If you're mining cryptocurrency today, you're not doing it alone. Solo mining Bitcoin or other proof-of-work coins is practically impossible for regular people. The network difficulty is too high, the hardware too expensive, and the rewards too unpredictable. That’s where mining pools come in. They let you team up with hundreds or thousands of other miners, combine your computing power, and share the rewards. But not all mining pools are the same. Choosing the wrong one can cost you hundreds - or even thousands - of dollars a year in lost earnings.
Why Mining Pools Matter More Than Ever
In 2025, the top five Bitcoin mining pools controlled nearly 78% of the entire network’s hashrate. Foundry USA alone holds 26.6% - that’s more than a quarter of all Bitcoin mining power. This isn’t just about size. It’s about reliability. Bigger pools find blocks more often. That means you get paid more regularly. If you’re mining Bitcoin with an ASIC miner, your payout could go weeks without a single coin if you’re solo. With a top pool, you’re likely getting paid every day - sometimes multiple times a day. The same applies to altcoins. Even if you’re mining Ethereum Classic, Ravencoin, or Ergo, pools are essential. After Ethereum switched to proof-of-stake in 2022, millions of dollars worth of GPU mining power flooded into other coins. Competition spiked. Profitability dropped. Choosing a pool with low fees and high uptime became the difference between breaking even and losing money.How Mining Pool Fees Work
Every mining pool takes a cut. It’s not hidden. It’s built into how rewards are distributed. These fees range from under 1% to over 1.5%. Sounds small? Let’s break it down. If you mine $100 worth of Bitcoin in a week:- At 0.95% fee (BTC.com): you keep $99.05
- At 1.09% fee (Foundry USA): you keep $98.91
- At 1.58% fee (BraiinsPool): you keep $98.42
Pay Per Share (PPS) vs. FPPS vs. PPS+
There are three main reward systems:- PPS (Pay Per Share): You get paid for every valid share you submit. Fixed rate. No variance. But the pool absorbs all risk. That means higher fees.
- FPPS (Full Pay Per Share): Same as PPS, but includes transaction fees from the block. This is the most common model among top pools.
- PPS+: Pays for shares + transaction fees, but only when the pool finds a block. More risk, but potentially higher rewards during busy periods.
Top Mining Pools in 2026 - Who’s Leading the Pack
Here’s who’s dominating the Bitcoin mining scene right now, based on 2025 data:| Pool | Market Share | Hashrate | Fees | Payment Model |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Foundry USA | 26.6% | 256.3 EH/s | 1.09% | FPPS |
| AntPool | 17.96% | 178.4 EH/s | 1.03% | FPPS |
| ViaBTC | 13.69% | 113.7 EH/s | 1.09% | PPS+ |
| F2Pool | 10.68% | 102.9 EH/s | 1.04% | PPS+ |
| SpiderPool | 9.13% | 87.9 EH/s | 1.35% | FPPS |
| BTC.com | 0.68% | 6.5 EH/s | 0.95% | FPPS |
| Binance Pool | 2.72% | 26.1 EH/s | 0.99% | FPPS |
What to Look For Beyond Fees
Fees are important, but they’re not everything. Here are five other factors that make or break your mining experience:- Uptime and Stability - A pool that goes down for 12 hours means zero earnings during that time. Foundry USA and AntPool have near-perfect uptime records. Smaller pools? Less reliable.
- Server Locations - If you’re in New Zealand, connecting to a pool server in Tokyo or Frankfurt adds latency. High latency = more rejected shares = lower earnings. Look for pools with servers in Asia-Pacific or Australia.
- Supported Coins - If you’re mining altcoins, F2Pool and ViaBTC support over 30 different coins. Foundry USA is Bitcoin-only. Pick based on what you’re mining.
- User Interface - A confusing dashboard makes it hard to track your earnings. F2Pool and AntPool have clean, mobile-friendly dashboards. SpiderPool? Not so much.
- Payout Thresholds - Some pools require you to mine $10 worth of Bitcoin before paying out. Others pay as low as $0.50. Lower thresholds mean faster cash flow, especially for small miners.
Best Mining Pools by Miner Type
There’s no single “best” pool. It depends on what you’re mining and how much you care about details.- Bitcoin ASIC Miners - Go with Foundry USA. Highest hashrate, most stable, best for long-term earnings. If you’re spending $5,000 on hardware, don’t risk a small pool.
- Cost-Conscious Miners - BTC.com or Binance Pool. Lowest fees, decent uptime. You’ll earn slightly less per block, but you’ll keep more of what you mine.
- Altcoin GPU Miners - F2Pool. Supports Ethereum Classic, Ravencoin, Ergo, and more. Easy setup. Great for beginners testing different coins.
- High-Risk, High-Reward Miners - ViaBTC. If you believe Bitcoin transaction fees will spike again, PPS+ gives you a shot at bigger payouts. But be ready for slower earnings during quiet periods.
- Privacy-Focused Miners - BraiinsPool. Open-source software, transparent operations. No KYC. But lower hashrate means fewer blocks - and longer waits between payouts.
How to Get Started - Step by Step
Joining a mining pool takes less than 30 minutes. Here’s how:- Choose your pool - Based on your hardware and goals.
- Create an account - Most pools don’t require KYC unless you’re on Binance Pool.
- Set up your wallet - Use a non-custodial wallet like Electrum (for Bitcoin) or Exodus (for altcoins). Never use the pool’s built-in wallet.
- Configure your miner - In your mining software (like Braiins OS+, Awesome Miner, or CGMiner), enter the pool’s stratum URL and your worker name/password. Example:
stratum+tcp://us-east.f2pool.com:8888 - Start mining - Wait for your first share to be accepted. Check your dashboard. You should see your hashrate appear within minutes.
Red Flags to Avoid
Not all pools are trustworthy. Watch out for:- Pools with no public hashrate data - If you can’t verify their size, they might be fake.
- Unusually low fees - If a pool charges 0.5%, they’re probably hiding something. Either they’re a scam, or they’re about to shut down.
- Delayed payouts - If your last payout was 3 weeks ago and your dashboard shows $200 in earnings, that’s a warning sign.
- No customer support - If you can’t find an email, Discord, or ticket system, walk away.
What’s Next for Mining Pools?
The mining pool industry is tightening. Regulatory pressure is rising. The EU and U.S. are pushing for reporting on mining operations. Smaller pools without legal teams are struggling. In 2026, expect to see more consolidation. The top 5 will likely control over 85% of Bitcoin’s hashrate. That’s good for miners - more stability. But bad for decentralization. If you care about Bitcoin’s long-term health, consider occasionally switching to a smaller pool. Even if it pays less, you’re helping keep the network distributed.Final Tip: Test Before You Commit
Don’t mine on one pool for six months without checking alternatives. Run a 7-day test. Mine the same hardware on two different pools. Compare your earnings, payout speed, and uptime. Use tools like WhatToMine or CryptoCompare to track profitability in real time. The best mining pool isn’t the biggest. It’s the one that fits your hardware, your goals, and your tolerance for risk. Get that right, and you’ll earn more - without needing to buy another ASIC.Is it better to mine with a big pool or a small one?
Big pools like Foundry USA or AntPool find blocks more often, so you get paid more regularly. Small pools pay out less frequently, sometimes only once every few weeks. If you’re mining Bitcoin with ASICs, stick with a big pool. If you’re experimenting with altcoins on a GPU rig, a smaller pool with low fees and good support can work fine.
Do mining pools take a cut even if they don’t find a block?
No. Mining pools only charge fees when they successfully mine a block. You pay a percentage of the reward - not a flat fee. If the pool doesn’t find a block in a day, you earn nothing, and they earn nothing. The fee is always a share of what you earn, not a cost to join.
Can I mine on multiple pools at once?
Technically yes, but it’s not recommended for beginners. Splitting your hashrate across pools means each one finds blocks less often, so payouts become irregular. Some advanced miners use profit-switching software to automatically move mining power to the most profitable pool - but that requires monitoring and technical setup.
Why do some pools have higher fees but still get more miners?
Because reliability matters more than cost. A pool with 1.35% fees but 99.9% uptime and daily payouts is better than a 0.95% fee pool that goes offline for 8 hours every week. Miners trade a little extra fee for predictable income. It’s like paying more for a reliable internet provider instead of a cheap one that drops out constantly.
Are mining pools safe? Can they steal my coins?
No, mining pools cannot steal your coins. You control your own wallet address. The pool only pays rewards to that address. They never have access to your private keys. But always use a non-custodial wallet - never leave coins on the pool’s website. If the pool gets hacked or shuts down, your coins are still safe in your wallet.
How do I know if my mining setup is working correctly?
Check your pool’s dashboard. You should see your miner’s hashrate appear within 5-10 minutes of starting. You’ll also see accepted shares and rejected shares. If rejected shares are over 2%, your connection is unstable - try switching to a server closer to you. If hashrate reads zero, double-check your pool URL and worker credentials.
