Run Alby Hub on Servers, Desktops and Microcomputers
Current options of running a lightning node
The bitcoin community is making big strides in providing products and services for running bitcoin lightning nodes across a wide range of setups, starting from individual consumers up to large enterprises. Accessibility for users has greatly improved thanks to the dedicated efforts of projects like Umbrel, Start9, and numerous mobile wallet providers, all of which are consistently pushing the boundaries with their innovative solutions. Lightning implementations such as the Lightning Development Kit (LDK), Core Lightning, and LND are the essential enablers of this development as they serve as foundations for developers to build on top.
As a consequence users can now run their own lightning node on a Raspberry PI with an external hard drive for around $350 USD or even less if they source the parts themselves. Mobile phones to install self-custodial wallets with integrated lightning nodes are available at similar prices. Additionally, cloud solutions for lightning nodes can be found for as little as $25 USD per month.
That seems affordable but the technical barrier depending on the chosen solution varies largely.
Alby Hub continues this trend for more affordable and easier to run lightning nodes by lowering both cost and knowledge barriers significantly.
So what are your options for running your own lightning node with Alby Hub?
Run Alby Hub on Servers for $5/ month
Alby Hub runs perfectly on your personal or third-party cloud server. In fact, that’s the ideal setup to ensure your node is always online and can receive payments all the time, a crucial technical feature for a well working own lightning address.
On this page in your Alby dashboard you’ll find instructions to run Alby Hub on Linux, as precompiled binaries, with Docker, or directly from source.
We are maintaining a container registry of Docker images. Thus, experienced infrastructure operators can start Alby Hub with a single docker command and professional cloud hosting businesses can integrate Alby Hub in their product portfolio quickly.
Run Alby Hub on Desktop Computers
You can run Alby Hub on your own desktop computer. Download links for Windows, MacOS and Linux operating systems directly on this page.
Like every bank account and other lightning wallets, the Alby Hub app needs to be online to send or receive payments. That’s why this option works well for people who have their desktop computer running all the time.
Run Alby Hub on $15 hardware
Running a lightning node on a Raspberry Pi 2 is already a great achievement. Alby Hub is even less resource demanding. A simple Raspberry Pi Zero for around $15 and 512MB RAM is currently being tested. You'll find an installation guide in your Alby dashboard. And for the hardware tinkerer among you, there is a 3D-printed casing available to download.
Running Alby Hub on such affordable hardware drastically lowers the barriers to self-custodial lightning for everyone. And that's just the beginning of our development…
Alby Hub makes lightning payments accessible to everybody
The question is no longer about which computer you need to ensure your self-custodial lightning wallet runs properly. Instead, it's about what you prefer based on your technical knowledge and available computing resources. Alby Hub significantly reduces the cost barrier for running a lightning node, making self-custodial Lightning payments accessible even to those with a limited budget and basic software skills.
So, which setup suits you best?