I checked out Salad.com to see if renting out your GPU is worth it. It is legit and pays out through PayPal and gift cards, but the rates are low, and electricity and hardware costs can eat up what you earn. Below is what I found, and which apps I recommend instead.
Tested by Mikael (EarnWithMike)Founder and lead testerMikael founded PaidFromSurveys in 2016 and has personally tested hundreds of survey and GPT sites since then. He shows his tests and payment proof to 555K+ subscribers on his YouTube channel, EarnWithMike. He checked Salad.com himself and does not earn a commission from it.Learn more about Mikael
Last retested · First published
Legit, but not worth it for most people
You earn passively by renting out a powerful Nvidia GPU. The rates are low, and depending on your electricity rates, you might even lose money.
On this page
The short answer
Salad.com is legit. It rents out your GPU to its clients, and you can really earn from it. It also offers several convenient payout options, including PayPal.
But in my opinion, Salad.com is not worth it. The rates are quite low, there are not always jobs, and it needs an expensive Nvidia GPU that wears out faster. Depending on your local electricity rates, you might even end up losing money instead of earning.
- Offers a passive form of earning
- Convenient payout options: PayPal, prepaid Visa, gift cards and Venmo in the US
- $5 threshold for most payout options
- A Knowledgebase, a Help portal and a Discord channel for support
- Low earning potential
- Electricity costs can wipe out what you earn
- The software eats up the resources of your computer significantly
- Speeds up the wear and tear of your GPU
- Only works on Windows with an Nvidia RTX 3080 or later
My experience with Salad.com
I checked out the Salad.com website, its requirements, the GPU rates, the payout options and the support options. This is what I looked at, and what I did not test.
- First checked
- March 2025Review first published Mar 27, 2025
- Latest retest
- Checked: requirements, rates, payout options
- Hardware needed
- Nvidia RTX 3080 or laterWith a 4-core CPU and 12 GB of RAM
- Rates I saw
- Quite lowThey change with demand
- The GPU rates on the website
- The registration with Google or email
- The payout options screen
- The Knowledgebase and the support options
- Running jobs for a longer time. My review does not show my own earnings.
- A payout. My review does not show a cashout from Salad.com.
Salad.com at a glance
| What it is | Software that rents out your GPU’s computing power to clients for mining and AI processing |
|---|---|
| Cost to join | Free, but you pay for the electricity and the hardware |
| Ways to earn | Jobs: you accept requests and the software uses your GPU |
| Pay | A rate per hour that changes with the demand for your GPU |
| Hardware needed | Nvidia RTX 3080 or later, a 4-core or higher CPU, and at least 12 GB of RAM. Radeon GPUs do not work. |
| Operating system | Windows only. Not for Mac or Linux. |
| Minimum cashout | $5 for most options. You need to earn a bit more than the reward’s value, for example $5.99 for a $5 PayPal withdrawal. |
| Payout methods | PayPal, prepaid Visa, gift cards (Discord, Amazon, Steam and more), Venmo in the US |
| Mobile | No. You need a computer with an Nvidia GPU. |
| Who can join | Available globally, as far as I can see, if your computer meets the requirements |
| Support | Knowledgebase, a contact form in the Help portal, and a Discord channel |
Is Salad.com legit and safe?
Yes, Salad.com is legit, because you can really earn from it. But that doesn’t necessarily mean it is worth it. Here is what you should know before you install it.
- You might lose money
If you take the electricity your computer uses into account, you will possibly end up losing money instead. Salad even mentions in its Knowledgebase that its profitability mostly depends on your local electricity rates.
- The hardware is expensive
The GPUs Salad needs aren’t cheap. If you buy one just to be eligible, it will take several months or even a year before you earn back what you spent on it.
- Your GPU wears out faster
Your GPU runs at full capacity while it takes on requests. In the end, you only accelerate the wear and tear of your GPU.
- You cannot use your computer while it earns
While the software is “chopping”, all the computing power goes to the software, so your computer is laggy. Only accept jobs when you do not plan to use your computer.
- There are not always jobs
The rates are not fixed and there won’t always be opportunities to earn, so you can’t expect a fixed amount, and it’s not something you can regularly earn from.
My takeIn my opinion, Salad.com is not worth it. The disadvantages outweigh the benefits it offers. Sure, you’ll be able to earn passively from it, but you’ll have to spend money to earn from it (electricity costs and hardware costs). You are better off finding other ways to earn.
Salad.com needs an expensive GPU and costs electricity. These passive income apps run on any device.
See the best passive income appsHow you earn on Salad.com
The way to earn I looked at: jobs that use your GPU. A reader adds two more ways in the comments.
Jobs: renting out your GPUPer hour, changes with demand
These jobs are not like the jobs on freelance sites. You lend the computing power of your GPU to Salad’s clients, who use it for projects like mining and AI processing. You set up Salad’s software and accept job requests. The software does all the work.
Salad’s clients look for specific Nvidia GPU models: RTX 3080 or later. Your computer also needs at least four cores and 12 GB of RAM. If you use a Radeon GPU, it does not work with your rig.
You earn a certain amount per hour, depending on the demand for your GPU. The rates are not fixed, and they are quite low nowadays, because more and more people are using it.
Check Out the Best Passive Income Apps
How much can you make?
It may sound like you can earn a lot, but the sad reality is that the earning potential is quite low. The rate per hour depends on the demand for your GPU, and with more and more people using Salad, demand is low and supply is high.
If you take the electricity your computer uses into account, you will possibly end up losing money. There will also be times when you are not earning at all, because there are not always jobs.
If you buy a GPU just to be eligible, it can take several months or even a year before you earn back what you spent. And running your GPU at full capacity speeds up its wear and tear.
Payout methods and minimum
| Method | Minimum | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| PayPal | $5 | You need $5.99 in your balance for a $5 withdrawal |
| Prepaid Visa | Depends on the option | Most options start at $5 |
| Gift cards: Discord, Amazon, Steam and more | Depends on the card | Most options start at $5 |
| Venmo (US only) | Depends on the option | Most options start at $5 |
To redeem a reward, you usually need to earn more than its exact value. Think of the extra amount as a service fee. That’s why it is best to wait until you can withdraw the maximum amount, in my experience.
Overall, Salad’s payout system is relatively straightforward, with multiple convenient payout options. For more sites that pay this way, see the top sites that pay via PayPal.
Who can join, and on which devices?
The site doesn’t specifically say which countries it is available in, but from what I can see, it is available globally. Not everyone is eligible, though: you need a pretty powerful computer, mainly a gaming rig, which is a bit expensive.
You sign up with your Google account or email address, log in to the dashboard and download the software. It only works on Windows computers, so it is not for Mac or Linux users. You cannot use it on mobile.
For support, check the Knowledgebase first. If you still need help, use the contact form in the Help portal, or ask a representative on Salad’s Discord channel. It is very transparent with the information it gives its members.
What readers told me
This review has 2 comments: 1 from a reader and 1 reply from me. This is what the reader added.
A past user says you can also host docker containers, which is less taxing on the computer, and share bandwidth. I have not tested these.
“I have used salad before, to my knowledge from using salad in the past, you can also get paid by hosting docker containers on your computer which is less taxing on the computer, as well as do bandwidth sharing like honeygain and pawns.”
Mikael: Thanks for sharing your experiences.
Salad.com alternatives I have tested
| Site | Best for | Min. cashout | My rating |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pawns | Passive earning by sharing internet, plus surveys and games | $5 | 4.4 / 5 |
| Honeygain | Completely passive: share your unused internet | $20 PayPal; $0.50 through JumpTask | 3.7 / 5 |
| PacketStream | Passive earning from your bandwidth, paid through PayPal | $5 | 3.3 / 5 |
| EarnApp | Passive earning from your unused internet, PayPal and Wise | $2.50 PayPal and Wise | 3.1 / 5 |
These apps run on almost any device and do not need an expensive GPU. See more in the best passive income apps, or the top survey and GPT sites in your country.
How I scored Salad.com
I use the same 100-point system for every platform. See how I test and rate.
Salad.com scores 34 out of 100. These passive income apps are a better fit for most people.
See the best passive income appsSalad.com FAQ
Is Salad.com a scam?
No. Salad.com is legit, because you can really earn from it. But in my opinion, it is not worth it for most people.
Can you lose money with Salad.com?
Yes, possibly. If you take the electricity your computer uses into account, you can end up losing money. Salad says in its Knowledgebase that profitability mostly depends on your local electricity rates.
Which GPU do I need for Salad.com?
An Nvidia RTX 3080 or later, with a 4-core or higher CPU and at least 12 GB of RAM. Radeon GPUs do not work.
Does Salad.com work on Mac, Linux or mobile?
No. The software only works on Windows computers with an Nvidia GPU.
How does Salad.com pay?
Through PayPal, prepaid Visa, gift cards such as Discord, Amazon and Steam, and Venmo in the US. Most options start at $5, and you need to earn a bit more than the reward’s value.
Can I use my computer while Salad.com runs?
Not really. All the computing power goes to the software, so your computer is laggy. Only accept jobs when you do not plan to use it.
How do I contact Salad.com support?
Check the Knowledgebase first. Otherwise, use the contact form in the Help portal, or ask a representative on Salad’s Discord channel.
Who checked Salad.com for this review
Founder of PaidFromSurveys.com since 2016. Mikael has tested hundreds of survey and GPT sites and shares his tests with 555K+ subscribers on YouTube (October 2026).
If you have any comments, questions, or experience with Salad.com, I would love to hear from you in a comment below.
I have used salad before, to my knowledge from using salad in the past, you can also get paid by hosting docker containers on your computer which is less taxing on the computer, as well as do bandwidth sharing like honeygain and pawns. Also, you can get paid by lending your GPU out for AI instead of mining but that is still taxing on the computer.
Thanks for sharing your experiences.