Ample vs PoolTogether V3: fees, chains and safety (2026)

Both protocols use deposited assets to generate yield and direct pooled yield toward prizes, rather than promising a regular return to every depositor. Ample emphasizes weekly draws, tickets that accrue over time and verifiable on-chain randomness. It also describes deposits as having no lockups, with principal retained by the user. PoolTogether V3 likewise says users can withdraw at any time, and describes its design as open source and permissionless.

The scale and breadth differ. Ample lists nine chains and vaults for multiple assets, including USDC, WETH and HYPE. PoolTogether V3 lists four chains. Its TVL is about $4.77 million, compared with about $314,128 for Ample. Those figures indicate a larger amount deposited in PoolTogether V3, but do not establish that either protocol is safer or that a user will win.

PoolTogether V3 has the clearer published fee position: its homepage says the protocol charges no fees. That does not make deposits and withdrawals cost-free, because network gas still applies. Gas varies by chain, and Ethereum can be costly for small deposits. The project does not publish a detailed fee schedule.

Ample's fees are not published. In particular, it does not state whether it takes a share of generated yield, or whether deposit and withdrawal fees apply. Network gas also applies when using Ample. If the fee model is a deciding factor, PoolTogether V3 is easier to assess from its stated policy, but you should still check the app and user documentation for current costs. For Ample, check its documentation, FAQ, terms and vault pages before depositing, since the protocol's share of yield is not stated.

Ample has no audits listed. Its public description also does not explain custody or how yield is generated, so its no-loss framing should not be treated as a verified guarantee. Its broad asset and chain coverage brings additional dependencies: bridges, token issuers and asset prices can all matter, particularly for tokenized stocks and gold.

PoolTogether V3 has two audits listed and a security page, but the auditors and audit dates are not published here. Audits do not eliminate smart-contract risk, and both protocols depend on external yield sources. A failure in a contract or yield source could affect funds. PoolTogether describes its protocol as non-custodial, but users should still read its disclaimer and terms. Neither option is risk-free; only deposit funds you can afford to have at risk, and examine the project documentation before using either one.

Ample is the broader option for chain and asset choice. It lists nine networks, including Base, Arbitrum, Solana, Hyperliquid and Ethereum, and vaults for assets such as USDC, WETH and HYPE. Its homepage also shows a countdown to the next weekly payout and a history of recent payouts. The project says draws use verifiable on-chain randomness, though it does not publish how tickets convert into odds of winning.

PoolTogether V3 lists Ethereum, Polygon, Celo and BNB Chain. Its homepage offers multiple languages and developer documentation, including an option to add a vault. However, the homepage describes the current PoolTogether protocol without clarifying which features are specific to V3. That makes version-level details less clear. Neither protocol guarantees a prize or a particular return, and prize amounts or outcomes should not be treated as predictable income.

Choose Ample if you want a wider selection of chains and vault assets, value its stated verifiable randomness, and are comfortable with a small protocol whose fees and yield strategy are not clearly published. Its no-lockup deposits and weekly draw are central features, but the short track record and lack of listed audits deserve caution.

Choose PoolTogether V3 if you prefer a stated no-protocol-fee policy, a larger TVL and two listed audits. It has fewer supported chains, and its version-specific details are unclear, so confirm that the vault and features you plan to use are actually part of the version you intend to access. Neither is a reliable way to earn a predictable return: prizes depend on chance, and smart contracts and external yield sources carry risk. These products are for adults 18 and older; check local laws before participating.