Chia Profit Calculator
Estimate your potential Chia (XCH) farming earnings based on your storage space (plots) and the current network conditions. Profitability is highly variable and depends primarily on the total network space.
Enter your dedicated farming space and the current total network space. Optionally, enter the current XCH price to see estimated earnings in USD. Ensure consistent units (TiB or PiB).
Enter Your Farming Details
Understanding Chia Farming Profitability
How Chia Farming Works
Chia (XCH) uses a Proof of Space and Time (PoST) consensus mechanism. Instead of computing complex math problems like Proof of Work (Bitcoin), farmers allocate storage space to store cryptographic proofs ("plots"). The chance of winning a block reward is proportional to the amount of space you have compared to the total space on the network.
Key Factors Affecting Profitability
- Your Farm Size: More plots mean a higher probability of winning blocks.
- Total Network Space: This is the combined space of all farmers. As network space grows, your individual share of the network decreases, reducing your probability of winning. This is the most significant variable affecting profitability over time.
- Block Reward: The amount of XCH awarded per block win. This decreases over time based on a fixed schedule.
- Luck: Winning blocks is probabilistic. While large farms win blocks more consistently over time, smaller farms might experience long dry spells or unexpected quick wins. Pooling helps smooth out rewards.
- XCH Price: Affects the fiat value of your earnings.
The Calculation Formula (Simplified)
The core idea is determining your chance of winning blocks. Over a long period, your expected number of block wins is proportional to your share of the total network space.
Your Share = Your Farm Size / Total Network Space
Currently, 64 XCH are awarded per day (32 XCH every ~10 minutes, 4608 blocks per day * 0.02 XCH per block + farmer reward... simplified to daily expectation). A block reward is currently 2 XCH (awarded split between the block winner - 1.75 XCH - and the farmer who found the proof - 0.25 XCH). Pooled farming distributes the 1.75 XCH part among pool members proportional to their contributions, while the 0.25 XCH goes directly to the farmer who found the proof. Our calculator estimates based on expected block wins over time, not factoring in pooling specifics or the exact solo farmer split, providing a total expected XCH reward for your contribution.
Estimated Daily XCH = (Your Farm Size / Total Network Space) * Total Daily Network Reward
Using the current daily network reward expectation (~64 XCH):
Estimated Daily XCH = (Your Farm Size / Total Network Space) * 64
This calculator uses this principle, converting all sizes to a consistent unit before calculating the share.
Chia Profit Examples
Click on an example to see the estimated earnings for different farm sizes and network conditions:
Example 1: Small Farm in Early Days (Hypothetical)
Scenario: A farmer starts with 10 TiB when the network was much smaller.
Inputs: Your Farm Size = 10 TiB, Total Network Space = 1 EiB (1000 PiB).
Calculation:
- Convert units: 10 TiB = 0.00909 PiB. 1 EiB = 1000 PiB.
- Your Share = 0.00909 PiB / 1000 PiB = 0.00000909 (or 0.000909%)
- Estimated Daily XCH = 0.00000909 * 64 ≈ 0.00058 XCH
Result: Approx 0.00058 XCH per day.
Note: Network space was significantly smaller in the very early days, leading to higher profitability for smaller farms.
Example 2: Medium Farm Today (Approximate Network)
Scenario: A farmer with 100 TiB space today.
Inputs: Your Farm Size = 100 TiB, Total Network Space = 35 EiB (Approximate current size).
Calculation:
- Convert units: 100 TiB ≈ 0.0909 PiB. 35 EiB = 35000 PiB.
- Your Share = 0.0909 PiB / 35000 PiB ≈ 0.000002597 (or 0.00026%)
- Estimated Daily XCH = 0.000002597 * 64 ≈ 0.000166 XCH
Result: Approx 0.000166 XCH per day.
Example 3: Larger Farm Today (Approximate Network)
Scenario: A farmer with 1 PiB space today.
Inputs: Your Farm Size = 1 PiB, Total Network Space = 35 EiB.
Calculation:
- Convert units: 1 PiB = 1 PiB. 35 EiB = 35000 PiB.
- Your Share = 1 PiB / 35000 PiB ≈ 0.00002857 (or 0.00286%)
- Estimated Daily XCH = 0.00002857 * 64 ≈ 0.00183 XCH
Result: Approx 0.00183 XCH per day.
Example 4: Small Farm vs. Large Network
Scenario: What if you only have 20 TiB on a very large network?
Inputs: Your Farm Size = 20 TiB, Total Network Space = 50 EiB.
Calculation:
- Convert units: 20 TiB ≈ 0.01818 PiB. 50 EiB = 50000 PiB.
- Your Share = 0.01818 PiB / 50000 PiB ≈ 0.000000364 (or 0.0000364%)
- Estimated Daily XCH = 0.000000364 * 64 ≈ 0.000023 XCH
Result: Approx 0.000023 XCH per day. Highlighting low earnings with small space on a large network.
Example 5: Large Farm (10 PiB) on a Growing Network
Scenario: You have 10 PiB as the network grows to 40 EiB.
Inputs: Your Farm Size = 10 PiB, Total Network Space = 40 EiB.
Calculation:
- Convert units: 10 PiB = 10 PiB. 40 EiB = 40000 PiB.
- Your Share = 10 PiB / 40000 PiB = 0.00025 (or 0.025%)
- Estimated Daily XCH = 0.00025 * 64 = 0.016 XCH
Result: Approx 0.016 XCH per day.
Example 6: Converting to USD (Approximate)
Scenario: Using the result from Example 2 (100 TiB on 35 EiB) and an assumed XCH price.
Inputs: Your Farm Size = 100 TiB, Total Network Space = 35 EiB, XCH Price = $30.
Calculation:
- Estimated Daily XCH ≈ 0.000166 XCH (from Ex 2)
- Estimated Daily USD = Estimated Daily XCH * XCH Price
- Estimated Daily USD ≈ 0.000166 * 30 ≈ $0.00498
Result: Approx $0.005 USD per day.
Note: This highlights that with the current network size and price, 100 TiB earns very little in USD value per day.
Example 7: Calculating for a large farm (50 PiB)
Scenario: A large farmer with 50 PiB space.
Inputs: Your Farm Size = 50 PiB, Total Network Space = 35 EiB.
Calculation:
- Convert units: 50 PiB = 50 PiB. 35 EiB = 35000 PiB.
- Your Share = 50 PiB / 35000 PiB ≈ 0.001428 (or 0.143%)
- Estimated Daily XCH = 0.001428 * 64 ≈ 0.0914 XCH
Result: Approx 0.0914 XCH per day.
Example 8: Impact of Network Growth
Scenario: How does your 1 PiB farm earnings change if the network grows from 35 EiB to 50 EiB?
Inputs (Initial): 1 PiB, 35 EiB. (From Ex 3, Daily XCH ≈ 0.00183)
Inputs (New): 1 PiB, 50 EiB.
Calculation (New):
- Convert units: 1 PiB = 1 PiB. 50 EiB = 50000 PiB.
- Your Share = 1 PiB / 50000 PiB = 0.00002 (or 0.002%)
- Estimated Daily XCH = 0.00002 * 64 = 0.00128 XCH
Result: Daily earnings decrease from ~0.00183 XCH to ~0.00128 XCH as the network grows.
Example 9: Very Small Farm (1 TiB) on a Large Network
Scenario: What are the estimated earnings for a single 1 TiB drive on a large network?
Inputs: Your Farm Size = 1 TiB, Total Network Space = 35 EiB.
Calculation:
- Convert units: 1 TiB ≈ 0.000909 PiB. 35 EiB = 35000 PiB.
- Your Share = 0.000909 PiB / 35000 PiB ≈ 0.000000026 (or 0.0000026%)
- Estimated Daily XCH = 0.000000026 * 64 ≈ 0.00000166 XCH
Result: Approx 0.00000166 XCH per day. Earnings are extremely low; pooling is highly recommended for small farms.
Example 10: Estimating Time to Win (Solo) (Approx)
Scenario: How long might it take to win a block solo with 1 PiB on a 35 EiB network?
Inputs: Your Farm Size = 1 PiB, Total Network Space = 35 EiB.
Calculation:
- Estimated Daily XCH ≈ 0.00183 XCH (from Ex 3).
- A solo block win yields 2 XCH (1.75 + 0.25).
- Estimated Days per Win = Total XCH per Win / Estimated Daily XCH
- Estimated Days per Win = 2 / 0.00183 ≈ 1093 days
Result: On average, it would take over 1000 days (nearly 3 years) to win a block solo with 1 PiB on this network size. This highlights why pooling is essential for smaller farms.
Note: This calculator estimates earnings *rate*, not probability of winning a single block on any given day. The solo win time is a statistical average over long periods.
Frequently Asked Questions about Chia Profitability
1. How does Chia farming profitability work?
Your chance of earning Chia (XCH) is proportional to the amount of storage space (plots) you contribute to the network compared to the total amount of space contributed by everyone farming Chia (the total network space).
2. What is "Network Space" and why does it affect my earnings?
Network Space is the sum of all storage space dedicated to Chia farming globally. As the network space grows, your percentage share of the total decreases, meaning your probability of winning a block also decreases, lowering your expected earnings per unit of space.
3. How often does the network reward Chia?
Blocks are found roughly every 10 seconds. Each block includes a reward (currently 2 XCH, split between the pool and the finding farmer). This results in an average of 64 XCH being distributed daily across the network.
4. Is farming Chia profitable for small farmers?
Profitability depends heavily on hardware costs, electricity, and XCH price. With the current large network size, small farms (e.g., <100 TiB) have a very low *statistical* chance of winning blocks solo and earn very little per day. Joining a pool is highly recommended for smaller farmers to receive frequent, smaller payouts instead of waiting a long time for a solo block win.
5. What is the difference between TiB, PiB, and EiB?
These are units of digital storage space used in Chia farming:
- 1 PiB (Pebibyte) = 1024 TiB (Tebibytes)
- 1 EiB (Exbibyte) = 1024 PiB
Network space is often measured in PiB or EiB because it's so large.
6. Does plotting speed affect profitability?
Plotting speed affects how quickly you can *add* space to your farm, but once a plot is created, its chance of winning is independent of how fast it was made. More plots mean a higher *potential* earning rate.
7. What happens to the block reward over time?
The block reward is scheduled to halve periodically. It was initially 64 XCH per block in the first 3 years, then 32 XCH for the next 3 years, and continues to halve every 3 years until it reaches 4 XCH per block forever.
8. How does pooling affect estimated earnings?
This calculator estimates the total XCH your space is expected to earn over time, whether solo or pooled. Pooling doesn't change your *expected* total earnings (minus pool fees), but it smooths out the variability, giving you smaller, more frequent payouts instead of waiting potentially years for a large solo win.
9. Where can I find the current Total Network Space?
You can find the current network space on several websites that track Chia statistics, such as Chia Stats, or official Chia explorers.
10. Is electricity consumption a major factor in Chia farming profit?
Compared to Proof of Work, Chia is very energy efficient. The drives use minimal power when idle. However, power consumption from plotting (CPU, SSD usage) and the minimal farming power still represent an operating cost that should be factored into overall profitability, especially in regions with high electricity rates. This calculator focuses only on the XCH earnings estimation.
