How DePINly estimates Storj storage-node earnings. Last verified 2026-05-20.
TL;DR
Storj pays node operators for storage held and egress bandwidth, denominated in USD and paid in STORJ tokens at network value. We compute a steady-state (mature node) gross payout, subtract electricity, and convert to STORJ using the live CoinGecko price.
Verified payout rates
Source: Storj Node Operator Terms & Conditions (last updated 2024-05-24).
| Item | Rate | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Storage | $0.0015 / GB-month = $1.50 / TB-month | Based on GB-hours, includes erasure-coding expansion |
| Egress (customer download) | $0.002 / GB = $2.00 / TB | — |
| Repair bandwidth | $0.002 / GB = $2.00 / TB | Folded into the same egress rate in our model |
| Audit bandwidth | $0.002 / GB = $2.00 / TB | Folded into the same egress rate in our model |
⚠️ Common mistake:
$7/TBis Storj's customer-facing egress price, not the operator payout. The operator earns $2/TB. An earlier version of this calculator used $7/TB and overstated earnings ~1.5–2×; corrected 2026-05.
Held amount (new-node ramp)
Storj withholds part of early payouts and releases it after 15 months of continuous operation:
| Months | Held |
|---|---|
| 1–3 | 75% |
| 4–6 | 50% |
| 7–9 | 25% |
| 10+ | 0% |
| Release of accumulated held | After 15 continuous months |
Our calculator reports steady-state (month 10+) earnings and does not discount the initial held amount. New operators earn less during the first ~9 months.
Formula
storageUsd = storageTb × $1.50 × bandwidthMult × uptimeMult
egressUsd = storageTb × egressFraction × $2.00 × bandwidthMult × uptimeMult
grossUsd = storageUsd + egressUsd
netUsd = grossUsd − electricityUsd
storjTokens = grossUsd ÷ liveStorjPrice
Multipliers
| Input | Values |
|---|---|
| Bandwidth tier | residential 0.70 · fiber 1.00 · business 1.15 |
| Uptime tier | best-effort 0.85 (~95%) · always-on 1.00 (99%+) |
| Electricity | 3–5 W/TB depending on hardware, $0.15/kWh default |
Assumptions & confidence
| Assumption | Value | Confidence | Basis |
|---|---|---|---|
| Storage rate | $1.50/TB-mo | 🟢 High | Official Node Operator Terms |
| Egress rate | $2.00/TB | 🟢 High | Official Node Operator Terms |
| Monthly egress fraction | 10% of stored TB | 🟡 Estimate | No official figure published; conservative value from operator reports |
| Electricity | 3–5 W/TB | 🟡 Estimate | Typical spinning-disk draw |
Disclaimer
Storj does not publish a per-node egress-to-storage ratio, and real egress varies widely with which Satellites and customers your node serves. Treat the output as a steady-state estimate for a mature node, not a guarantee. New nodes earn less during the held-amount ramp.
Sources
- Storj Node Operator Terms & Conditions
- Storj Storage Node Revenue Estimator
- Storj Community Forum — payout discussions
Code
- Formula:
src/lib/calculators/storj-rewards.ts - UI:
src/components/calculators/storj/StorjCalculator.tsx - Page:
src/app/calculate/storj/page.tsx
These figures are point estimates inside a wide band and depend on local demand, hardware, uptime and token price. They may be wrong in either direction. Nothing here is financial advice — always do your own research.
Methodology updated 2026-05-20 · View source on GitHub →