Bitcoin mining software is a special type of software that allows computers, rigs, and ASICs to actively participate in the complex process of mining. Without the software, mining is impossible. That is why the best bitcoin mining software is secure, almost free, and works on major operating systems.
Most of the best software for mining cryptocurrency will not only allow you to take part in mining but also help you get the best out of your mining hardware. After months of researching, analyzing, and asking around, we created our list of the best crypto mining software for 2025.
Our expert team also did the necessary assessments and evaluations to identify the best features of each program and categorized them according to their strengths.
Hive OS is a Linux-based operating system tailored for cryptocurrency mining, offering centralized control for thousands of rigs. As one of the best Bitcoin mining software solutions available, it provides advanced monitoring, overclocking, and profitability tools ideal for large-scale operations. Hive OS stands out as one of the best Bitcoin mining software programs for managing both GPUs and ASICs.
Hash Rate | Dependent on hardware (e.g., 95 TH/s for Antminer S19) |
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Supported Coins | BTC, ETH, LTC, RVN, etc. |
Operating Systems | Linux |
Supported Hardware | GPUs (NVIDIA & AMD), ASICs |
Pool Integration | Yes |
Algorithms | SHA–256, Ethash, KawPoW |
Price | Free for up to 2 workers; paid plans available |
CryptoTab Browser integrates web browsing with built-in mining capabilities, making it one of the best Bitcoin mining software for beginners. Its seamless design allows users to earn BTC while browsing, confirming CryptoTab Browser as one of the best Bitcoin mining software choices for casual miners.
Hash Rate | Variable (e.g., 5-10 H/s on basic systems) |
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Supported Coins | BTC (via Monero mining conversion) |
Operating Systems | Windows, macOS, Android |
Supported Hardware | CPUs |
Pool Integration | Yes |
Algorithms | CryptoNight |
Price | Free; Cloud Boost plans available |
People prefer Cudo Miner because it offers automated algorithm switching and multi-platform support, making it one of the best Bitcoin mining software for maximizing profitability. With its intuitive interface and robust automation features, Cudo Miner is regarded as one of the best Bitcoin mining software solutions for beginners and experienced miners.
Hash Rate | Up to 55 MH/s (NVIDIA GTX 1080 Ti) |
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Supported Coins | BTC, ETH, XMR, RVN |
Operating Systems | Windows, Linux |
Supported Hardware | GPUs (NVIDIA & AMD), CPUs |
Pool Integration | Yes |
Algorithms | SHA–256, Ethash, CryptoNight |
Price | Free; percentage-based fees on earnings |
CGMiner is an open-source command-line tool recognized as one of the best Bitcoin mining software programs for advanced users, offering extensive customization and flexibility. Its robust hardware support makes CGMiner one of the best Bitcoin mining software options for those comfortable with a technical setup.
Hash Rate | Dependent on hardware (e.g., ASICs >100 TH/s) |
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Supported Coins | BTC, LTC |
Operating Systems | Windows, Linux |
Supported Hardware | ASICs, FPGAs |
Pool Integration | Yes |
Algorithms | SHA–256 |
Price | Free |
Kryptex combines ease of use with dynamic profitability tracking, making it one of the best Bitcoin mining software choices for versatile mining strategies. Its real-time analytics and intuitive design place Kryptex among the best Bitcoin mining software for users seeking flexibility.
Hash Rate | Variable (e.g., 400 MH/s on NVIDIA RTX 3060) |
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Supported Coins | BTC, ETHW, ETC |
Operating Systems | Windows |
Supported Hardware | GPUs (NVIDIA & AMD), CPUs |
Pool Integration | Yes |
Algorithms | Ethash, KawPoW |
Price | Free; withdrawal fees apply |
Simple Mining OS is a plug-and-play Linux-based platform designed specifically for GPU mining, which makes it one of the best Bitcoin mining software solutions available. With its streamlined interface and comprehensive rig monitoring, Simple Mining OS earns its reputation as one of the best Bitcoin mining software options for small- and large-scale miners.
Hash Rate | Variable based on GPU setup |
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Supported Coins | BTC, ETH |
Operating Systems | Linux |
Supported Hardware | GPUs (NVIDIA & AMD) |
Pool Integration | Yes |
Algorithms | Ethash |
Price | Paid subscription |
Salad allows users to monetize idle GPU power, positioning it as one of the best Bitcoin mining software options for gamers. Its unique rewards system makes Salad one of the best Bitcoin mining software programs for those looking to leverage their gaming rigs for passive earnings.
Hash Rate | Variable based on GPU performance |
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Supported Coins | BTC |
Operating Systems | Windows |
Supported Hardware | GPUs (NVIDIA & AMD) |
Pool Integration | No |
Algorithms | Proprietary |
Price | Free |
Unmineable enables the mining of cryptocurrencies that are not traditionally mineable, converting them to Bitcoin. This innovative approach makes it one of the best bitcoin mining software for non-mineable coins, and it is widely regarded as one of the best bitcoin mining software solutions for niche mining strategies.
Hash Rate | Dependent on hardware |
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Supported Coins | BTC (via conversion), DOGE |
Operating Systems | Windows |
Supported Hardware | GPUs (NVIDIA & AMD), CPUs |
Pool Integration | Yes |
Algorithms | Ethash |
Price | Free; pool fees apply |
In our quest for the best Bitcoin mining software, we examined and evaluated dozens of mining programs and apps based on their functionality, features, ease of use, and other important considerations that may impact your mining experience.
That said, the factors that weighed the most heavily on our ratings were the following three key aspects:
While ultimately, the final choice will fall to your personal preference, we can confidently recommend any of these options as a great pick for your mining needs.
To make it easier for you to compare the best crypto mining software options and their features, we created this comparison table where all the important information is presented side by side for quick reference:
Miner | Operating System | Compatible Hardware | Price | Download |
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Simple Mining OS | Linux | NVIDIA & AMD GPUs | $2/month per rig (free trial available) | Download |
Cudo Miner | Windows, Linux | GPUs, CPUs, ASICs | Free to download; 1.5%-6.5% fee on earnings | Download |
Hive OS | Linux | NVIDIA & AMD GPUs, ASICs | Free for up to 2 workers; $3/month per additional worker | Download |
Kryptex | Windows | NVIDIA & AMD GPUs, CPUs | Free to use; withdrawal fees apply | Download |
Salad | Windows | NVIDIA & AMD GPUs (minimum 2GB VRAM) | Free to use | Download |
CryptoTab Form | Windows, macOS, Android, iOS | CPUs (browser-based mining) | Free; optional Cloud Boost starts at $22/3 months | Download |
Unmineable | Windows, Linux (via mining clients) | NVIDIA & AMD GPUs, CPUs | Free; 1% pool fee on earnings | Download |
CGMiner | Windows, Linux, macOS | ASICs, FPGAs, some GPUs (older versions) | Free (open-source) | Download |
When choosing the right software for your mining operation, it is important you research thoroughly and consider every aspect that can have an effect on your profitability and overall user experience.
That said, the best software for mining cryptocurrency excels in the following key areas:
As with any software that you intend to install on your PC and share your sensitive information with, security should be a major concern when choosing crypto mining software. There are numerous fraudulent websites that pose as legitimate mining platforms and try to inject your PC with malware and steal your money, your data, or both.
You should do your best to avoid these illicit services, always check up on company backgrounds, and read user reviews to learn more about the reliability of the software.
Moreover, to protect yourself from cyber attacks and hackers, look for well-protected programs and provide advanced security measures like two-factor authentication. Most importantly, use these security measures and never share your passwords with anyone.
You may not be aware of this, but crypto mining software programs are typically optimized to deliver the best results when used to mine a specific cryptocurrency. While you technically can try to use the best Bitcoin mining software to mine ETC, your mining performance will be bad, and you will not mine nearly enough to cover your electricity costs, let alone to make a profit.
For this reason, we advise you to decide which coin you want to mine before you even start looking for the software, and take this decision into account when choosing the software.
To clarify our previous point, crypto mining software is optimized to work with a specific algorithm, not with a specific coin per se.
A crypto algorithm is a set of rules and instructions under which a cryptocurrency, or multiple cryptocurrencies, operate. For example, Bitcoin (BTC) uses the SHA-256 algorithm, but so do other coins from the Bitcoin family, like Bitcoin Cash (BCH) and Bitcoin SV (BSV).
If you plan on mining multiple coins, you can look up their algorithms online and see if some of them share the same one. This can help you develop an efficient strategy that will allow you to mine multiple coins using the same program.
Alternatively, you can research multi-algorithm mining software that is optimized for the mining of multiple coins using different algorithms. However, keep in mind that these programs are typically paid, and can be more complex to set up and use.
Another important consideration you should consider when looking for the right crypto mining software for your needs is compatibility. Namely, some crypto mining programs may be designed to work with one specific operating system.
In other cases, some programs may be compatible with all major Operating Systems but optimized to deliver the best results with a single one.
We suggest you address all compatibility concerns at the very beginning of your research to avoid finding a program that seems ideal only to find out that you can’t use it on your operating system.
When it comes to the fees involved in your choice of crypto mining software, first, you want to decide whether or not you are willing to pay for a program, or you want to mine using a free one. If you are planning on getting free software, fees are not a factor, and you can move on.
But if you are considering the premium solutions, you can’t compare the fees head to head, as that may mislead you.
You should instead evaluate the overall value offered by each program. Some software may be pricier, but it helps you yield higher returns that will not only cover the higher fees but also allow you to make larger profits.
Do your best to estimate whether or not more expensive software will be worthwhile and compare the profitability opportunities different programs provide.
Another important consideration you may not be aware of is that some crypto mining software programs have no visual interface and can only be interacted with by typing in codes. These are called command-line programs and are better suited for experienced miners who are more comfortable using code.
If you are a beginner, we strongly recommend you look for GUI programs that have visual interfaces that make it easier for you to navigate the program, click on the buttons, enter values in dedicated fields, etc.
Last but not least, the best crypto mining software should be capable of giving you various customization options that will allow you to set up and configure it the way you see fit.
And we are not talking about themes, layouts, and other visual preferences, but actual options that can make a real difference in optimizing performance. This includes adjusting hashrates, clock speeds, temperature controls, power usage, fan speeds, etc.
Experienced miners can enhance profitability simply by adjusting and fine-tuning their hardware settings to achieve their best efficiency. We encourage you to research and learn, as well as experiment with different settings to find the best configuration and optimize your profitability.
Crypto mining is an essential process in any blockchain that operates under the PoW principle, as it accomplishes a couple of essential functions: it enforces the security and integrity of the network and facilitates the minting of new cryptocurrency coins.
If you are still unsure of what crypto mining is and how it works, here is a detailed breakdown of all the steps involved in this process:
When a crypto user tries to make a transaction, like a payment, a purchase, or a transfer, on a crypto network, a few things need to happen for that transaction to be confirmed and added to the blockchain.
The transaction is first broadcast to every node in the network, where the availability of sufficient funds, digital signature, and other details necessary to verify its validity are checked. Once the transaction is validated, it is placed in a mempool with all the other validated transactions awaiting confirmation.
To confirm the validated but unconfirmed transactions, miners use the computing power of their devices or rigs to solve complex cryptographic puzzles and find the unique mathematical code called the hash, which gives them the right to add the block of transactions to the blockchain.
When a miner successfully solves the puzzle and gets the hash, they collect a batch of the unconfirmed transactions and bundle them together into a data structure commonly known as the block. Before adding the block of transactions to the blockchain, they once again broadcast it to the entire network for one final verification.
Once the block gets the final necessary verification, the miner adds the block of unconfirmed transactions to the blockchain and, thereby, confirms them. In essence, the entire blockchain is made up of confirmed transaction blocks chained together. This is why it is called a blockchain.
Every time a new block is added to the chain, a specific amount of cryptocurrency is minted and awarded to the miner who solved the block as a reward for their mining efforts. In PoW networks, this is the only way new cryptocurrency is produced.
As more users make more crypto transactions, the mempools of unconfirmed transactions fill up again, and miners are continuously needed for their confirmation. For example, in Bitcoin’s network, this entire cycle happens every 10 minutes, on average.
By involving everyone in the validation and confirmation of transactions, mining ensures the integrity and security of the blockchain network. Additionally, it ensures that new coins are minted in a controlled and purposeful manner, which prevents an oversupply.
Calculating your mining profits is a complex and ongoing process that requires regular adjustments and monitoring to maintain accurate estimates. Because of mining’s variable nature, the only reliable mining profitability formula you can use is:
Mining Profits = Mining Income - Mining Expenses
In other words, the difference between the money you make by mining and the money you spend on mining is your mining profits. Since this formula doesn’t tell us anything we didn’t already know, let’s try to break down the earnings and costs in detail and identify the key variables that can make the most significant difference.
Mining costs are all of the expenses you spend money on to start, run, and maintain your mining operation. These involve:
It is hard to predict what expenses you will incur during your mining operation, let alone calculate their costs.
But if you add up all the costs from the initial investment, calculate your electricity and internet costs based on your local rates, add the mining pool fee, and dedicate a specific budget for unexpected expenses, you can reach a reasonable estimate of your overall mining costs.
Just like the costs, your mining income is also very hard to calculate accurately. The only difference is that because of cryptocurrency’s volatile nature, these are, in fact, impossible to predict accurately ahead of time.
Here are the main factors that affect how much money you can make by mining:
This goes on to say that you can’t estimate your profits ahead of time, and you should always adapt day to day. Constantly monitor your performance and the wider crypto market, and make the necessary adjustments on time to maximize your efficiency and profitability.
It is a popular opinion that a combination of the best crypto mining GPUs, software, with dependable electricity equates to better profit margins when mining crypto. While crypto mining software is not as impactful as the hardware, it still has an important role in mining. Of course, using one of the best mining rigs can make a much more substantial difference, but optimizing can help you get the best hardware performance, so you should choose the software wisely.
Always keep compatibility in mind, and look for reliable and trustworthy software that will not expose you to unnecessary threats. Additionally, look at the customization options and supported algorithms to find a program that will let you mine exactly the way you want.
While you can’t estimate with certainty just how much money you can make by mining, you should still do your best to maximize your profitability. This includes joining one of the best mining pools and regularly adjusting your strategy based on performance and market conditions.
But if you are looking to mine crypto on the go with just your phone, then some of the best crypto mining apps on iOS and Android will do the trick.
Most crypto mining software programs are free to download and use, but many have premium versions that can be purchased with an upfront payment or a monthly fee charged as a percentage of your mining earnings.
These paid programs typically offer convenient, quality-of-life features, like custom firmware, remote monitoring, and enhanced customization options, that may not have as significant an impact on your profitability as on your overall ease of use.
Long story short, there are some paid mining software apps, but you don’t have to invest in them, as mining with free software is completely viable.
Like any other app or computer program, crypto mining software is usually built to support all three major operating systems: Windows, Linux, and Mac OS. The developers of mining software want to reach as many users are possible, so naturally, they release different versions of their apps to ensure compatibility.
That said, some software may only be available on a specific OS or be optimized to deliver the best results when used with that OS. For this reason, you should always keep compatibility and support concerns in mind when choosing the best crypto mining software for your rig.
It depends on the software. If you take the necessary precautions when choosing, downloading, installing, and using it, mining software can be safe.
You want to make sure you research the developer’s background and reputation among its users to gauge its trustworthiness. Additionally, you want to download the software only from its official homepage and don’t use alternative sites where it may be injected with malware.
What’s more, you want to ensure your antivirus is always active when mining and use all the security features available to protect your data from hacking.
In theory, yes, you can mine cryptocurrencies with most contemporary PCs. But in reality, mining with a low-end or outdated PC is unprofitable and impractical.
Mining has always been a resource-intensive process, but nowadays, the competition is so fierce that even mining with a high-end GPU is barely profitable.
Of course, some ASIC-resistant coins allow for mining with GPUs, but the returns they yield are very low unless you use a mining rig with multiple GPUs and can achieve competitive hashrates.
Crypto mining software programs typically give the user some type of monitoring tools that provide a degree of control and insight over their mining performance. Naturally, the depth and sophistication of these tools vary from one program to another, but generally, they include features like hashrate monitoring, temperature control, and power consumption tracking.
In addition, there are tons of third-party monitoring apps, dashboards, and profitability calculators that you can use alongside your mining program if you are not satisfied with the built-in tools it offers.
One very broad classification of crypto mining software, based on what these programs show on your screen and how you can interact with them, splits mining programs into two types: GUI and command-line software.
GUI software is a program that comes with a complete interface that includes images, buttons, icons, labels, and everything else you need to navigate and interact with the program with ease.
On the other hand, command-line software are programs that have no interface, and only shows a terminal, or a console, where the user can read the output data, and enter their commands by typing code.