Zcash node
A Zcash node for the Zebra era. zcashd has ended. Your node has not.
A Zcash node validates every block and takes calls from nobody else. Yours is Zebra, the Zcash Foundation node that replaced zcashd, hosted on a server sized for Zcash. zcashd stopped for good on 18 July 2026.
- Full
- $139/mo
- Ready
- 24 h
02Node type
What a Zcash node keeps now that zcashd is gone.
One node type, built on Zebra. Most old zcashd habits still apply. A few do not.
Full node
$139/mo
- Keeps
- The Zcash chain, checked block by block by Zebra
- Answers
- The JSON-RPC methods Zebra implements, such as getblockchaininfo
- Different
- Only some zcashd methods carry over, and Zebra has no REST interface
- Disk
- About 300 GB free on mainnet, and about twice that while a state snapshot unpacks
Coming from zcashd?
List every RPC method your app calls and check it against Zebra. Only some zcashd methods carry over.
Sources: Zebra book, requirements, checked October 2026; Tatum, zcashd end of life and move to Zebra (third party), checked October 2026
03How it works
How a Zcash node works with Zebra.
Zebra is one program. Wallet servers and indexers sit beside it and talk to it, rather than living inside it.
Zebra
Downloads and checks blocks. It is the node that replaces zcashd.
The state database
Zebra keeps its chain state on disk in a format that is versioned between releases.
Your endpoint
RPC calls go to nodes.herorpc.com with your key.
Peers, port 8233
Other Zcash nodes connect here on mainnet.
Zebra and zcashd are different programs. Old guides that say "run zcashd" no longer describe a supported setup.
Tools that read the database directly must update together with the node, because the format changes between releases.
The default RPC port in Zebra is 8232. Your private endpoint hides it behind a key.
04Know the field
zcashd is over. Here is who is left.
The old node halted on a set date, and its repository is archived. This is the field today.
The Zebra docs say the snapshot step needs roughly twice the normal space for a while.
zcashd
- Full
- Reached its end-of-support halt on 18 July 2026 at block 3,417,100. The repository was archived the next day.
- Source
- zcashd README
Zebra
- Full
- About 300 GB of free disk on mainnet, 100 Mbps, and 10 MB to 10 GB of traffic a day after the first download.
- Source
- Zebra book
Zakura
- Full
- Named as a second successor node in the zcashd notice. No figures are published here.
- Source
- zcashd README
Zallet
- Full
- A wallet, not a node. It replaces the old zcashd wallet.
- Source
- zcashd README
The top entry on the Zebra releases page is a release candidate (7.0.0-rc.0), so check for a stable version before you plan an upgrade.
Sources: zcashd repository README (end-of-support halt on 18 July 2026), checked October 2026; Zebra book, requirements, checked October 2026; Zebra releases (top entry is 7.0.0-rc.0, a release candidate), checked October 2026
05Zcash, specifically
Six Zcash facts for anyone leaving zcashd.
The Zcash node changed under a lot of live systems this summer.
A hard stop date
The zcashd README says it halted at block 3,417,100 on 18 July 2026. Its repository was archived on 19 July.
Not every method came along
A third-party migration note says only some zcashd RPC methods carry over to Zebra, and REST is gone.
Double space for snapshots
While a state snapshot unpacks, Zebra needs roughly twice its normal disk.
Wallet servers need a switch
Zebra docs say lightwalletd needs cookie authentication off, and the direct gRPC option is experimental and plaintext.
Database format 29
The newest release candidate moves the database to format 29. Tools that read it directly must move at the same time.
Two ports to remember
Zebra listens for peers on 8233 and for RPC on 8232 on mainnet. Testnet uses 18233 and 18232.
Sources: zcashd repository README (end-of-support halt on 18 July 2026), checked October 2026; Tatum, zcashd end of life and move to Zebra (third party), checked October 2026; Zebra book, requirements, checked October 2026; Zebra book, lightwalletd, checked October 2026; Zebra releases (top entry is 7.0.0-rc.0, a release candidate), checked October 2026
06Who rents one
Who rents a Zcash node.
Most of them had a zcashd box last year and now need something that works.
Exchanges and custodians
You ran zcashd for deposits and now need the same checks on Zebra,.
Shielded wallet backends
Wallet servers built on lightwalletd or Zaino need a Zebra node behind them.
Miners and pools
The release candidate notes RPC changes that touch block template calls, so a stable node matters.
Analytics and compliance
Teams that read transparent-pool data need a node that stays on a supported release.
07Price check
Zcash node prices: nothing public to compare.
We found no published price for a dedicated Zcash node at the providers we checked. This is the closest we have.
GetBlock
From $1,000 a month
A single entry price covers every chain on its dedicated page. Zcash gets no separate figure.
GetBlock dedicated nodes, checked October 2026
Tatum
No node price read
Its changelog explains the move from zcashd to Zebra. It is an API provider, and we found no dedicated node plan there.
Tatum changelog, checked October 2026
08What you get
Put a Zcash node on Zebra for the term you choose.
Pick the node type and how long to prepay. The price updates as you choose.
Your Zcash node
Term
- A dedicated server sized for Zcash
- Zebra, with one private RPC endpoint
- A backup node, included
- A private endpoint on nodes.herorpc.com
- Your server logins
- No setup fee, ready within 24 hours
$139
a month, full node
Billed monthly
Pay in BTC, ETH, USDT, USDC, BNB, SOL, TRX, LTC, DOGE or XMR.
10Questions
Zcash node questions
Real questions from node operators, answered plainly.
Is zcashd still supported?
No. Its README says it reached its end-of-support halt on 18 July 2026 at block 3,417,100, and the repository was archived the next day.
What replaces zcashd?
Zebra and Zakura are the named successor nodes, and Zallet is the successor wallet. Your node runs Zebra.
Does Zebra support every zcashd RPC method?
No. A third-party migration note says only some methods carry over and REST is not in Zebra. Check each method your app calls.
How big is a Zebra node?
The Zebra docs ask for about 300 GB of free disk on mainnet, and about twice that while a state snapshot unpacks.
What are the Zebra requirements?
The docs recommend a 100 Mbps connection and give about 300 GB of initial download. Ongoing traffic runs from 10 MB to 10 GB a day.
Can lightwalletd use Zebra?
Yes, with cookie authentication off. The Zebra docs call the direct gRPC option experimental and plaintext.
Which ports does a Zcash node use?
On mainnet, Zebra uses 8233 for peers and 8232 for RPC. Testnet uses 18233 and 18232.
How do I call my Zcash node?
Your dashboard shows the endpoint. Send JSON-RPC calls that Zebra supports, with the key in the URL.
What does Zcash node hosting cost?
$139 a month covers the Zebra node and its backup. There is no setup fee.
When does my Zcash node go live?
It is ready within 24 hours of payment, and the endpoint appears in your dashboard.
A Zcash node that already runs Zebra.
Zebra, a backup node and an endpoint within 24 hours, for $139 a month.