VPSbitRun a Bitcoin full node on a VPS or dedicated server
A pruned node fits a VPS; archival wants the 320 GB tier or metal. Bitcoin Core install, NVMe sizing from 80 GB up, port 8333, and what your node verifies.
Prune to about 25 GB on Core's 80 GB NVMe, or size archival work onto Titan's 320 GB at $24. Open 8333 for inbound peers; prune unless you need the archive.
12 locations · 19 coins · SLA 99.95% · no KYC · public canary
Why run your own node
A full node checks every block against consensus rules itself, so wallet balances come from your own verification instead of an API's word. Bitcoin Core is the reference client; Bitcoin Core: running a full node is the operator's checklist for disk, prune depth, inbound peers and sync time. Hosting the node on rented KVM is ordinary practice; the invoice can be paid in any of nineteen coins.
VPS from $4.80* — Core on the annual term (list $6/mo), one invoice for 12 months, no auto-charges. Dedicated with IPMI from $39.20/mo. Crypto invoice, no KYC.
Launch nowSize the disk first
Storage decides the tier, not CPU. A pruned node keeps roughly 25 GB of chainstate plus the mempool, which fits Core's 80 GB NVMe with room to spare; a deeper prune past 100 GB wants Prime at 160 GB; an archival node at 700 GB and climbing belongs on dedicated disks, where Summit pairs 2×2 TB of NVMe with 64 GB ECC. Put blocks and chainstate on local NVMe only — an initial block download over a network share takes days where local disk takes hours.
The install, compressed
- Pruned node: Core. Deeper archives: Prime, then Titan — dedicated when whole-core sync matters.
- Install from Bitcoin Core and point blocks and chainstate at local NVMe. Never run the IBD against a network share.
- Open 8333 if you want inbound peers; an optional Tor onion covers P2P without publishing the address further.
- Zurich or Reykjavik are common picks; Amsterdam when most of your peers cluster at EU exchanges.
Inbound peers and Tor
Port 8333 is open by policy, and inbound peers are what turn a node from a client into infrastructure. Traffic never meters — the ceiling is the port speed, 1 Gbps at entry and multi-gigabit up the ladder. If the node should not advertise its location, a Tor onion carries P2P on the same box.
Location and latency
Peer count barely notices geography; your own administration does. One list price covers all twelve flags — Iceland +20%, Norway +20%, Switzerland +35% and Luxembourg +15% are the published exceptions — so the flag decision is law and latency, not the invoice. A node serving EU wallets syncs fastest from Frankfurt or Amsterdam; a private node sits wherever the jurisdiction suits you.
Payment and provisioning
The invoice takes any of nineteen coins — XMR when the rail should stay quiet, USDT-TRC20 when the dollar figure must not move — and the VPS images about a minute after the credit. Archival on dedicated metal bills on the same checkout: Forge through Monolith at $49–$149 list, annual-eff $39.20–$119.20, with IPMI handed over after 2–4 hours of racking. Companion reading: the backup playbook.
Is a pruned node enough?
For verifying your own wallet, yes — pruning keeps full validation while dropping old block files, around 25 GB retained on Core's 80 GB NVMe. Archival is a disk-and-time purchase: 1 TB storage at $24 annual-eff and patience for the initial download.
Can Lightning run on the same box?
Yes — LND or CLN sit alongside bitcoind on any plan, and the routing workload wants RAM before CPU. Hosting invoices stay on-chain at layer 1; the Lightning workload page has the channel specifics.
How long does the initial sync take?
Hours, not days, on local NVMe — the initial block download is a disk-before-CPU workload. IBD over a network share multiplies the wait and is the one setup mistake worth avoiding.
Does the node need a static IP?
No. Outbound sync works from any address, and inbound peers reconnect to the network rather than to you personally. The stable IPv4 every plan ships with is a convenience for 8333 reachability, not a requirement.
Why not run the node at home?
You can — a home node is a fine first node. A rented box adds unmetered multi-gigabit transit, uptime independent of your ISP, and an NVMe queue that survives the mempool's worst evenings; entry pricing is $4.80 annual-eff on Core.
Primary sources
Ready to launch?
Build the box — VPS or bare metal — create the password, pay the invoice that follows.