Can You Still Profit from Monero Mining in 2026?
Monero (XMR) is one of the few cryptocurrencies still efficiently mineable with consumer CPUs. Unlike Bitcoin, which requires expensive ASICs, XMR uses the RandomX algorithm — specifically designed to keep CPU mining competitive. But is it actually profitable?
Current XMR price: $336.50
Monero Mining Hashrates by Hardware
| CPU | Hashrate (H/s) | Power (W) |
|---|---|---|
| AMD Ryzen 9 7950X | ~23,000 | 170W |
| AMD Ryzen 9 5950X | ~19,000 | 105W |
| Intel Core i9-13900K | ~16,000 | 125W |
| AMD Ryzen 7 5700X | ~9,500 | 65W |
| Intel Xeon (16-core, VPS) | ~2,600 | N/A (cloud) |
| Raspberry Pi 4 | ~70 | 8W |
Profitability Calculation
Mining profitability depends on three factors: your hashrate, electricity cost, and XMR price. Here's a rough estimate at current prices:
- At 10,000 H/s: ~0.0015 XMR/day (~$0.28/day at current prices)
- At 20,000 H/s: ~0.003 XMR/day (~$0.56/day)
- At 1,000 H/s: ~0.00015 XMR/day (~$0.03/day)
Use our mining calculator for precise estimates based on your specific hardware.
Best Mining Pools for XMR
Mining solo is essentially impossible unless you have massive hashpower. Join a pool to earn consistent smaller rewards:
- MoneroOcean — Best for small miners, auto-switches algorithms for best profitability, 0% dev fee, PPLNS payout
- SupportXMR — PPLNS pool, 0.6% fee, minimum payout 0.1 XMR
- MineXMR — One of the largest pools, low fees
- Nanopool — Solid reputation, easy setup
XMRig Setup Tips for Maximum Profitability
- Enable huge pages (Linux:
sudo sysctl -w vm.nr_hugepages=1280) — boosts hashrate 30-40% - Use RandomX fast mode (requires 2GB+ free RAM per instance)
- Set CPU affinity to avoid hyperthreading conflicts
- Mine at night if your electricity is cheaper off-peak
- Monitor with XMRig's built-in HTTP API
Is It Profitable in 2026?
For most people with mid-range consumer hardware: probably not after electricity costs. A 10,000 H/s setup at $0.10/kWh running 24/7 costs about $4-8/month to run and earns about $8-17/month — thin margins that can disappear if XMR price drops.
However, mining on existing hardware that runs anyway (home server, always-on PC) can be profitable since you're not adding significant electricity overhead. VPS mining is rarely profitable due to hosting costs exceeding mining revenue.
The exception: If you hold your XMR long-term and believe in price appreciation, the dollar value of your mining income could significantly increase.
Disclaimer: Mining profitability calculations are estimates. Actual earnings vary based on network difficulty, electricity costs, and XMR market price.