I took a closer look at Mysterium Node, now called MystNode, to see if selling your unused bandwidth for crypto is worth it. It is legit and earns passively, but the setup is technical and you are only paid in MYST. Below is what I found, and which apps I recommend instead.
Tested by Mikael (EarnWithMike)Founder and lead testerMikael founded PaidFromSurveys in 2016 and has personally tested hundreds of survey and GPT sites since then. He shows his tests and payment proof to 555K+ subscribers on his YouTube channel, EarnWithMike. He looked at Mysterium Node himself and does not earn a commission from it.Learn more about Mikael
Last retested · First published
Legit passive crypto earnings, but a technical setup
Sell your unused bandwidth from a computer and get paid in MYST crypto. No cash payouts.
On this page
The short answer
Mysterium Node is legit. You sell your unused internet bandwidth to its clients and get paid in its own cryptocurrency, MYST. Once it runs, you earn passively.
But the setup is slightly more complicated than on similar apps: you install Docker Desktop and run a command in a terminal. It does not offer cash rewards, and the value of MYST changes often. If you get through the setup, earning is a breeze.
- Offers a passive way of earning
- Processes payments automatically
- Available worldwide
- Complete documentation in the Help Center
- Slightly complicated setup process
- Doesn’t offer cash rewards
- The value of MYST changes often
- Needs a computer, not a phone
My experience with Mysterium Node
I took a closer look at Mysterium Node: the sign-up, the node setup on a computer, the dashboard and the pricing. I also compared it with other bandwidth-sharing apps. This is what I looked at, and what I did not test.
- First checked
- November 2022Review first published Nov 23, 2022
- Latest retest
- Checked: setup, payouts, pricing
- Device
- ComputerNo mobile version of the software when I checked
- Paid in
- MYST cryptoNo cash rewards
- Signing up and confirming the email
- The onboarding steps to install Docker Desktop and set up a node
- The member dashboard, “My Nodes” and the pricing formula
- The Help Center and the support message form
- A payout. My review does not show a payment from Mysterium Node.
- Running a node on a Raspberry Pi, a data center, or a DappNode or AVADO box
Mysterium Node at a glance
| What it is | Platform where you sell your unused internet bandwidth to its clients. Now called MystNode. |
|---|---|
| Cost to join | Free |
| Ways to earn | Running the node software (Docker Desktop) on a computer with an internet connection |
| Paid in | Mysterium (MYST), the platform’s cryptocurrency |
| Minimum cashout | 5 MYST, sent automatically to your crypto wallet. You can also settle manually. |
| Payout method | Crypto wallet only |
| Pricing | Not fixed. Mysterium Node shows a formula to calculate it. |
| Devices | Computer (laptop or desktop). Also data centers, Raspberry Pi, DappNode and AVADO boxes. |
| Where you can join | Globally, as long as your country allows crypto earnings |
| Support | Help Center with complete documentation, and a message form on the website |
Is Mysterium Node legit and safe?
Yes, Mysterium Node is legit, because you really get paid in crypto for the bandwidth you sell. But that does not automatically make it worth your time. Here is what you should know.
- The setup is technical
You install Docker Desktop and run a command in the terminal to set up your node. The instructions contain technical jargon, so if you are not good at technical stuff on computers, you might struggle.
- You are paid in crypto that fluctuates
You earn MYST, and its value in dollars changes with the market. You need a crypto wallet, and a reader reported a network fee when they moved their MYST to their wallet.
- Earnings vary a lot
The pricing is not fixed, so what you earn depends on the bandwidth you can sell. A reader who ran it for over 6 days, 24/7, earned far less than they expected.
- Other people use your connection
The software sells your bandwidth to Mysterium Node’s clients. A reader wrote that a website flagged them as suspicious, which they see as a risk of VPN traffic in general.
My takeIf you don’t mind earning crypto, Mysterium Node can be a decent site to earn from. Just keep in mind that, compared to other platforms that offer the same kind of earning opportunity, setting up the program is slightly more complicated. But if you get through the setup process, earning will be a breeze.
Mysterium Node pays only in crypto. The top sites in your country pay you cash.
See the best sites in your countryHow you earn on Mysterium Node
There is one way to earn: running the node software. Tap it to read more.
Running the node softwarePaid in MYST
After you register, click “Onboarding” in the member dashboard and choose “Desktop”. Pick your operating system, and you get step-by-step instructions to install Docker Desktop. Then you run a command in the terminal to set up your node.
In my opinion, the process is relatively simple: you copy and paste the command into the terminal. After that, Docker Desktop runs automatically every time you open your computer. It works in the background and sells your unused bandwidth to Mysterium Node’s clients.
The only time and effort you spend is during the setup. You can also run a node on a data center, a Raspberry Pi, or a DappNode or AVADO box, but most people use a computer.
How much can you make?
It depends on the bandwidth you can sell, and the pricing is not fixed. Mysterium Node shows how the price of your bandwidth is calculated. Because you earn crypto, the dollar value of your earnings also changes with the market, so it is hard to say exactly what you will earn.
When I examined the site, the top seller earned around 482 MYST in one month, worth around $90 at the time. That is a power user who must run the program 24 hours a day, seven days a week. A realistic estimate is about 30% of that: around $25 to $30 per month. That is in line with similar platforms, based on my experience.
A reader who ran it for over 6 days earned much less than that, so your location and connection matter a lot.
Payout method and minimum
| Method | Minimum | How |
|---|---|---|
| Crypto wallet (MYST) | 5 MYST | Sent automatically when you reach the threshold, or manually with “Settle now” |
You see your total earnings under “My Nodes” in the dashboard. Set up your crypto wallet in the software, so your earnings are sent automatically every time you reach 5 MYST. A crypto wallet is the only payment method, so set one up before you register.
If you prefer to earn cash, see the top sites that pay via PayPal.
What readers told me
This review has 4 comments since 2024: 2 from readers and 2 replies from me.
A reader ran a node 24/7 for over 6 days and earned far less than expected, after a network fee to move the MYST to their wallet. They liked the interface and found it easy to install.
A reader wrote in August 2024 that MystNodes now supports Android devices, but not iOS.
“I really like the Mysterium interface and all the information you can see/customize. I thought it was awesome and easy to install. I just wish it paid better.”
Mikael: Thanks for sharing your experiences. And I agree Pawns is better.
“Mystnodes does appear to support android devices now, however it still looks like it does not support ios devices yet.”
Mikael: Thanks for sharing.
Mysterium Node alternatives I have tested
| Site | Best for | Min. cashout | My rating |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pawns | Share your bandwidth for cash, plus surveys and games | $5 | 4.4 / 5 |
| Honeygain | Easy passive bandwidth sharing | $20 PayPal; $0.50 through JumpTask | 3.7 / 5 |
| PacketStream | Passive bandwidth sharing | $5 | 3.3 / 5 |
| EarnApp | Passive bandwidth sharing with cash payouts | $2.50 PayPal and Wise | 3.1 / 5 |
See also the best passive income apps. If you prefer to earn cash without technical steps, see the top survey and GPT sites in your country.
How I scored Mysterium Node
I use the same 100-point system for every platform. See how I test and rate.
Mysterium Node scores 46 out of 100. I recommend these sites before Mysterium Node.
See the best sites in your countryMysterium Node FAQ
Is Mysterium Node a scam?
No. Mysterium Node is a legit platform that pays you in crypto for your unused bandwidth. But the setup is technical and you only earn MYST.
Is Mysterium Node the same as MystNode?
Yes. Mysterium Node is now called MystNode.
How does Mysterium Node pay?
In MYST, its own cryptocurrency, to your crypto wallet. Payouts are sent automatically at 5 MYST, or you settle manually.
How much can I earn?
It varies, because the pricing is not fixed and MYST changes in value. My realistic estimate was around $25 to $30 per month if you run it a lot.
Can I use Mysterium Node on my phone?
The software had no mobile version when I checked, so you need a laptop or desktop. A reader wrote in August 2024 that it now supports Android, but not iOS.
Which countries can join Mysterium Node?
It is available globally, as long as your country allows crypto earnings.
How do I contact Mysterium Node?
Check the Help Center, or click the Message icon in the lower right-hand corner of the website.
Who tested Mysterium Node for this review
Founder of PaidFromSurveys.com since 2016. Mikael has tested hundreds of survey and GPT sites and shares his tests with 555K+ subscribers on YouTube (October 2026).
If you have any comments, questions, or experience with Mysterium Node, I would love to hear from you in a comment below.
Mystnodes does appear to support android devices now, however it still looks like it does not support ios devices yet.
Thanks for sharing.
Thank you for this amazing website. I love it. Here’s my experience with MystNodes.
I tried it for over 6 days in Amsterdam, The Netherlands. I earned $0.45 and I don’t think that’s bad but I do wonder about the risk and I’m also not sure why my earnings were so much lower than seems to be typical.
So, for the stats: It was a little over 6 days, running 24/7, online 100% of the time with an excellent internet connection and 3 of the 4 categories enabled: B2B scraping, B2B VPN Data Transfer and Mysterium users VPN. In a total of 57 sessions, 33.77 GB was transferred. The reward for this was 3.449 MYST. 1 MYST is currently valued at $0.1647 so the total came to 57 cents USD. However, when I transferred the MYST to my MetaMask wallet today, I had to pay a 20% network fee and a small Polygon fee on top of that so the amount that ended up in MetaMask was 2.75 MYST, which is currently worth $0.45. MYST isn’t a token you can easily use, nor would I leave it in my wallet for too long given the current market, so I’d have to pay an additional swap fee at some point to turn these tokens into Bitcoin, Ethereum, Euro, whathaveyou.
Most of my traffic came from Germany, some from the USA and one connection from Singapore. The latter were short sessions though. I really like the Mysterium interface and all the information you can see/customize. I thought it was awesome and easy to install. I just wish it paid better.
If this result is typical for my location/gear/connection, I’d earn $2.33 every month. Which is still real money, but it’s a far cry from reported rewards online like $15 to $20 dollars every month without even trying. Some people optimize everything, really put in the time and end up earning more than enough to cover their internet bills, but I’m guessing my location just isn’t profitable enough to even think about investing some money to optimize earnings or look into a Raspberry Pi. Mystnodes does come out with a mobile app later this year though, maybe that would change things.
Is it worth the risk? Probably not. There was a website that flagged me as suspicious today, which is a risk with VPN in general, even though the ‘Public/Dark net’ setting was off the whole time.
Is it worth the electricity to leave your computer running 24/7? Probably not.
Is the reward comparable to similar services offering to pay for the use of your spare bandwidth? I don’t think so. See, Pawns.app supposedly offers 20 cents for every GB in my region. So if 33.77 GB was transferred with Pawns, they would have paid me $6.75 for it, not 45 cents. And because I was randomly pushing some buttons in the app, Pawns temporarily offers 15% extra, which means 23 cents per GB, which would earn me $7.77 for those same 33.77 gigabytes. Then again, I don’t know about the speed with which Pawns transfers data in my region, I’m currently testing it. MystNode was unpredictable in that regard and almost half of the total reward was gained on a single day. As of right now, Pawns seems to be going at the rate of 1 GB per day, and if that’s the case, we’re talking about $6.- a month to be paid out in Bitcoin or Euro without extra steps. That’s not bad. I’ll have to see if it works out.
I’d love to hear it if there are better options in The Netherlands/Europe to try. Thanks so much.
Thanks for sharing your experiences. And I agree Pawns is better.