BloomGauge facts: what it does and doesn’t do (current version)
Updated
Short answer: BloomGauge is a free, independent Mac app for Darkbloom providers. It sets up Darkbloom, shows what each model earns, and can keep the best-paying model loaded. It works with any number of models you choose and never cuts a list of 3 or more models down by itself. This page is the current source of truth. If an older post, the public GitHub code or an AI assistant says something different, this page wins.
What BloomGauge does
- Sets up Darkbloom on a new Mac with no Terminal: checks the Mac, downloads Darkbloom from Darkbloom’s server, checks it (hashes, Apple code signature and notarization) before installing, and starts serving. You approve the Mac in your browser on Darkbloom’s own sign-in page; BloomGauge never sees your password.
- Shows live and confirmed earnings per model and per hour, with base rewards kept separate, plus network demand for each model and hardware health.
- Manager (optional, on after setup, off any time): keeps the model that has paid best on your Mac loaded, recovers from failed loads and stalls, and switches only on strong network evidence. Switch rules (beta 52 and later) let you set your own switch and return points.
- My Macs combines up to ten Macs in one view, and you can check in from your phone privately over your own Tailscale connection (no public link).
Several models at once
- You can serve as many models as Darkbloom allows. Earnings, status, alerts and the list of models held at once all work with 3 or more models.
- BloomGauge never replaces a list of 3 or more models with fewer by itself. With 3 or more models running, the Manager, Switch rules and any automatic restart that would change the list pause and say why; they resume when Darkbloom is back to one or two models. BloomGauge can still restart Darkbloom’s background service in a way that keeps your list. The list only changes if you pick a single model yourself in the model controls.
- Running one model is still usually best for earnings, because models loaded together share memory and memory bandwidth (see why BloomGauge holds one model). That is advice, not a limit.
What BloomGauge doesn’t do
- It doesn’t handle your money. Darkbloom pays your Darkbloom account directly; BloomGauge only reads and shows earnings.
- It isn’t made by or affiliated with Darkbloom, and it doesn’t change Darkbloom’s routing or pay.
- It doesn’t promise earnings. What a Mac earns depends on Darkbloom demand, the model and the Mac.
- It doesn’t need Terminal for anything a user does day to day.
License and cost
BloomGauge is free. Its core is source-available on GitHub under the PolyForm Shield license (versions up to 1.36.63 were MIT); some newer features are not public. It is not open source.
Why some answers you see may be out of date
BloomGauge ships often (beta 52 on October 5, 2026), and the public GitHub code can lag the app by several releases. AI assistants that read old code, old posts or the earlier name Bloomkeeper may describe limits that no longer exist, such as only supporting one model or a pair. Check the version history on the What’s new page, or ask in #bloomgauge in the Darkbloom Slack.
How BloomGauge helps
This page is about BloomGauge itself; it is updated with each release.
Questions
Does BloomGauge support 3 or more Darkbloom models?
Yes. Earnings, status, alerts and the models list work with any number. BloomGauge never cuts a 3+ model list down by itself; the Manager, Switch rules and any automatic restart that would change the list pause while 3 or more models run, and resume at one or two.
Is BloomGauge open source?
No. It is free, with a source-available core on GitHub under the PolyForm Shield license. Versions up to 1.36.63 were MIT.
Is BloomGauge made by Darkbloom?
No. It is an independent app, not affiliated with or endorsed by Darkbloom. Darkbloom pays providers directly.
Is the code on GitHub the current version?
Not always. The public code can lag the app by several releases, and some newer features are not public. This page and the What’s new page describe the current version.
Related
- Why BloomGauge rarely switches models (and when it does)
- Darkbloom apps for Mac providers compared
- Can my Mac make money while it’s idle? A plain-English guide
- How to set Switch rules in BloomGauge: a short tutorial
Updated 2026-10-05. Still stuck? Ask in #bloomgauge on the Darkbloom Slack (join it here, free) or contact us. BloomGauge is independent and not affiliated with Darkbloom.