Monero is still one of the few major cryptocurrencies you can mine at home. In 2026, Monero uses the RandomX algorithm, which is optimized for CPU mining and makes GPU mining largely inefficient. This guide explains exactly how to mine Monero today, why CPUs beat GPUs, and how to start mining safely in a few minutes.
We will first explain the current state of GPU mining vs CPU mining for Monero, then cover:
If you simply want the short answer: in 2026 the best way to mine Monero is to use a modern multi-core CPU + XMRig + a reputable mining pool.
Before the RandomX upgrade, Monero used CryptoNight-based algorithms, and GPUs often provided a good balance of hashrate and efficiency. This is no longer the case.
RandomX is deliberately designed to:
In practice this means:
You can still configure mining software to use both CPU and GPU, but for most users the CPU will do the real work while the GPU adds relatively little.
Although GPU mining is no longer recommended for Monero, it is useful to understand why some people still consider it and what trade-offs they face.
In summary: for new Monero miners, we strongly recommend focusing on CPU mining and treating GPU mining as historical.
The most popular miner for RandomX is XMRig, which runs on Linux, Windows and macOS.
This tutorial focuses on Linux (Fedora and Ubuntu), since it is well suited for long-running mining systems.
You can mine Monero in two main ways:
Because Monero’s network hashrate is high, solo mining is generally only practical if you have a very large hashrate. Most miners obtain more predictable payouts by using a pool.
For example, a modest home CPU rig might realistically find:
Most mining software is configured to use a pool by default. You will typically need to specify:
pool.supportxmr.com:443)x)If you would like to know how much you can earn by mining Monero, you can use the Monero mining calculator on this site.
The rest of this guide focuses on a practical, up-to-date way to mine Monero: CPU mining using XMRig, connected to a mining pool.
For wallet setup, see the official Monero downloads at getmonero.org.
There are many reputable Monero pools. A few examples:
Pool fees are typically around 0.5%–1%. Check the pool’s website for current details and payout thresholds.
These steps are for recent versions of Fedora. Commands should be run as a user with sudo access.
After compilation, the XMRig binary will be in the build directory.
The easiest way to configure XMRig is to use the official web-based wizard:
config.json.config.json in the same directory as the XMRig binary (e.g. ~/xmrig/build/).A simplified example of a config snippet:
{
"autosave": true,
"cpu": {
"enabled": true,
"huge-pages": true,
"priority": null
},
"pools": [
{
"url": "pool.supportxmr.com:443",
"user": "YOUR_MONERO_WALLET_ADDRESS",
"pass": "worker1",
"tls": true
}
]
}
Important: replace YOUR_MONERO_WALLET_ADDRESS with your own public address.
You can make this persistent by adding the setting to /etc/sysctl.conf.
XMRig will display your hashrate, accepted shares, and connection details. If you see accepted shares, you are mining.
These steps are for Ubuntu 20.04 or newer. Other Debian-based distributions will be very similar.
Use the same XMRig configuration wizard
described in the Fedora section. Place the generated config.json inside your build directory.
Again, look for accepted shares and a stable hashrate. After a while, you should see payouts on your chosen pool’s dashboard and in your wallet.
If you already have GPUs and still want to experiment with them on Monero, some miners and forks of XMRig can use GPUs in addition to CPUs. However:
For those reasons, this guide does not include detailed GPU driver and CUDA/ROCm instructions, as they largely duplicate what other GPU-oriented mining tutorials provide, while offering little benefit specifically for Monero.
If you choose to experiment anyway:
For most users, GPU mining on Monero should be considered an experiment, not a primary strategy.
The Monero community has historically been skeptical of Minergate and similar services due to:
There are many reputable open-source miners and pools for Monero. For transparency and security, we do not recommend Minergate or any other closed-source mining software or pool for Monero.
Monero mining is not a guaranteed way to make money. Whether it is profitable depends on:
In many regions, Monero mining should be viewed as:
If your electricity costs are high, it may be financially better to buy Monero directly on an exchange instead of mining, while still running a full node or light mining setup to support the network.
Use our Monero mining calculator to estimate your potential daily, monthly and yearly returns with your own hardware and power costs.
config.json using the XMRig wizard.Monero remains one of the few major cryptocurrencies that can still be mined effectively with commodity hardware. RandomX keeps mining accessible to ordinary users with standard CPUs, helping preserve the decentralised nature of the network.
Yes, you can technically mine Monero with a GPU, but it is not recommended. Monero uses the RandomX algorithm, which is optimized for CPUs. GPUs usually deliver fewer hashes per watt and are rarely profitable compared to CPU mining.
The best way to mine Monero in 2026 is to use a modern multi-core CPU with enough RAM, the XMRig miner and a reputable Monero mining pool. This combination offers the best balance of efficiency, stability and decentralisation.
You do not need an extreme gaming PC or a huge rig. A recent desktop CPU with several cores and 8–16 GB of RAM can already mine Monero reasonably well. However, the more cores and the more efficient your CPU, the higher your hashrate will be.
Profitability depends on your electricity price, your hardware and the Monero price over time. In many regions mining should be seen as a way to support the network and accumulate some XMR, rather than as a guaranteed income source. Always calculate expected returns using a Monero mining calculator before committing.
Yes, you can mine Monero with a laptop, but you should be careful with heat and noise. Limit the number of CPU threads used by your miner, keep an eye on temperatures, and ensure good ventilation to avoid long-term damage.
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