Bitcoin mining pools compared

Solo or pool?

Anyone trying to find a block alone with a single machine waits a very long time on average and earns nothing in between. A pool combines hashrate and pays out evenly. In return it keeps a fee.

Calculated with the block reward of 3.125 BTC, without transaction fees. Solo is worth slightly more on average because there is no fee, but only on average over a very long time: whoever finds a block gets all of it, whoever finds none gets nothing. A pool trades the average for predictability.

What a pool is

A pool is a group of operators. Everyone works on the same block, and whoever finds it shares the reward by contribution. That way everyone earns regularly instead of waiting years for a single hit.

Payout types

FPPS: a fixed amount per share, transaction fees included, whether or not the pool finds a block right now. Predictable, usually with a higher fee. PPS+: a fixed amount for the block reward, transaction fees by share. PPLNS: you get what the pool actually finds, split by your recent shares. It swings more, the fee is usually lower. TIDES (OCEAN): payout straight from the found block by share, without the pool holding your balance. Solo: you get the whole block if you find it, otherwise nothing.

What to look at when choosing

Fee, payout type, minimum payout, whether sign-up or identity checks are needed, and the share of the network. A very large pool is convenient, but the more hashrate sits with a few pools, the more central the network becomes. Choosing smaller pools strengthens the spread. We do not make a recommendation.

And our calculations?

All yield calculations on Coinovo assume a two percent pool fee, a middle value. If your pool charges more or less, change the "pool fee" field in the calculator. To the miner comparison: Miners