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September 7, 2023

The Difference Between Individual, Pool & Cloud Mining In Crypto

Individual, Pool & Cloud mining in Crypto
Katya Richardson

Written by Katya Richardson

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The Difference Between Individual, Pool and Cloud Mining

In the world of cryptocurrencies, the practice of crypto mining has undergone a remarkable transformation, shaping a multifaceted terrain; weaving together technology and strategy. As global adoption of mining increases, so does curiosity surrounding the topic with many people wanting to take a deep dive into the topic, understand it and how they can get started and capitalise on it.

Understanding this landscape requires a look back at the evolution of cryptocurrency mining. Over the years, there has been a noticeable shift in how mining is approached. If we delve deeper into the current trends, the variation in mining methods becomes evident.

Whilst some miners prefer working independently through solo mining, others collaborate in pools or groups for better efficiency and rewards. With technological advancements, cloud mining has emerged as a popular choice, eliminating the costs needed for physical hardware.

This article will breakdown the different types of cryptocurrency mining and explore the advantages and disadvantages of the different methods commonly used.

Individual Mining

In individual mining, the user has to register themself as a miner. When a transaction occurs, the blockchain network presents all miners with a cryptographic challenge that the miners must solve. The one who solves the complex mathematical problem first wins. Here’s a simple breakdown of how it works:

  • Hashing: Hashes are used to secure information—in the case of cryptocurrency, they are used to ensure data contained in the blocks on a blockchain are not altered. The information is encrypted by the hashing function and is validated by network participants when they attempt to generate a hash less than the network target.


  • Gathering Info: Miners start by rounding up a bunch of pending cryptocurrency transactions, often called “deals”. These deals are waiting to be checked and included in the blockchain. The miners bundle them together in what’s known as a block.


  • Random Number: Miners will add a random number to the transaction, to prevent cheating, and demonstrate the miners’ dedication to validating transactions and maintaining the integrity of the blockchain. This random number is called a “nonce.” The nonce is like a lottery ticket, and miners aim to find the winning combination that will unlock a solution to the cryptographic puzzle.


  • The Challenge: Miners set their sights on uncovering a specific nonce that, when paired up with the transactions in the block, creates a hash that has certain characteristics. Most importantly, this hash should start with a set number of zeros.


  • Guessing: Since there’s no easy way to work out which nonce will work, miners keep attempting to find different nonces and hashing them until they get the right result.


  • Sharing the Answer: Once a miner cracks it, they will tell everyone else so the other miners on the network can check and validate that it is correct. This is where the term ‘Proof of Work’ comes from.

This puzzle-solving ensures security and decentralisation in the network, and miners will receive cryptocurrency as a reward for their efforts.

While individual mining centers around the ‘Proof of Work’ approach, there’s another consensus mechanism that’s gaining traction: Proof of Stake. Understand the nuanced differences and evaluate which might be the future of blockchain in our comprehensive analysis of PoW vs. PoS.

individual mining works

The Advantages of Individual Mining :

  • Being the single owner of substantial profits is one of the biggest and most alluring benefits of solo mining. Only one miner will receive the full reward if they find the value of a new block before others.

  • There is very little chance of interference from outages when mining alone. Additionally, this can lead to increased uptime.

  • The likelihood of obtaining a higher long-term yield is greater while mining alone. In particular, as compared to pool mining. Additionally, as solo mining eliminates the need to pay a pool fee or transaction fee, benefits increase with time.

  • Solo miners are not affected by pool timeouts in any way. Solo miners can set up a backup pool in this way.

The Disadvantages of Individual Mining:

  • The requirement for significant startup and processing capital for solo mining.

  • You may lose all your reward crypto if other miners join in solving the block you are investing in.

  • The potential of having less computing power than a miner group.

  • The profit-making is more unpredictable while mining alone.

  • Due to the fact that solo mining only supports network pull, solo miners frequently waste their precious time.

Pool Mining

A mining pool is a group of cryptocurrency miners who collaborate to improve their chances of finding a block. They achieve this by sharing their computing power. If the mining pool achieves success and earns a reward, typically in the associated cryptocurrency, this bounty is distributed among the pool members according to the ratio of processing power or work contributed by each person. Individual miners might need to provide evidence of work to claim their rewards.

The Advantages of Pool Mining :

  • Miners will get benefit from long polling, which allows them to earn 1 to 2 percent more.

  • Pool mining allows miners to choose from a variety of cryptocurrencies. Customers benefit by being able to switch between different cryptocurrencies, enabling them to choose the most suitable ones for trading.

  • It considerably improves the success rate of locating fresh blocks through profit-sharing joint ventures.

  • Miners will receive cryptos from pool mining to cover the platform charges.

The Disadvantages of Pool Mining :

  • Forming external entities at the pool provider is common in pool mining.

  • Pools are vulnerable to DOS attacks and have other security flaws. Members can, however, change the setup of the pool mining.

  • The procedure of collecting transaction fees is quite slow.

  • Pool mining draws attackers owing to the large amount of currency stored in it.

  • Some of the pools might have hidden fees they don’t tell you about. The pool fees are typically charged between 1% and 3%.

Cloud Mining

Cloud mining is an alternative to the traditional cryptocurrency mining system. Instead of spending money on expensive equipment and dealing with its maintenance yourself, you can now rent computing power from software companies with warehouses of powerful processors.

Rather than buying costly equipment, you can lease mining equipment from a distinct cloud mining firm situated anywhere globally. Cloud mining is only for proof-of-work systems like Bitcoin and Ethereum that rely on computational power.

To summarise, Cloud mining is a method of participating in cryptocurrency mining without having to acquire or operate mining hardware. Users instead pay a fee to rent mining capacity from a business that owns and operates the mining hardware and process. When the company and its users successfully mine a block using leased mining equipment, they divide the profits.

The Advantages of Cloud Mining :

  • Accessibility: Cloud mining enables miners to participate in cryptocurrency mining without the need for costly hardware, technical expertise, or space for mining rigs.

  • Cost-Effectiveness: Establishing and maintaining a mining rig can be expensive. Cloud mining eliminates the upfront costs of purchasing mining equipment, electricity bills, and cooling fees.

  • Flexibility: Cloud mining contracts are frequently available in a variety of lengths and hashing power options, allowing users to tailor their mining programs to their own needs and budgets.

  • High Revenue: Revenues from cloud mining are quite substantial. On several platforms, you can not only recoup your investment within a year but also multiply it.

The Disadvantages of Cloud Mining :

  • Profitability and Market Volatility: The profitability of cryptocurrency mining is determined by a variety of factors, including the market price of cryptos, mining difficulty, and maintenance expenditures. Market volatility can have a substantial impact on results, therefore users must assess market circumstances and make informed judgments.

  • Lack of Control: Users have little influence over the mining process while using cloud mining. They rely on the infrastructure and mining operations management of the provider. In order to guarantee transparency and dependability, it is essential to carefully assess the standing and performance of service providers.

Our journey through the evolution of crypto mining methods has revealed a diverse landscape, shaped by changing trends and technological advancements. From individuals tackling cryptographic puzzles to collaborative efforts within mining pools and the convenience of cloud mining, each approach comes with its own set of advantages and challenges.

The key takeaway is the importance of carefully considering the mining method that best aligns with your personal goals and available resources. By grasping the intricacies of these mining techniques, you can confidently embark on your cryptocurrency mining adventure, contributing to the security and vitality of the blockchain network while enjoying the potential rewards it brings.


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The information presented on this website is general information only. It should not be taken as constituting professional advice from the website owner – NGS Crypto PTY LTD (NGS Crypto). Any information regarding past performance and returns contained on this website should not be construed or interpreted as a prediction or opinion as to future performance and returns. NGS Crypto is not a financial adviser. All views and observations expressed by NGS Crypto on this website are for information purposes only, are general in nature and should not be treated as investment or financial advice of any kind.

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NGS Crypto is an authorised reseller of NGS Group blockchain mining packages. The information presented on this website (https://ngscrypto.com) is general information only. It should not be taken as constituting professional advice from the website owner – NGS Crypto PTY LTD (NGS Crypto). Any information regarding past performance and returns contained on this website should not be construed or interpreted as a prediction or opinion as to future performance and returns. NGS Crypto is not a financial adviser. All views and observations expressed by NGS Crypto on this website are for information purposes only, are general in nature and should not be treated as investment or financial advice of any kind. Before making an investment in crypto assets, you should consider seeking independent legal, financial, taxation or other such professional advice to check how the information on this website relates to your unique circumstances. NGS Crypto is not liable for any loss caused, whether due to negligence or otherwise arising from the use of, or reliance on, the information provided directly or indirectly, by use of this website. You can view our full terms & conditions by clicking here.

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