# Helping the network become profitable — what can operators contribute while staying viable? (calculator inside) **URL:** \ **Category:** STORJLINGS\ **Created:** [July 30, 2026, 8:58am UTC](https://forum.storj.io/t/helping-the-network-become-profitable-what-can-operators-contribute-while-staying-viable-calculator-inside/32104 "2026-07-30T08:58:59Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 1\ **Showing post:** 3
**Author:** ![HGPlays](https://storj.bcdn.literatehosting.com/letter_avatar/hgplays/32/5_5575768a8748004e209b776fc1b2916d.png) [@HGPlays](https://forum.storj.io/u/HGPlays)\ **Post date:** [July 30, 2026, 9:05am UTC](https://forum.storj.io/t/helping-the-network-become-profitable-what-can-operators-contribute-while-staying-viable-calculator-inside/32104/3 "2026-07-30T09:05:24Z")
I will have to add - asking your operators to “break even” is asking them to work for free. I will just leave this here: > [@An open letter to the Storj token community: the restructuring, the network, and a proposed path to shared ownership](https://forum.storj.io/t/an-open-letter-to-the-storj-token-community-the-restructuring-the-network-and-a-proposed-path-to-shared-ownership/32068/73): > > I would like to give my point of view here. Please don’t respond with the old “use only hardware you have” or “you’re not supposed to earn anything.” I don’t do this for free. Never have, never ever will. Some might — but I sure as hell won’t. I have been a node operator for 6 years. I started with janky setups and weird machines. I’ve never had any actual meaningful downtime. Debugged through the night. Kept my connection alive with 5G broadband for a period. I have seen the shit that comes w… --- _[View the full topic](https://forum.storj.io/t/helping-the-network-become-profitable-what-can-operators-contribute-while-staying-viable-calculator-inside/32104)._