The easy way to run a Bitcoin node (2024)

This guide is for anyone looking for a low friction, ‘plug-and-play’ Bitcoin & Lightning node setup.

Bad reasons to run a Bitcoin node

  • To make money: There are no financial rewards for running a Bitcoin node. You’re thinking of mining.

Good reasons to run a Bitcoin node

  • To learn more about Bitcoin and nerd out: Setting up a node is a fun. You get to tinker with hardware, and see first hand how the network is made of ordinary people around the work running a little machine.
  • Contribute to Bitcoin’s resilience: The more nodes that are running on the Bitcoin network, the more resilient it is to an attack. By running a node, you are helping to keep the Bitcoin network strong and secure.
  • Privacy: When you use a Bitcoin wallet, it typically connects to a node run by someone else. This means that the node operator can see your IP address and transaction history. By running your own node, you can keep your transaction history private.
  • Lightning: Running a Bitcoin node gives you the ability to run a lightning node too. You can then send and recieve payments on the lightning network.
  • You’ll have something in common with Jack Dorsey , he runs a node

Ready made bitcoin & lightning nodes

The easy way to run a Bitcoin node (1)

I personally use Umbrel – it’s super easy to use.

If you go DIY - you can probaby put a node together for $250 (prices of parts change, but that’s what the estimate is in Oct 23). Here’s what you’ll need:

  • A computer or Raspberry Pi
  • A hard drive or SSD with at least 600 GB of free space
  • An internet connection with upload and download speeds of at least 50 Mbps
  • A Bitcoin node software client

Hardware

If you’re going for a Raspberry Pi setup, here’s what you need:

  • Rasberry Pi board
  • Hard Drive (1TB)
  • Case
  • Heat Sink
  • Ethernet Cable
  • Power Supply
  • SD card 16GB

Here’s a great video on how to set up your hardware.

Software

You don’t need to buy Umbrel’s hardware to use it’s operating system, umbrelOS. It’s free and the easiest to set up a Bitcoin node on a Raspberry Pi.

  • You’ll need to download the OS, flash it on a microSD card and plug that into your Raspberry Pi. It takes about 20 mins. Here’s how to do it.
  • Once set up, simple download the Bitcoin Node app and start the sync – it will take 3-4 days to fully sync to the blockchain. I know it’s annoying,ou will need to be patient.
  • If you can, use an ethernet instead of WiFi. This will provide a more stable and reliable connection for your node.
  • Once your Bitcoin node has synched, you can download the lightning node app from the Umbrel App store and move Sats to your self-hosted lightning node.

The easy way to run a Bitcoin node (2024)

FAQs

The easy way to run a Bitcoin node? ›

To run a node, you can download the Bitcoin Core software and let it copy the entire blockchain from other nodes, and then your node will be ready to verify each block itself. To set up a new node, you need to go through the IBD (Initial block download) that enables node synchronization to the network on the first run.

Is it easy to run a Bitcoin node? ›

Bitcoin Core full nodes have certain requirements. If you try running a node on weak hardware, it may work—but you'll likely spend more time dealing with issues. If you can meet the following requirements, you'll have an easy-to-use node.

How profitable is running a Bitcoin node? ›

While there are no monetary rewards, running a full Bitcoin node comes with its own intangible benefits. For example, it increases the security of transactions conducted by a user. This is especially important if you plan to conduct multiple bitcoin transactions in a day.

What is the best device to run a Bitcoin node? ›

You can operate a Bitcoin node on an SBC (Single Board Computer) such as a Raspberry Pi or RockPro64. These are small devices that use less power and can be left on all the time cheaply. Various software node packages will help make this process easy.

How much does it cost to run a Bitcoin node? ›

Cost and best practices for running Bitcoin nodes in AWS in 2024! Running a full Bitcoin node in AWS will cost about $3.70/day. A pruned Bitcoin node will cost about $0.93/day.

Do you get paid to run a Bitcoin node? ›

While mining nodes can earn rewards in the form of Bitcoins by creating new blocks, full nodes are responsible for verifying and confirming transactions without receiving any financial reward. This separation of tasks contributes to the security and efficiency of the entire network.

How many GB does it take to run Bitcoin node? ›

At least 1TB SSD/NVMe disk space, 2TB is recommended as the Bitcoin blockchain is rapidly growing. Internet Connection: A high-speed, stable internet connection is essential for keeping your node synchronized with the Bitcoin network. 100Mbps with a 5 - 10TB bandwidth is fully enough.

Why run my own Bitcoin node? ›

Trusting someone else to verify your transactions for you similarly outsources the verification of the total supply of bitcoin to the collective group of users who are actually verifying things themselves. By running your own node you can verify yourself with absolute certainty that the supply cap has remained intact.

Do you get paid for running a Bitcoin lightning node? ›

The answer is yes…but it depends. There are two primary ways to earn sats while running a lightning node. The first is through routing fees, and the other is through leasing channels. We will go through both in this article, including some basic fee strategies.

Who controls Bitcoin nodes? ›

There is no single server or network of servers in charge of Bitcoin. The network operates on a peer-to-peer (P2P) basis. With Bitcoin, people engage with each other directly instead of via an outside third-party who can control the network. Bitcoin nodes are the mechanism that make this dynamic possible.

Can you run a Bitcoin node on your phone? ›

The full node software (Core 0.18. 1 and Knots 0.18. 0 and Elements 0.17. 0.1) is meant to be used as a personal node when on the go (either by using a mobile wallet that allows to connect to a remote and specific node or even directly on your mobile device.

How to run your own crypto node? ›

To start, you'll need a computer with specific hardware requirements, download and install Bitcoin Core software, and configure your network settings. Once set up, your node will verify transactions and blocks, ensuring the integrity of the Bitcoin network.

What is the best Bitcoin node in 2024? ›

In 2024, the best cryptocurrency nodes to run are Ethereum (for staking after the merge), Solana (for high throughput), and Polkadot (for interoperability), due to their active development and strong community support.

How much electricity does a Bitcoin node use? ›

The CBECI estimates that global electricity usage associated with Bitcoin mining ranged from 67 TWh to 240 TWh in 2023, with a point estimate of 120 TWh. The International Energy Agency estimated global consumption of electricity during 2023 to have been 27,400 TWh.

What do you need for a Bitcoin node? ›

Memory (RAM): Your computer should have at least 16 gigabytes of memory (RAM) to support the operation of the BTC node. Internet Connection: A broadband internet connection with upload speeds of at least 100 Mbps per second is required to connect to the Bitcoin network.

How long does it take to mine 1 Bitcoin? ›

The length of time it takes to mine 1 Bitcoin can vary. Each committed Bitcoin block releases 3.125 Bitcoin. To answer the central question in mind, it takes an average of 10 minutes to mine not just 1 Bitcoin but 3 — and that rate will fluctuate over time.

Are crypto nodes profitable? ›

Running a cryptocurrency node can be profitable through transaction fees and staking rewards, but profitability depends on network activity, node operation costs, and the specific cryptocurrency's economic model.

Is it easy to run a node? ›

Running an Ethereum node may sound complicated at first, but it's merely the act of continuously running client software on a computer while connected to the internet. While offline, your node will simply be inactive until it gets back online and catches up with the latest changes.

Is it hard to run an ETH node? ›

Running an ETH full node requires significant financial and hardware resources, and bandwidth, which may not be feasible for everyone, as well as knowledge or the highly skilled DevOps Engineers team. Additionally, you should remember the maintenance of your node and hard fork updates.

What is the benefit of running your own Bitcoin node? ›

When you run your own node, you can create and broadcast transactions directly from the node, and thus avoid using services that might compromise private information. A node also removes the need to use a block explorer to verify the status of your transactions.

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