and passes it to the device. The user reviews the details on the device's own screen and confirms or rejects it. Only then is the signature produced.
Because the key never leaves the device, a compromised computer or phone cannot extract it. An attacker could still try to trick the user into approving a malicious transaction, which is why the on-device confirmation step matters. Libraries like Ledger Flutter simply carry the request back and forth; the security comes from the hardware.
Real-World Use Cases
A typical use case is a mobile wallet app that shows balances for Bitcoin or Ethereum addresses. The app calls getAccounts() to retrieve public keys from the Ledger device, derives addresses and queries the network for balances. When the user sends funds, the app builds the transaction and asks the device to sign it.
Another scenario is a niche chain tool for Algorand or Nano that needs hardware-backed signing. Developers can combine the plugin with the appropriate Ledger application on the device. Since the documentation mentions these networks, check whether the specific Ledger app for your chain is installed and up to date before relying on it.
Key Concepts for Developers
Several terms come up repeatedly when working with this plugin. A public key is safe to share and is used to derive addresses. A private key stays on the device and is never exposed. BLE, or Bluetooth Low Energy, is a wireless protocol with lower power consumption, but it introduces permission requirements that the app must handle correctly.
Developers should also understand the difference between a Ledger application and the device firmware. Each blockchain typically runs as its own app on the Ledger, and both must be compatible with the library version you use.
Key features
Device discovery
USB and BLE connectivity
Transaction signing
Public key retrieval
Permission callbacks
Supported coins
The plugin's documentation mentions Bitcoin (BTC), Ethereum (ETH), Algorand and Nano as examples of networks you can work with through connected Ledger devices. The exact set you can use depends on the Ledger application installed on the hardware, so confirm support for your target chain before building a feature around it.
How to install Ledger Flutter on Windows
- 1
Install Flutter and set up your project
Make sure the Flutter SDK is installed on your Windows machine and that a basic project runs. Create or open the Flutter project in which you plan to add Ledger support.
- 2
Add the dependency
Open the project's pubspec.yaml and add the Ledger Flutter package as a dependency, then run flutter pub get. Because this library is distributed as a Flutter package rather than a Windows installer, you do not download an executable for it. If you want the source, obtain it from the official GitHub repository at https://github.com/cake-tech/ledger-flutter.
- 3
Configure Android permissions
Add the Bluetooth feature declarations to your AndroidManifest.xml, marking them as not required if your app should also run on devices without Bluetooth. Include the permissions your target Android version needs for BLE scanning and connection.
- 4
Configure iOS entries
For iOS builds, add the required usage description entries to the Info.plist file of your app. These explain to the user why Bluetooth access is requested.
- 5
Wire up permission handling
Override the onPermissionRequest callback in your code and connect it to the permission_handler package so the user is prompted correctly when Bluetooth access is needed.
-
Build and test
Run the app on Windows and any other target platform. Connect a Ledger Nano device, confirm that discovery and public key retrieval work, and test a signing flow with a small amount on a test network before going live.
System requirements
- A Flutter development environment capable of building your target app on Windows
- A Ledger Nano device and the appropriate Ledger application installed for the chain you use
- Bluetooth hardware and permissions if you use BLE connectivity
How to use Ledger Flutter
Using Ledger Flutter means writing code inside your own app. The steps below describe the typical integration flow. Adapt the calls to the current API documented in the package.
The general pattern is to discover devices, connect to one, request accounts and then sign transactions when needed. Keep the connection logic separate from your user interface so you can handle disconnects and errors cleanly.
- Initialize the plugin and set up the permission callback so Bluetooth access is requested when needed.
- Start scanning for nearby Ledger devices and present the list to the user.
- Connect to the selected device over USB or BLE.
- Call getAccounts() with the blockchain you need to retrieve public keys and derive addresses.
- Build the transaction in your app and send it to the device for signing.
- Ask the user to confirm the transaction on the Ledger screen, then receive the signed payload.
- Broadcast the signed transaction to the network and handle the response.
- Disconnect cleanly when the session ends.
Pros & cons
- Free and open source under the MIT license
- Supports both USB and Bluetooth Low Energy connections
- Keeps private keys on the Ledger hardware rather than in app memory
- Simple methods for discovery, account retrieval and signing
- Works within the Flutter ecosystem for cross-platform apps
- Last code update recorded in March 2023, so compatibility with newer firmware and Flutter versions must be verified
- It is a developer library, not a ready-to-use wallet for end users
- Requires a Ledger device and the correct Ledger application for each blockchain
- BLE setup involves platform-specific permissions that can be tricky to get right
- Documentation focuses on integration rather than complete end-to-end examples
Is Ledger Flutter safe?
Ledger Flutter is a library, so the main safety concern is where you get it and how you use it. Download the source only from the official GitHub repository at https://github.com/cake-tech/ledger-flutter, or install the package through the standard pub.dev channel used by Flutter. Avoid copies on unfamiliar sites or in third-party archives. When you obtain release files, verify their SHA-256 checksums or signatures where the publisher provides them.
Never enter your seed phrase into any website or application that asks for it. A Ledger device generates and stores its seed on the hardware, and a legitimate integration never needs to see it. Because the project has not had a code update since March 2023, review its open issues and dependencies before trusting it with real funds, and test thoroughly on a testnet first.
- Official source only. Download from github.com/cake-tech/ledger-flutter. Ignore ads and lookalike domains.
- Check the SHA-256. Compare the installer hash with the value the developer publishes before running it.
- Never share your seed phrase. No developer, support agent or website — including CryptApps — will ever ask for it.
Alternatives
Ledger Flutter differs from the other programs in this catalog in purpose. Geth, Erigon, Nethermind and OpenEthereum are full node clients that download and verify blockchain data, so they serve operators who want to run infrastructure. Electrum Personal Server and Frigate are server-side tools that help a wallet query a private node. Elements / Liquid is a sidechain platform for building new networks.
Ledger Flutter sits at the application layer. Instead of running a node, it connects a mobile or cross-platform app to a Ledger hardware wallet. If your goal is to add secure signing to a Flutter product, this is the relevant choice; if you need to verify transactions yourself on a full node, one of the clients above is more appropriate.
Specifications
- Price
- Free
- Type
- Open source
- License
- MIT
- Latest version
- —
- Last update
- 1 Mar 2023
- Windows support
- Yes (Windows build or installer)
- Source code
- github.com/cake-tech/ledger-flutter
Frequently asked questions
No. Ledger Flutter is a Flutter plugin that developers add to their own applications. It does not provide a finished wallet interface. To manage crypto with a Ledger device on Windows, you would use an application built on top of the library or the official Ledger software.
Yes. The plugin is free and licensed under the MIT license, which allows use in personal and commercial projects. Remember that the license covers the code only, not any hardware you need, such as a Ledger Nano device.
The documentation mentions Bitcoin, Ethereum, Algorand and Nano as examples of networks you can work with through a Ledger device. Support in practice depends on the Ledger application installed on the hardware, so confirm compatibility for your chain before building around it.
Yes. The plugin supports Bluetooth Low Energy as well as USB connections. BLE requires permission handling on both iOS and Android, which the library signals through a callback that you can connect to the permission_handler package.
No, it is designed so that private keys stay on the Ledger hardware. The library requests public keys and sends transactions for signing, and the signature is produced on the device. You should never enter your seed phrase into any app or website.
The last code update recorded for this project is from March 2023. Before using it in a new product, check the GitHub repository for recent commits, open issues and compatibility with current Flutter and Ledger firmware versions.
Yes. The library is written in Dart and used through Flutter, so you need working knowledge of both to integrate it. Basic familiarity with Flutter project structure and pubspec.yaml is also helpful.
Verdict
Ledger Flutter is a practical choice for developers who want to add Ledger hardware signing and public key retrieval to a Flutter app. It is free, MIT-licensed and covers discovery over USB and BLE. Its main drawbacks are the age of the last code update and the need to write your own integration. It is not suited to end users looking for a finished wallet on Windows. Test it carefully before shipping, and check the repository for current compatibility.