So I found out that you can mine crypto for free, really, without spending anything on expensive hardware. Like, many people think mining is only for those who have the money to invest in graphics cards and all that, but there are several platforms that let you start from zero.

Bitcoin is really on the rise, ending 2023 with a 134% appreciation and now around $78.15K. With the halving that happened in 2024, interest in mining has increased a lot. Ethereum is also around $2.19K and Dogecoin at $0.11. But the thing is, mining crypto online for free is quite different from professional mining, right? You won’t get rich overnight, but you can accumulate some satoshis and other coins with patience.

There are several cool options for those who want to try. Awesome Miner is one of the oldest, since 2014, works on Windows and Linux. BetterHash is interesting because it automatically selects which coin is most profitable to mine at the moment. StormGain is quite popular, promises low energy consumption, and you can even mine Bitcoin directly from your phone. CryptoTab is creative, you mine while browsing the web.

Now, if you’re thinking of something more professional, there’s the option of free cloud mining, which is basically renting processing power without having the hardware at home. ECOS offers this, including free cloud mining during a trial period. PEGAPool lets you mine ETH just with your smartphone, they say it can yield up to 0.01 ETH per day. Kryptex pays based on your PC’s capacity, and some people say they make about R$520 a month with a simple machine.

There’s also MinerGate, which works on various systems and automatically selects the most advantageous coin. And for those who want to earn crypto by doing other things, EarnCrypto offers simple tasks like watching ads and answering surveys.

The important detail is that free cloud mining or free software won’t make you a millionaire, but it’s an interesting way to grow your portfolio without extra costs. If your goal is just to supplement your investments, it’s worth it. Just be careful with scams, always check the platform’s reputation and see if it has decent security measures to protect your data.

For those who want something more serious later, there are trustworthy exchanges where you can trade with good fees. But to start and test, these free mining options are a good starting point anyway.