Bitcoin's hashrate passed 1,000 EH/s this month and mining difficulty was set to rise about 5.6% around 16 October. Every rise means less Bitcoin per machine. Here is the simplest test of whether a Bitcoin miner still works: the highest electricity price it can pay and still break even.
By Michal Beno, CEO, OneMiners17 October 2026
At today's numbers a Bitcoin miner earns about $39.5 per PH/s per day before power. The most efficient machines, such as the Antminer S23 Hyd and Sealminer A4 Ultra Hyd (about 9.5 J/TH), break even at around $0.17 per kWh. An older Antminer S19j Pro breaks even at only about $0.056. After a 5.6% difficulty rise, every break-even falls by about 5%. At home power prices of 15 to 30 cents most miners lose money; at hosting rates from $0.048 per kWh, every current model in this list still covers its power.
1,003 EH/s
Bitcoin hashrate, 7-day estimate
+5.6%
estimated difficulty change, ~16 October
$39.5
per PH/s per day, before the change
$37.4
per PH/s per day, after +5.6%
mempool.space, 14 October 2026 (difficulty 132.72T, block 971,396); BTC $83,399 (CoinGecko, 14 October 2026). Block subsidy only, before transaction fees.
KEY TAKEAWAYS
Why difficulty went up again
Bitcoin adjusts its mining difficulty every 2,016 blocks so that a block arrives every 10 minutes on average. In the period ending at block 971,712 blocks were arriving every 9.5 minutes, because more machines had switched on. On 14 October, mempool.space estimated the change due around 16 October at +5.6%, with the 7-day hashrate estimate at about 1,003 EH/s, around one zettahash. A higher difficulty means each machine finds a smaller share of the same 450 new Bitcoin per day, so revenue per machine drops by roughly the same percentage.
THE BREAK-EVEN FORMULA
Break-even ($/kWh) =
revenue per TH per day
/ (0.024 x J/TH)
Today: $0.0395 / (0.024 x J/TH)
S21 at 17.6 J/TH: $0.094 per kWh
14 Bitcoin miners ranked by break-even electricity price
Break-even electricity price, today
US dollars per kWh; higher is better
Revenue $0.0395 per TH per day (difficulty 132.72T, BTC $83,399, 14 October 2026), block subsidy only. Efficiency from the OneMiners catalogue and Bitmain specs.
Before and after the difficulty rise
Antminer S23 Hyd 3U 1.16P
Antminer S23e Hyd 2U 865T
Antminer S23 318T
Antminer S21 XP+ Hyd 500T
Antminer S21+ Hyd 395T
Antminer S21 Pro 245T
Antminer S21e Hyd 338T
Antminer S21 200TSame Bitcoin price in both columns. Older S19-series machines are shown for comparison and are not linked.
What each miner nets per day at three power prices
Break-even tells you where the line is. Net per day tells you how far above it you are. The table uses three prices: a OneMiners hosting rate of $0.048 per kWh, a typical US industrial price of 9 cents, and the US household price of 18.2 cents forecast for 2026 by the US Energy Information Administration.
Net per day after power, today's numbers
Before pool fees and before the difficulty change. Revenue $0.0395 per TH per day; 18.2 cents = US EIA household forecast for 2026 (Short-Term Energy Outlook, 9 September 2026).
The pattern is simple. At a hosting rate, every current machine is comfortably positive, and the big hydro units bring in the most per day. At an industrial price, the efficient machines still work but the older-generation ones get thin. At a household price, even very efficient miners barely cover power, and the rest lose money every day. That is why almost all serious Bitcoin mining happens on contracted power, not at home.
How to keep a margin of safety
Compare power price to break-even
A miner whose break-even is at least twice your power price has room for difficulty rises and price dips.
Buy efficiency, not just hashrate
Lower J/TH raises the break-even. It is the one spec that protects a miner over years.
Fix your power price
A contracted or prepaid rate removes the risk of rising electricity bills.
Watch difficulty every two weeks
Each retarget changes revenue by a few percent. Several in a row add up.
Retire machines at the right time
When an older miner's net turns negative on your power, it is time to replace or sell it.
Antminer S23 Hyd 580T$12,299Hashrate580 TH/sEfficiency9.50 J/THPower draw5,510 WBreak-even power$0.173/kWhNet/day at 4.80c$16.56View on OneMiners
Sealminer A4 Ultra Hyd 886T$9,999Hashrate886 TH/sEfficiency9.45 J/THPower draw8,372 WBreak-even power$0.174/kWhNet/day at 4.80c$25.36View on OneMiners
Antminer S21e XP Hyd 430T$3,499Hashrate430 TH/sEfficiency13.00 J/THPower draw5,590 WBreak-even power$0.127/kWhNet/day at 4.80c$10.55View on OneMiners
Bitcoin miners from the OneMiners catalogue, prices 14 October 2026. Net per day at $0.048 per kWh, at today's numbers, before pool fees.
Difficulty will keep rising as long as new machines switch on, and that is normal for Bitcoin. The miners that last are the ones with a big gap between their break-even and their power price. With hosting from $0.048 per kWh and from $0.0364 per kWh on a 7-year prepaid contract, even mid-range machines keep a wide margin at OneMiners. Run your own numbers in the Bitcoin mining calculator and see what mining really costs.
Frequently asked questions
What is a break-even electricity price?
The highest power price at which a Bitcoin miner's daily revenue just covers its daily electricity cost. Above it, the miner loses money.
Which Bitcoin miner has the highest break-even price?
The most efficient machines, around 9.5 J/TH, such as the Antminer S23 Hyd and Sealminer A4 Ultra Hyd. They break even near $0.17 per kWh at today's numbers.
How does a difficulty increase affect miners?
Revenue per machine falls by about the same percentage as difficulty rises, so a 5.6% rise cuts every break-even price by about 5.3%.
Is an Antminer S19 still profitable?
Only on very cheap power. An S19j Pro breaks even near $0.056 per kWh and an S19 XP near $0.077 at today's numbers.
Is home Bitcoin mining profitable in 2026?
At typical household prices of 15 to 30 cents per kWh most miners lose money. Mining pays on low, contracted power such as hosting.
Keep a wide margin: pair an efficient Bitcoin miner with a low hosting rate.
See the most profitable minersSee hosting locationsSOURCES AND DATA
- Bitcoin difficulty, next retarget estimate and 7-day hashrate: mempool.space, 14 October 2026 (block 971,396)
- Bitcoin price: CoinGecko, 14 October 2026
- US household electricity forecast for 2026: US Energy Information Administration, Short-Term Energy Outlook, 9 September 2026
- Miner efficiency, power and prices: OneMiners catalogue, 14 October 2026; S19-series efficiency: Bitmain specifications
Michal Beno
CEO of OneMiners, the global Bitcoin mining hosting and hardware platform with 15 published hosting locations, 7-year fixed electricity contracts and a 7-year hardware warranty. He writes about the economics of industrial Bitcoin mining.
Informational only, not financial advice. Figures are a snapshot from public market data, news reports and the OneMiners catalogue as of 14 October 2026 and can change quickly. Net-per-day figures are at today's numbers, before pool fees, and are not a forecast. Crypto prices can fall as well as rise. No return is offered or implied. Do your own research.
