PPLNS — Pay Per Last N Shares

Updated May 2026

What Is PPLNS?

Pay Per Last N Shares (PPLNS) is a proportional payout scheme where miners are rewarded based on their contribution to the last N shares submitted before a block is found. Unlike PPS, you only get paid when the pool actually finds a block — and your payout depends on how many shares you contributed during the "window" leading up to that block.

The "N" in PPLNS is a number set by the pool operator. It represents how many recent shares are counted when distributing a block reward. A common value is N = 2 × network difficulty, which means roughly the last two rounds of shares are counted.

How PPLNS Works

1You submit shares to the pool continuously while mining.

2The pool maintains a rolling window of the last N shares from all miners.

3When the pool finds a block, it looks at the last N shares before that block.

4Your payout = (your shares in window / total shares in window) × block reward × (1 - fee).

5If you stop mining, your old shares eventually fall out of the window and stop earning.

Pool Luck & PPLNS

PPLNS income is directly tied to pool luck. If the pool finds 5 blocks in a day, everyone earns more. If the pool finds zero blocks, nobody earns anything that day. Over weeks and months, luck averages out and your long-term income approaches your "expected" fair share.

This variance is why PPLNS pools can charge lower fees (0.5-2%) — the miner, not the operator, absorbs the short-term luck risk. For a miner running 24/7 on a large pool, the daily fluctuations smooth out. For an intermittent miner, PPLNS can be frustrating.

PPLNS Pros & Cons

Pros

Lower pool fees (0.5-2%)
You receive full transaction fee rewards
Fair distribution over the long term
Pool doesn't need massive reserves
No risk of pool insolvency from bad luck

Cons

Income varies day-to-day with pool luck
Not suitable for intermittent miners
Shares "expire" — stop mining and old shares stop earning
Harder to predict monthly revenue
Small pools can have extreme variance

PPLNS Pool Examples

Pool	Fee	Scheme
2Miners	1.0%	PPLNS
AntPool	0.0%	PPLNS
Binance Pool	1.0%	PPLNS
CloverPool	0.0%	PPLNS
EMCD	1.5%	PPLNS

Compare all schemes → Browse all pools →

FAQ

About PPLNS payouts

What is PPLNS in mining pools?

PPLNS (Pay Per Last N Shares) is a proportional payout scheme where miners are paid based on their share of the last N shares submitted before a block is found. You only earn when the pool finds a block, and your payout depends on how many shares you contributed during the window.

How does pool luck affect PPLNS income?

PPLNS income is directly tied to pool luck. If the pool finds many blocks in a day, everyone earns more. If the pool has an unlucky day with no blocks, income is zero. Over weeks and months, luck averages out and long-term income approaches the theoretical fair share.

What is pool hopping and does it work with PPLNS?

Pool hopping is switching between pools to chase short-term luck. It does not work well with PPLNS because your shares only count if they're in the last N shares before a block. If you hop away, your shares expire from the window. PPLNS rewards loyal, continuous miners.

Who should use PPLNS?

PPLNS is best for miners who run 24/7 on large, reliable pools and can tolerate short-term income fluctuations in exchange for lower fees. It's not ideal for intermittent miners or those who need perfectly predictable daily income.