How to run a Bitcoin node at home
A Bitcoin node lets your wallet check the rules itself instead of asking someone else's server.
Install Bitcoin Core, which is free, on a computer that stays on and has at least a 2 TB SSD, or buy a plug-and-play node such as an Umbrel Home or a Start9 Server One. The first sync downloads the whole blockchain, about 780 GB in late 2026, and takes days. Once it finishes, point your wallet at your node so it checks your own transactions and stops reporting your addresses to a third party.
What a node does for you
A Bitcoin node downloads every block since 2009 and checks each one against the consensus rules: no coins out of thin air, no double spends, no blocks over the size limit. It trusts nobody: if a miner or an exchange breaks a rule, your node rejects the block.
Your own node also keeps your addresses private. A wallet with no node of its own asks a public server about your addresses, and that server learns which addresses belong together and roughly where you are. Connect the same wallet to your own node and those questions never leave your house. Sparrow, for example, connects straight to Bitcoin Core or to a private Electrum server running next to it.
Running a node does not earn bitcoin. Miners collect the block reward, and nodes are what keep miners honest.
Bitcoin node hardware requirements in 2026
The official numbers lag behind the real chain. The Bitcoin Core download page still says about 600 GB, and bitcoin.org lists 740 to 750 GB. The electrs documentation shows the actual blocks folder at 802 GB in July 2026, and Bitcoin Core says to expect another 5 to 10 GB a month on top of that.
| Part | What to get | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Storage | 2 TB NVMe SSD | The blocks folder passed 800 GB in 2026. A 1 TB drive leaves almost no room for indexes or other apps. |
| Memory | 8 GB, or 16 GB if the box runs other apps | bitcoin.org recommends at least 2 GB. Bitcoin Core's default database cache is 1,024 MiB (450 MiB on machines with under 4 GB of RAM), and a smaller cache means a slower first sync. |
| Internet | An uncapped connection | The first sync is a one-time download of roughly 740 GB or more. bitcoin.org's recommended setup budgets 150 GB a month of upload, and busy nodes can upload 200 GB or more. |
| Operating system | Windows 10 (1903) or later, macOS 14 or later, or Linux | These are the minimums Bitcoin Core is tested on as of November 2026. |
If you only have a laptop with a small drive, turn on pruning. A pruned node checks every block the same way, then deletes old ones, and Bitcoin Core says it can run in about 10 GB without giving up any security. electrs and Mempool do not work on a pruned node, because both need the full, unpruned chain.
Three ways to run a node
| Option | Cost | Best for |
|---|---|---|
| Bitcoin Core on a computer you own | Free | Learning, or a desktop that is on all day anyway |
| umbrelOS or StartOS on your own mini PC | Free software plus hardware | People who want a node and other home apps on one box |
| Plug-and-play node | Umbrel Home from $599, Start9 Server One from $899 | Anyone who wants it to work out of the box |
Umbrel sells the Umbrel Home at $599 with 1 TB, $699 with 2 TB, and $949 with 4 TB. Start9's hardware docs list the Server One 6600H as the only server it sells today, and the Server Pure is gone. It costs $899 to $1,399 depending on storage and memory. My node rankings compare every option, and Start9 vs Umbrel covers the two node operating systems head to head.
If you plan to self-host anything else, one box running a node OS is the easiest path, and my home server guide covers sizing it.
Installing Bitcoin Core on a Mac or PC
- 1Download Bitcoin Core from bitcoincore.org. For the current download and verification instructions, follow that page.
- 2Check the checksum and the developers' signatures on the download before you open it. That proves the file is the one the Bitcoin Core builders published.
- 3Install it the usual way for your system.
- 4On first launch, choose where the data goes. Point it at your SSD, not a nearly full internal drive. If space is short, choose to limit block storage, which turns on pruning.
- 5Let it sync. bitcoin.org says to expect at least several days. You can quit and reopen it, and it picks up where it stopped.
- 6Keep the computer awake. A node that sleeps falls behind and has to catch up each time you open it.
Running a Bitcoin node on a Raspberry Pi
A Pi can run a full node, with limits on which OS and storage you use. umbrelOS supports the Raspberry Pi 5 and Pi 4, and Umbrel recommends the Pi 5. It runs from a microSD card and uses a USB drive for extra storage. The blockchain will not fit on a card, so plan on a USB SSD. StartOS supports only the Raspberry Pi 4, flashed to a microSD card. RaspiBlitz, an open-source node project built for the Pi, runs on both the Pi 4 and Pi 5.
Price the whole kit before you commit. Raspberry Pi has made selective price increases over the past two years because of rising memory costs, and on November 2 it moved the 16 GB Pi 5 to $385. Add an SSD, a case, and an official power supply, and a used mini PC with more RAM can cost about the same. I would only pick a Pi if you already own one.
Connect your wallet and decide about port 8333
A node that no wallet uses only helps the network, so connect your wallet to it. In Sparrow, open the server settings and point it at your node, or at an Electrum server such as electrs if you want faster lookups or Tor access. My Sparrow setup guide walks through it with a hardware wallet.
You do not have to open any ports to use your own node. Bitcoin Core makes outbound connections on its own, and bitcoin.org says that is enough if the node only serves your wallet. If you want to serve other nodes too, forward port 8333 on your router to the node.
To reach your node away from home, use a private network rather than exposing it to the internet. Tailscale builds on WireGuard and needs no port forwarding. Tor works too.
Frequently asked questions
How much does it cost to run a Bitcoin node?
The software is free. Hardware runs from nothing (a computer you already own) to $599 and up for a ready-made box. For electricity, every 10 watts running all year uses 87.6 kWh, about $16 at the August 2026 US residential average of 18.16 cents per kWh.
How long does it take to sync a Bitcoin node?
bitcoin.org says at least several days, and longer on a slow connection or computer. More RAM and a fast SSD shorten it.
Can I run a Bitcoin node on a Raspberry Pi?
Yes. umbrelOS runs on a Pi 5 or Pi 4, StartOS on a Pi 4, and RaspiBlitz on either. Plan on an SSD for the blockchain, which is more than 800 GB.
Is a pruned node still a full node?
Yes. It downloads and checks every block, then deletes old block data to save space. Bitcoin Core says a pruned node can run in about 10 GB with no loss of security. It cannot serve old blocks to others or run electrs.
Do I earn bitcoin by running a node?
No. A node checks blocks; only miners collect the block reward. If you want to try mining at home, read my Bitaxe guide first, which shows the real odds.