Many newcomers to cryptocurrencies want to try crypto mining but are unsure if this method of earning is really suitable for them. Since they only want to try mining and are hesitant to invest in mining equipment, they are faced with the question, "Can I mine crypto on my laptop?" In this article, we'll cover how to mine cryptocurrency on a laptop, which crypto is best to mine using a laptop, as well as how to mine crypto for free.

How to mine crypto on a laptop

So, can you mine cryptocurrency on a laptop? Yes, you can, but you have to keep a couple of things in mind. Firstly, don't expect any noticeable income from mining on a laptop. Secondly, laptops, by design, are not suitable for crypto mining, and prolonged mining will cause damage to the device. Therefore, mining on a laptop can serve as an introduction, but you will not be able to do full-fledged mining.

What do I need to mine crypto on my laptop?

To mine crypto with a laptop, besides the laptop itself, you'll need the following:

1. A stable internet connection. The computer must be connected to the internet continuously during the mining process.
2. Cheap electricity. The cost of electricity is one of the most important components of the cost of crypto mining. Therefore, if you live in a region where electricity is expensive, mining is likely to be unprofitable for you.
3. Mining software. As Ethereum's move to the PoS algorithm has made GPU mining unprofitable, you will need software that allows you to mine on CPUs. Some of the most popular free CPU mining software include CudaMiner, MinerGate and Spelunker.

Technical recommendations

• Before downloading mining software, you will probably need to temporarily disable your antivirus software, as most antiviruses perceive mining software as a virus. For the same reason, you will need to whitelist your mining software on your antivirus.
• Remember that laptops are not designed for the stress that crypto mining puts on them. Prolonged mining at full hardware (CPU or GPU) capacity will cause accelerated wear and tear on your laptop and eventually damage it. Set up your mining software so that it doesn't use the resources of the hardware to its full capacity. Install a programme to monitor the temperature of the hardware, and don't let it overheat. Also, consider that the cooling fans will also wear out faster than usual, and replacing laptop fans is often not easy.
• Make sure your laptop is clean and free of dust.
• Before you run the mining software, remember to enter your crypto wallet address and make sure the wallet is compatible with the coin you intend to mine.
• Find a reputable mining pool for the crypto of your choice. Mining pools are a much more cost-effective way for a small miner to mine crypto than solo mining.

Best crypto to mine with a laptop

As of September 2022, GPU mining is experiencing hard times. The Ethereum merge has resulted in the most popular cryptocurrency among GPU miners becoming unavailable for mining. This, in turn, has led to a mass exodus of GPU miners to other cryptocurrencies, the mining difficulty of which has increased dramatically as a result. The profitability of mining, already very low due to the ongoing crypto winter, has fallen even further.

Of course, this will cause many GPU miners to go out of business, but the mining difficulty will eventually decrease, and the situation in the mining industry will come back into balance. But at the moment, in order to make even a minuscule profit from GPU mining, you need to have an efficient GPU and access to cheap electricity.

For this reason, we will pay particular attention to coins that can be effectively mined on CPUs. In any case, the mining profitability directly depends not only on the mining difficulty but also on the price of cryptocurrencies, which can change quickly and dramatically. So before you start mining, check the profitability with one of the online mining calculators.

Monero (XMR)

One of the most popular cryptocurrencies with anonymous transactions. Monero uses the RandomX algorithm optimised for CPU mining. At the moment, of the cryptocurrencies that can be efficiently mined on CPUs, Monero is not only the most profitable but also the most liquid.

Monero (XMR) mining stats (as of 20/09/2022)

VerusCoin (VRSC)

Verus is a little-known but ambitious project that positions itself as "an entire ecosystem of interconnected blockchains that all operate decentralised and at the protocol level". VerusCoin, like Monero, is optimised for mining with CPU. It's not traded on any of the major cryptocurrency exchanges, and its mining is currently noticeably less profitable than Monero's. However, if the crypto market changes, it could become a viable alternative to Monero mining.

VerusCoin (VRSC) mining stats (as of 20/09/2022)

Grin (GRIN)

GRIN is an anonymous cryptocurrency based on the MimbleWimble protocol. Its main stated purpose is to provide maximum user privacy. An interesting distinguishing feature of the cryptocurrency is the reduction of its blockchain size by removing old transaction data without compromising the security of the network. Even though the market cap is small, the coin is traded on major crypto exchanges such as Gate.io and KuCoin.

The coin mining algorithm is ASIC-resistant, so it's most profitable to mine it on a GPU. At the moment, it's one of the few coins whose mining on the GPU is able to make a profit, albeit a minimal one. There is a chance that after the situation in the GPU mining industry settles down, GRIN could remain one of the most profitable coins for mining with GPUs.

Grin (GRIN) mining stats (as of 20/09/2022)

How to mine crypto on laptop for free

As you can see, even if you mine crypto on your old laptop, it's still not free because of the electricity costs, not to mention the fact that it shortens the life of your laptop. However, you can try an alternative starting free cloud mining on the StormGain platform.

StormGain Bitcoin mining benefits

If you want to try crypto mining, you will surely like the benefits that StormGain offers:

• It's free.
• It doesn't require the purchase of mining equipment; you can even do it on a mobile device.
• It will not wear out your devices.
• You mine Bitcoin, the most liquid cryptocurrency.

How to start Bitcoin mining with StormGain

Getting started mining Bitcoin on the StormGain platform is simple:

1. Register on a platform.
2. Go to the miner page and click 'Activate'. You can do it every 4 hours.
3. You can increase your mining speed by trading or exchanging cryptocurrency on the platform.