Choosing the Right Validator
Last updated
Last updated
Staking SOL is one of the most effective ways to earn passive income on Solana, but your rewards, risk level, and even your contribution to the network all depend on one key decision: which validator you choose. With hundreds of validators to pick from, making the right choice matters more than most people realize.
This guide walks you through why validator selection is so important, what to look for, tools you can use, and how Toby simplify the entire process.
Security of Your Stake If a validator behaves poorly, such as going offline often or violating protocol rules. While rare, it's a real risk, and your choice directly affects your exposure.
Your Rewards Depend on It Validators take a commission from rewards. Lower commissions mean higher yields for you, but if it’s unsustainably low (like 0%), the validator may not last long. Always balance reward rate with reliability.
Supporting Decentralization Staking with a massive validator might seem like a safe bet, but it increases centralization risk. Choosing smaller or geographically diverse validators helps Solana stay secure and censorship-resistant.
High Uptime and Low Missed Slots You want a validator that stays online and produces blocks consistently. Frequent missed slots = fewer rewards.
Sustainable Commission Rates Low fees are great, but beware of temporary 0% commission promos. Track a validator’s fee history, some quietly raise rates after gaining delegators.
Good Track Record Avoid validators with bad performance history. Stick with operators who are transparent and known within the community.
Decentralization Contribution Support lesser-known validators from different regions. Avoid overloading the same top 5 nodes, spread the stake, and strengthen the network.
Robust Infrastructure A strong validator runs reliable hardware and network connections, often using custom monitoring tools and advanced configurations to keep up with Solana’s transaction speeds.
You don’t have to guess. These platforms make comparing validators easy:
Solana Beach – Clean validator dashboards with data on performance, uptime, missed slots, and more.
Validators.app – Tracks commission changes and alerts you via email.
Solana Compass – Curated validator lists, including those focused on decentralization and performance.
Validator selection can get technical, so many users turn to automated staking options:
Stake Pools – Spread your SOL across multiple validators. Reduces risk and improves overall reward stability.
Liquid Staking – Stake and still use your assets in DeFi. Toby issues liquid tokens (e.g. mSOL, tSOL) that represent your stake, offering flexibility and yield at the same time.
Toby is built to make staking effortless, especially when it comes to validator selection.
