Electrum Personal Server is a lightweight server program for people who run the Electrum bitcoin wallet and want to query their own full node instead of public servers. It is aimed at privacy-conscious bitcoin users who already run, or plan to run, a Bitcoin Core node and want the wallet to rely on it.
The project's goal is to make Electrum more secure and more private. Instead of sending your addresses and balance queries to a third-party Electrum server, your wallet talks to a server that you control, which in turn reads from your own full node. The result is a setup that keeps the trust model closer to running everything yourself, without giving up the convenience of a desktop wallet.
What Problem Does a Personal Electrum Server Solve?
Most Electrum users connect to public Electrum servers operated by volunteers or companies. Those servers answer questions such as which transactions belong to a given address, and they see every address your wallet asks about. Even if no funds are at risk, this creates a privacy leak.
Running a personal server changes that relationship. Your wallet asks your own machine, and your machine asks your own Bitcoin node. Outside observers learn much less about which addresses are yours, and you do not have to rely on the honesty of a remote operator for the answers you receive.
Who Should Use It?
The program suits three main groups. The first is people who already run a Bitcoin Core full node and want their Electrum wallet to use it. The second is users who care about address privacy and are willing to spend an afternoon on configuration. The third is technically inclined people who want to understand how their wallet obtains blockchain data.
It is less suitable for someone who only wants to send and receive a small amount with no interest in infrastructure. For that use case, the standard Electrum connection to public servers is simpler and requires nothing extra.
How the Pieces Fit Together
A typical setup has three layers. At the bottom is Bitcoin Core, which downloads and validates the blockchain. Above it sits Electrum Personal Server, which indexes the data your wallet needs and answers queries. At the top is the Electrum desktop wallet, which holds your keys and builds transactions.
Keys never leave the wallet. The server only deals with public information: addresses, balances and transaction history. This separation is one reason the project is considered a privacy tool rather than a custody tool.
Some users also keep the server on a separate machine on their local network. That arrangement lets an older laptop or a small always-on device handle the Electrum side while the main computer runs the node.
Why Privacy Matters for Bitcoin Wallets
Bitcoin is a public ledger, so every balance and payment can be traced by anyone who looks. Wallet software adds another layer of exposure through the servers it contacts. A wallet that asks a remote server about every address you own effectively tells that server which addresses belong together.
A personal server reduces this leakage. It is not a complete anonymity solution, since your home IP address and transaction patterns can still reveal information. Users who need stronger protection often combine self-hosted infrastructure with careful habits about address reuse and network routing.
Key features
Single-user Electrum server
Low resource footprint
Compatibility with Bitcoin Core pruning
No transaction index required
Scriptable transaction broadcasting
Tor-based broadcasting
Supported coins
The documentation mentions Bitcoin (BTC) and the Lightning Network as the main networks in scope. The program is built around Bitcoin Core, so its usefulness depends on that node being available and synchronized.
How to install Electrum Personal Server on Windows
- 1
Download the program
Get the packaged Windows binary or installer from the official project page or from the GitHub Releases section of the repository. Use only these sources, and avoid mirrors or files shared through forums and chat groups.
- 2
Verify the file
Compare the SHA-256 checksum of the downloaded file with the value published by the developers, or check the signature if one is provided. A mismatch means the file should not be run.
- 3
Prepare the configuration file
The Windows package uses a configuration file named config.ini. Drag this file onto the program's executable or place it in the expected folder, then open it in a text editor and set the connection details for your Bitcoin Core node, such as the RPC address, port and credentials.
- 4
Run the server
Start the program and let it connect to your node. The first start may take time while it reads existing blockchain data. Once it is running, leave the window open or configure it to start automatically, depending on how you plan to use it.
-
Point Electrum to your server
In the Electrum desktop wallet, open the network settings, choose to connect to a specific server, and enter your server's address and port. Make sure the wallet is using your server rather than a public one before you rely on it.
System requirements
- Windows 10 is confirmed as a supported platform for the program.
- A running Bitcoin Core full node is required, which accounts for most of the storage and bandwidth needs.
- Very low CPU and memory use is expected for the server itself, so it can run on modest hardware.
How to use Electrum Personal Server
Once the server is installed and connected to your node, daily use is mostly invisible. You open your Electrum wallet as usual, and the wallet fetches balances and history from your own server. The main thing to watch is that the node stays synchronized, because a stale node means stale wallet information.
A typical first-time workflow looks like this:
- Start Bitcoin Core and wait until it reports that it is fully synchronized with the network.
- Launch Electrum Personal Server and confirm that it has connected to the node without errors.
- Open Electrum, go to the network settings, and point the wallet to your server.
- Check that your balance and recent transactions appear correctly, which confirms the connection works.
- When sending a payment, use the wallet as normal and let the server handle broadcasting according to your configuration.
- Keep the node and server running periodically so the wallet stays current.
Pros & cons
- Keeps wallet queries on infrastructure you control, reducing exposure to third-party servers.
- Light on system resources compared with running a heavy indexing service.
- Works with pruned Bitcoin Core nodes and without transaction indexing.
- Supports Tor-based broadcasting and custom scripts for advanced setups.
- Updating to a new version does not require a full blockchain rescan.
- Requires a working Bitcoin Core node, which adds setup time and storage needs.
- Configuration involves editing files and understanding RPC settings, which can be a barrier for beginners.
- Privacy gains depend on your overall habits and network setup; the server alone is not a full anonymity tool.
- Development activity has been limited for some time, so users should weigh that against their needs.
Is Electrum Personal Server safe?
Download the program only from the official project page or the GitHub Releases section, and verify the SHA-256 checksum or signature before running it. Do not use copies from unknown websites, since a modified build could misreport balances or capture data. Your seed phrase and private keys should never be entered into the server or into any third-party website; the server does not need them, and they stay in the Electrum wallet.
Note that the latest code update dates from June 2022, and the project has not seen recent development. This does not automatically make it unsafe, but it means you should check the project's current status on its official page, review the open issues, and keep your Bitcoin Core node and Electrum wallet up to date. Treat the server as one component of a security setup, not as a guarantee.
- Official source only. Download from github.com/chris-belcher/electrum-personal-server. 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
Electrum Personal Server is a single-user server aimed at people who want their own Electrum backend. Fulcrum and Frigate, listed among similar programs, are also Electrum-compatible servers, but they target broader or different use cases, such as indexing several coins or supporting newer address schemes. Gocoin and Elements / Liquid take a different approach altogether, since they are full node implementations or sidechain platforms rather than wallet backends.
If your goal is specifically to make an Electrum wallet talk to your own Bitcoin Core node with minimal overhead, this program is designed for that job. If you need multi-coin indexing or features outside the Bitcoin Electrum workflow, one of the alternatives may fit better. Compare requirements, maintenance status and documentation before choosing.
Specifications
- Price
- Free
- Type
- Open source
- License
- —
- Latest version
- eps-v0.2.4
- Last update
- 16 Jun 2022
- Windows support
- Yes (Windows build or installer)
- Source code
- github.com/chris-belcher/electrum-personal-server
Frequently asked questions
It lets your Electrum desktop wallet connect to your own Bitcoin Core node through a personal server instead of a public one. This keeps your address queries off third-party servers and gives you more control over your wallet's data source.
Yes. The server reads blockchain data from a running Bitcoin Core node, so that node must be installed and synchronized. A pruned node is supported, which reduces the disk space you need.
It can be used safely if you download it from the official project page or GitHub Releases and verify the checksum or signature. The server never needs your seed phrase or private keys, so keep those inside your Electrum wallet only.
No. The server works with public information such as addresses, balances and transaction history. Private keys remain in the Electrum wallet, and you should never type a seed phrase into the server or any website.
Yes, the program supports broadcasting transactions through Tor. This helps reduce the chance that your IP address can be linked to a newly sent transaction, though it does not replace broader privacy practices.
No. The project states that updating to a new version does not require a blockchain rescan, which makes upgrades simpler than with some other indexing tools.
The documentation focuses on Bitcoin (BTC) and mentions the Lightning Network. The program is built around Bitcoin Core, so it is not a multi-coin server.
It is more suited to users who are comfortable editing configuration files and running a full node. Beginners may prefer the standard public server connection until they are ready to set up their own infrastructure.
Verdict
Electrum Personal Server is a focused, free tool for Bitcoin users who already run or want to run a full node and want their Electrum wallet to rely on it. Its strengths are privacy, low resource use and compatibility with pruned nodes. It suits technically comfortable users who value control over convenience. Before relying on it, check the project's current status on the official page and follow safe download practices.