SideShift vs SimpleSwap: the two instant exchangers compared on open data
SideShift scores 8.66/10 and SimpleSwap 8.24/10 on data collected October 19, 2026, ranking #2 and #3 of 13 [instant exchangers](/ratings/instant-exchangers/). Both are fully measured, have been operating for the same 8.3 years and have no hack on record. They split the two remaining criteria: SideShift gains because it has a public status page, and SimpleSwap gains because its site responded faster. On balance the status page is worth more under this category's weights.
Data collected October 19, 2026 · No affiliate links · How scores are built
SideShift scores higher: 8.66/10 against 8.24/10. It leads on 1 of 4 criteria, SimpleSwap on 1.
Criterion by criterion
Same category, same weights, heaviest criterion first. Open a row for each side’s reasoning and evidence.
Track record34% of the scoreLevelSideShift10SimpleSwap10Why these marks ↓Hide ↑
Latency24% of the scoreSimpleSwap leadsSideShift9SimpleSwap10Why these marks ↓Hide ↑
Status transparency22% of the scoreSideShift leadsSideShift5SimpleSwap2Why these marks ↓Hide ↑
Security record20% of the scoreLevelSideShift10SimpleSwap10Why these marks ↓Hide ↑
Where the 0.42-point gap comes from
- Status transparency: +0.66 for SideShift. SideShift publishes a status page, but no feed the collector can read (5/10). No status page was found for SimpleSwap (2/10). A page you can at least look at is more than nothing, but it is not an auditable incident history.
- Latency: +0.24 for SimpleSwap. SimpleSwap's site answered in a median 197 ms and SideShift's in 390 ms, measured from one probe location. The category median is 107.5 ms. SimpleSwap stays in the top band and SideShift drops one band.
- Net: 0.66 − 0.24 = 0.42 in SideShift's favor.
SimpleSwap's #3 place needs one caveat. It shares 8.24 with six other services, and the methodology publishes no tie-break, so on this evidence it is level with Changelly, StealthEX and the rest of that group, not ahead of them.
What the scores leave out
Neither score covers exchange rates, spreads, network fees, when a service may request identity checks or hold a swap, restricted countries, or support quality. These often matter more for a single swap than a 0.42-point difference does. Compare live quotes and read each provider's terms.
Which fits which reader
- If you want some outside view of whether the service is up, SideShift at least has a status page you can open, even though it is not machine-readable. SimpleSwap has none, so you would find out about an outage by running into it.
- If you want a SimpleSwap alternative with the same age and hack record, SideShift is the closest higher-scored option. The difference is in transparency, not track record.
- If site responsiveness matters to you, SimpleSwap measured faster. Note that this is page response time, not how fast a swap settles.
The numbers side by side
| Measured | SideShift | SimpleSwap |
|---|---|---|
| Track record | 8.3 yr | 8.3 yr |
| Latency (our probe) | 390 ms | 197 ms |
| Hacks on record | 0 | 0 |
| Status feed | unknown | none |
Where each one falls short
SideShift
Status transparency: A status page exists but publishes no feed we could parse — readable, not auditable. Part of that may be our blind spot (we read three platforms).
SimpleSwap
Status transparency: No public status page found. Nothing about its reliability can be verified from outside — including by us.
Not for: Anyone who needs to know when it breaks: no status feed, so you find out it is down by discovering it yourself.
Which to choose
Which scores higher, SideShift or SimpleSwap?+
SideShift scores 8.66/10 against 8.24/10 for SimpleSwap, on the same criteria and the same October 19, 2026 data.
Do SideShift or SimpleSwap have a hack on record?+
Neither appears in DefiLlama's public hack database as of the October 19, 2026 check. Absence from one database is not a guarantee.
Is SimpleSwap the same as "simple swap" modes in other apps?+
No. SimpleSwap here is the service at simpleswap.io. Some wallets and DEX apps use "simple swap" as a feature name, and those are not rated on this page. More comparisons: ChangeNOW vs SideShift · SimpleSwap vs Changelly · ChangeNOW vs SimpleSwap · Full ranking