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ASIC Hardware

Open-Source Bitcoin Miners Comparison 2026: Bitaxe, NerdAxe, NerdQAxe & More

· · 17 min read

The entire history of Bitcoin mining hardware has been a story of centralization. A handful of manufacturers, behind closed doors, designing chips and machines that only they control. You buy the box, you plug it in, you trust it does what they say. No schematics. No firmware source code. No way to verify what is actually running on the silicon you paid for.

Open-source miners changed that equation permanently. In 2026, you can buy a fully verifiable, community-designed Bitcoin ASIC miner, audit every line of its firmware, inspect every trace on its PCB, and point it at the Bitcoin network from your desk. No permission required. No trust required. Just math, silicon, and sovereignty.

This guide compares every open-source Bitcoin miner you can buy today — from a $50 educational device running on an ESP32 to an 8-chip beast pushing 8 TH/s. We cover the chips, the hashrate, the power draw, the price, and most importantly, which one is right for your setup. D-Central Technologies stocks all of them, ships from Canada, and has been a Bitaxe pioneer since the beginning.


Why Open-Source Mining Matters

Bitcoin was built to be permissionless. The whitepaper describes a system where anyone with a CPU can participate in securing the network. Over time, that vision got swallowed by industrial-scale operations running proprietary hardware in undisclosed locations. The average person was priced out, locked out, and told mining was “not for them.”

Open-source mining hardware is the correction. Here is why it matters:

Verifiable hardware. When every schematic, PCB layout, and firmware file is published under an open license, you do not need to trust the manufacturer. You can audit the design yourself, or rely on the thousands of engineers in the community who already have. Closed-source miners are black boxes. Open-source miners are glass boxes.

Decentralization of hashrate. Every open-source miner running solo at someone’s home is hashrate that does not belong to a pool operator, a hosting facility, or a publicly traded mining company. It belongs to an individual. When thousands of individuals each run a small miner, the network becomes more resilient, more distributed, and harder to censor. That is the entire point of Bitcoin.

Innovation without permission. Open hardware enables derivative designs. The Bitaxe spawned the Bitaxe Hex, the QAxe, the NerdQAxe++, and dozens of other variants. Each one takes the original concept and pushes it further — more chips, better cooling, different form factors. This is how technology should evolve: in the open, driven by the community, not locked behind NDAs.

Sovereignty. You own the hardware. You own the firmware. You control where your hashrate goes. No remote kill switches. No firmware updates that redirect your mining rewards. No phone-home telemetry. Your miner, your rules. That is what cypherpunks have been building toward since the 1990s.


Understanding the ASIC Chips: BM1397 vs BM1366 vs BM1370

Every miner in this comparison uses an ASIC chip originally designed by Bitmain for their industrial Antminer machines. The open-source community reverse-engineered the communication protocols and built independent hardware around these chips. Understanding the chip generations is the key to understanding the differences between these miners.

Chip Process Node Generation Efficiency (J/TH) Found In
BM1397 7nm Antminer S17/T17 era ~30 J/TH Nerdminer, NerdNOS, NerdAxe
BM1366 5nm Antminer S19 XP era ~21 J/TH Bitaxe Supra, PiAxe, QAxe, Bitaxe Hex
BM1368 5nm Antminer S19k Pro era ~21 J/TH BitSupra 1368
BM1370 5nm Antminer S21 era ~17 J/TH Bitaxe GT, Minibit Gamma, NerdQAxe++, NerdOctaxe

The BM1397 is the oldest chip in the lineup. It is a 7nm part from the Antminer S17 generation. Less efficient than the newer chips, but still perfectly capable of SHA-256 hashing. Devices built around the BM1397 tend to be more affordable because the chips are plentiful and cheaper.

The BM1366 is the workhorse of the current open-source mining scene. A 5nm chip from the S19 XP generation, it delivers roughly 500 GH/s per chip at around 12–15W. The Bitaxe Supra, the most popular open-source miner ever made, runs on a single BM1366. The Bitaxe Hex packs six of them.

The BM1368 is a close relative of the BM1366 from the S19k Pro. Similar efficiency, marginally different characteristics. The BitSupra 1368 is the primary device using this chip in the open-source ecosystem.

The BM1370 is the latest generation, pulled from the Antminer S21 series. Best-in-class efficiency at roughly 17 J/TH. The Bitaxe GT uses a single BM1370 to hit 1.2 TH/s — more than double what a BM1366 achieves. Multi-chip designs like the NerdQAxe++ (4x BM1370) and NerdOctaxe Gamma (8x BM1370) push into territory that was previously reserved for full-size ASIC miners.


The Complete Open-Source Miner Comparison

Here is every open-source Bitcoin miner available at D-Central in 2026, compared side by side. Scroll horizontally on mobile to see the full table.

Miner ASIC Chip Hashrate Power Price (CAD) J/TH CAD/TH Firmware
Nerdminer ESP32 ~2 KH/s <1W $49.99 N/A* N/A* NerdMiner
NerdNOS BM1397 ~500 GH/s ~15W $139.99 ~30 $280 NerdAxe OS
PiAxe BM1366 ~500 GH/s ~15W $160.00 ~30 $320 PiAxe FW
Bitaxe Supra BM1366 ~500 GH/s ~15W $189.99 ~30 $380 AxeOS
NerdAxe BM1397 ~500 GH/s ~15W $189.99 ~30 $380 NerdAxe OS
Minibit Gamma BM1370 ~1.2 TH/s ~20W $229.99 ~17 $192 AxeOS
Avalon Nano 3 Custom ~3 TH/s ~60W $239.99 ~20 $80 Canaan FW
BitSupra 1368 BM1368 ~600 GH/s ~15W $245.00 ~25 $408 AxeOS
Bitaxe GT BM1370 ~1.2 TH/s ~20W $319.99 ~17 $267 AxeOS
QAxe 4x BM1366 ~2 TH/s ~60W $319.99 ~30 $160 AxeOS
Bitaxe Hex 6x BM1366 ~3 TH/s ~90W $499.99 ~30 $167 AxeOS
NerdQAxe+ 4x BM1366 ~2 TH/s ~60W $529.99 ~30 $265 NerdAxe OS
NerdQAxe++ 4x BM1370 ~4 TH/s ~80W $569.99 ~20 $143 NerdAxe OS
NerdOctaxe Gamma 8x BM1370 ~8 TH/s ~160W $849.99 ~20 $106 NerdAxe OS

*The Nerdminer uses an ESP32 microcontroller, not an ASIC chip. Its hashrate is measured in kilohashes, not gigahashes — making efficiency comparisons with ASIC-based miners meaningless. It is an educational and lottery device, not a performance miner.

Note: The Avalon Nano 3 is included because Canaan has published portions of its design and it competes in the same market segment. However, it is not fully open-source hardware in the same way that Bitaxe and NerdAxe devices are.


Best for Beginners: Where to Start

If you have never mined Bitcoin before and want to understand what mining actually is — not as an abstract concept but as a physical process happening on hardware you own — start here.

The Nerdminer: $49.99 — Pure Education

The Nerdminer is not a serious mining device. It is a tiny board built around an ESP32 microcontroller that hashes at roughly 2 kilohashes per second. For perspective, a single BM1366 chip does 500 billion hashes per second. The odds of a Nerdminer finding a Bitcoin block are astronomically low — but not zero. Blocks have been found by Nerdminers. Lottery mining at its purest.

What makes the Nerdminer valuable is not its hashrate but its teaching power. It has a small display showing real-time mining statistics — hash rate, best share difficulty, block height, pool connection status. You watch it mine. You understand the process. You see the numbers. For $50, it is the best Bitcoin mining education tool that exists. Plug it into USB, connect to WiFi, and you are mining Bitcoin within minutes. Perfect gift for any Bitcoiner.

The Bitaxe Supra: $189.99 — The Gold Standard Entry Point

The Bitaxe Supra is the device that brought open-source ASIC mining to the masses. A single BM1366 chip pushing ~500 GH/s on roughly 15 watts. It connects via WiFi, runs AxeOS (a clean web-based firmware), and solo mines Bitcoin out of the box. It is quiet enough to sit on your desk. It draws less power than a laptop charger. And it is beautiful — a small, exposed PCB with a heatsink and a single fan, looking exactly like what it is: a purpose-built piece of cypherpunk engineering.

The Supra is the most popular open-source miner for a reason. It strikes the ideal balance between price, performance, power consumption, and community support. AxeOS is well-documented, the community is active, and there is a massive ecosystem of accessories (cases, heatsinks, stands — many of which D-Central pioneered). If you are buying your first real miner, this is it.

Also worth considering at this price point: the NerdNOS at $139.99 (same hashrate, BM1397 chip, slightly less efficient but $50 cheaper) and the PiAxe at $160 (BM1366 chip like the Supra, runs on a Raspberry Pi, great for tinkerers who want more control over their setup).


Best Hashrate Per Dollar

If you want the most hashing power for your Canadian dollars, the math is clear. Here are the miners ranked by cost per terahash (lower is better):

Rank Miner CAD/TH Hashrate
1 Avalon Nano 3 $80 3 TH/s
2 NerdOctaxe Gamma $106 8 TH/s
3 NerdQAxe++ $143 4 TH/s
4 QAxe $160 2 TH/s
5 Bitaxe Hex $167 3 TH/s
6 Minibit Gamma $192 1.2 TH/s

The Avalon Nano 3 wins on raw CAD/TH, but remember it is not fully open-source. Among pure open-source devices, the NerdOctaxe Gamma at $106/TH is the undisputed value champion. The NerdQAxe++ follows close behind at $143/TH with the added benefit of BM1370 efficiency.

For single-chip miners, the Minibit Gamma at $192/TH crushes the competition. It delivers BM1370-level hashrate (1.2 TH/s) at $90 less than the Bitaxe GT. If you want a compact, high-efficiency desk miner without breaking the bank, the Minibit Gamma is the smart pick.


Best for Serious Solo Mining

If you are serious about maximizing your chances of hitting a solo block, you need hashrate. Lots of it. The open-source ecosystem now offers multi-chip devices that push into ranges previously exclusive to full-size industrial miners — but at a fraction of the noise, power, and cost.

NerdOctaxe Gamma: 8 TH/s — The Open-Source Beast

The NerdOctaxe Gamma is the most powerful open-source Bitcoin miner you can buy. Eight BM1370 chips delivering approximately 8 TH/s at ~160W. That is more hashrate than an entire Antminer S9 — the machine that powered the 2017 mining boom — in an open-source package that sits on a shelf.

At $849.99 CAD, it is the most expensive device in this comparison, but also the best value per terahash among fully open-source miners at $106/TH. If you are building a serious solo mining stack, this is your foundation. Run two or three of these and you are pushing hashrate that gives you a real statistical shot over time. The NerdOctaxe Gamma turns “lottery mining” from a joke into a strategy.

Bitaxe Hex: 3 TH/s — The Community Favourite

The Bitaxe Hex packs six BM1366 chips onto a single board, delivering ~3 TH/s at ~90W. It runs AxeOS, the same firmware as the single-chip Bitaxe models, which means the setup experience is identical — just with six times the power. The Hex has been responsible for multiple confirmed solo block finds, making it one of the most proven open-source mining devices in existence.

D-Central developed custom heatsink solutions specifically for the Bitaxe Hex and was among the first to stock and support it. At $499.99, it is the sweet spot between the single-chip models and the full multi-board setups.

NerdQAxe++: 4 TH/s — Next-Gen Efficiency

The NerdQAxe++ uses four BM1370 chips to deliver ~4 TH/s at only ~80W. That is more hashrate than the Bitaxe Hex at less power consumption. The BM1370’s superior efficiency shines here. At $143/TH, it offers excellent value and is the best choice for miners who prioritize efficiency alongside hashrate. If your electricity costs are high (or you are running on solar), the NerdQAxe++ is the rational pick.


Power Consumption Analysis

One of the main advantages of open-source miners over industrial ASICs is their modest power consumption. A full-size Antminer S21 draws 3,500 watts. The entire lineup of open-source miners in this comparison, if you bought one of each, would draw less than 600W combined. This matters for home miners who are dealing with residential electrical panels, not industrial power feeds.

Here is the power breakdown by tier:

Tier Devices Power Range Equivalent To
Ultra-Low Nerdminer <1W Phone charger
Desk Miners NerdNOS, PiAxe, Supra, NerdAxe, Minibit, BitSupra, GT 15–20W LED light bulb
Mid-Power QAxe, NerdQAxe+, Avalon Nano 3 60W Laptop
Moderate NerdQAxe++, Bitaxe Hex 80–90W Desktop PC
High NerdOctaxe Gamma 160W Gaming console

Annual electricity cost estimates (at $0.10 CAD/kWh, a reasonable Canadian average):

Device Power Annual Cost
Bitaxe Supra / NerdNOS / PiAxe / NerdAxe 15W ~$13
Minibit Gamma / Bitaxe GT 20W ~$18
QAxe / NerdQAxe+ / Avalon Nano 3 60W ~$53
NerdQAxe++ 80W ~$70
Bitaxe Hex 90W ~$79
NerdOctaxe Gamma 160W ~$140

Even the NerdOctaxe Gamma — the most power-hungry device in this comparison — costs less than $12/month in electricity in most of Canada. For reference, a single Antminer S21 costs roughly $250/month. Open-source miners make home mining viable on any residential power budget.

In Canadian winters, every watt consumed by a miner is a watt you do not pay your furnace to produce. A NerdOctaxe Gamma running at 160W in your office is 160W of electric heat with the bonus of Bitcoin mining. Bitcoin Space Heaters take this concept even further — check out D-Central’s dedicated space heater lineup for serious dual-purpose setups.


Solo Mining Odds by Device

Let us be blunt about the numbers. Solo mining with these devices is a long game. The Bitcoin network hashrate in early 2026 is approximately 800 EH/s (800,000,000 TH/s). A solo miner’s probability of finding a block in any given 10-minute window is their hashrate divided by the network hashrate.

Here are the approximate odds of finding at least one block within a one-year period of continuous mining:

Device Hashrate Avg. Time to Block 1-Year Odds
Nerdminer 2 KH/s ~45 billion years ≈0%
Bitaxe Supra / NerdNOS / PiAxe / NerdAxe 500 GH/s ~183,000 years ~0.0005%
Minibit Gamma / Bitaxe GT 1.2 TH/s ~76,000 years ~0.0013%
QAxe / NerdQAxe+ 2 TH/s ~46,000 years ~0.0022%
Bitaxe Hex / Avalon Nano 3 3 TH/s ~30,000 years ~0.0033%
NerdQAxe++ 4 TH/s ~23,000 years ~0.0044%
NerdOctaxe Gamma 8 TH/s ~11,500 years ~0.0088%

Those numbers look impossibly small. And yet, solo miners have found blocks with Bitaxe devices. Multiple times. That is the beauty of probability — improbable is not impossible. Every 10 minutes, every hash has an equal chance. The block reward at the time of writing is 3.125 BTC. At current prices, that is life-changing money for a single hit on a device that costs a few hundred dollars and uses less electricity than a light bulb.

Want to run your own numbers? D-Central is building a solo mining probability calculator — stay tuned. In the meantime, the key insight is this: solo mining is not about expected value. It is about participating in Bitcoin’s security, running a verifiable node in the network, and keeping the dream of decentralized mining alive. The lottery ticket is the bonus. The sovereignty is the point.

Want to increase your odds? Stack multiple devices. Three NerdOctaxe Gammas give you 24 TH/s and roughly a 0.026% annual chance — about 1 in 3,800 per year. Run them for a decade and you are looking at roughly 1 in 380. Not great odds, but not zero. And for every moment they are running, you are strengthening Bitcoin’s decentralization. Every hash counts.


D-Central’s Role as a Bitaxe Pioneer

D-Central Technologies has been involved in the open-source mining ecosystem since its earliest days. This is not a company that jumped on the Bitaxe bandwagon after it became popular. D-Central helped build the wagon.

Created the original Bitaxe Mesh Stand. D-Central was the first company in the world to design and manufacture the Bitaxe Mesh Stand — the aluminum mounting solution that became a community standard. Before this existed, people were propping Bitaxes up with tape, 3D-printed brackets, and whatever else they had lying around. D-Central saw the need and engineered a proper solution.

Developed custom heatsink solutions. D-Central designed and manufactured dedicated heatsinks for both the Bitaxe and the Bitaxe Hex. Proper thermal management is critical for these devices — the ASIC chips generate significant heat in a small footprint. D-Central’s heatsinks are not generic aftermarket parts; they are purpose-designed for the Bitaxe form factor.

Stocks the entire ecosystem. Most retailers carry a handful of open-source miners. D-Central stocks all of them. Every Bitaxe variant, every Nerd-series device, plus all the accessories, power supplies, cases, and stands. If it exists in the open-source mining world, D-Central has it. One stop, ships from Canada, Bitcoin accepted.

Backed by ASIC repair expertise. D-Central is not just a retailer. With 38+ model-specific ASIC repair pages and a full repair lab in Laval, Quebec, D-Central’s team understands mining hardware at the component level. When you buy an open-source miner from D-Central, you are buying from people who can diagnose, repair, and modify these devices. That is a level of technical depth that no other open-source miner retailer can match.

Canadian warranty and support. All products ship from Canada with a Canadian warranty. D-Central provides expert support through their ticketing system, remote assistance, and an active Discord community. When you have a question about overclocking your Bitaxe or troubleshooting your NerdQAxe, you are talking to people who have these devices running on their own desks.


How to Choose: A Decision Framework

With 14 devices to choose from, here is a straightforward decision framework:

“I want to learn about Bitcoin mining”Nerdminer ($49.99). Cheapest entry point, real-time display, plug and play.

“I want my first real solo miner”Bitaxe Supra ($189.99). Best ecosystem support, AxeOS firmware, huge community. Or save $50 with the NerdNOS ($139.99) for slightly less efficiency.

“I want the most efficient desk miner”Minibit Gamma ($229.99). BM1370 efficiency at the lowest price. Or the Bitaxe GT ($319.99) for the premium AxeOS experience with the same chip.

“I want serious solo mining power”NerdOctaxe Gamma ($849.99). 8 TH/s, best CAD/TH ratio among fully open-source devices. Or the Bitaxe Hex ($499.99) for 3 TH/s on the proven AxeOS platform.

“I want the best balance of power and efficiency”NerdQAxe++ ($569.99). 4 TH/s at only 80W thanks to four BM1370 chips. Best J/TH in the multi-chip category.

“I want maximum hashrate regardless of budget” → Buy multiple NerdOctaxe Gammas. Three units give you 24 TH/s at 480W — still less than a single Antminer S21 — and every component is open source and verifiable.


Frequently Asked Questions

What is the difference between a Bitaxe and a NerdAxe?

Both are open-source Bitcoin solo miners, but they come from different design lineages and run different firmware. Bitaxe devices (Supra, GT, Hex) run AxeOS, a web-based firmware with a polished interface. NerdAxe devices (NerdAxe, NerdNOS, NerdQAxe+, NerdQAxe++, NerdOctaxe) run NerdAxe OS and tend to offer more tinkering options. The hardware designs are also different — different PCB layouts, different component choices, different thermal solutions. Both are excellent. The choice often comes down to firmware preference and which device hits your price/hashrate target.

Can I actually find a Bitcoin block with a Bitaxe?

Yes. Multiple solo miners have found full Bitcoin blocks using Bitaxe devices. The probability per year is very low (see the odds table above), but it is not zero. Every hash has an equal chance of being the winning hash. Solo mining with a Bitaxe is often compared — compare miners side by side using our tool to a lottery — the expected value is negative, but the reward for a hit is enormous (3.125 BTC at current block reward). Many miners run these devices for the philosophical value of contributing to decentralization, with the block reward as a potential bonus. Not sure which miner to choose? Check our comparison page.

Do I need to solo mine, or can I join a pool with these devices?

Most of these devices support both solo mining and pool mining. AxeOS and NerdAxe OS let you configure any Stratum mining pool, including solo pools like Solo CKPool or Public Pool, and traditional pools like Ocean or Braiins. Solo mining means you get the full block reward if you find a block but nothing otherwise. Pool mining gives you small, regular payouts proportional to your hashrate. For devices at this hashrate level, solo mining is the more common choice — the pool payouts would be tiny, and the whole appeal is the sovereignty of solo mining.

How noisy are these open-source miners?

Single-chip devices (Bitaxe Supra, NerdNOS, PiAxe, Minibit Gamma, Bitaxe GT) use a small 40mm fan and are very quiet — barely audible at desk distance, comparable to a laptop fan on low speed. Multi-chip devices (QAxe, Bitaxe Hex, NerdQAxe variants, NerdOctaxe Gamma) are louder, with the NerdOctaxe Gamma being the loudest at ~160W of heat dissipation. However, even the NerdOctaxe is dramatically quieter than any full-size ASIC miner. None of these devices will generate noise complaints from neighbors or family members.

What power supply do I need?

Single-chip Bitaxe models (Supra, GT) typically use a USB-C power supply or a dedicated 5V/12V adapter. The Nerdminer runs off any USB port. Multi-chip devices require more substantial power supplies — the NerdOctaxe Gamma, for example, needs a 12V supply capable of delivering 15A+. D-Central stocks compatible power supplies for every device in this comparison. When you buy a miner, check the product page for the recommended PSU — or contact D-Central’s support team for guidance.

What does “open source” mean for mining hardware?

It means the complete hardware design files (schematics, PCB layouts, bill of materials) and the firmware source code are publicly available under open licenses. Anyone can review, audit, manufacture, or modify the designs. This is fundamentally different from commercial miners like the Antminer, where the hardware design is proprietary and the firmware is closed-source. Open-source hardware is verifiable — you do not need to trust the manufacturer because you (or the community) can inspect every aspect of the device.

Is the Avalon Nano 3 truly open source?

Partially. Canaan (the manufacturer) has published some design information, and it uses a custom ASIC chip rather than a Bitmain chip. However, it is not fully open-source hardware in the same way that Bitaxe and NerdAxe devices are. The Bitaxe project publishes complete schematics, PCB files, and firmware source under permissive open-source licenses. The Avalon Nano 3 competes in the same market segment and is included in this comparison for completeness, but purists may prefer a fully open design.

Can I overclock these miners?

Yes. Both AxeOS and NerdAxe OS support voltage and frequency adjustments. Overclocking can squeeze additional hashrate from the ASIC chips at the cost of higher power consumption and heat generation. D-Central has published overclocking guides for several Bitaxe models. Start conservatively, monitor temperatures closely, and ensure your cooling solution (heatsink + fan) can handle the increased thermal load. D-Central’s custom heatsinks are designed with overclocking headroom in mind.

Does D-Central ship internationally?

Yes. D-Central ships worldwide from Laval, Quebec, Canada. Canadian customers benefit from the fastest shipping times and no customs duties. US customers receive orders quickly with standard cross-border shipping. International orders are shipped via tracked services. Bitcoin payments are accepted for all orders. All products include a Canadian warranty backed by D-Central’s ASIC repair team.

What if my miner stops working or needs repair?

D-Central operates a full ASIC repair lab in Laval, Quebec, with expertise in 38+ miner models. If your open-source miner needs repair, D-Central’s technicians can diagnose and fix it at the component level. This is a significant advantage of buying from D-Central versus other retailers who are purely e-commerce operations. You are buying from people who understand these devices inside and out — literally, down to the solder joints.


Conclusion: The Open-Source Mining Revolution Is Here

Three years ago, the idea of running an open-source ASIC Bitcoin miner on your desk was a fantasy. Today, you can choose from 14 different devices spanning $50 to $850, from an ESP32-powered educational gadget to an 8-chip monster pushing 8 TH/s. The hardware is real. The silicon is real. The blocks being found are real.

Open-source mining matters because Bitcoin’s security model depends on decentralized hashrate. Every Bitaxe, every NerdAxe, every open-source miner running solo in someone’s home is a small but meaningful contribution to the network’s resilience. It is hashrate that does not belong to a corporation. It does not sit in a warehouse. It is not subject to a government’s energy policy. It runs wherever its owner decides to plug it in.

D-Central Technologies stocks every device in this comparison, ships from Canada, accepts Bitcoin, and backs every sale with the expertise of a team that has been repairing and building mining hardware since 2016. We were there at the beginning of the Bitaxe revolution — designing the first Mesh Stand, building custom heatsinks, and stocking every variant before most retailers knew these devices existed.

Whether you are buying your first Nerdminer to learn how mining works, picking up a Bitaxe Supra to start your solo mining journey, or stacking NerdOctaxe Gammas for serious hashrate — we have it, we know it, and we will support you.

Every hash counts. Start yours today.

Bitcoin accepted | Canadian warranty | Expert ASIC support | Free shipping on orders over $500

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