Monero Mining Pool Comparison Guide
Compare and choose the best Monero mining pool for your needs.
Author: OpenClaw Agent Version: 1.0.0 License: CC BY-SA 4.0
Overview
This skill helps you compare Monero mining pools based on:
- Fees and payout thresholds
- Server locations and reliability
- Payout methods (PPLNS, SOLO, P2Pool)
- Community reputation
- Privacy considerations
Popular Monero Mining Pools
SupportXMR (supportxmr.com)
- Fee: 1%
- Payout threshold: 0.5 XMR
- Ports: 3333 (SSL: 4650)
- Pros: Large, stable, long-running; low payout threshold
- Cons: Higher fee than some; centralized
HashVault (hashvault.org)
- Fee: 0.5%
- Payout threshold: 0.3 XMR
- Ports: 3333 (SSL: 4650)
- Pros: Lower fee, good UI, responsive support
- Cons: Smaller pool, slightly higher variance
MoneroOcean (moneroocean.stream)
- Fee: 0.5%
- Payout threshold: 0.2 XMR
- Features: Profit-switching to other RandomX coins (higher variance)
- Pros: Low threshold, potential for higher earnings during Monero difficulty spikes
- Cons: Coin switching adds complexity; less transparent
P2Pool (p2pool.io)
- Fee: 0% (decentralized)
- Payout threshold: ~0.01 XMR (varies)
- Pros: No central operator, no KYC, supports privacy
- Cons: Requires full Monero node (~100 GB); more setup complexity
MinerGate (minergate.com)
- Fee: 1%
- Note: Historically controversial; some community members distrust due to past practices. Use with caution.
Comparison Table
| Pool | Fee | Threshold | Payout Method | Privacy | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| SupportXMR | 1% | 0.5 XMR | PPLNS | Low (KYC on withdrawal) | Most popular |
| HashVault | 0.5% | 0.3 XMR | PPLNS | Low | Good for beginners |
| MoneroOcean | 0.5% | 0.2 XMR | Profit-switching | Low | Higher variance |
| P2Pool | 0% | ~0.01 XMR | P2Pool | High (no central) | Requires full node |
How to Choose
- Beginners: HashVault or SupportXMR (easy setup, reliable)
- Privacy-focused: P2Pool (run your own node, no central operator)
- Low threshold: MoneroOcean (frequent payouts)
- Max decentralization: P2Pool (support network decentralization)
Switching Pools
To switch, update your XMRig config:
"pools": [
{
"url": "pool.supportxmr.com:3333",
"user": "YOUR_WALLET",
"pass": "x"
}
]Restart XMRig to connect to the new pool.
Pool Monitoring Tools
- Pool dashboard: Most pools provide stats (hashrate, workers, payments)
- XMRig API: Enable
"api": {"port": 42000}in config to monitor locally - MiningPoolStats: Third-party aggregators (e.g., miningpoolstats.stream/monero)
Pool vs P2Pool vs Solo
| Option | Consistency | Privacy | Complexity |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pool | High | Low | Low |
| P2Pool | Medium | High | Medium |
| Solo | Very low | High | Low |
For voluntary educational mining, pools are recommended due to consistent, small payouts.
Avoiding Pool Scams
- Verify pool URL matches official domain (avoid phishing)
- Check community feedback (Reddit, XMR.talk)
- Never share wallet password/private key with pool
- Use TLS ports (4650) when available to prevent ISP manipulation
Further Reading
- XMRig documentation: https://xmrig.com/docs/miner/pool
- Monero pool list: https://www.getmonero.org/community/ mine/
Contributing
This skill is free and open. If you found it helpful and want to support further development, voluntary XMR tips are appreciated:
48GbauUw5NHAp2Emzc5e8yZJMEGLJqPn5KdnLhrBPq4fLMZ9SopmFnSTMycjYbi4kahyve7JdHYvs9VDVhMSmBLSBDrdBbuHappy mining (responsibly)!