Nitrokey · Security key
Nitrokey Start
The entry-level Nitrokey: an OpenPGP smart-card key for encrypting email, files, and SSH/server access. Open-source hardware (OSHwA certified), made in Germany. OpenPGP only — no FIDO2, no NFC.
$60
EU equivalent: €28.80 incl. VAT · nitrokey.comIn stock · ships in 1 business day from our US warehouse
Vegas batch closed — buy direct on Nitrokey, or get notified when the next bulk batch opens.
Get the next Nitrokey batch
The Vegas batch has closed. Need it now? Buy direct on Nitrokey. Rather wait for the next bulk run — group pricing, PO/invoicing, and event pickup? Tell us what you’d order and we’ll email you the moment it opens. No commitment; enough interest is what schedules the next batch.
No battery
No battery. Ships by any service with no dangerous-goods restrictions.
Also on eBay and TikTok Shop
The only marketplace listings we operate for Nitrokey — sold by CISO Marketplace, the same stock and the same US fulfillment as this page. A listing from any other seller isn’t ours.
View this item on eBaybuyer protection · PO & procurement friendly View this item on TikTok Shopbuyer protection · PO & procurement friendly Browse the CISO Marketplace eBay store → Browse the CISO Marketplace TikTok Shop →Why the Nitrokey Start
What this security key does that alternatives don't.
OpenPGP keys that cannot be exported
Private keys are generated on the device and held there — GnuPG, Thunderbird, and OpenSC use them without the key material ever reaching the host, so malware on the laptop cannot copy them.
Open-source hardware, made in Germany
OSHwA-certified open hardware with open firmware and EU jurisdiction — the design and code are auditable rather than taken on trust.
The low-cost way to hardware-back SSH and email
The cheapest key we carry. For fleets that need OpenPGP/SSH key protection but not FIDO2 login, it does that one job at a fraction of the Nitrokey 3.
Specifications
Full technical details.
Compliance framework mapping
Controls this product satisfies across 12 frameworks.
Cryptographic key management
Hardware-bound key generation and storage. Private keys generated and stored inside a certified secure element (EAL 6+) and are non-exportable by design — for login credentials (Nitrokey) and crypto-asset custody (Ledger) alike.
Supply chain risk — hardware and firmware
Open-source firmware is publicly auditable and reproducibly built. EU jurisdiction hardware is not subject to US National Security Letters. Directly addresses hardware supply chain risk in CMMC and NIS2.
Compared to
Honest comparisons against the most likely alternatives.
vs. Nitrokey 3
The Nitrokey 3 adds FIDO2/WebAuthn, PIV, OTP, a password manager, NFC on some models, and an NXP SE050 secure element certified to Common Criteria EAL 6+. The Start's spec sheet lists no secure element and no FIDO2 — it is an OpenPGP key, and priced accordingly.
vs. Nitrokey Passkey
Exact opposites at a similar price: Passkey is FIDO2/U2F-only for passwordless login; Start is OpenPGP-only for email, file, and SSH keys. Buy the one matching the job, or both.
vs. software GnuPG keys
A GnuPG key in ~/.gnupg can be copied by anything running as your user. On the Start it cannot leave the device, so a compromised laptop does not become a compromised signing key.
Shipping & returns
What to expect after you order.
Shipping
Ships from our Tennessee 3PL. 2-day FedEx to most US addresses, expedited options at checkout. Signature required. Business day processing — orders placed before 2pm ET ship same day.
Returns & RMA
30-day return window for unopened units. Defective units handled under Nitrokey's 2-year warranty — we manage the US-side RMA so you don't ship to Berlin.
Purchase orders
Net-30 terms available for approved organizations. W-9 on file. Generate a quote from the stack builder or email sales@securitygadgets.shop with your PO requirements.
Authorized reseller
We are an official Nitrokey authorized reseller. Full manufacturer warranty applies. Identical hardware and firmware to buying direct from nitrokey.com — with US inventory and support.
