Best Zcash Mining Pools 2026
EquihashSide-by-side comparison of 7 Zcash pools ranked by reliability, fee structure, and payout terms. Average transaction fees add ~1.5% to block subsidy income — pools offering FPPS pass this bonus to miners.
Largest ZEC pool (~30% share). PPS+ at 2% — stable base income with partial tx-fee share. Also offers PPLNS at 1%.
Full Zcash Pool Comparison
| Pool | Fee | Method | Min. Payout | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| #1 ViaBTC | 2% | PPS+ | 0.01 ZEC | Largest ZEC pool (~30% share). PPS+ at 2% — stable base income with partial tx-fee share. Also offers PPLNS at 1%. |
| #2 F2Pool | 2.5% | PPS+ | 0.01 ZEC | ~20% share. PPS+ includes tx fee component. Daily auto-payout. |
| #3 2Miners | 1% | PPLNS | 0.01 ZEC | Low 1% PPLNS with SOLO option. Transparent pool statistics. |
| Luxor | 2% | FPPS | 0.01 ZEC | US-based FPPS pool with institutional-grade infrastructure. |
| HeroMiners | 0.9% | PPLNS | 0.01 ZEC | Low 0.9% fee, payout conversion to BTC/USDT available. |
| Mining Dutch | 1% | PPLNS | 0.01 ZEC | Reliable European pool for ZEC. |
| Zpool | 2% | PPLNS | 0.01 ZEC | Multi-algorithm profit-switching pool, pays in ZEC or BTC. |
Choosing the Right Payment Method for Zcash
Hybrid method: the base block subsidy is paid on a fixed PPS basis (stable), while transaction fees are shared using PPLNS (luck-based). Lower variance than pure PPLNS, with partial tx-fee upside.
You earn proportionally from every block the pool finds, based on your recent share contribution. Short-term income fluctuates with pool luck (±20–40%), but long-term expected value matches PPS. Fees are usually lower.
Pool pays a fixed rate per share for both the block subsidy AND estimated transaction fees. You receive stable, predictable income regardless of whether the pool finds a block. Operator absorbs all variance. Includes a tx-fee bonus over classic PPS — typically +5–15% on BTC.
How to Connect to a Zcash Pool
- Create a free account on your chosen pool (most pools only require an email or a wallet address).
- Get your ZEC wallet address — you can use a hardware wallet (Ledger/Trezor), an exchange address, or a software wallet.
- Configure your miner's stratum URL from the pool's "Getting Started" page. For Zcash, the algorithm is Equihash.
- Set your worker name in the format
wallet_address.worker_nameor as instructed by the pool. - Start your miner. Within a few minutes you should see your hashrate appear in the pool dashboard.
- Payouts will arrive automatically once your balance reaches the minimum payout threshold.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which Zcash mining pool has the lowest fees?
The lowest fee among listed Zcash pools is 0.9% (HeroMiners). Fees range from 0.9% to 2.5%.
What is the best payment method for Zcash mining?
FPPS (Full Pay Per Share) offers the most stable income because the pool pays you a fixed rate for every valid share, including estimated transaction fees. This eliminates luck-based variance entirely. PPLNS offers similar long-term expected value with lower fees, but short-term income fluctuates by ±20–40% with pool luck.
How do I switch Zcash mining pools?
Switching pools is straightforward: update your miner's stratum URL and port in your configuration file or mining software interface. For ASICs, access the web UI at the miner's IP address and update the pool settings. For GPU miners, edit your batch file or shell script. Your existing pending balance on the old pool will pay out when you reach the minimum threshold — you do not lose queued earnings.
What minimum payout should I expect from a Zcash pool?
Minimum payouts among listed Zcash pools range from 0.01 ZEC to 0.01 ZEC. Lower minimum payouts reduce the time your earnings are held by the pool operator (counterparty risk), but trigger more frequent on-chain transactions which may have higher cumulative fees.
Is pool size important for Zcash mining?
Pool size affects variance but not expected value. A larger pool finds blocks more frequently, providing smoother, more predictable payouts. A smaller pool finds blocks less often but pays a larger share per block. Over a month or more, expected income is identical for the same fee and method. Beginners typically prefer larger pools for cash flow predictability.