GMiner is a free GPU mining program for Windows, built for people who run NVIDIA or AMD graphics cards and want software that handles pool connections, recovery from crashes and overclocking checks with little manual work. It suits experienced hobbyists and small rig operators, and it is also a practical starting point for anyone who wants to learn how GPU mining software is set up.
The program was created by a Russian team of high performance computing and cryptography specialists and first appeared in September 2018. It became popular early on for Equihash mining and still supports a broad set of algorithms, including Ethash, KawPow and Equihash. The latest version is 3.12, and the code was last updated in August 2026, so the project is actively maintained. GMiner is free to use, but it includes a developer fee, which we explain below.
What Is a Developer Fee and Why Does It Matter?
A developer fee is a small share of the mining output that a program's author keeps as payment for building and maintaining the software. Most free mining tools rely on it, so the word free on a download page rarely means the tool costs nothing to run.
The way a fee is collected affects your results. Some miners switch to fee mode for set periods, while GMiner charges its fee continuously. Whether that difference matters for you depends on your pool, your hardware and how long you mine, so it is worth comparing the actual earnings of a test run rather than relying on general claims.
When you read any mining tool's documentation, look for three things: how the fee is taken, which pools it works with, and whether it applies to every algorithm you plan to use. Those details tell you more about real income than the headline price.
Who Uses GMiner and in What Situations
A home user with two or three NVIDIA cards is the most typical user. For that setup, the watchdog and reconnection features matter most, because an unattended rig that freezes overnight can lose hours of work. Automatic kernel selection also removes much of the trial and error.
A small operator running a larger group of Windows machines may value the consistent behavior across cards and the option to tune each device separately. Manual kernel selection for Ethash and Etchash, along with fan limits and temperature control, gives more room to balance heat, noise and output.
Researchers and enthusiasts who compare algorithms also benefit from the broad list of supported families, including Autolykos, kHeavyHash and BeamHash. Testing these on your own hardware is more informative than reading any published numbers, including the ones on this page.
Key features
Continuous developer fee
DAG verification and overclock warnings
CPU share verification
DAG caching
Kernel selection
Temperature control and watchdog
Failover pools and secure connections
Supported coins
The documentation mentions Bitcoin (BTC), Ravencoin (RVN), Kaspa (KAS), Ergo (ERG), Grin and Beam as supported networks. GMiner covers several algorithms, including Ethash, Etchash, KawPow, Autolykos, kHeavyHash, Equihash, Cuckoo Cycle, ProgPoW and BeamHash. Hardware support covers NVIDIA cards through CUDA, AMD cards through OpenCL, and CPUs. Whether a given coin is worth mining depends on hardware, electricity costs and pool conditions, so check a profitability calculator before you commit to any network.
How to install GMiner on Windows
- 1
Get the official Windows build
Open the official website or the GitHub Releases page for GMiner and download the Windows version. Download only from the official website or the project's GitHub releases, and avoid mirrors or files shared in forums or chat groups.
- 2
Verify the download
Calculate the SHA-256 checksum of the downloaded archive and compare it with the value published by the project. If a signature is provided, check it too. Do not run a file whose hash does not match.
- 3
Unpack into a dedicated folder
Extract the archive into its own folder on a drive you control. Keeping the miner separate from system directories makes it easier to manage batch files and to replace the program when a new version is released.
- 4
Prepare wallet and pool details
Have your wallet address, the pool server address and port, and a worker name ready. Only the public wallet address is needed. Never enter a seed phrase into the miner or any website.
- 5
Run with administrator rights when required
Open the command prompt as administrator for options that need elevated privileges, such as p2state on NVIDIA cards. Use the same window for the rest of your session so settings stay consistent.
-
Run a short test
Start the miner from the command line and watch hashrate, temperatures and share results for several minutes. Adjust settings one at a time so you can see what changed the outcome.
System requirements
- Windows, using the official Windows version of GMiner
- NVIDIA GPU supported through CUDA
- AMD GPU supported through OpenCL
- CPU mining is listed as a supported hardware option
- Administrator rights are required for options such as p2state
How to use GMiner
GMiner runs from the command line. A basic command names the algorithm, the pool server, your wallet and worker name, and the device to use. Once you understand that structure, changing coins or pools takes only a few edits.
- Open a command prompt in the folder where you unpacked GMiner.
- Start with an example Ethash command, such as
miner --algo ethash --server eth.2miners.com:2020 --user YOUR_WALLET.worker1 --cuda 0, to confirm that the program starts. - Replace YOUR_WALLET with your own wallet address for the coin you mine. Keep the worker name short and descriptive so you can identify the machine in the pool dashboard.
- Use the device option that matches your hardware. The example uses --cuda 0 for the first NVIDIA card.
- If you need to control cooling, add the tfanmin and tfanmax options to set minimum and maximum fan speed limits.
- Add the contestwallet parameter only if you take part in a contest that requires it.
- For p2state on NVIDIA cards, run the command prompt as administrator.
- Watch hashrate and temperatures during the first session. If a GPU runs too hot, lower the overclock or fan limits and restart.
Pros & cons
- Free to download and use on Windows
- Supports NVIDIA, AMD and CPU hardware
- Covers a broad list of algorithms, including Ethash, KawPow, Equihash and kHeavyHash
- Watchdog restarts the miner after a crash or freeze
- Automatic reconnection and failover pools keep work flowing during outages
- Secure connections and SOCKS5 proxy support
- Overclock warnings for Ethash-family algorithms
- Active development, with the latest version at 3.12 and a code update in August 2026
- A developer fee applies, so the program is not fully free to run
- Some options require administrator rights
- The p2state option works only on Windows with NVIDIA GPUs
- Setup is command-line based, which can be harder for beginners
- Earnings depend on hardware, electricity and pool conditions, and no miner can guarantee income
Is GMiner safe?
Download GMiner only from the official website or the project's GitHub Releases page. After downloading, compare the SHA-256 checksum with the published value, and verify the signature if one is provided. Mining tools are often flagged by antivirus software, which can produce false positives. If that happens, you can add an exception for the verified folder, but never disable your protection entirely. The project was last updated in August 2026, though it is still worth checking the latest version on the official website before you install. Miners do not need your seed phrase, so never type it into the program or any third-party website.
- Official source only. Download from github.com/develsoftware/gminerrelease. 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
Compared with lolMiner, which lists NVIDIA, AMD and Intel GPUs, GMiner does not cover Intel graphics, but it offers a detailed set of overclock checks and DAG handling for Ethash-family algorithms. NBMiner and T-Rex Miner have stopped development, so GMiner's active updates matter if you plan a long-term setup. Rigel focuses on NVIDIA cards, while Nanominer comes from the Nanopool team. For CPU-only rigs, cpuminer-multi is the better fit. Choose by hardware, algorithm and pool rather than by name.
Specifications
- Price
- Free (developer fee)
- Type
- Open source
- License
- Public Domain
- Latest version
- 3.12
- Last update
- 31 Aug 2026
- Windows support
- Yes (official Windows version)
- Source code
- github.com/develsoftware/gminerrelease
Frequently asked questions
Yes, GMiner is free to download and use on Windows, but it includes a developer fee on the mining it performs. The fee is charged continuously rather than in intervals, which is one of the program's distinguishing features. Factor the fee into any profitability estimate before you start.
Yes. GMiner supports AMD GPUs through OpenCL, alongside NVIDIA cards through CUDA. The program also lists CPU as a supported hardware option, so you can match the setup to the machine you have. Check the hardware list for the algorithm you plan to mine.
GMiner can be used safely when you follow basic precautions. Download it from the official website or GitHub Releases page, verify the SHA-256 checksum, and keep antivirus protection turned on. Mining software is often flagged by antivirus tools, so a warning alone does not prove the file is infected. Never share a seed phrase with any miner.
A basic Ethash command uses the algorithm option with a pool server, your wallet address and a worker name, plus a device flag for your card. Replace the placeholder wallet with your own address, and confirm the pool details on the pool's website. Test the command for several minutes before leaving the rig unattended.
GMiner supports Ethash, Etchash, KawPow, Autolykos, kHeavyHash, Equihash, Cuckoo Cycle, ProgPoW and BeamHash. This range covers several GPU-focused algorithm families. Which one is suitable depends on your cards, your pool and the coin you choose to mine.
Some options require elevated privileges. The p2state option, which enables or disables the P2 state on NVIDIA GPUs, requires running the miner with administrator rights. Start the command prompt as administrator only when you use options that need it, and keep normal use in a standard session where possible.
Both are GPU miners for Windows, but they differ in hardware coverage and features. lolMiner lists Intel GPUs in addition to NVIDIA and AMD, while GMiner focuses on NVIDIA, AMD and CPU hardware. GMiner's watchdog, DAG caching and kernel selection are the main points to compare when you choose between them.
Verdict
GMiner suits Windows miners with NVIDIA or AMD cards who want actively updated software with failover pools, a watchdog and detailed overclock checks. It works best for people comfortable with command-line setup and who understand how the developer fee affects their results. Beginners should start with one card and a short test run. Profitability depends on hardware, power costs and pool conditions, so treat any estimate as uncertain. Verify the download, keep your wallet secure and review the latest version before updating.