Want to run your own Bitcoin node? Don’t want to dig through the entire Internet to figure out what the best Bitcoin Node Hardware is? We got you. We’ve been running our own nodes for years and have decades of computer knowledge from building custom PC’s all the way up to business grade server implementations. So let’s break this down and show you all your options for running bitcoin from $0 to $999+.
Contents
What Is A Bitcoin Node?
A Bitcoin Node is a computer that runs the Bitcoin Core software. This software is most commonly run as a Bitcoin Full Node which means it fully validates blocks and incoming transactions. It also helps the Bitcoin network by receiving blocks from other full nodes, validating those blocks, validating transactions inside them, and then forwarding the blocks onto other full nodes that it’s connected to.
The other main function a Full Bitcoin Node is to serve lightweight clients such as wallet software. The Bitcoin Wallet will connect to the node and broadcast its transaction to it. From there, it will validate the transaction and if it meets the rules of the Bitcoin Network, forward it onto its peers. This setup can be called a full node wallet and gives the user greatly improved privacy and security.
Bitcoin Node Requirements
Running a node can be cheap and easy as Bitcoin Core runs on all operating systems, including Windows, Linux, and macOS. Bitcoin.org officially states that the minimum hardware requirements to run a Bitcoin Node is:
- Operating System: Windows / Mac / Linux
- CPU: Basically anything from a Raspberry Pi to Core i7
- RAM: 2 GB+
- Disk Space: 7 GB+
- Internet Connection: 0.4 Mbps+ Broadband
- Download Quota: 20 GB+ per month
- Upload Quota: 200 GB+ per month
However to get a good experience the most important thing is ensuring you use a SSD (either 2.5″ or M.2) that’s 1 TB or more and to also have sufficient RAM, preferably 8 GB or more.
The Initial Block Download (IBD) requires a huge number of read/writes to the storage. If you’re using a mechanical HDD you’re gonna have a bad time trust us! We’re talking weeks of waiting! Use an SSD and it’ll be done usually inside of a day.
Regarding disk space, the 7 GB figure is for nodes that run in “Pruned Mode” (also called light nodes) and isn’t really the best experience as you miss out on a lot of the security and privacy benefits, even if it does help by reducing storage. The entire blockchain is currently just over 700 GB and growing at around ~50 GB per year.
Thus a 1 TB drive should last for ~3 years or so, which isn’t terrible. If you’d like to truly future proof your node a 2 TB drive will give you enough free disk space space for a good 20+ years of operation. Now that we have our requirements understood, let’s get into the best hardware for the job.
Build Your Own Node!
By far our favorite options for a full Bitcoin and Lightning Node setup is the DIY option. Sure you can buy fully built and configured nodes, but they cost hundreds of dollars more plus where’s the fun in that!? Also, it’s much more private and secure to simply buy general purpose PC components rather than a Bitcoin specific device as it means no one knows that you’re even using it for Bitcoin related things.
>> Learn More: How To Build A Sexy Umbrel Node For $300
We also have a full, step by step article explaining exactly how to source, build and configure your node. This guide will show you how to put each piece together (it’s as easy as assembling Lego) plus has detail steps on what parts you should buy and importantly, why.
One of the biggest problems with how 99% of people setup their node has to do with the parts they buy. Most people want to do it as cheaply as possible or just don’t give it too much thought. We’ve built a lot of computers over the years and after much consideration believe that the below setup gives an excellent balance of longevity, cost and of course, sexiness.
- $88 – Raspberry Pi 5 8 GB RAM
- $17 – Raspberry Pi 5 Official 27W PSU
- $8 – 32 GB+ SanDisk High Endurance microSD Card
- $49 – Argon ONE V3 M.2 NVME PCIE Case For Raspberry Pi 5
- $160 – Western Digital 2TB WD Blue SN5000 NVMe M.2 SSD
- Total Cost: ~$322
Note: You can directly install onto the NVMe drive rather than the microSD card and save some costs by not buying the microSD card, however this can take a bit more configuration and is more technical. If you do purchase the microSD card, then make sure it’s a “endurance” variant as otherwise your node will die after a few months when it fails from the constant OS read/writes.
Best Bitcoin Node Hardware Options
Free Options
Yes, you can run a full Bitcoin node entirely for free! Just so long as you have an existing computer lying around that meets the above specs.
Simply grab any laptop or computer you have that already has an OS installed on it. It can be new or old, it doesn’t matter. It can even be the same computer you use to run your wallet software. Then download and install Bitcoin Core, making sure you triple check it’s from https://www.bitcoin.org and not any other domain.
Note: “bitcoin.com” is owned by a private company, make sure you use “bitcoin.org“.
After it’s installed you’ll need to do some minor configuration and connect it to your wallet, but we go through how to do this in our other guide: How To Connect Sparrow Wallet To Bitcoin Core. While running just Bitcoin Core is fine… you will likely also want to run something like Electrum as well if you do plan on connecting up other wallets to it.
Medium Cost Options
If you want a node that is always on and fully dedicated to the Bitcoin Core software, then you can go the DIY option listed above with either a Raspberry Pi 4 or Pi 5 model with 8 GB RAM.
While this is no longer free, it makes it easier as your node is “always online” and you can connect back to it with your phone or other wallets both locally and outside your own network. You can also use or buy an old laptop too. From there, you can load on any number of Free and Open Source Software (FOSS) that serve as the main operating system such as Umbrel, myNode or RaspiBlitz. You can also install Window or Linux on it and then just install Bitcoin Core on that too.
We feel this path is likely the best for most tech savvy people, as it allows you get optimal performance, have any bitcoin wallet you own backed by your own full node and run bitcoin core for just a couple of hundred dollars. The physical hardware is small, energy efficient, runs over the tor network for additional security and will last you for years. What’s not to like?
Higher Cost Options
If you really don’t want to build your own node, want to run a serious Lightning Node with dozens of channels or just prefer really top tier hardware, you can buy custom built Bitcoin Nodes. These are fully built and configured nodes with more powerful hardware than just a basic Raspberry Pi.
They also often look much nicer as they’ll have custom made cases with more premium materials. That being said, the Argon ONE case listed above is still quite premium. While they have much better performance, they also have much higher price tags too. Options available in this level include products like:
- $419 – Umbrel Home – 3.4 GHz, 4 Core, Intel N100 / 16GB RAM / 2TB NVMe
- $599 – MyNode Model Two – 2.7GHz, 4 Core, Intel / 8GB RAM / 2TB SATA SSD
- $599 – Start9 Server One – 4.5 GHz, 8 Core, AMD Ryzen 7 5825U / 16GB RAM / 2TB NVMe
- €599 – Nodl One Mark 2 – 1.8 GHz, 6 Core, RockChip RK3399 / 4GB RAM / 2TB SSD
- €799 – Nodl Two – 1.8 GHz, 6 Core, RockChip RK3399 / 4GB RAM / 2 x 2TB SSD
- $999 – Start9 Server Pure – 4.9 GHz, 4 Core, Intel Core i7-10510U / 32GB RAM / 2TB NVMe
You can also buy a more powerful and premium computer such as a Mini PC with a desktop class CPU or custom build your own one and again install Window or Linux on it and follow the Free steps above. Popular options here include old (or new) Mac Mini’s, the various types of Intel Nuc mini PCs or even second hand laptops purchased off eBay.
Also a very important thing to note if you are purchasing a pre-built node with all the bitcoin software already installed is to be mindful of your security. It’s a good rule to delete any already fully synced data and perform a full resync for yourself. This ensures you’re getting all the correct data and not relying on a trusted third parties one that may have been altered.
God Tier Option
Finally for those wanting the ultimate processing power, you’ll have to use full desktop computer or even server grade level hardware. There are those out there that run major Lightning nodes at home off top tier hardware like Intel Core i7 CPUs, 64 GB or more RAM, NVMe drives all hooked up to Uninterruptible Power Supplies (UPS) paired with redundant and fast Internet connections for maximum uptime.
This type of configuration also requires a fair bit of command line use in order to configure all the software requirements, so isn’t for the newbies. Running a bitcoin node like this is serious business and you can expect to be spending many hours each week monitoring, tweaking and managing it.
Costs & Other Required Resources
Internet Costs
This can again be $0 if you’re already paying for your Internet connectivity anyway (and have no upload/download bandwidth limits), but be aware that the higher speed, lower latency and higher reliability your connectivity has, the better your node will perform. We’d recommend you have a broadband internet connection that’s >10 Mbps with high upload limits or just unlimited data.
Bitcoin node software requires quite a bit of bandwidth, especially during the initial sync process called the Initial Block Download (IBD) where it downloads the all the blockchain data to verify transactions. With the full Blockchain now at over 700 GB, that’s not a small amount of data to download! Most people have unlimited data these days, but even after the IBD your node will still be using around 100-200 GB of data per month on average.
If you’re running a Lightning Node on top of your Bitcoin Node and wanting to make it a Profitable One, you might also consider purchasing a 5G backup dongle that plugs into your router to ensure as high an up time as possible. This is because any downtime can affect your routing scores and result in less payments being routed through your node.
Power Costs
While Raspberry Pis or other custom node solutions can be slower or not handle as many channels, they sip power usually only using at most 15W. If your power costs $0.10 USD / kWh this translates to around $13.14 per year. Using a full blown computer, especially an older less efficient one, might instead use 50-100W of power meaning your bill could be upwards of $87.60 per year.
Your Precious Time
While many people don’t value their time very highly, setting up, configuring and monitoring your Bitcoin Node can be moderately time consuming, especially while you’re starting out and learning the ropes. How much you value your time or what opportunity cost you put on it is up to you, but it’s not normally $0.
Security Considerations & Backing Up
Security & Updating Bitcoin Core
While running a Bitcoin node isn’t hugely complicated, you should be aware that there can be a few security issues to be mindful of. For example, in order for the node to function it’ll have to be exposed to the external Internet and thus, be open to hackers. So it’s important you chose solid software that has been built and hardened with this in mind.
Node operators should also use long, strong passwords (>20 random characters), enable 2FA and always install the latest software updates. It’s also vitally important that if your node has any in built wallets to ensure their private keys are kept safe, preferably off the node itself.
Finally be careful of any apps that are pre installed as well as any apps you install later on. There’s a big push to use the same dedicated hardware for other purposes such as file sharing, photos, or other self sovereign applications which we absolutely love. But with each new app that’s added you increase the chances of there being a bug or security flaw that may expose your network security to hackers.
Backing Up Bitcoin Nodes
Finally don’t forget to backup your node once you’ve configured everything. While most Bitcoin software like Umbrel doesn’t currently have a fully encompassing backup process, two critically important parts are ensuring you have a copy of your bitcoin node seed phrase as well as your Lightning channels.
While Umbrel’s Lightning Node app does perform automatic backups, it’s also good to download a copy yourself every now and then if you’ve got a decent amount locked up in Lightning channels. To do this open up the Lightning Node app and click the three dots in the top right hand corner, then click Download Channel Backup File.
FAQ
What Hardware Is Needed For Bitcoin Node?
You can run a full bitcoin node on virtually any computer, so long as it has at least 1TB of disk space available. Bitcoin Core or other node software like Bitcoin QT or Bitcoin Knots can run on basically anything from a Raspberry Pi to Core i7 CPU and only requires 2+ GB of RAM. You will also need a decent internet connection that has no data cap limit on it.
Is Running A Bitcoin Node Profitable?
No. While you can potentially make some money running a Lightning Node, purely running a bitcoin node will not earn you any money. What it will do however is hugely increase both your privacy and security. Nodes keep your data local, allowing users to keep their transactions private during bitcoin use rather than broadcasting it out to other third parties.
What CPU Is Needed For Bitcoin Node?
Bitcoin Core can run on basically anything from a Raspberry Pi to Core i7 CPU. Having a faster CPU in your node isn’t critical, however it will make for a much more stable experience long term. It will also ensure the initial blockchain data is processed in a timely manner too, taking a day or so rather than a week+.
How Much RAM Does A Bitcoin Node Need?
While the official recommendation from Bitcoin.org is 2GB, we would heavily recommend you have at least 8GB. This allows both a smoother, faster experience when using the node or wallets that might retrieve transaction history and also means you can be sure it will last a long time.
How Much Does It Cost To Setup A Bitcoin Node?
Running your own Bitcoin node can be done entirely for free if you have a computer and internet connection. However for the best experience we’d recommend building or buying dedicated hardware so that it’s always online and contactable. This can cost as little as around $300 USD or all the way up to $999 USD for high performance options.
