There are many masternode (MN) hosting platforms, read the article by nodesofvalue for a comprehensive overview, which remove the painstaking efforts required to build nodes on servers such as Vultr and DigitalOcean. This article will inform you about Swyft --- a convenient, easy-to-use platform to host your MNs and they even have a pokémon-style game where you can earn free crypto!!
What are masternodes and why would i want one?
A quick recap. Masternodes are servers that perform unique functions such as instant and private transactions ect. A guy/gal like you or me would put up an investment, e.g., buy a predefined amount of coins in a project and then lock them away in a wallet where you control the private keys. In short, providing that the project has a good business case, masternodes can be a good source of passive income. However, a MN is required to be running on a server 24/7 and this usually bears costs between 2.5 - 5 euros per month. Our financial objective is thus to reap daily payouts which are higher than the costs associated to running the server.
Swyft
Swyft, formally known as satoshisolutions, is a registered business in the UK providing a masternode hosting platform and, very recently, a super fun Crypto virtual reality style game.
Hosting platform
I came across Swyft after struggling with compiling my own nodes on Vultr. Providing you are familiar with Unix operating systems and can find a good deal from a provider, then this is a potential solution for you. On the other hand there are services like Swyft which makes it easy for novice users to create and run a masternode. In a few simple steps you can have your masternode of the supported coins on the website, see the figure below for a few examples, up and running without having to deal with repositories, VPS servers and linux commands. Once the MN is set-up the rewards go to your wallet. In order to pay for their hosting service you may pay with Bitcoin or the project's native currency, e.g., SATC. In addition you may also pay with a select few project's coins that they host on their platform. Is it less expensive than say Vultr? In general I have found that yes it is less expensive. At Vultr you will pay a minimum of 5 USD per month for a server which has the specifications necessary, e.g., processing power, hard-drive space to facilitate the node's tasks. At Swyft prices average around 3 USD a month to run a server which means you can maximize your rewards.
There are several available projects that you can build MNs for, e.g., Smartcash, SocialSEND just to name a few. One of the nicest aspects of the project is that they give some interesting statistics for each project that they host. This general overview makes for a reasonable summary of the various projects out there. The Swyft team has also released an interesting game recently.
Cryptohunter
Cryptohunter was created in an effort to raise awareness of the masternode world, provide the user with the tools needed to get started and bring new investors into the crypto masternode space. They can not only learn about new projects but also have fun at the same time! Collecting coins are free since the projects who join delegate a certain capital with the hope of attracting new investors. Cryptohunter has been available in the apple store for some time and they just released it in the play store for Android.
Conclusion
There are many MN hosting platforms out there and if you are interested in this aspect of the cyrptospace, then I encourage you to explore the capabilities of Swyft. If you are not currently in the space of MNs but want to have some fun while earning some crypto then check out cryptohunter!
References
https://host.swyft.network/login
https://coincentral.com/what-are-masternodes-an-introduction-and-guide/