Compare Bitcoin address types: Legacy (1…), P2SH (3…), native SegWit (bc1q…) and Taproot (bc1p…). See costs, compatibility and which to use.
The four you'll meet
| Prefix | Name | Encoding | Introduced | Cost to spend |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1… | Legacy (P2PKH) | Base58Check | 2009 | Highest |
| 3… | Script hash (P2SH) | Base58Check | 2012 | Medium |
| bc1q… | Native SegWit (P2WPKH, P2WSH) | Bech32 | 2017 | Low |
| bc1p… | Taproot (P2TR) | Bech32m | 2021 | Low, most flexible |
Which should I use?
- Receiving: native SegWit or Taproot. Cheaper to spend later.
- Compatibility: almost every wallet and exchange can send to bc1q today; bc1p support is now widespread too.
- Multisig and advanced scripts: Taproot can make them look like ordinary single-key spends. See Taproot.
Testnet and other networks
Mainnet addresses start as above. Test networks use different prefixes (like tb1… or m…/n…), so you can't accidentally mix them up.
Real cost difference
Spending one input costs roughly:
| Type | Input size | At 10 sat/vB |
|---|---|---|
| Legacy P2PKH | about 148 vB | about 1,480 sats |
| Nested SegWit | about 91 vB | about 910 sats |
| Native SegWit | about 68 vB | about 680 sats |
| Taproot | about 58 vB | about 580 sats |
Check any address type
Paste an address into our address inspector to see its type, network and the exact locking script it creates.
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Key takeaways
- Prefix tells you the type: 1 legacy, 3 P2SH, bc1q SegWit, bc1p Taproot.
- SegWit and Taproot are cheaper to spend than legacy.
- All types can pay each other; it's just a different lock.
Common questions
Can I send from a bc1q wallet to a 1… address?
Yes. Address types only describe how the receiving output is locked.
Are bc1 addresses case sensitive?
Bech32 addresses must be all lowercase or all uppercase, never mixed. Lowercase is the norm.
Which Bitcoin address type is best?
Native SegWit (bc1q) or Taproot (bc1p) for most people: lower fees and wide support.
Can I convert a legacy address to SegWit?
Not directly; you send the coins from the legacy address to a new SegWit address.