Two different jobs that are often confused — and why running a node matters
"Aren't nodes and miners the same thing? Don't you need expensive hardware to participate in Bitcoin?"
No! Nodes and miners serve completely different purposes. Anyone can run a node on a basic computer. Mining requires specialized hardware.
The rule enforcers and record keepers
Reward: Sovereignty and verification
The lottery players who create new blocks
Reward: BTC (currently 3.125 per block)
Imagine a talent competition. Miners are contestants — they compete to perform (find blocks) and win prizes (BTC). Nodes are judges — they decide if the performance follows the rules. A miner can't win by cheating because the judges (nodes) won't accept an invalid performance.
| Aspect | Full Node | Miner |
|---|---|---|
| Hardware needed | Basic computer, ~500GB storage | ASICs worth $1,000s-$10,000s |
| Electricity cost | Minimal (~$5/month) | Significant ($100s-$1000s/month) |
| Earns BTC? | No direct reward | Yes (block rewards + fees) |
| Validates transactions? | Yes, all of them | Only the ones they include |
| Can reject invalid blocks? | Yes | N/A (produces blocks) |
| Required for the network? | Yes (enforces rules) | Yes (creates blocks) |
When you run a node, you independently verify every transaction. You don't need to trust anyone — your node tells you the truth about the blockchain.
Without your own node, your wallet queries someone else's server, revealing which addresses you're interested in. Your node keeps your queries private.
More nodes = more decentralization = harder to attack. Your node helps new nodes sync and relays transactions.
If miners ever tried to change the rules (e.g., increase supply), nodes would reject their blocks. Nodes are the ultimate check on miner power.