BTCPay Server alternative: GriffNode compared

BTCPay Server is excellent software and it is genuinely free. If you are technical, enjoy running infrastructure, and want the purest possible setup, it is hard to beat and this page is not going to try.

The honest comparison is not about money. BTCPay charges nothing for the software, and GriffNode charges a monthly fee. What GriffNode is actually selling is that nobody on your team has to keep a Bitcoin full node synced, patched, backed up and online at three in the morning. Whether that is worth a monthly fee depends entirely on what your time costs.

GriffNode vs BTCPay Server

Both are non-custodial. The difference is operational, not architectural.

BTCPay's own documentation states that Bitcoin is the sole focus of the project and its core developers, and that unmaintained altcoin integrations may be removed. Be wary of review articles quoting very large coin counts for BTCPay: they are not supported by the project's own docs.

What each option is really asking of you

Read this as a question about your time, not your budget.

• BTCPay Server: no software cost and total control, in exchange for running, updating, backing up and monitoring your own node.
• GriffNode: the same non-custodial settlement, hosted and maintained for you, for a flat monthly fee.
• BitPay: custodial, with tiered percentage pricing and daily fiat settlement to your bank.
• NOWPayments: a very large currency list with percentage pricing and both custodial and non-custodial flows.
• CoinGate: a European, compliance-first processor with merchant verification and euro settlement.
• CoinPayments: a long-running custodial processor charging less on coins than on tokens.

The part that is not in the price

A self-hosted BTCPay instance means a server you keep patched, a Bitcoin full node that needs hundreds of gigabytes of storage and stays in sync, backups you have actually tested, monitoring that tells you when it stops, and someone available when it does. None of that is hard. All of it is ongoing.

That work is invisible right up until the moment your node falls behind and customers cannot pay you. If you have someone who genuinely enjoys this, BTCPay is a great answer. If your engineering time is your scarcest resource, paying a flat monthly fee to make it someone else's problem is a rational trade.

Where GriffNode has a functional edge

Stablecoins. GriffNode supports ERC-20 tokens on Ethereum, including USDT, USDC and DAI, which is what most merchants asking for stablecoin payments actually mean. BTCPay does not natively support USDT on Ethereum, USDC or DAI, though it does have a plugin for USDt on Tron.

This is a difference in focus rather than quality. BTCPay is a Bitcoin project and is explicit about that. If your customers want to pay in dollar-denominated stablecoins on Ethereum, it is a real constraint worth checking before you commit.

Where BTCPay is simply the better choice

• You want zero ongoing software cost and you have the skills to run it.
• You are Bitcoin-first and do not need Ethereum stablecoins.
• You want the source code, and the ability to change it.
• You want Lightning, which BTCPay supports natively.
• You object to any third party being in the path at all, even one that cannot touch your funds.

How to move from BTCPay Server to GriffNode

Keep your BTCPay instance running until the new path is proven.

1. Reuse the wallet you already have. You do not need a new wallet. Export the extended public key from the same wallet BTCPay is already paying into, so nothing about where your money lands changes.
2. Create a free GriffNode account. Sign up with an email, paste your xPub, and enable the coins you want. Adding Ethereum stablecoins here is usually the reason people make this move.
3. Swap invoice creation for a payment call. Replace your BTCPay Greenfield invoice call with a GriffNode payment call. The quick start covers the request and response shapes.
4. Repoint your webhook and verify signatures. Point your existing handler at GriffNode events and verify each signature before trusting it. The webhook security docs have working code.
5. Run both, then decommission. Test in test mode, run both systems in parallel until you are confident, then shut the node down and reclaim the disk.

Frequently asked questions

Is BTCPay Server really free?

Yes. BTCPay Server is open-source software with no fees charged by the project itself. What it costs you is infrastructure and time: a server, enough storage for a full node, backups, monitoring, and someone to keep all of it running.

Why would I pay for GriffNode when BTCPay Server is free?

Because you are not paying for the software, you are paying to not run it. GriffNode gives the same non-custodial, direct-to-wallet settlement without you hosting a server or maintaining a full node. If you enjoy running infrastructure, BTCPay is the better answer.

Is GriffNode as non-custodial as BTCPay Server?

Both settle directly to a wallet you control and neither can spend your funds. BTCPay goes further in that you also own the server and there is no third party in the path at all. GriffNode holds no keys, but it is a hosted service rather than your own machine.

Does BTCPay Server support USDT and USDC?

Not natively on Ethereum. BTCPay is a Bitcoin-focused project with several natively integrated altcoins and plugins for Monero, Zcash and USDt on Tron. GriffNode supports ERC-20 tokens on Ethereum including USDT, USDC and DAI.

Can I move from BTCPay Server without changing my wallet?

Yes. GriffNode derives receiving addresses from an extended public key, so you can point it at the same wallet BTCPay already pays into. Your funds keep arriving in the same place and only the software watching the chain changes.