Mining Pool Payouts Explained

Updated May 2026 · PPS · PPLNS · PPS+ · FPPS

Pools Tracked

Schemes

Avg Fee

1.71%

BTC Price

$80,853.00

What Are Shares?

Before comparing payout schemes, you need to understand shares. A share is a partial solution to the cryptographic puzzle miners solve. It's easier to find than a full block hash, but it proves you did work. Pools track how many shares you submit and use that as the basis for your payout.

Think of shares as lottery tickets. The more you submit, the more "tickets" you have. But how the pool converts those tickets into actual payouts depends on the scheme.

The Four Main Payout Schemes

PPS — Pay Per Share Fixed income

The pool pays you a fixed amount for every valid share, regardless of whether the pool finds a block. The operator absorbs all variance risk. Your income is stable and predictable. Trade-off: pools usually charge 2-4% fees for PPS, and you typically don't receive transaction fee rewards.

Example: AntPool runs PPS for some coins.

Read full PPS guide →

PPLNS — Pay Per Last N Shares Proportional

Payouts are based on your share of the last N shares submitted before a block is found. If the pool is lucky and finds many blocks, you earn more. If the pool has an unlucky day, you earn less. Over time, luck averages out and you get roughly your fair share. Trade-off: Lower fees (0.5-2%) but income fluctuates with pool luck.

Example: 2Miners uses PPLNS.

Read full PPLNS guide →

PPS+ — Pay Per Share Plus Hybrid

A hybrid of PPS and PPLNS. The block reward is paid using PPS (fixed per share), while transaction fees are distributed using PPLNS (proportional to recent shares). This gives you the stability of PPS on the main reward, plus a share of tx fees when blocks are full. Trade-off: Slightly higher complexity, moderate fees.

Example: Binance Pool offers PPS+.

Read full PPS+ guide →

FPPS — Full Pay Per Share Full fixed

FPPS pays a fixed amount for shares on both the block reward and transaction fees. The pool calculates a theoretical average transaction fee over a period and pays that out as part of the fixed share rate. You get the stability of PPS plus tx fee income. Trade-off: Highest fees (often 3-4%) because the operator takes on maximum risk.

Example: Foundry USA Pool uses FPPS.

Read full FPPS guide →

Side-by-Side Comparison

Feature	PPS	PPLNS	PPS+	FPPS
Income stability	High	Low	High	High
Typical fee	2-4%	0.5-2%	2-3%	3-4%
Block reward	Fixed	Proportional	Fixed	Fixed
Transaction fees	Usually no	Yes	Proportional	Fixed
Who takes variance risk?	Pool	Miner	Pool (mostly)	Pool
Best for	Steady income	24/7 miners	Best of both	Max tx fee capture

Which Scheme Should You Choose?

→Choose PPS if you want predictable daily income and don't care about transaction fee fluctuations. Best for miners who need stable cash flow to cover electricity bills.

→Choose PPLNS if you mine 24/7 on a large, reliable pool and want the lowest possible fees. Accept that some days will be above average and some below.

→Choose PPS+ if you want stable block rewards but also want a share of transaction fees when network activity is high. A balanced middle ground.

→Choose FPPS if you want maximum income stability including transaction fees, and you're willing to pay a higher pool fee for the operator to absorb all variance risk.

What Is a Mining Pool? → Browse all pools →

FAQ

About pool payouts

Which mining pool payout scheme is best?

It depends on your priorities. Choose PPS if you want the most stable, predictable income and don't mind higher fees. Choose PPLNS if you mine 24/7 and want the lowest fees — your income will vary with pool luck but averages out over time. Choose PPS+ for a balance: stable base income plus a share of transaction fees. Choose FPPS if you want maximum stability including tx fees and are willing to pay the highest fees for it.

Do all payout schemes have the same fees?

No. PPLNS typically has the lowest fees (0.5-2%) because miners absorb variance risk. PPS and PPS+ are in the middle (2-3%). FPPS usually has the highest fees (3-4%) because the pool operator takes on maximum risk by guaranteeing both block rewards and transaction fees.

Which scheme gives the most stable income?

FPPS provides the most stable income because both block rewards and transaction fees are paid at a fixed theoretical rate. PPS is second-most stable (block rewards fixed, but tx fees usually excluded). PPS+ is mostly stable with a variable tx fee bonus. PPLNS is the least stable because your entire payout depends on when the pool finds blocks.

Do I earn transaction fees with all schemes?

No. With basic PPS, you typically do not receive transaction fees — the pool keeps them. With PPLNS, you do receive tx fees as part of the proportional block reward distribution. With PPS+, you receive tx fees via the PPLNS portion. With FPPS, you receive a fixed theoretical tx fee amount with every share.