NiceHash guide: mining with your regular PC
Step-by-step explanation. What NiceHash actually does, how to install it safely, what you realistically earn — and when it's not a good idea.
What exactly is NiceHash?
NiceHash is a marketplace for hashrate. You rent out the computing power of your graphics card (or CPU), and buyers use it to mine a crypto of their choice. You're always paid in bitcoin — regardless of which coin is mined under the hood. That makes NiceHash by far the easiest starting point for anyone who has never mined: one app, one wallet, one currency to keep track of.
The software picks the most profitable algorithm at that moment every few minutes.
No altcoins to manage or swap. Straight into sats.
Slovenia-based, millions of users. One major hack in 2017, fully reimbursed since.
Who is NiceHash suitable for?
- • You already have a gaming PC with an NVIDIA RTX 30/40 card
- • You want to learn how mining works without buying expensive hardware
- • You live in an apartment with electricity included (mind the rental rules)
- • You use the heat in winter to warm the room anyway
- • You have your own solar power with a surplus in the afternoon
- • Old card (GTX 10 series or lower) — earns nothing at €0.30/kWh
- • Laptop — GPUs throttle quickly and the battery/cooling suffers badly
- • AMD card on QuickMiner — use NiceHash Miner instead
- • If you're purely after profit: buy BTC directly with the electricity money
Step-by-step: running in 20 minutes
- 1Create an account
Go to nicehash.com, create a free account and enable 2FA right away (Google Authenticator or Authy). Verify your email.
- 2Download the right software
QuickMiner = NVIDIA only, the simplest option. NiceHash Miner = NVIDIA + AMD + more algorithms. Download exclusively via nicehash.com — not via Google Ads or YouTube links.
- 3Add an antivirus exception
Windows Defender and third parties often see miners as a virus. Add the install folder (default C:\Program Files\NiceHash QuickMiner) as an exclusion before installing.
- 4Benchmark
On first launch NiceHash tests your hardware (5–15 min). Click 'Optimize' in QuickMiner — it automatically applies an efficient overclock.
- 5Start and check your dashboard
Hashrate, estimated daily income and GPU temperature are in the app and on your online dashboard. Keep the GPU below 70°C for a long life.
- 6Withdraw
From 0.0001 BTC (±€10), sats go automatically to your NiceHash wallet. Send them on from there to your own wallet or an exchange — waiting earns no interest, so take it out in time.
What do you realistically earn?
Figures per 24 hours based on NiceHash rates in June 2026 and €0.30/kWh electricity. Net = gross − electricity cost. Amounts fluctuate with the bitcoin price and network load.
Conclusion: only from an RTX 4080/4090 with a good undervolt do you reach break-even. The really attractive side is the heat in winter — which you'd generate anyway with your central heating or an electric heater.
Calculate your own heat yieldPros and cons of NiceHash
- ✓ No technical knowledge needed — install and click start
- ✓ Always paid in bitcoin, no altcoin hassle
- ✓ Auto-switch always picks the most profitable algorithm
- ✓ Runs on your existing gaming PC — no extra hardware
- ✓ Built-in wallet and pool
- ✗ 2–5% marketplace commission — lower returns than a solo pool
- ✗ Wear on your GPU (fans, thermal paste, VRAM)
- ✗ At €0.30/kWh usually loss-making on midrange cards
- ✗ Custodian of your sats until you withdraw — move them in time
- ✗ Antivirus warnings keep coming back after updates
When something else is better
Quieter, more efficient and you mine real bitcoin on the Bitcoin blockchain — no marketplace in between. From ±€100.
Avalon Mini 3 or Heatbit: replace your electric supplementary heating and keep sats on top.
Purely after returns? For the electricity money NiceHash costs, you usually buy more bitcoin via an exchange.
Frequently asked questions
Is NiceHash legal in the Netherlands?
Yes. Private mining is allowed. Your crypto balance counts in box 3 on 1 January. With large-scale mining the tax authority may see it as a business — for a hobby PC that doesn't apply.
QuickMiner or NiceHash Miner?
NVIDIA-only and simplicity first? QuickMiner. AMD or a mix, or more control? NiceHash Miner.
Why does my antivirus warn me?
Mining software looks like malware. Add the install folder as an exclusion and only download via nicehash.com.
Does my graphics card wear out faster?
Yes, especially fans and thermal paste. Keep it below 70°C, undervolt where possible, and only mine during periods when you're heating anyway.
How often am I paid?
From 0.0001 BTC automatically to your NiceHash wallet — usually daily. Transferring to an external wallet you do yourself (network fees are deducted).
Prefer to mine real bitcoin instead of renting out hashrate?
View the full mini-miner guide