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:

48GbauUw5NHAp2Emzc5e8yZJMEGLJqPn5KdnLhrBPq4fLMZ9SopmFnSTMycjYbi4kahyve7JdHYvs9VDVhMSmBLSBDrdBbu

Happy mining (responsibly)!