Staking Rewards Calculator
Staking locks your crypto tokens to help secure a proof-of-stake network and earns you yield in return. This calculator projects your staking rewards for Ethereum (ETH), Solana (SOL), Cardano (ADA), Cosmos (ATOM), Polkadot (DOT), or any custom APR. Enter your stake size, holding period, compounding frequency, and validator commission to see your net token earnings and estimated USD value.
When to use this calculator
- Project annual staking income before committing capital to a validator
- Compare APY across ETH, SOL, ADA, ATOM, and DOT networks side-by-side
- Estimate USD value of staking rewards at a target token price
- Understand the compounding benefit of auto-restaking vs. manual claiming
- Calculate how validator commission erodes your gross APR
- Plan a staking strategy for a specific savings goal or time horizon
How it works
2 min readWhat is staking rewards?
Staking rewards are earnings generated by locking cryptocurrency tokens in a proof-of-stake network to secure it. When you stake tokens like Ethereum or Solana, the network pays you annual percentage rate (APR) returns. For example, staking 10,000 SOL at 6% APR with monthly compounding yields approximately 570 additional SOL in one year, after validator fees.
How Staking Rewards Are Calculated
Proof-of-stake networks pay validators (and their delegators) a yield for locking tokens and participating in consensus. The gross APR is the annualized rate before fees. Your net APR subtracts the validator's commission cut:
net_apr = gross_apr × (1 − commission_rate)Compound vs. Simple Interest
When you auto-restake rewards, they compound. With n compounding periods per year and a holding time of t years:
end_stake = principal × (1 + net_apr / n)^(n × t)
rewards = end_stake − principalWith no compounding (simple interest — you claim and hold rewards separately):
rewards = principal × net_apr × t
end_stake = principal + rewardsAPR → APY Conversion
APY (Annual Percentage Yield) reflects the real yearly gain once compounding is included:
apy = (1 + net_apr / n)^n − 1For simple interest, APY = net APR.
Worked Example
| Input | Value |
|---|---|
| Token | SOL (~6% APR) |
| Amount staked | 10,000 SOL |
| Token price | $150 |
| Period | 12 months |
| Compounding | Monthly (12×) |
| Validator commission | 5% |
Step 1 — Net APR: 6% × (1 − 0.05) = 5.70%
Step 2 — End stake: 10,000 × (1 + 0.057/12)^12 = 10,585.4 SOL
Step 3 — Rewards: 10,585.4 − 10,000 = 585.4 SOL ≈ $87,810 USD
Step 4 — Effective APY: (1 + 0.057/12)^12 − 1 = 5.864%
Limitations & Important Notes
Frequently asked questions
What APR does Ethereum staking currently pay?
ETH staking yields approximately 3–4% APR as of early 2026, depending on total ETH staked network-wide. Higher total stake = lower individual yield. Check beaconcha.in or rated.network for live figures.
What is the difference between APR and APY?
APR (Annual Percentage Rate) is the simple yearly rate before compounding. APY (Annual Percentage Yield) shows your actual gain after reinvesting rewards. With monthly compounding at 6% APR, the APY is ~6.17%. The more frequently you compound, the larger the gap.
How does validator commission affect my rewards?
Validators charge a percentage of gross rewards as a fee. At 10% commission on 6% APR, your net APR is 5.4%. Always check a validator's current commission before delegating — it can change.
Does compounding make a significant difference?
Over short periods the difference is small. Over multiple years it becomes meaningful. At 10% net APR, $10,000 staked for 5 years with daily compounding grows to $16,487 vs. $15,000 with no compounding — a $1,487 difference.
Is staking income taxable?
In the United States, the IRS generally treats staking rewards as ordinary income at fair market value on the date received (Rev. Rul. 2023-14). Tax rules differ internationally. Consult a qualified tax advisor for your situation.
Why is Cosmos (ATOM) APR so high compared to ETH?
ATOM inflation is higher by design (~10–14% annual issuance) to incentivize staking participation. Higher inflation APR means your tokens are diluted if you do NOT stake. Real purchasing power gain depends on ATOM's price action.
Can I lose my staked tokens?
Yes. Most PoS networks have 'slashing' — a penalty where a portion of a validator's stake is destroyed if they act maliciously or go offline. Delegating to reputable, high-uptime validators reduces this risk but does not eliminate it.
What does 'no compounding' mean in practice?
It models a scenario where you claim rewards but keep them as cash or in a separate wallet rather than restaking. Your principal stays constant and earns simple interest. This is common when you need periodic liquidity from staking income.
How accurate is the USD output?
The USD output uses the token price you enter — it is a projection at that fixed price. Crypto prices are highly volatile; the real USD value of your rewards at the end of the period could be dramatically higher or lower.
What is the minimum amount required to stake ETH directly?
Solo staking on Ethereum requires exactly 32 ETH. For smaller amounts, liquid staking protocols (e.g., Lido, Rocket Pool) allow staking any amount, though they introduce their own smart-contract risks and commission structures.