Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions about vetting a Cardano stake pool and how PoolInfo 2.0's checks work.
How do I check if a Cardano stake pool's relays are actually online?
Open the pool on PoolInfo 2.0 (search by ticker or pool ID) and use the Relay Status section on its details page. It runs a live DNS resolution, ICMP ping, and TCP port connectivity check against every relay the pool has registered on-chain, and reports each one as reachable or not, along with response time.
How do I verify a Cardano pool's metadata hasn't been tampered with?
On a pool's details page, use "Verify Metadata Hash". PoolInfo 2.0 downloads the pool's published metadata JSON file, computes its cryptographic hash, and compares it against the meta_hash registered on-chain for that pool. A match confirms the file you're looking at is the one the operator actually registered; a mismatch means the hosted file has changed or doesn't match the registration.
What is metadata hash verification, and why does it matter?
Every Cardano pool registers a hash of its metadata file (name, ticker, homepage, description) on-chain alongside a URL to that file. Because the file itself is hosted off-chain, it can be edited or moved after registration without the on-chain hash changing to match. Recomputing the hash of the currently-hosted file and comparing it to the registered hash is the only way to confirm the metadata you're reading is the metadata the operator committed to on-chain.
What is pool saturation, and where can I check it?
Saturation measures how close a pool's live stake is to the network's saturation threshold; pools above 100% (1.0) split rewards less efficiently for delegators. A pool's details page on PoolInfo 2.0 shows live saturation alongside active stake, live stake, and delegator count, pulled fresh from the Koios API.
Do I need an account to use PoolInfo 2.0?
No. Searching pools, viewing pool details, testing relays, and verifying metadata are all available without creating an account or connecting a wallet.
Does PoolInfo 2.0 work offline?
No. Pool data, relay tests, and metadata verification are all fetched live from the Koios Cardano API on request, so a network connection is required.
Is PoolInfo 2.0 free to use?
Yes, pool research is free for everyone. The only paid feature is a featured homepage placement for pool operators (3 slots), which is requested through a form and priced by direct agreement - no price is fixed or charged automatically.
How do I search for a specific Cardano pool?
Use the search box on the PoolInfo 2.0 homepage and type either the pool's ticker (e.g. ONE) or its bech32 pool ID (starts with pool1).
How can I tell how many blocks a pool has minted in the current epoch?
A pool's details page includes a "Current Epoch Block Production" section showing blocks minted so far in the current epoch, pulled live from the Koios API.
What is the Mark/Set/Go stake snapshot?
It's the stake amount that will be used as the reward basis for the pool over the next three epochs (Cardano's Mark, Set, and Go snapshots). PoolInfo 2.0 shows this per pool under "Stake by Epoch (Reward Basis)" on the pool details page.
How do I get my pool featured on the PoolInfo 2.0 homepage?
Fill out the request form with your pool ID and preferred dates. There are 3 featured slots; requests are reviewed and priced individually - no payment is taken through the form itself.
How is PoolInfo 2.0 different from manually checking a pool's relays myself?
You could run ping and a port check yourself for each relay a pool has registered, but that means looking up the pool's on-chain relay list first and running the checks manually per relay. PoolInfo 2.0 does both steps automatically from a single pool page: it reads the registered relays and tests DNS, ICMP, and TCP connectivity for all of them in one pass.