don't trust. verify.
Run your own Bitcoin node
A node downloads every Bitcoin block and checks it against the consensus rules itself. Your wallet can then ask your own machine whether a payment arrived. Start in your browser, then move to real hardware if you like it.
Three steps
1. Try it in the browser
A simulated node with a terminal. Run the commands, watch sync, break things. Nothing is installed and no real bitcoin is involved.
2. Pick hardware or a VPS
A mini PC, a Raspberry Pi 5, or a rented server. Prices, power draw, and which SSD to buy.
3. Install Bitcoin Core
Download the latest release from bitcoincore.org, verify it, set a few lines in bitcoin.conf, and let it sync.
Where to read next
| Your goal | Recommendation | Where to read |
|---|---|---|
| Try it without risk | Use the browser simulator | Lab |
| Not sure you need a node | Read the decision guide | Do you need a node? |
| Buy home hardware | Mini PC or Pi 5 with an SSD | Hardware |
| Rent a server | Pruned node, check disk and traffic | VPS |
| Disk space questions | Pruned vs full | Pruned vs full |
| Ready to install | Step-by-step install | Setup |
| Node is running | Copy-paste bitcoin-cli checks |
Commands |
| RPC, firewall, updates | Security checklist | Security basics |
FAQ
What hardware should I buy?
For most people, a mini PC with an Intel N100 or N150 and 16GB RAM: it idles around 6-10W and runs a pruned node easily. A Raspberry Pi 5 draws less power, but a complete Pi build (board, HAT, SSD, power supply) now costs about the same.
How much disk space does a node need?
A pruned node uses about 12GB; leave 20GB free. A full node stores the whole chain, about 800GB as of mid-2026 and growing 70-80GB a year, so buy a 2TB drive.
Do I need a node?
Most holders don't. It helps if you self-custody and want to check your own transactions, care about privacy, or want to learn how Bitcoin works.
Can I run a node on a VPS?
Yes, usually pruned. The first sync downloads about 740GB, so check the plan's traffic limit. The provider can see your instance, so keep wallets elsewhere.
Guides
Do you need a Bitcoin node?
What a node actually does for you, who benefits, and what you pay in disk, bandwidth and upkeep.
Pruned vs full node
Disk numbers for 2026, what pruning removes, and how to decide.
Connect your wallet to your own node
Sparrow to Bitcoin Core on one machine, or over the LAN via an Electrum server or scoped RPC, plus how to confirm it is really your node.
Electrum server vs Bitcoin full node
Core vs electrs vs Fulcrum: what each does, what they need, and who should add an indexer.
Bitcoin node security basics
RPC localhost binding, firewall, updates and SSH on a home or VPS node, with a read-only audit.
Tor and privacy for nodes
What Tor changes for a node, working settings for the proxy and an onion service, and the limits.
Bitcoin node maintenance checklist
Healthy-node signs, a weekly and monthly checklist, and a safe upgrade procedure.
Bitcoin Core sync stuck: how to diagnose it
Read headers vs blocks, peers, disk and RAM to tell normal slowness from a real stall.
Bitcoin node disk full: how to recover
Three safe ways out of a full disk, what prune does and does not do, and sizing for home and VPS.
Raspberry Pi 5 Bitcoin node
Parts list, NVMe boot, aarch64 binaries, a Pi-sized config, and when to buy a mini PC instead.