No, you cannot effectively mine bitcoin on a phone. While it is technically possible to install a mobile bitcoin mining app and join a mining pool, the limited processing power of phones means you will likely earn less than 1 cent of bitcoin per month. Phone mining is not profitable or worthwhile.
Why Phone Mining Is Ineffective
There are two main reasons why mining bitcoin on phones does not work:
1. Phones Have Low Processing Power
- Bitcoin mining requires specialized mining computers called ASICs with strong processing capabilities.
- Phone CPUs and GPUs are designed for general tasks like apps and videos, not complex computations.
- ASICs can perform trillions of calculations per second for mining. Phones can only do billions.
2. Mining Requires Lots of Energy
- Bitcoin mining rigs draw huge amounts of electricity, up to thousands of watts.
- Phones are limited to 10-20 watts and drain batteries fast when mining.
- This table compares phone and ASIC mining power:
| Device | Hash Rate | Power Usage |
|-|-|-|
| Phone | 5-50 H/s | 10-20W |
| ASIC Miner | 5-50 TH/s | 500-5000W |
- ASICs are over 1 million times faster and more energy efficient for bitcoin mining.
Is Phone Mining Profitable?
No, bitcoin mining on a phone will likely earn less than 1 cent per month. Here’s why:
- With a phone’s low hash rate, you have a very small chance of finding a block and earning the block reward.
- Joining a mining pool helps increase chances of earning a fraction of a bitcoin.
- But because your phone contributes negligible hashing power, your share of the pools reward is tiny.
- After electricity costs, phone mining earns almost nothing.
- This table compares potential monthly earnings:
| Device | Hash Rate | Monthly Revenue | Electricity Cost | Profit |
|-|-|-|-|-|
| Phone | 20 H/s | $0.08 | $0.10 | -$0.02 |
| ASIC Miner | 5 TH/s | $200 | $150 | $50 |
- Phone mining earns around 1 cent of bitcoin per month, costing more in electricity.
Can You Really Mine Bitcoin on Phones?
Yes, there are some mobile apps that can technically mine bitcoin on your phone:
- Mobile Miner – Mines cryptocurrency in the background. Only available for Android.
- Crypto Miner – Mines bitcoin and altcoins. Available for Android and iOS.
- AA Miner – Mines bitcoin with option to upgrade to more hashing power. Android and iOS.
However, these apps offer very limited mining capabilities and earnings. They are not worth the battery drain.
- You’re better off just buying a small amount of bitcoin instead of mining.
- If serious about mining, invest in an ASIC miner with at least 1 TH/s or more.
Tips for Mining Bitcoin on Phones
While unprofitable, here are some tips if you still wish to mine bitcoin on your phone:
- Mine with multiple devices – Combine the power of several phones to improve hashing power and shares.
- Use older/extra phones – Don’t drain your main phone battery by mining. Use old unused phones.
- Plug phone in – Mine with the phone plugged into a charger to extend battery life.
- Use mining apps – Download MobileMiner or Crypto Miner for the easiest mining.
- Join a pool – Sign up for a mining pool like Slush Pool to get paid for your contributions.
The Future of Phone Mining
While mining bitcoin on phones is not viable today, improvements in mobile technology and energy efficiency may allow more profitable phone mining in the future.
- 5G networks offer lower energy costs that reduce mining overhead.
- Newer phone chips dedicate more transistors to computing.
- Graphene batteries charge faster and last longer for mining.
However, these gains are still dwarfed by dedicated ASIC miners. Phone mining is unlikely to take off unless rewarded through alternative methods.
Conclusion
Bitcoin mining on phones is possible but not profitable with current technology. The limited processing power of phones cannot compete with specialized ASIC miners. While you can technically install a mining app, your earnings will be less than 1 cent per month. It is best to avoid phone mining or only do it experimentally with old phones. Legitimate mining requires an ASIC miner and access to cheap electricity at scale. But innovation may someday allow phones to become modest contributors to the Bitcoin network through mining.