BladeBit is a free, open-source plotter for Chia, written in C and C++, aimed at farmers who want to create plot files quickly on a Windows PC or another supported system. Plotting is the step that produces the large data files a Chia farmer uses, so the tool matters most to people who already know how farming works and want control over their hardware.
BladeBit for Windows is distributed under the Apache 2.0 license and costs nothing to use. It offers three approaches: a CPU-based in-RAM mode, a CUDA GPU mode that can run fully in memory or in a disk-hybrid arrangement, and a disk-based mode. The source code is published on GitHub, and version 3.1.1 is the latest release, so you can review how the software works before you run it.
What Chia Plotting Actually Does
Chia uses a consensus method called proof of space, in which farmers commit disk capacity rather than running constant calculations. To take part, a farmer needs plot files, which are large files of precomputed data stored on drives. Creating those files is the job of a plotter, and it is usually the most resource-intensive step a farmer faces.
Consider a home user with a spare Windows desktop and an extra drive. The plotter does the heavy work once and writes files that the farming software reads afterward. Plotting speed affects how quickly new capacity comes online, but it does not change how the network itself works.
Who BladeBit Is For
BladeBit fits experienced hobbyists who are comfortable with a command line and who have hardware suited to their chosen mode. Someone with a large-memory workstation can use the in-RAM approach, while a user with a CUDA graphics card can test the GPU mode for a different speed profile. Those with modest memory and fast storage may prefer disk-based plotting.
It is less suitable for people who expect a simple point-and-click experience or a general-purpose crypto tool. Because BladeBit focuses on plotting for Chia, anyone looking for a wallet or exchange tool should look elsewhere.
Why Compressed Plots Matter
Compression reduces the space each plot occupies on disk, so a given drive can hold more plots. That matters for farmers whose storage is the main limit, since more capacity means more farming opportunity.
Compression comes with trade-offs. Compressed plots are not supported in every mode, so the mode you pick affects your storage plan. Test a small batch before committing a large drive to one approach, and keep a record of which settings produced which plots.
Key features
CPU-Based In-RAM Plotting
CUDA GPU Acceleration
Disk-Based Plotting
Supported coins
BladeBit is built for Chia, and the project's documentation names Chia as the supported network. Its plot files are created for Chia farming, so the program has no role with other coins or networks. Anyone who wants to farm other assets will need different tools.
How to install BladeBit on Windows
- 1
Get the Windows build
Download only from the official website or the GitHub Releases page at github.com/Chia-Network/bladebit. Pick the Windows build that matches the version you want, with v3.1.1 being the current release. Avoid mirror sites and file-sharing links, which are a common way to distribute altered copies.
- 2
Verify the file
Calculate the SHA-256 hash of the downloaded archive with a standard Windows tool such as certutil or PowerShell's Get-FileHash. Compare the result with the checksum published alongside the release. If the values do not match, delete the file and download it again.
- 3
Extract to a dedicated folder
Unpack the archive into a folder with enough free space and a simple path you can remember. Keeping the program in its own directory makes updates and troubleshooting easier.
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Check the command-line interface
BladeBit runs from a command prompt. Open a terminal in the program folder and display the help output to see the available modes and options before your first plot.
System requirements
- Plotting in RAM requires at least 416G of system DRAM.
- Exact RAM and disk needs can vary slightly with the system's memory page size and the block size of the target file system, because direct I/O requires block alignment.
- SSDs are strongly recommended for disk-based plotting.
- GPU mode requires a CUDA-capable graphics card.
- Compressed plots are supported in CUDA mode and RAM-only mode. CPU disk-based mode does not currently support compressed plots.
How to use BladeBit
Before your first plot, decide which mode fits your hardware. Check how much RAM you have, whether you own a CUDA-capable GPU, and how fast your target drive is. Then run the plotter from a command prompt with the settings you picked.
A typical workflow looks like this:
- Confirm the program runs by opening a command prompt in the BladeBit folder and checking the help output.
- Choose the mode: CPU in-RAM if you have a large amount of memory, CUDA if you have a supported GPU, or disk-based if memory is limited.
- Pick a destination drive with enough free space for the plot files, and avoid running other memory-heavy programs at the same time.
- Start with a single plot to measure how long it takes and how much memory it uses.
- Check the finished plot file before moving on to bulk creation.
- Point your Chia farmer at the folder where the plots are stored so it can use them for farming.
Keep notes on the settings that worked, since the best combination depends on your hardware. Compressed plots are an option in CUDA and RAM-only modes, but not in CPU disk-based mode.
Pros & cons
- Free to use under the Apache 2.0 open source license
- Source code is public on GitHub
- Three plotting modes to match different hardware
- Available for Windows, macOS and Linux
- Compressed plots supported in CUDA and RAM-only modes
- In-RAM plotting demands a large amount of memory
- Disk-based plotting depends heavily on drive quality
- CPU disk-based mode lacks compressed plot support
- Built only for Chia, so it has no use for other coins
- Command-line workflow may be unfamiliar to beginners
Is BladeBit safe?
Mining-related software is a frequent target for malicious copies, so take extra care. Download BladeBit only from the official website or the GitHub Releases page at github.com/Chia-Network/bladebit. After downloading, verify the SHA-256 checksum or signature against the value published with the release before running anything.
Antivirus tools sometimes flag plotting and mining programs as suspicious. Investigate the alert, and if the file checks out against the published hash, add an exception rather than turning protection off entirely. Never type a wallet seed phrase into a plotter, a website or a chat message, and be wary of anyone who asks for one. Check the latest version on the official website before you install.
- Official source only. Download from github.com/Chia-Network/bladebit. Ignore ads and lookalike domains.
- Check the SHA-256. Compare the installer hash with the value the developer publishes before running it.
- Never share your seed phrase. No developer, support agent or website — including CryptApps — will ever ask for it.
Alternatives
BladeBit competes most directly with MadMax Chia Plotter, another plotter built for Chia that appeals to users who want fast plot creation. Both aim at the same task, so the choice often comes down to which modes, licensing and command options suit your hardware and workflow.
Chia Blockchain is different in kind. It provides the full node, farmer, harvester and wallet that actually use plots to farm, so you run it alongside a plotter rather than instead of one. GPU miners such as GMiner, Rigel and WildRig Multi target other mining algorithms and do not replace a plotter. Test the options on your own machine to see which performs best.
Specifications
- Price
- Free
- Type
- Open source
- License
- Apache 2.0
- Latest version
- v3.1.1
- Last update
- 8 Oct 2026
- Windows support
- Yes (Windows build or installer)
- Source code
- github.com/Chia-Network/bladebit
Frequently asked questions
Yes, BladeBit is free and released under the Apache 2.0 open source license. You can download it, run it and review the source code on GitHub without paying a fee. Read the license terms if you plan to redistribute or modify the code. Free software does not cover hardware costs, though, since plotting can require substantial memory or storage.
Yes, BladeBit provides a Windows build, and the project also supports macOS and Linux. Windows users can choose between CPU in-RAM, CUDA GPU and disk-based modes depending on their hardware. The program is run from a command prompt after you extract it to a folder.
It can be, provided you get it from the official source and verify the file. Download from the project's GitHub Releases page, compare the SHA-256 checksum with the published value, and keep antivirus protection active. Skipping verification is the biggest risk, because fake copies of mining-related tools circulate online.
Plotting in RAM requires at least 416G of system DRAM. Exact needs can vary slightly with your system's memory page size and the block size of the target disk. If you have less memory, disk-based mode is an alternative, though its speed depends heavily on fast storage.
A Chia plot is a large file of precomputed data stored on disk, which farmers use to take part in Chia's proof-of-space consensus. Creating plots is called plotting, and it is a resource-heavy step that happens before farming. Plotters like BladeBit handle this work so the resulting files are ready for the farming software.
Yes, BladeBit has a CUDA-based GPU mode that works with a CUDA-capable graphics card. It can run either fully in RAM or in a disk-hybrid arrangement. Compressed plots are supported in this mode, which gives you more options for planning storage.
Verdict
BladeBit suits Chia enthusiasts who have a capable Windows PC and want a free, open-source plotter with CPU, GPU and disk-based options. Its main appeal is flexibility, especially for users with plenty of RAM or a CUDA graphics card. Users with limited memory, slower drives or little interest in command-line tools may find it harder to start with, and should compare it with other Chia plotters first. Check the latest version before installing and keep the verification steps in mind.