How to choose an XBT mining pool
More than 30 pools found XBT blocks this week. Picking one comes down to five questions: do you run a node, what's the fee, how does it pay, what's the minimum, and is it already too big? Here's how to answer each one, with real numbers from the pools on our pool comparison.
1. Do you run your own node?
This is the big fork in the road.
- Yes, or you're willing to: use a DATUM pool. Your node and a DATUM gateway build the block template, and the pool only splits the rewards. It's the most decentralized way to mine, and it's often the cheapest: Lazarus, B2Pool and RIPTIDE charge 0% for DATUM miners. CONVOY, which just relaunched with DATUM Gateway 0.5.0, charges 1%.
- No, you just want to plug in a miner: use a pool with a plain stratum port. B2Pool (1%, no signup, servers in several regions) and Minepoolis (2%) are the simplest. The pool builds the block for you.
About 70% of XBT blocks already come from pools that offer DATUM. Why that matters: They can't just switch pools.
2. Check the fee for your connection type
Many pools charge different fees for DATUM and plain stratum, and a few have traps:
| Pool | Plain stratum | DATUM | Payout |
|---|---|---|---|
| B2Pool | 1% | 0% | TIDES, in the coinbase |
| Lazarus | 100% after a short grace period | 0% plus bonus | TIDES, in the coinbase |
| AlphaPool | Closed | 2.5% + 0.5% finder bonus | TIDES, in the coinbase |
| CONVOY | n/a (node required) | 1% (2% with failover) | TIDES |
| Minepoolis | 2% (lower for long-term miners) | Yes | PPLNS, FPPS+ or solo |
Lazarus is the one to watch: its public stratum ends up keeping 100% of your rewards. It's built for DATUM miners only. Fees on a new chain change often, so check the pool's own site before you connect. Fees above were checked Oct 7.
3. Understand how it pays
- TIDES (most XBT pools): every block's reward is split across recent work and paid straight into the block's coinbase transaction. The pool never holds your coins.
- PPLNS / FPPS: the pool holds a balance for you and pays out once you pass the minimum. Simpler for some, but you're trusting the pool with your balance in the meantime.
- Solo: you get the whole block if you find one and nothing if you don't. A lottery unless you have serious hash.
Whatever the pool, newly mined XBT is currently locked for about 45 days (6,480 blocks) before you can spend it, and a community vote may extend that. Plan your cash flow around it.
4. Check the minimum payout
A small miner on a pool with a high minimum can wait a long time for a first payout. B2Pool's minimum is 10,000 sats. Minepoolis's is 0.1 XBT. TIDES pools that pay in the coinbase often have none.
5. Don't pile onto the biggest pool
The largest XBT pool found about a third of blocks this week. No pool should get near 50%. If your pool tops the pool share chart and a smaller one has the same fee, move. A pool that finds blocks every day still gives you steady payouts, so you lose little by going smaller.
Quick picks
| If you… | Look at |
|---|---|
| Run a node and want the lowest fee | DATUM on B2Pool, RIPTIDE or Lazarus (0%) |
| Run a node and want CONVOY's software and support | CONVOY (1%) |
| Want to plug in and go, no node | B2Pool plain stratum (1%) or Minepoolis (2%) |
| Want a lottery ticket | Solo ports: B2Pool 3334, Minepoolis 4482 |
Before you point hash at any pool, test with one machine for a day. Check that your shares show up on the pool's dashboard and that the payout address is an XBT address you control.
Compare all pools liveHow to start mining at home
Not affiliated with any pool. Not financial advice. Fees from each pool's site as of Oct 7, 2026; pool shares from XBT block explorers via xbt.live.