What is the best alternative to XMRig for Monero?

SRBMiner-MULTI is a strong alternative to XMRig if you want to keep mining Monero with a dedicated mining program. If you mainly want something simpler, Monero’s official GUI wallet—the wallet with a visual interface—offers built-in mining, but it is not a like-for-like replacement for XMRig’s controls and flexibility.

Best dedicated alternative: SRBMiner-MULTI

SRBMiner-MULTI supports RandomX, the mining method Monero uses, and runs on Windows and Linux. You can use it to mine with your CPU, your computer’s main processor.

It is the first alternative worth testing if you want:

• A standalone miner rather than a wallet’s built-in mining feature.
• Mining pool support. A pool combines miners’ work and shares rewards, making payouts less unpredictable than mining alone.
• Controls for how many CPU threads you use. Threads are the processing slots a miner puts to work.

The main trade-off is transparency. SRBMiner-MULTI is closed-source, meaning you cannot publicly inspect its full underlying code. XMRig is open-source.

Check SRBMiner-MULTI’s current documentation for RandomX support, developer fees, and hardware requirements before installing it. A developer fee means part of your mining time goes toward paying the software’s creator.

Best for simplicity: the official Monero wallet

If command-line settings are your main reason for leaving XMRig, consider the official Monero GUI wallet.

Its built-in mining option lets you start mining without managing a separate dedicated miner. It generally requires a local node—a copy of Monero’s network software that downloads and checks the blockchain, its transaction record.

The important catch is how you mine. With solo mining, you receive a reward only when your own computer finds a block. On an ordinary home computer, that can mean a very long wait with no reward at all.

The wallet is therefore a sensible choice for learning or supporting the network. It is less suitable if your main goal is frequent, predictable payouts.

Which one is actually better on your computer?

Do not assume switching programs will increase your earnings. RandomX favors CPUs, and results depend heavily on your processor, memory, cooling, and settings.

Compare miners under similar conditions:

• Use the same computer and, where possible, the same pool.
• Start with the same number of mining threads.
• Let each miner settle before measuring.
• Compare power use and accepted work, not just the speed shown on screen.

Hashrate means how many mining calculations your computer performs each second. A higher hashrate is not automatically better if it comes with much higher electricity use, more heat, or larger fees.

For an earnings estimate, use a live Monero mining calculator with your measured speed and local electricity cost. No software can guarantee a profit.

What about browser miners and older recommendations?

A browser miner is not a direct performance replacement for XMRig. Browser limits and extra software layers generally make it less efficient than a well-configured native miner—a program running directly on your operating system.

Also, avoid old recommendations for CryptoNight-only miners. Monero switched from CryptoNight variants to RandomX on November 30, 2019.

Download mining software only from its official distribution source. Avoid repackaged installers, “guaranteed profit” tools, and instructions to disable all security protections.

The bottom line

Try SRBMiner-MULTI first if you want a dedicated XMRig alternative. Choose the official Monero GUI wallet if simplicity matters more than detailed control. Neither is automatically faster or more profitable, so test before committing.