You’ve connected your ASIC, it’s submitting shares, and the hashrate is growing in your pool’s dashboard. But how exactly do these “shares” turn into real money in your wallet? The answer lies in the reward system your pool uses. This isn’t just a technical detail; it’s a fundamental factor determining the stability and the ultimate size of your income.
In this guide, we’ll break down everything—from the two main systems to the rarest ones. If you’ve forgotten what a “share” is, we recommend refreshing your knowledge in our main guide on how mining pools work.
Counting on Fingers: An Income Example for One ASIC
Before diving into the details, let’s visually compare the profitability of the two most popular systems. Initial Data (conditional):
- Your ASIC: Antminer S19 Pro (110 TH/s).
- Bitcoin Network: total hashrate 500 EH/s (that’s 500,000,000 TH/s).
- Block Reward: 6.25 BTC (reward) + 0.25 BTC (average fees) = 6.5 BTC.
- Pool Fee: 1%.
Approximately 144 blocks are found on the Bitcoin network every 24 hours. Total daily reward: 144 * 6.5 BTC = 936 BTC.
Calculation for PPS+:
Your share of the network: 110 TH/s / 500,000,000 TH/s = 0.00000022.
Your “gross” daily income: 936 BTC * 0.00000022 = 0.00020592 BTC.
Your “net” income after 1% fee: 0.00020592 * 0.99 = 0.00020386 BTC.
This is your guaranteed daily income.
Calculation for PPLNS:
On average, your monthly income will be about the same. But day-to-day, it will “fluctuate”:
- On a lucky day (the pool found 10% more blocks than expected): you could receive ~0.00022424 BTC.
- On an unlucky day (the pool found 10% fewer blocks): your income might drop to ~0.00018347 BTC.
All Reward Systems: Detailed Table
Below is a detailed table of all known payment systems, from the most popular to the rarest.
| System | Full Name | Working Principle | Who it suits |
|---|---|---|---|
| Group 1: Most Popular (99% of the market) | |||
| FPPS / PPS+ | Full Pay Per Share / Pay Per Share Plus | The pool pays you a fixed price for each submitted share, including a share of transaction fees. Payment is guaranteed, even if the pool does not find blocks. The pool takes all risks. | Beginners, owners of a small number of ASICs, those who value 100% predictability and stable income. |
| PPLNS | Pay Per Last N Shares | You receive payment only when the pool finds a block. The reward is shared proportionally to your contribution in the last N shares before the block is found. Income depends on the pool’s luck. | Experienced miners, large farms, those willing to accept volatility for potentially higher long-term income. |
| Group 2: Classic and Hybrid Systems | |||
| PPS | Pay Per Share | The “grandfather” of PPS+. Also pays for each share, but does not include transaction fees in the payment. Rarely used, as it is less profitable than PPS+. | Nobody. This is an outdated system. |
| PROP | Proportional | The block reward is shared proportionally to your contribution in the round of finding that specific block. An outdated system, vulnerable to “pool hopping.” | Nobody. PPLNS is a more modern and fairer alternative. |
| RBPPS / D-PPS | Round-Based Pay Per Share / Delayed-PPS | A hybrid. You are credited with rewards based on the PPS principle, but payment occurs only after a block is found (at the end of the round). Reduces risks for the pool operator. | Those looking for a balance between payment stability and pool conditions. |
| Group 3: PPLNS Family (Advanced Variations) | |||
| PPLNT | Pay Per Last N Time-slots | A variation of PPLNS where the reward is divided by shares submitted over the last N time slots (e.g., for the last 10 minutes), rather than by the number of shares. | Miners on pools where hashrate fluctuates significantly. |
| PPLTS / PPNLT | Pay Per Last Time Shares / Pay Per N Last Time | Systems very similar to PPLNT, using time windows to determine payable shares. The main idea is to make the system fairer. | Advanced users who have thoroughly studied the mathematics of a specific pool. |
| SPLNS | Shared Pay Per Last N Shares | Another PPLNS variation, often dividing the round into “shifts” for fairer distribution. A more complex version to protect against pool surfing. | Miners looking for pools with advanced fairness mechanisms. |
| PPLNG | Pay Per Luck-N-Groups | A system that tries to smooth out the luck factor in PPLNS by grouping shares or rounds. Makes PPLNS income slightly more stable. | Those who like the idea of PPLNS but want a little less volatility. |
| Group 4: Niche and Exotic Systems | |||
| SOLO | Solo Mining | You use the pool’s infrastructure but work alone. If your ASIC finds a block, you receive 100% of the reward (minus pool fees). If not, you get nothing. | Owners of huge farms or those who want to try their luck at a lottery. |
| PARTY | Party Mining | Cooperative SOLO. A small group of miners team up, and if one of them finds a block, the reward is shared among all participants of the “party.” | Friends or partners who want to mine together but not on a large public pool. |
| PPOOL / PPSNA / and others | Proprietary Systems | These are proprietary (custom) systems created by a specific pool. Their mechanics can be unique. | Only for those who have fully read and understood the documentation of a specific pool. |
So what to choose?
Despite the huge variety, the choice for 99% of miners comes down to a simple question, which we touched upon in the article about choosing a mining pool: what is more important to you — stability or potential?
- For maximum stability and peace of mind — your choice is definitely FPPS or PPS+.
- If you are ready for volatility for the chance to earn a little more in the long run and plan to stay with the pool for a long time — choose PPLNS.
- If you feel incredibly lucky and want to risk it all for the jackpot — try SOLO.
All other systems are variations on these main themes. Study them only if you have a specific reason to choose a pool with an exotic payment system.
