Is it safe to use a Monero remote node?

Mostly safe. A remote node CANNOT steal your funds — your private keys never leave your device. However, the node operator can see your IP address and transaction timing. For casual use, this is acceptable. For maximum privacy, run your own node or connect via Tor to a .onion node.

What can a malicious Monero remote node do?

A malicious node can: 1) See your IP address (link your identity to activity), 2) Correlate transaction timing (infer when you send), 3) Refuse to broadcast your transaction (censorship — just switch nodes), 4) Feed you modified blockchain data (your wallet detects this). It CANNOT: steal your XMR, see your private keys, or determine amounts/recipients.

Where can I find Monero remote nodes?

Use monero.fail — a community-maintained list of public Monero nodes with uptime monitoring. Filter by Tor (.onion) or I2P for privacy. Most wallets (Feather, Cake, GUI) also have built-in node lists that auto-rotate.

Should I use a .onion node for Monero?

Yes, if privacy matters. A .onion node hides your IP from the node operator AND prevents ISP surveillance of your Monero connections. The trade-off is slower sync speed (~3-5x). Use Feather Wallet (built-in Tor) or configure your wallet's SOCKS5 proxy to 127.0.0.1:9050.

Do I need to run my own Monero node?

Not required, but recommended for maximum privacy. Running your own node means you trust no one — your wallet connects locally with zero network exposure. Requires ~180GB disk space and 1-3 days for initial sync. If you can't run a node, use a .onion remote node via Tor as the next best option.

Monero Remote Nodes — How to Choose and Use Safely

TL;DR: Remote nodes let you use Monero without downloading 180GB. Your funds are safe (keys stay local), but the node sees your IP address. For privacy: use a .onion node via Tor (Feather has this built-in). For maximum privacy: run your own node. Find nodes at monero.fail.

What Is a Remote Node?

A Monero remote node is a full node run by someone else that your wallet connects to over the internet. Instead of downloading and verifying the entire Monero blockchain (~180GB), your wallet asks the remote node for the data it needs. This lets you start using Monero instantly.

How it works: Your wallet connects to a remote node at address:18089. The node sends you blockchain data. Your wallet scans it locally using your private keys to find your transactions and calculate your balance. Your private keys never leave your device.

Privacy Risks

A Remote Node CAN:

See your IP address
See when you connect and disconnect
Correlate transaction timing (infer when you send)
Refuse to relay your transaction (censorship)
Send you incorrect blockchain data (detected by wallet)

A Remote Node CANNOT:

Steal your XMR (no access to private keys)
See your balance (encrypted by design)
See who you're sending to (stealth addresses)
See amounts (RingCT encryption)
Modify your transactions
Create fake transactions in your name

The primary risk is IP address exposure. The node operator can log your IP and correlate it with your Monero activity timing. This doesn't reveal amounts or recipients, but links your real-world identity (via IP) to Monero usage.

Mitigation: Tor + .onion Nodes

Best practice: Connect to a .onion remote node via Tor. This hides your IP from the node operator AND prevents your ISP from seeing Monero connections. Feather Wallet does this automatically with one click.

Connection Type	Node Sees Your IP	ISP Sees Monero	Speed
Clearnet (direct)	Yes	Yes	Fast
VPN + clearnet node	VPN IP (not yours)	VPN traffic	Fast
Tor + clearnet node	No (exit node IP)	Tor traffic	Medium
Tor + .onion node	No	No (just Tor)	Medium
Local node	N/A (localhost)	Peers see node IP, not wallet	Fastest

Finding Good Nodes

monero.fail — The community-maintained node status page. Shows uptime, location, Tor/I2P availability, and response time for hundreds of public nodes. Filter by "Tor" for .onion nodes.

When choosing a node, look for:

High uptime (>99%) — reliable connection
Geographic proximity — lower latency
.onion available — for Tor connections
Port 18089 — standard restricted RPC port (safe)
Known operator — community-run nodes are more trustworthy

Never enter your seed or private keys into a website that claims to be a "web node" or "online wallet." Legitimate remote nodes only serve blockchain data — they never ask for your keys. If a site asks for your seed, it's a phishing scam.

Wallet Configuration

Feather: Settings → Network → Select "Tor (bundled)" + remote node auto-selects .onion nodes.

Cake: Settings → Nodes → Add custom node (paste .onion address from monero.fail).

GUI: Settings → Node → Remote node → Enter address:18089. For Tor: set SOCKS5 proxy 127.0.0.1:9050.

CLI: monero-wallet-cli --daemon-address address:18089 --proxy 127.0.0.1:9050

When to Run Your Own Node

Run your own node if: You trade P2P regularly, hold significant amounts, or need maximum privacy. A local node eliminates third-party trust entirely. Your wallet connects to localhost — no network exposure. Requires ~180GB disk space, 4+ GB RAM, and 1-3 days for initial sync. See our full node guide.

Use a remote node if: You're starting out, use Monero casually, or can't spare 180GB. Connect via Tor for privacy. It's a reasonable trade-off for most users.