Last Updated: May 7, 2026‍

If you're reading this, you're probably asking: "Should I mine Bitcoin or just buy it?"

Don't worry, you're not alone. Most of our customers had the same questions before taking the leap. Mining isn't for everyone, but if you value sovereignty, consistent stacking, and aligned incentives, it's your best path forward.

To help you decide, here are the top 5 questions we hear from prospective clients.

1. What's the difference between the management and service fees, and why do management fees vary by location?

The management fee and service fee serve two different purposes:

Management Fee: A percentage of your mined Bitcoin, in satoshis, compensating Sazmining for sourcing the data center and managing your rig's operations.

• Paraguay: 15% of the pool payout
• Norway: 15% of the pool payout
• Ethiopia: 15% of the pool payout
• South Dakota: 15% of the pool payout
• West Texas: 15% of the pool payout
• This fee is split at the moment the transaction leaves the mining pool, and reflects each location's operational differences and costs.
• We never have access to or custody of your mined Bitcoin. Both Saz and the customer await their respective payouts directly from the pool.
• Customers can choose their payout frequency (daily, weekly, or monthly) to save on transaction fees. Saz sets payouts to weekly by default, but your rig must reach the site threshold before a payout is triggered.
• Read our full breakdown of how mining payouts work with Saz.

Service Fee: A dynamic USD fee covering electricity and maintenance, calculated based on your rig's power consumption and performance.

• Paraguay (Bitmain S21 XP):
  • Electricity Rate: $0.056/kWh
  • Estimated Service Fee: ~$157/month
• West Texas (Bitmain S21 XP):
  • Electricity Rate: $0.059/kWh
  • Estimated Service Fee: ~$164/month

👉 Curious which location or rig is best for you? → Chat with a Bitcoin Strategy Advisor today!

2. Why don't I just buy Bitcoin directly instead of mining it?

Mining Bitcoin allows you to accumulate wild sats — Bitcoin earned directly from the network — without touching an exchange. While it's tempting to compare mining to a fiat bulk purchase, this is genuinely an apples-to-oranges comparison.

Here's why mining is the wiser choice for many Bitcoiners:

• Independence from Exchanges: With mining, you earn Bitcoin directly from the network. No exchange accounts, no custodial risk, no exposure to centralized platforms that can freeze withdrawals, require KYC, or disappear overnight.
• Cost Efficiency Over Time: Buying Bitcoin in bulk locks you into a single market price. Mining acts as a natural dollar-cost averaging (DCA) method, spreading acquisition over time with predictable, fixed costs like electricity and hardware, and removing the stress of market timing.
• Sustainability: All Sazmining locations run on renewable or carbon-free energy. Our West Texas facility draws power from a co-located wind farm, delivering 78% carbon-free electricity. Paraguay runs on 100% hydropower. Norway operates on a grid that is 99%+ carbon-free. You're securing the Bitcoin network while keeping your environmental footprint low.

👉 Ready to start stacking wild sats? → Browse current rigs

3. How long until I see a return on investment (ROI)?

First, ask yourself: are you mining to stack fiat, or to stack wild sats you fully control?

If your goal is to stack sats, the right question isn't "how long until I'm in the black in dollars?" It's "what am I paying per sat versus buying on an exchange?"

The figures below are illustrative estimates based on current network difficulty and BTC price. They will shift as both change. All examples use the Bitmain S21 XP (270 TH/s), our current rig offering.

Paraguay (Bitmain S21 XP)

• Gross Monthly Revenue: ~321,369 sats (~$260 at current BTC price)
• Estimated Service Fee: ~$157
• Management Fee: 15% of pool payout (~48,205 sats)
• Net to Customer: ~273,164 sats/month (~$64 after all fees at current prices)

West Texas (Bitmain S21 XP)

• Gross Monthly Revenue: ~321,369 sats (~$260 at current BTC price)
• Estimated Service Fee: ~$164
• Management Fee: 15% of pool payout (~48,205 sats)
• Net to Customer: ~273,164 sats/month (~$57 after all fees at current prices)

Mining is a long-term game. The USD figures above move with BTC's price. As Bitcoin appreciates, so does the value of every sat you've stacked. Fixed costs stay relatively stable while your accumulated sats become worth more. Bitcoin mined directly from the network, with no middleman who ever touched it, is a different category of asset. Financial surveillance is tightening and exchange restrictions are real. Wild sats are the alternative.

👉 Need help calculating your fleet size? → Our Bitcoin Strategy Advisors can help!

4. Can I buy rigs elsewhere and ship them to you?

No. To give you the best possible mining experience and to protect the entire fleet's uptime, we only host rigs sourced through Sazmining.

Rigs from outside sources create real problems:

• Repairs and Maintenance: Outside rigs frequently arrive in poor condition or require extensive repairs before they can mine, delaying your start date.
• Compatibility Issues: Third-party hardware may not be compatible with our energy infrastructure, leading to inefficiencies or unexpected downtime.
• Counterfeits or Subpar Quality: The market has no shortage of fake or low-quality hardware that creates headaches for customers and our team alike.

By sourcing rigs ourselves, we ensure every machine is brand new or thoroughly field-tested, fully managed, and optimized for immediate deployment, so you start mining fast, without surprises.

👉 Every rig we host is built for your success. → Shop trusted rigs

5. Can I choose my mining pool or control my rig directly?

Yes, you now have options. We partner with both Luxor and OCEAN, two of the best mining pools in the industry, giving you more choice and control over how your wild sats reach your wallet.

Here's what each brings:

• Consistent Payouts: Both Luxor (FPPS) and OCEAN provide reliable, predictable earnings based on your contribution to the pool's total hashpower.
• Low Fees: Luxor charges just 0.7%, making it one of the most cost-effective options available. OCEAN is built around decentralization and miner sovereignty, which fits the way Sazmining approaches the business.
• Seamless Integration: Both pools integrate fully with our operations, so your rigs run at peak efficiency regardless of which you choose.

Have More Questions?

Still deciding?

Don't worry, you're closer than you think. For those who value true Bitcoin ownership, it's one of the most powerful paths forward and deserves some time.

If you still have questions, contact our Bitcoin Strategy Advisors or feel free to review how our business model works. We're here to help you make an informed decision and start mining with confidence.

Rig performance reflects the machine's ability to hash at its OEM/nameplate hashrate, accounting for scheduled curtailment and excluding necessary maintenance downtime. Revenue and fee estimates are based on current network difficulty and BTC price, and will change over time.