Guide
Raspberry Pi Passive Income: What Can a Pi Actually Earn?
A Raspberry Pi draws 5-12 watts. It costs almost nothing to run 24/7. The question isn't whether it's worth the electricity — it's which revenue streams make sense for a device this small.
What works on a Pi
Apps like Grass and Honeygain use your unused internet bandwidth. They run in the background with minimal CPU/RAM usage. A Pi is perfect for this — set it up once and forget about it. Expect $5-15/month depending on your internet speed and location.
Running a Flux Cumulus node requires 8GB RAM and a static IP. The Pi 5 (8GB) meets these requirements. Node hosting earns FLUX tokens for helping secure the decentralised network. Earnings vary based on network conditions.
A Pi can technically mine Monero via RandomX, but the hashrate is extremely low (0.03-0.08 KH/s). At current difficulty, this earns fractions of a cent per day. It's not worth the wear on the SD card. Stick to bandwidth and nodes.
Which Pi to buy
The Raspberry Pi 5 (8GB) is the best option if you want maximum flexibility — it handles bandwidth sharing, node hosting, and has enough headroom for future DePIN applications. The Pi 4 (4GB) is fine if you only plan to run bandwidth-sharing apps.
Don't forget a decent SD card (32GB minimum) or, better yet, an SSD for reliability if you're running 24/7. A case with passive cooling keeps things quiet and cool.
Realistic expectations
A Raspberry Pi won't make you rich. Bandwidth sharing and node hosting on a single Pi might earn $10-20/month. The appeal is the entry cost (under $150 for a full setup) and the near-zero running cost. If you're curious about decentralised networks and passive income, a Pi is the lowest-risk way to start.
The real value is learning. Running a Pi teaches you about Linux, networking, crypto wallets, and decentralised infrastructure. If you scale up to a proper mining rig later, you'll already understand the fundamentals.
See what a Pi can earn with your setup
Select a Raspberry Pi in the sweep tool and compare every revenue stream.
SWEEP MY HARDWARE