9 Best Bitcoin Mining Software
$0
Windows, Mac, Linux
High
2% fee
Windows, Mac, Linux
Low
1.5% - 6.5% fee
Windos, Mac, Linux
Low
$0
Windows (Mac and Linux requires additional software)
Medium
0.00005 BTC (or 3%) fee
Windows
Low
The best bitcoin mining software makes it easy to earn a passive income through crypto by lending your hardware’s processing power to the Bitcoin network. Choosing the appropriate software for your machine is just as important as finding high-quality components for it.
There are dozens of Bitcoin mining software to choose from, each with different features and intended for specific use cases. To assist in your decision-making process, we have identified the top mining software options and provided a breakdown of their features, how they work and who could benefit from them. Keep reading to learn more about the best bitcoin mining software of 2023.
Disclaimer: Bitcoin mining is an energy-intensive process that is now considered a burden on the environment, and there are discussions on a global level on how to further regulate the industry. See more below.
Our Top Picks for the Best Bitcoin Mining Software of 2023
- CGMiner - Best for Experienced Miners
- NiceHash Miner - Best for Beginners
- BFGMiner - Best for Customization
- Cudo Miner - Best for Different Cryptos
- MultiMiner - Best Open-source Software
- Kryptex Miner - Best for Automation
- Ecos Cloud Mining - Best Cloud-based Platform
- Awesome Miner - Best for Centralized Management
- EasyMiner - Best for Fast Setup
Best Bitcoin Mining Software Reviews
- Open-source
- Supports multiple operating systems
- Compatible with multiple types of hardware
- Mine multiple cryptocurrencies at once
- Command-line interface only
- Not for beginners
- Some compatibility issues with Windows 10
- Platform
- Windows, Mac, Linux
- Fees
- None
- Complexity
- High
Why we chose it: CGMiner is one of the original Bitcoin mining software on the market, offering an open-source mining program that is cross-compatible with multiple operating systems and mining hardware configurations. Open-source software allows you to modify the software as you wish and there are no licensing restrictions with how it is used. Founded in 2011, CGMiner has been kept up-to-date since, and is a great option for single miners or mining pools.
CGMiner offers several options for customization, allowing users to control fan speeds, overclock their processors and set up remote control of their unit. CGMiner can also scale with your hardware setup and needs, supporting Field-Programmable Gate Array (FPGA), Graphics Processing Unit (GPU), and Control Processing Unit (CPU) mining, as well as Application-Specific Integrated Circuit (ASIC) hardware.
CGMiner utilizes a command-line interface that only allows for text-based commands (similar to using Command Prompt in Windows), which may be too complicated for beginners to set up. The software is compatible with Mac, Windows and Linux computers, though Windows Defender on Windows 10 may cause issues with getting the software working.CGMiner supports several cryptocurrencies as well, including Bitcoin, Litecoin and Dogecoin. The software is available for free on GitHub.
- Simple user interface
- Setup takes only a few minutes
- Mobile app available
- QuickMiner only works with NVIDIA cards
- Can only mine Bitcoin
- 2% fee assessed on payments
- Platform
- Windows, Mac, Linux
- Fees
- 2% fee for payments
- Complexity
- Low
Why we chose it: NiceHash is an easy-to-use Bitcoin mining software with a simple interface that allows users to choose their hardware type and download the appropriate software. Once set up (which only takes a few clicks), NiceHash will optimize the mining operations for your software and hardware setup, without the need to tweak settings.
NiceHash offers two software versions: the NiceHash QuickMiner software, which is suitable for beginners, and the NiceHash Miner software, which is open to more hardware types. Both software versions automatically detect the hardware you are using and will configure your mining to the optimal settings; simply hit “start mining” to begin. There is also a mobile app with a well-designed interface that's perfect for beginners who want to get started right away.
NiceHash Miner supports Bitcoin mining only, but it does offer a crypto wallet that supports multiple cryptocurrencies. Just be aware that it charges a 2% payment fee when depositing Bitcoin into your wallet.
- Supports 9 cryptos from five algorithms
- Auto-detects the most profitable coin to mine
- Supports GPU, CPU and ASIC miners
- High fees for miners (up to 6.5%)
- No built-in crypto wallet
- Platform
- Windows, Mac, Linux
- Fees
- 1.5% - 6.5%
- Complexity
- Low
Why we chose it: Cudo Miner is a well-designed and versatile cryptocurrency mining software that supports nine crypto on five different algorithms. Cudo also uses artificial intelligence to automatically detect the best performing coin and switch over to that coin for you, enhancing your mining profitability.
Besides having nine coins for mining, Cudo also offers four different cryptocurrency payout options: bitcoin, CUDOS, Ethereum, Monero and Alogrand. It supports GPU, CPU and ASIC mining as well as Windows, Mac and Linux devices.
Cudo Miner is free to download and set up, but it charges a fee based on the amount of cryptocurrency mined over a 30-day period. While top miners that produce over 10 BTC are only charged a 1.5% mining service fee, users that mine less than 0.005 BTC over a 30-day period are charged 6.5%, which is high.
- Utilizes BFGMiner mining engine
- Graphical interface for ease-of-use
- Open-source code available on GitHub
- Not natively compatible with Mac or Linux
- Doesn't have many advanced settings
- Platform
- Windows (Mac and Linux requires additional software)
- Fees
- None
- Complexity
- Medium
Why we chose it: MultiMiner is an open-source Bitcoin mining software available on GitHub with no licensing requirements. This means that users can modify the software as needed to fit their own mining needs. MultiMiner was developed by the founder of BFGMiner, and actually utilizes the same mining engine as BFGMiner.
MultiMiner is popular with beginners, as it utilizes a graphical user interface that makes it easy to choose your settings and set up mining rigs. It has built-in hardware detection and gives you the supported parameters based on your hardware setup.
MultiMiner also allows you to mine multiple cryptocurrencies and supports ASIC, GPU and CPU mining hardware. And while the software supports Windows, Mac and Linux operating systems, you need additional software to achieve full compatibility with Mac and Linux.
MultiMiner is beginner-friendly, but also allows customization and access to an API. Overall, it's a great open-source Bitcoin mining software that's available for free.
- Can run in your computer's background
- Supports mining several cryptocurrencies
- Automated coin switching for maximum profit
- Multiple payout methods (BTC or cash)
- Charges high withdrawal fees
- Doesn't work well on basic hardware
- Platform
- Windows
- Fees
- 0.00005 BTC (or 3%)
- Complexity
- Low
Why we chose it: Kryptex Miner is a cryptocurrency mining software that uses your computer power to mine Bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies in the background. The software is only available for Windows, and registered users can download it for free.
Kryptex Miner will switch between several cryptocurrencies to mine the most profitable coin available, and payouts are made in BTC or your local currency (such as the U.S. Dollars).
Since the software can mine while you’re using the computer for other purposes (using “lite mode”) Kryptex is a great way to automate your Bitcoin mining. Nevertheless, it charges a withdrawal fee of 0.00005 BTC on all Bitcoin withdrawals, which may be a large fee if withdrawing small amounts of BTC. Cashing out in fiat money comes with high fees as well (usually about 3%).
Kryptex Miner does not support Mac or Linux operating systems, and while you can install it on any Windows machine, don’t expect to earn much unless you have a powerful computer. Still, Kryptex Miner is a great way to automate crypto mining using hardware you may already have.
- No hardware requirements
- Rent processing and electricity from Ecos
- Completely cloud-based
- Profit depends on future price of BTC
- Profit calculator may be misleading
- Platform
- Cloud-based
- Fees
- Starting at $49
- Complexity
- Low
Why we chose it: Ecos is a cryptocurrency cloud mining platform that allows you to purchase cloud mining contracts and rent power and equipment to mine Bitcoin. There are no hardware or utility requirements, as Ecos manages both, and the built-in profitability calculator can help estimate your earnings.
Ecos has you pick a Bitcoin (future) price prediction and contract duration, as well as the amount you want to spend on processing power. This will help you see an estimated profit percentage using the platform. You can then purchase your contract by paying an up-front fee to begin mining.
Ecos offers daily payouts into your Bitcoin wallet, and even has a mobile app to check in on your progress. But be aware that the calculator is not 100% accurate, and you may be able to achieve more Bitcoin profit by mining on your own.
If you want a hands-off approach to Bitcoin mining, Ecos is one of the best options on the market.
- Manage multiple miners in one place
- Supports 50 mining engines
- Supports multiple types of hardware
- Remote access available via browser
- Monthly subscription required for all features
- Mac OS not supported
- Platform
- Windows, Linux
- Fees
- $2/month per miner
- Complexity
- Medium
Why we chose it: Awesome Miner is a powerful Bitcoin mining software that offers centralized management of your cryptocurrency mining farm or mining pool. It integrates with over 50 mining engines and works with all of the most popular algorithms.
Awesome Miner is designed for large-scale crypto miners. It supports several cryptocurrencies and has a well-designed user interface that allows you to see all of your mining hardware activity in one place.
Besides granting you remote access from almost any device, it also allows you to:
- Automatically switch between mining algorithms
- Enable the mining pools of your choice
- Automatically mine the most profitable coins
- Integrate the system with your own custom mining software
Awesome Miner supports multiple hardware configurations (FPGA, ASIC, GPU, CPU), and is supported on both Windows and Linux devices. Mac OS is not supported, though you can access the Awesome Miner dashboard from any web browser (including Safari).
Awesome Miner has a free version available, but it has limited features. Subscriptions start at $2 per miner per month, with discounts available to annual subscribers.
- Mine Bitcoin, Litecoin and other crypto
- Automatically starts mining upon activation
- Easy-to-use interface
- Only supports CPU and GPU mining
- Forces Litecoin mining
- Website is very dated
- Platform
- Windows
- Fees
- None
- Complexity
- Low
Why we chose it: Easy Miner is not a misnomer. As an open-source software that's free to download, it allows users to quickly start mining Bitcoin and Litecoin with just a few clicks. Easy Miner is also designed to detect your mining hardware and optimize the settings for profitability.
Easy Miner offers a graphical user interface that is great for both beginners and advanced users who want to quickly configure their mining setup. The software is designed to mine both Bitcoin and Litecoin simultaneously. Upon activation, Easy Miner will automatically create a Litecoin wallet, begin mining using your CPU and give you Litecoin reward.
The Easy Miner interface lets you quickly switch between mining pools, update your network settings and check the details of your crypto wallets. But Easy Miner does not support FPGA or ASIC mining, relying instead on slower mining hardware (CPU and GPU) only.
If you’re a beginner, or simply want to ramp up your mining operation very quickly, Easy Miner is a good option.
Other companies we considered
MobileMiner
- Allows you to mine Bitcoin from your iPhone
- Only for ARM64 iOS Devices
- Advanced setup process
Why it didn’t make the cut: MobileMiner is an CPU miner for ARM64 iOS Devices. It will use your iPhone’s spare processing power to mine Bitcoin. While the concept is interesting, it’s specifically ARM64 devices. Plus, you can’t get it on the App Store, and the set up process can be advanced for average users.
Stormgain
- Free Bitcoin cloud mining
- Use funds to save on trading fees
- Must create a StormGain account
- Doesn't allow you to withdraw funds
Why it didn’t make the cut: StormGain is a cryptocurrency exchange that offers Bitcoin cloud mining for free, once you create a StormGain account. The Bitcoin is stored in a StormGain wallet but the funds can only be used to save on trading fees, you can’t withdraw them.
Bitcoin Mining Software Guide
It’s easy to see the appeal of crypto mining: spin up a rig, connect to a mining pool and earn Bitcoin while you sleep. But to do this, you’ll need the right software to complement your hardware setup.
Bitcoin mining software are specialized tools that use your machine’s processing power to generate new coins and introduce components to the Bitcoin blockchain.
How does Bitcoin mining software work?
Bitcoin mining software makes use of your hardware’s processing power to solve complex mathematical computations in search of a hash, an alphanumeric code that represents data — mostly transactions — on the Bitcoin blockchain or network. The hash contains the information for the next block in the network as well as the previous block, which ensures the data is accurate and in order. The computer that solves for the hash is allowed to mine the next block on the Bitcoin blockchain and collect a block reward (6.25 BTC per block as of May 9, 2023).
Bitcoin mining software takes as many guesses at the hash as possible in the shortest amount of time, increasing the device's odds of earning a block reward and giving miners a competitive advantage. However, the advanced computing power required for Bitcoin mining software uses a substantial amount of electricity, which can have a considerable environmental impact.
Bitcoin mining software pros and cons
Despite its straightforward appearance, crypto mining is a complex activity with some considerable caveats that neither crypto trading nor staking share. We recommend anyone who is seriously considering bitcoin mining as a source of income to review its benefits and drawbacks before they start investing.
| Pros of Bitcoin Mining | Cons of Bitcoin Mining |
| Contributes to Bitcoin’s growth and stability. Becoming a miner, be it alone or as part of a group, helps ensure the longevity of the Bitcoin blockchain. For Bitcoin enthusiasts, this promotes the financial inclusion, innovation and democratization the coin espouses. | Consumes a large amount of energy. Crypto mining in general requires a large amount of electricity to power the machines that solve hashes for miners. Bitcoin mining, however, is especially wasteful due to how competitive mining is for this digital asset. |
| Hands-off investment. Once you have the necessary hardware and software, you only need to worry about upkeep and minor upgrades to your machine. Compare this to crypto trading, which is a more involved process that demands constant attention in order to see any profits. | Expensive up front. Solo miners require high-end hardware to even have a chance at competing with others. Even those in mining pools or farms will have to invest plenty in their mining rig to get anything out of these arrangements. |
| No interference from third parties. Bitcoin mining offers financial freedoms that other ventures do not. For example, miners can freeze their resources at any time and are not as exposed to data fraud issues from banks or centralized crypto exchanges. | Can’t afford going offline. In order to have an efficient bitcoin mining operation, miners have to be online all the time. Going offline does not completely stop the mining process, but having a strong, uniform and continuous internet connection is crucial nonetheless. |
What are the average fees of Bitcoin mining software?
Most Bitcoin mining software is free to download, and many of the most popular software on the market don’t charge any mining fees.
That being said, there are a few mining software companies that charge a monthly fee for using their software (usually just a few dollars per mining rig). Some software charges service fees (typically 1% to 6.5%) that are deducted from your total mining profits.
| Best for… | Available Platforms | Fees | |
| CGMiner | Experienced Miners | Windows, Mac, Linux | None |
| NiceHash Miner | Beginners | Windows, Mac, Linux | 2% fee for payments |
| Cudo Miner | Different Cryptos | Windows, Mac, Linux | 1.5% - 6.5% |
| MultiMiner | Open-Source Software | Windows (Mac and Linux requires additional software) | None |
| Kryptex Miner | Automation | Windows | 0.00005 BTC (or 3%) |
| Ecos Cloud Mining | Cloud-Based | Cloud-based | Service contracts starting at $150 |
| Awesome Miner | Centralized Management | Windows, Linux | $2/month per miner |
| EasyMiner | Fast Setup | Windows | None |
How to choose a Bitcoin mining software
When looking for a quality Bitcoin mining software for your mining rig, you’ll want to review the following details:
Price
Most Bitcoin mining software is free to download. However, some software charge fees on a regular basis or offer additional features behind a paywall. Others still may require both an up-front cost and ongoing expenses, like cloud-based mining services.
Make sure to understand all of the costs associated with a Bitcoin mining software before purchasing or downloading it. Find out if it requires a one-time payment or charges monthly service fees, and consider how much that could eat into your crypto mining profits. Also, check whether the software puts all your bitcoin into its own wallet and charges withdrawal fees.
Supported hardware
Some mining software only support certain graphics cards, while others are designed for newer hardware, such as ASICs (Application-Specific Integrated Circuit) units. Make sure your hardware is supported before you settle on a Bitcoin mining software.
Supported operating system(s)
While most Bitcoin mining software supports Windows, Mac and Linux operating systems, some don't. Make sure your operating system is supported before attempting to download the mining software.
User Interface
Not all mining software is designed with beginners in mind. If you’re uncomfortable with a command-line interface, make sure the Bitcoin mining software has a graphical user interface or a web-based interface. These types of interface make navigating the software much easier.
How long does it take to mine a bitcoin?
How long it takes to mine a bitcoin will vary widely depending on your hardware and chosen bitcoin mining software. Estimates from various sources say that solo miners can mine one bitcoin in about ten minutes, but this is only with an ideal (i.e. expensive) setup. Realistically speaking, most miners will be able to mine a bitcoin in around 30 days.
Moreover, while it's possible to determine how much time it would take to mine a single bitcoin, it’s technically impossible to do as much — at least as a solo miner. This is because bitcoin mining is a binary game: You either win the network’s current block reward for solving a hash or lose against other miners in the race. That is to say, you either earn 6.25 BTC or you don’t.
This “rule” doesn’t apply for mining pools or farms since miners in those groups share the block rewards between themselves. With this type of arrangement, it’s possible to accumulate fractions of a bitcoin, which may eventually add up to a single bitcoin.
How We Chose the Best Bitcoin Mining Software
We researched over 15 Bitcoin mining software options and evaluated them based on price, security, functionality and ease-of-use. Since there are several ways to mine Bitcoin, we tried to include a variety of mining software choices, including support for multiple platforms and types of hardware.
The Bitcoin mining software included in our list scored high in the following categories:
Security
When downloading open-source software from the internet, security is of utmost importance. The mining software we've chosen typically uses SSL and encryption to ensure your computer is safe.
Features
Whether they offer one-click mining or complete customization, our top picks have some of the best and most sought-after features for various mining needs.
Cost
Most of the mining software we've included on this list are free or only charge reasonable fees. This can help you keep more of your crypto mining profits. One exception is cloud-based mining, which has an up-front cost and ongoing expenses for renting the equipment to mine.
Summary of the Best Bitcoin Mining Software of 2023
- CGMiner - Best for Experienced Miners
- NiceHash Miner - Best for Beginners
- Cudo Miner - Best for Different Cryptos
- MultiMiner - Best Open-source Software
- Kryptex Miner - Best for Automation
- Ecos Cloud Mining - Best Cloud-based Platform
- Awesome Miner - Best for Centralized Management
- EasyMiner - Best for Fast Setup