I think I knew about LifPay in the past, but can't recall the reason why I didn't use it. Rediscovering it recently, I was quite surprised. This Bitcoin Lighting Wallet is by far the most accessible and easiest one yet, with consideration of the values it brings to the table.
The timing of my rediscovery of it, which came after their latest update makes my experience and perception of it all the more positive. I'm a Nostr user and was delighted to see a "Login with Nostr" option. After I did so using my signer app (Amber), everything was done. I can start sending/receiving using my auto-created LN address, which I changed to a username of my preference.
After a bit of testing and ensuring everything is working correctly, I went ahead and swapped my LN address in my Nostr profile with this new (@)lifpay.me address, and everything there went smoothly tool.
Once that was done, I went ahead and added multiple accounts into the LifPay app, using the same Nostr login method, and again I customized my LN addresses for them and swapped the addresses in those Nostr profiles too. Everything is going extremely smoothly.
With all of that said, considering the title, I am almost reaching a point where I'm mostly using LifPay now, more so than Wallet of Satoshi. Multiple accounts, Nostr login, and changing my LN address right from the start, and yet to utilize their LN profile feature (seems like its similar to linktree but with LN in mind), as well as checking out the merchant features.
I am aware that it would've been great if this was non-custodial, but for now, in regards to this post at least, I'm focusing on a custodial solution and comparing the best out there under that same umbrella. LifPay and Wallet of Satoshi are both, from the looks of it, closed source. (Unless LifPay mentions otherwise, which is an issue I'll get to. The "mention" part, not the closed-source part).
They also have a fun "Red Gift" feature to play around with. You can also set up NFC cards with it to pay or have it as a redeemable (yet to test this), and something related to printing/sending consumable QR codes to extract sats from it.
One thing I've noticed though is the lack of information about this app/service, or company, or anything else. Yes, there's the website which has the basic information on what it is and what it offers, but not so much on the technical side, nor the team. There isn't even much news-buzz in the market (articles, videos, etc). It also seems like, which I might be rushing into it, barely any marketing, PR, community engagement, and so on (aside from when there's major events like Nostriga for example), where it seems like that's the most effect channel of communications to have with them at the moment to gather information or share thoughts/feedback, to reach them in-person at events.
I know they're most likely focusing on making an amazing product, and it definitely shows, but I do hope they'd start increasing their communication efforts more.
Speaking of them working on making LifPay amazing, I sure do hope that they'll:
- Create a browser extension, with the ability to generate nostr addresses and sign events using said extension.
- Add the ability to autopsy for LN subscriptions (and manage subscriptions), as well as of course to create subscription packages (template, considering their merchant dashboard) for merchances, to use on site and with API hookups to connect projects with.
If the first point gets developed, then I'll be switch from the Alby/KeysBand/nos2x extensions to the LifPay extension.
If the second point gets developed, then I'd be implementing it into my project to handle subscription payments/autopayments.
All in all, I wanted to create this post because of how little information there is about LifPay and wanted to talk about it. I really like it, the UX is fantastic, and would like to hear other people's thoughts on it.