GPU Mining Isn't Worth It in 2026. Earn With AI EARN Instead
GPU mining profitability in 2026, in numbers: at the US average of $0.18/kWh, mining loses money on all 11 GPUs we tested and on every one of the 5 coins we compared. AI EARN in the GamerHash AI app comes out ahead on the same cards: an RTX 4090 loses $29 a month mining, but makes +$111 a month in AI EARN at 12 task hours a day, at 100% work.
Mining vs AI EARN: AI EARN wins on all 11 GPUs
On all 11 GPUs we compared, AI EARN makes +$25 to +$145 a month at 12 task hours a day, at 100% work. Mining the best coin makes −$16 to −$29 a month on the same cards.
Tasks come when there is demand, so there may be fewer hours. That is why we also count the electricity of waiting for tasks with the PC on 24/7: AI EARN covers it at 0.9 to 3.4 task hours a day, depending on the card. Mining the best coin loses to AI EARN on all 11 GPUs, whatever the number of task hours.
+1,272%more per hour from AI EARN than from mining
RTX 4090, before electricity: the AI EARN rate of $0.41 per hour at 100% work vs $0.030 from an hour of mining Zano, the highest-revenue coin on this card. Across the 11 GPUs: +645% (RTX 3090) to +1,935% (RTX 4060 Ti 16GB).
- RTX 3090KAS−$0.04+$0.08
- RTX 3090 TiALPH−$0.04+$0.09
- RTX 4060 Ti 16GBZANO−$0.02+$0.13
- RTX 4070 Ti SuperZANO−$0.04+$0.23
- RTX 4080ZANO−$0.04+$0.27
- RTX 4080 SuperZANO−$0.04+$0.28
- RTX 4090ZANO−$0.04+$0.32
- RTX 5060 Ti 16GBZANO−$0.02+$0.16
- RTX 5070 TiZANO−$0.03+$0.27
- RTX 5080ZANO−$0.03+$0.29
- RTX 5090ZANO−$0.04+$0.42
The most profitable coin to mine with a GPU in 2026 still loses money
At $0.18/kWh, none of the 5 coins we compared makes a profit on any of the 11 GPUs. The smallest loss most often comes from Zano (9 of 11 cards). The table shows the best coin for each card and its result after electricity (24 hours a day, 30 days), Ravencoin for comparison and AI EARN on the same card.
| RTX 3090 | 24 GB | KaspaKAS | −27 | −46 | +0.08 needs 32 GB RAM | +25 | +53 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| RTX 3090 Ti | 24 GB | AlephiumALPH | −27 | −47 | +0.09 needs 32 GB RAM | +27 | +54 |
| RTX 4060 Ti 16GB | 16 GB | ZanoZANO | −16 | −19 | +0.13 needs 64 GB RAM | +43 | +59 |
| RTX 4070 Ti Super | 16 GB | ZanoZANO | −26 | −34 | +0.23 needs 64 GB RAM | +79 | +105 |
| RTX 4080 | 16 GB | ZanoZANO | −26 | −33 | +0.27 needs 64 GB RAM | +91 | +117 |
| RTX 4080 Super | 16 GB | ZanoZANO | −26 | −37 | +0.28 needs 64 GB RAM | +95 | +121 |
| RTX 4090 | 24 GB | ZanoZANO | −29 | −41 | +0.32 needs 32 GB RAM | +111 | +140 |
| RTX 5060 Ti 16GB | 16 GB | ZanoZANO | −16 | −22 | +0.16 needs 64 GB RAM | +55 | +71 |
| RTX 5070 Ti | 16 GB | ZanoZANO | −21 | −26 | +0.27 needs 64 GB RAM | +91 | +112 |
| RTX 5080 | 16 GB | ZanoZANO | −24 | −35 | +0.29 needs 64 GB RAM | +100 | +124 |
| RTX 5090 | 32 GB | ZanoZANO | −26 | −42 | +0.42 needs 32 GB RAM | +145 | +171 |
- + / −
- Plus is profit, minus is loss. Color only reinforces it.
- needs 64 / 32 GB RAM
- In AI EARN, a 16 GB VRAM card (RTX 40 or 50 series) earns with 64 GB RAM, a 24 GB VRAM card with 32 GB RAM.
Data: WhatToMine, Powered by CoinGecko — Oct 20, 2026. AI EARN amounts at 100% work; tasks come when there is demand. An estimate, not investment advice.
Every card in the table earns in AI EARN. An RTX 4090 makes +$0.32 per task hour there after electricity. Download the GamerHash AI app.
How much does a GPU make mining? After electricity, nothing
Before electricity, mining brings in $6 (RTX 4060 Ti 16GB) to $29 (RTX 5090) a month. The most comes from Zano, the highest-revenue coin on all 11 cards. Electricity costs more, so after paying for it every card loses money: −$16 to −$29 a month on its best coin.
| Card | Best coin | Revenue, $/mo | Electricity, $/mo | Result, $/mo |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| RTX 3090 | Kaspa (KAS) | $0 | $27 | −$27 |
| RTX 3090 Ti | Alephium (ALPH) | $0 | $27 | −$27 |
| RTX 4060 Ti 16GB | Zano (ZANO) | $6 | $22 | −$16 |
| RTX 4070 Ti Super | Zano (ZANO) | $14 | $40 | −$26 |
| RTX 4080 | Zano (ZANO) | $15 | $41 | −$26 |
| RTX 4080 Super | Zano (ZANO) | $16 | $41 | −$26 |
| RTX 4090 | Zano (ZANO) | $22 | $51 | −$29 |
| RTX 5060 Ti 16GB | Zano (ZANO) | $11 | $27 | −$16 |
| RTX 5070 Ti | Zano (ZANO) | $15 | $36 | −$21 |
| RTX 5080 | Zano (ZANO) | $21 | $44 | −$24 |
| RTX 5090 | Zano (ZANO) | $29 | $54 | −$26 |
The smallest loss comes from Kaspa on the RTX 3090 and Alephium on the RTX 3090 Ti. Kaspa and Alephium bring in almost nothing (under 1 cent a day); they win only because the card draws the least power.
An RTX 5060 Ti 16GB loses $16 a month mining, while AI EARN makes +$55 on it at 12 task hours a day. Check your card's rate.
GPU mining profitability by coin: Ravencoin, Ethereum Classic, Zano, Kaspa and Alephium all lose money
For each coin: the algorithm, revenue and the result after electricity on the RTX 4090 and RTX 5090.
Ravencoin mining isn't profitable
Ravencoin (RVN) launched in 2018. It uses KawPow, an algorithm designed to resist ASIC machines, so it is still a GPU coin. After Ethereum moved to proof-of-stake in 2022, many miners switched to it.
An RTX 4090 brings in $10 a month on Ravencoin, but electricity costs $51, so it loses $41. An RTX 5090 loses $42.
Ethereum Classic mining isn't profitable
Ethereum Classic (ETC) is the chain that split from Ethereum in 2016 and stayed with proof-of-work. ASIC machines also run Etchash, so a graphics card gets very little of the rewards: about $0.06 a day on an RTX 4090.
After electricity, an RTX 4090 loses $40 a month and an RTX 5090 loses $43. Ethereum Classic has the largest market cap of the coins we compare (about $1.2 billion), but that does not change what a card earns.
Zano mining isn't profitable
Zano (ZANO) is a privacy-focused coin launched in 2019. It combines mining (ProgPowZ) with staking.
It brings in the most of the compared coins on all 11 cards: $22 a month on an RTX 4090, $29 on an RTX 5090. Electricity still costs more: the RTX 4090 loses $29 and the RTX 5090 $26.
Kaspa isn't worth mining on a GPU
Kaspa (KAS) launched in 2021 and uses kHeavyHash. Since 2023 it has been mined mostly by ASIC machines, and a graphics card earns practically nothing on it: WhatToMine puts an RTX 4090 at under 1 cent a day.
Mining Kaspa on a GPU means paying for electricity: an RTX 4090 loses $39 a month. WhatToMine has no figure for the RTX 5090. Still, on one card Kaspa shows up as the best coin in the table: the card draws the least power on it, so it loses the least.
Alephium mining isn't profitable
Alephium (ALPH) launched in 2021 and uses Blake3. There are ASIC machines for Blake3 now, and a GPU's revenue has dropped to a fraction of a cent a day.
What remains is the power bill: an RTX 4090 loses $53 a month on Alephium, an RTX 5090 $60. That is the biggest loss in the comparison, because an RTX 4090 draws 410 W with the rest of the PC on this coin. On one card Alephium still comes out as the best coin, because the card draws the least power on it there.
Instead of mining any of these coins, put the card to work in AI EARN: an RTX 5090 makes +$145 a month there at 12 task hours a day. Download the GamerHash AI app.
Mining Ethereum or Bitcoin with a GPU: Ethereum can't be mined, Bitcoin isn't worth it
You can't mine Ethereum anymore. In September 2022 the network moved to proof-of-stake: new blocks are confirmed by validators who lock up their coins, not by graphics cards. The closest thing is Ethereum Classic, a separate network that kept mining, but an RTX 4090 loses $40 a month on it.
Bitcoin can technically be mined on a GPU, but since 2013 its network has been run by ASIC machines built only for the SHA-256 algorithm. A graphics card is several orders of magnitude slower, so its chance of a reward is negligible while the power bill is paid in full.
The RTX 3090, a popular card from the Ethereum mining days, makes +$25 a month in AI EARN at 12 task hours a day. Rates for every card.
Best GPU for mining in 2026 and why to put it to work in AI EARN instead
None of the 11 GPUs comes out ahead at $0.18/kWh, so the "best" one is the one that loses the least: the RTX 4060 Ti 16GB, $16 a month on Zano. The RTX 4090 loses the most: $29.
| Card | Best coin | Revenue, $/mo | Power draw with the rest of the PC | Mining result, $/mo | AI EARN at 12 h, $/mo |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. RTX 4060 Ti 16GB | Zano (ZANO) | $6 | 170 W | −$16 | +$43 |
| 2. RTX 5060 Ti 16GB | Zano (ZANO) | $11 | 210 W | −$16 | +$55 |
| 3. RTX 5070 Ti | Zano (ZANO) | $15 | 280 W | −$21 | +$91 |
| 4. RTX 5080 | Zano (ZANO) | $21 | 340 W | −$24 | +$100 |
| 5. RTX 4080 Super | Zano (ZANO) | $16 | 320 W | −$26 | +$95 |
| 6. RTX 5090 | Zano (ZANO) | $29 | 420 W | −$26 | +$145 |
| 7. RTX 4070 Ti Super | Zano (ZANO) | $14 | 310 W | −$26 | +$79 |
| 8. RTX 4080 | Zano (ZANO) | $15 | 320 W | −$26 | +$91 |
| 9. RTX 3090 Ti | Alephium (ALPH) | $0 | 210 W | −$27 | +$27 |
| 10. RTX 3090 | Kaspa (KAS) | $0 | 210 W | −$27 | +$25 |
| 11. RTX 4090 | Zano (ZANO) | $22 | 390 W | −$29 | +$111 |
Last column: AI EARN on the same card at 12 task hours a day, including electricity while waiting for tasks.
Even the winner of this ranking, the RTX 4060 Ti 16GB, makes +$43 a month in AI EARN instead of −$16 from mining (at 12 task hours a day). Start earning with AI EARN.
GPU mining calculator: what's left after the power bill? Nothing
The mining result is daily revenue minus electricity. Electricity = (card draw + about 60 W for the rest of the PC) × 24 h × price per kWh; we use the US residential average of $0.18. WhatToMine gives the daily revenue for each card and coin.
RTX 4090, Zano
- Revenue: $0.72 a day.
- Electricity: (330 W + 60 W) × 24 h = 9.36 kWh × $0.18 = $1.68 a day.
- Result: $0.72 − $1.68 = −$0.96 a day, or −$29 a month.
RTX 5080, Zano
- Revenue: $0.68 a day.
- Electricity: (280 W + 60 W) × 24 h = 8.16 kWh × $0.18 = $1.47 a day.
- Result: $0.68 − $1.47 = −$0.79 a day, or −$24 a month.
AI EARN pays per task hour, not per day of revenue: an RTX 5080 that loses $24 a month mining makes +$100 in AI EARN at 12 task hours a day, at 100% work. Check the rate for your card in the GamerHash AI earnings calculator, and run the mining numbers for it in the GPU mining calculator.
Check your GPU's rate in the GamerHash AI calculator →How to mine crypto on a PC and what it costs: electricity eats all the revenue
You need four things: a graphics card, mining software, a pool account and a wallet for the coins. The software runs the coin's algorithm, the pool combines the hashrate of many miners and splits the rewards, and the wallet receives them.
Software and a pool account usually cost nothing up front; the pool and some programs take a fee from rewards. The biggest cost is electricity: an RTX 4090 mining Zano draws 390 W with the rest of the PC, or 281 kWh a month. At $0.18/kWh that is $51, while the coin brings in $22.
With numbers like these, software settings and pool choice don't change the outcome: every one of the 11 GPUs we compared spends more on electricity than it makes.
AI EARN needs no mining software and no wallet to start: you set up the GamerHash AI app in under 5 minutes, and an RTX 5070 Ti makes +$91 a month in it at 12 task hours a day. Download the GamerHash AI app.
How to earn with your GPU without mining: 3 steps
Check your card
Check that your NVIDIA RTX card and RAM meet the AI EARN requirements: 24 GB VRAM and 32 GB RAM, or 16 GB VRAM (RTX 40 or 50 series) and 64 GB RAM, on Windows 11.
Hardware requirements →Download GamerHash AI
The app is free. Download it, install it and sign in to your GamerHash account. Setup takes less than 5 minutes.
Download GamerHash AI →Leave your PC on
AI tasks run in the background while you are not using the computer. You can exchange earnings for games and gift cards in the Store or withdraw them in crypto.
Your card's rate →
Why did GamerHash stop mining?
From 2017, GamerHash let users mine crypto with their PCs' computing power. On January 31, 2026, we switched that feature off.
We decided to use our users' computing power for AI tasks only.
The GamerHash AI app uses your PC's power only with your consent and only for AI tasks in AI EARN. This page shows what mining would make on your card if you wanted to do it yourself.
GPU mining FAQ
No. At $0.18/kWh, all 11 GPUs we compared lose money even on their best coin: $16 to $29 a month. The same cards make +$25 to +$145 a month in AI EARN at 12 task hours a day, at 100% work.