Methodology

How we pick hardware, score VPS plans, and keep comparisons honest when prices move weekly.

Scope

We compare devices and hosts suitable for Bitcoin Core only — not mining rigs, not altcoin stacks, not custodial services. Managed platforms (Start9, Umbrel) are included because beginners ask about them, with explicit cost honesty.

Hardware criteria

  1. Disk path — NVMe or quality SSD for chain data; SD-card-only setups are disqualified for full nodes.
  2. RAM — 8GB minimum for full node + OS; 16GB preferred if running Electrum personal server.
  3. Sync experience — CPU and IO matter more than marketing photos. We describe ranges ("days to weeks"), not invented MB/s charts.
  4. Power and noise — 24/7 home use favors low idle watts and quiet cooling.
  5. Total cost — board price plus mandatory storage, case, and PSU where vendors hide the real bill.

VPS criteria

Disk space and egress dominate. A pruned node fits many cheap plans; a full node needs hundreds of gigabytes plus headroom. We model initial sync bandwidth explicitly on the VPS page and prefer providers with clear volume pricing.

Sources

  • Vendor spec sheets and public pricing pages (Hetzner, Contabo, Raspberry Pi, Beelink, etc.)
  • Bitcoin Core release notes and getblockchaininfo size fields for chain growth
  • Community field reports for sync times — always labeled as anecdotal ranges

Affiliate independence

Amazon affiliate links never promote a worse product over a better one. When the best pick is a refurb desktop or direct vendor link, we say so. Verdict badges map to criteria above, not commission rates.

Refresh cadence

Quarterly review of prices, chain size estimates, and Bitcoin Core version references. Emergency updates when a provider changes disk limits or a security release ships. Last full review: July 2026.