Official sources reviewed on September 16, 2026. Unverified items are identified below; published policies may change.

Introduction

Choosing a Bitcoin mining pool involves more than asking which pool pays more. A miner's BTC earnings depend on contributed hashrate, uptime, accepted shares, network difficulty, transaction fees, and the selected reward method. Pool fees and reward-allocation rules also affect the amount credited to the miner.

This comparison examines ViaBTC, F2Pool, and AntPool through their documented reward methods, fees, payout thresholds, connectivity, and merged-mining options. It separates how rewards are earned from when they are withdrawn, so miners can compare the factors that affect their own operations.

How pool payout methods work

In pooled mining, miners submit shares that demonstrate contributed hashing work. The pool sets an easier target than Bitcoin's network target: a higher target corresponds to lower difficulty. Most shares satisfy only the pool's target. A share that also satisfies the network target can produce a valid Bitcoin block, provided the block meets the other consensus rules. Pools use accepted shares to estimate contributed work and allocate rewards. See the Bitcoin Developer Guide.

Three reward methods are relevant to this comparison:

• PPLNS (Pay Per Last N Shares): rewards depend on blocks found by the pool and the miner's contribution within the applicable share window. Earnings vary with pool luck.
• FPPS (Full Pay Per Share): miners receive a calculated payment for accepted work covering the block subsidy and an estimated transaction-fee component, independently of the pool's actual block discoveries. The applicable rate can change with network difficulty, subsidy, and fee estimates; shares are weighted by their difficulty.
• PPS+ (Pay Per Share Plus): used by ViaBTC, this combines PPS-based block-subsidy rewards with transaction-fee rewards distributed through PPLNS.

The main distinction between PPS+ and FPPS is how transaction-fee rewards are calculated and who bears their block-discovery variance. F2Pool's payout-scheme guide explains these categories.

Reward methods: ViaBTC, F2Pool, and AntPool

Sources: ViaBTC reward calculations, F2Pool's supported schemes, F2Pool's scheme definitions, and AntPool's homepage.

ViaBTC's PPS+ subsidy component is settled hourly based on current difficulty. Its transaction-fee component follows PPLNS rules and is calculated after the pool's block receives six confirmations. This is reward settlement within the pool account, separate from an external withdrawal.

F2Pool describes its FPPS transaction-fee estimate using the ratio of total network transaction fees to total coinbase rewards over the preceding day. That component is included in the FPPS reward calculation rather than depending on F2Pool finding a block during the payment period.

For AntPool, the reviewed homepage and legacy help material contain different method and minimum-payment listings. This article uses the homepage's BTC listing and leaves unresolved fees and detailed calculations unverified. The legacy figures should not be treated as confirmed current terms. See AntPool's legacy settings and fees page.

Published pool fees

Sources: ViaBTC's fee schedule, F2Pool's BTC mining guide, and the AntPool sources above.

ViaBTC's PPS+ fee is not a flat 4% on all BTC rewards. Its subsidy and transaction-fee components have separate fee rates. F2Pool publishes a 4% FPPS rate, but its reward calculation differs from ViaBTC's PPS+ calculation. Comparing only the headline percentage therefore misses both the fee base and the transaction-fee reward mechanics.

These are mining pool fees. They should be distinguished from any charges associated with withdrawing or subsequently spending BTC.

BTC payout thresholds and processing timing

A payout threshold affects when an eligible balance can be withdrawn. It does not change the BTC reward earned per unit of accepted work. Actual withdrawal frequency also depends on earnings, the selected threshold, payout settings, and any applicable payment restrictions.

The table below concerns external BTC payouts.

Sources: ViaBTC Auto Withdrawal, F2Pool's BTC thresholds, F2Pool's payout timing, and AntPool's homepage.

With comparable BTC earnings and eligible settings, a miner can reach a 0.001 BTC threshold sooner than a 0.005 BTC threshold. This affects access to accumulated earnings, not the underlying mining reward rate.

ViaBTC offers Payout by Account Balance and Payout by Daily Earnings, with different eligibility and amount calculations. The external-address minimum does not apply to Auto Withdrawal to the user's own ViaBTC main/sub-account, provided the transfer amount is greater than zero. ViaBTC states that Auto Withdrawal is free.

Processing is also separate from receipt: blockchain confirmations and a receiving platform's crediting rules can affect when funds become available.

Pool scale and PPLNS variance

A pool with more hashrate is expected to find blocks more frequently, all else equal. Under PPLNS, this can produce more frequent reward events and reduce short-term variability. It does not guarantee higher expected BTC earnings per unit of contributed work.

For a miner contributing the same hashrate, a larger pool also means a smaller share of each pool block reward. Block frequency alone is therefore not a sufficient basis for choosing a pool. Fees, accepted work, the reward window, and actual pool results all matter.

The same distinction applies within PPS+. ViaBTC's PPS-based subsidy component is independent of the pool's actual block discoveries, but its PPLNS transaction-fee component remains exposed to pool results. FPPS calculates both components independently of the pool's own block-discovery results under its applicable rules.

Reward events should not be confused with external payments. More frequent block discoveries do not necessarily mean more frequent withdrawals when payments follow a daily schedule and minimum threshold.

Connectivity and redundancy

ViaBTC and F2Pool publish BTC connection information that includes regional options and SSL endpoints. The useful question for a miner is which supported connection performs reliably from the miner's location; a regional label alone does not guarantee lower latency.

ViaBTC recommends configuring multiple connection ports so compatible mining equipment can switch when a connection fails. F2Pool also publishes backup ports and regional endpoints. Using alternative ports can help with connection failures, although multiple ports on the same service do not provide complete independence from that service.

Use current official settings and confirm that the ASIC firmware supports the selected connection type. Sources: ViaBTC Mining Pools Information, ViaBTC BTC setup guide, F2Pool's BTC guide, and F2Pool's published pool information.

AntPool's public legacy help page also lists BTC endpoints. Confirm their current applicability through AntPool's official instructions or support before configuring a miner; the reviewed material does not establish a complete current connectivity comparison.

Merged mining

Merged mining reuses the same hashing work across compatible chains. It can generate auxiliary-asset rewards alongside BTC mining without requiring the miner to divide the ASIC's hashrate between separate mining workloads.

• ViaBTC: its reviewed English merged-mining guide lists ELA, NMC, SYS, and FB for eligible BTC mining under PPS+ or PPLNS. FB rewards are variable and distributed through PPLNS. See ViaBTC's merged-mining guide and FB mining guide.
• F2Pool: its guide lists FB, HTR, NMC, NAT, and ELA alongside BTC mining. Miners configure the relevant asset wallet addresses through payout settings. See F2Pool's merged-mining setup guide.
• AntPool: a complete current list and distribution rules were not verified from the official sources reviewed.

These rewards originate in auxiliary assets, each with its own price, liquidity, and payout rules. ViaBTC also supports optional conversion of merged-mining rewards into BTC or USDT. Conversion can increase the BTC balance received, but it does not turn those proceeds into Bitcoin block-subsidy or transaction-fee rewards.

Conclusion

ViaBTC and F2Pool illustrate an important difference between PPS+ and FPPS: both reduce subsidy-related pool-luck exposure, while their transaction-fee components follow different rules. Their published fee percentages also apply differently and should be read alongside the reward calculations.

Payout thresholds determine when eligible earnings can leave the pool, while connectivity affects the work a miner successfully submits. Pool scale is relevant to PPLNS variability, including the transaction-fee component of PPS+, rather than a guarantee of higher returns.

Compare confirmed fees, reward mechanics, withdrawal settings, and connection options together. Where current terms remain unverified, obtain confirmation from the pool before relying on a numerical comparison.

FAQ

Is PPS+ the same as FPPS?

No. ViaBTC's PPS+ pays the subsidy component through PPS and distributes transaction fees through PPLNS. F2Pool's FPPS includes an estimated transaction-fee component based on prior-day network data. Its applicable rate can change; it is not a permanently fixed BTC payment per share.

Does a lower payout threshold mean higher mining profits?

No. It can allow eligible accumulated earnings to be withdrawn sooner, but it does not increase the BTC reward per unit of accepted work. Net profitability also depends on operating costs and any applicable charges.

Does a larger pool always produce higher BTC earnings?

No. A larger pool is expected to find blocks more often, but a miner contributing the same hashrate receives a smaller proportion of each shared reward. Under PPLNS, size can affect short-term variability without guaranteeing a higher expected reward rate.

Can I compare AntPool's BTC fees directly with ViaBTC and F2Pool?

Only after confirming AntPool's applicable current rates. The official sources reviewed did not establish a verified current fee schedule for this article. Check AntPool's current official terms or obtain confirmation from its support team before making a numerical comparison.

Are merged-mining rewards part of my BTC mining rewards?

They originate in separate auxiliary assets. They may be converted into BTC where supported, but those conversion proceeds remain distinct from Bitcoin subsidy and transaction-fee rewards.