Compare services using the same questions
A useful shortlist records the Bitcoin network, reward model, fee basis, supported protocol and the evidence behind each claim. Distinguish what an operator documents from what you have verified on your own connection. Unknown information belongs on your follow-up list, not in a fabricated score.
- Reward: your own successful allocation, shared rewards, or a regular payment method?
- Cost: hashrate allocation, a deduction from a found block, or other account and payout charges?
- Operation: compatible firmware, accepted-share feedback, available history, incident information and a reachable support channel?
What CKPool, Public Pool and SoloMining represent
CKPool's official page publishes a 2% fee on a found block reward and documents address-based setup and Stratum options. The public-pool.io site currently advertises no fees and offers Solo, where the finder receives the block, and PPLNS, which shares a pool-found block by recent valid work. Its open-source software can also be self-hosted; that code does not certify another operator's instance. SoloMining publishes a 1% work allocation. This comparison is published by SoloMining and is not an independent performance or payout audit.
- Confirm the current terms and selected reward mode on the service you will actually use.
- Separate a hashrate allocation from a deduction taken from a block reward.
- For a hosted service, ask how the received job pays you and how accepted work can be checked.
Check the original guidance: CKPool · Public Pool · official site · Public Pool software · GitHub
Try one miner and verify the whole path
Save your existing pool settings. Keep the device, network, voltage and frequency unchanged while testing a candidate. Check authorization, incoming jobs, accepted responses and a recent timestamp on the expected worker. Compare observations across a suitable window; changing several variables at once makes a problem harder to explain.
- Connected does not establish that work has been accepted.
- Raw share counts depend on difficulty and are not a fair cross-pool score.
- A best-difficulty record is an observation, not evidence of a luckier service.
Check privacy and the support path before you need them
Wallet-only access reduces account setup, but a public Bitcoin address can still link mining behavior. Read the service's telemetry and retention rules. If you need support, provide firmware, endpoint, UTC times and a redacted error sample. You do not need to disclose a seed phrase, private key or exchange password to configure Stratum.
- Verify whether registration and withdrawal policies apply to the exact mode you chose.
- Check what the dashboard can show when data is delayed or unavailable.
- Know where to report a configuration problem or disputed reward before connecting.
When should you reconsider your choice?
Recheck when firmware, network routes, fees or your reward preference change. A service that fits a small home miner may not meet a larger operation's monitoring needs. Test those changed conditions directly; the time since the last block is not a reason by itself to switch.
Content updated: 3 October 2026 · Policy and sources checked: 6 September 2026
Questions before choosing a solo pool
Does a bigger solo pool improve my individual block odds?
Not merely because more people use it. Your effective hashrate and the network target determine the simplified probability of finding a block. Compatibility, fee allocation, valid work and reliable operation can affect the work attributed to you, so assess them separately from total pool hashrate or recent block announcements.
Is a community pool the same as solo mining?
Check how it distributes rewards. Some communities share a block among participants or give the finder a bonus. A pure solo service pays according to the successful miner's allocation rather than everyone else's ordinary shares. The word solo in a name does not replace the actual reward rules.
Should I always pick the lowest fee?
Understand what the percentage is applied to first. A hashrate allocation and a reward deduction affect the process differently. Then check compatibility, reward handling, useful telemetry and stable connections. A lower advertised fee does not resolve an unsupported device or an unclear payment path.
Do I need to run Bitcoin Core to use SoloMining?
The published hosted connection flow uses a compatible SHA-256 ASIC, a Bitcoin mainnet address and a Stratum endpoint. You do not configure a personal node in that flow. Running your own node and mining software remains a separate option if you want to take responsibility for templates and connectivity.
Can I try a pool with just one device?
Yes, start by preserving that device's current settings and applying the new pool's documented fields. Verify the worker and recent accepted responses. Observe behavior without simultaneously changing firmware or overclock settings. This checks your setup; it does not produce a universal ranking or guarantee a block.