While traditional poker sites still continue to hold the biggest portion of player liquidity, crypto poker rooms have become increasingly popular, with CoinPoker and Phenom Poker being two of the most attractive ones. Built on the foundations of blockchain technology, both sites offer their services to players from all over the world and allow for ultra-fast crypto deposits and withdrawals, making them the prime choice for players who like to be in full control of their bankrolls.
In this poker room comparison, we compare CoinPoker vs Phenom Poker across a series of key aspects, as we look to discover which site offers the best online poker EV. We look at bonuses, rewards, player liquidity, and game types, and the overall ecosystem at both sites to help you discover which site will bring you the best value.
CoinPoker and Phenom Poker Rake Structure Compared
One of the first considerations when considering which site to play at should be the rake structure. If you are looking to profit in online poker games, finding the site where you can pay the lowest possible rake is always preferable, as long as that site can also offer a sufficient variety of games, ensure game security, and bring reasonable value through bonuses and promotions.
Both CoinPoker and Phenom Poker charge 5% rake at low stakes, but Phenom Poker’s rake percentage goes down as stakes get higher, all the way down to 2.5% at high stakes. Beyond that, the rake cap also differs significantly between the two sites and across the stakes, with Phenom Poker offering a lower rake cap at almost every stake. The table below compares the rake cap at No Limit cash games with 5+ players active at the table across different stakes:
| Stakes | CoinPoker Rake % | CoinPoker Rake Cap | Phenom Poker Rake % | Phenom Poker Rake Cap |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| $0.01/$0.02 | 5% | $0.20 | 5% | $0.20 |
| $0.02/$0.05 | 5% | $0.50 | 5% | $0.30 |
| $0.05/$0.10 | 5% | $1.00 | 5% | $0.50 |
| $0.10/$0.25 | 5% | $2.00 | 5% | $1.00 |
| $0.25/$0.50 | 5% | $4.00 | 5% | $1.50 |
| $0.50/$1 | 5% | $5.00 | 5% | $2.00 |
| $1/$2 | 5% | $6.00 | 4.5% | $3.00 |
| $2/$5 | 5% | $8.00 | 4.5% | $4.00 |
| $5/$10 | 5% | $10.00 | 4% | $7.00 |
| $10/$20 | 5% | $15.00 | 4% | $10.00 |
| $25/$50 | 5% | $20.00 | 4% | $12.00 |
| $50/$100 | 5% | $60.00 | 3% | $15.00 |
A quick look at the table above shows that Phenom Poker charges a lower rake cap at most stakes, but that’s not necessarily the only thing to consider when it comes to rake. While Phenom Poker may charge less rake than CoinPoker, CoinPoker gives back a lot more through its new CoinRewards Program.
CoinRewards launched in April 2026 and was substantially reworked on July 1, and it is one of the most rewarding player reward schemes in the world. Through a combination of CoinRaces (daily leaderboards), Splash Pots, Poker Missions, and Downswing Support, players can earn back a high percentage of their overall rake, sometimes even in excess of 100%.
For example, our own testing confirmed that players can earn upwards of 250% rakeback through leaderboard rewards alone if playing during early morning hours, when the prize money gets split between fewer players. Additional 20% to 33% rakeback is offered through Poker Missions, while players who run especially badly can expect even more through the unique Downswing Support system.
CoinPoker is especially dedicated to helping players at the micro stakes, as at least 100% of all micro stakes rake is reinvested back into the game through various promotions. While the rakeback rate is not set in stone, every player can expect significant returns, and learning to understand how CoinRewards function can be extremely lucrative.
CoinPoker vs Phenom Poker Welcome Bonus
Both CoinPoker and Phenom Poker offer their players substantial welcome bonuses upon their first deposit. At CoinPoker, players can claim a 150% deposit bonus worth up to $2,000, while at Phenom Poker, the welcome bonus is 200% up to 4,000 USDT as long as you use promo code Gipsyteam during sign up and WELCOME before making a deposit. The Phenom Poker bonus is twice the size, but this may not affect players at the lower stakes too much, as clearing the entire bonus requires players to generate quite a bit of rake in a limited timeframe.
Perhaps the more important factor in determining the EV of a welcome bonus is the clearance rate. The two bonuses don’t clear at the same rate. At CoinPoker, the bonus is released at a rate of 10% of rake paid, while at Phenom Poker, the clearance rate is 25%. For players looking to maximize their EV purely from bonus value, Phenom Poker may be the better play.
However, it’s worth noting that the welcome bonus is only a part of the rewards program at both sites, and looking at things from a broader perspective is always recommended. While Phenom Poker’s welcome bonus may offer a bit more direct value, players can earn a lot more at CoinPoker through the extensive CoinRewards program, while Phenom Poker offers a tier-based rakeback structure which is more limiting.
If you are looking for the ultimate EV, you should always be on the lookout for bonuses and promotions that maximize the value of your play. You can check out some of the best promos currently running at top poker sites below:
CoinPoker vs Phenom Poker Player Rewards
Rakeback and player rewards play a key role in maximizing your online poker EV, and this is especially true for players who play a lot of volume. True grinders understand the value of getting the highest possible rewards, and both CoinPoker and Phenom Poker do a lot in this area.
CoinPoker recently overhauled its entire player rewards system and introduced CoinRewards. This program is made up of a variety of promotions, which can add up to 90% in effective rakeback for some players. The program is not as straightforward or transparent as rakeback schemes at other sites, but it can be highly rewarding. Some of the things you can expect from the CoinRewards program include:
- CoinRaces: Weekly $1,200,000 cash game leaderboards for players starting at $0.01/$0.02 to $25/$50. NLH and PLO players get rewards.
- Splash Pots: Regular splash pots at micro-stakes tables ensure that new players get maximum value. Each splash pot can be worth up to 1,000 big blinds.
- Poker Missions: Play missions and unlock cash rewards and tournament tickets with every new mission you complete.
- Bankroll Boosts: CoinPoker awards boosts to players when they need it the most. Get help when suffering through downswings or poor variance, and get back on track in no time.
CoinPoker’s rewards scheme is customized for every player individually, and there are no exact numbers to speak of. However, the operator does advertise up to 90% rakeback, and anecdotal evidence does suggest players can get more rakeback at CoinPoker than most other sites, when all the rewards are combined.
Beyond the CoinRewards scheme, which is designed for all players on the site, CoinPoker also offers some unique promotions for its high stakes players. Player rewards in the high stakes games are designed in a unique way, with every table rewarded differently, as the operator seeks for ways to maintain a balanced ecosystem, rewarding both recreational players and the best pros in meaningful ways. Some of the key concepts here include:
- VIP Arena: CoinPoker’s dedicated high stakes battlefield, VIP Arena is not automatically open to every player on the site. Once you are allowed in, you get access to special high stakes tables, profit share rewards, and dedicated VIP customer support taking care of the games in real time.
- High Stakes Poker Rewards: Players at the high stakes tables at CoinPoker are rewarded differently. Rewards at every table are calculated based on player activity. Recreational players can earn up to 50% of the table profit. In games with no recreational players, Battle Rewards gives back up to 90% to the best pros, when forced to play in pro-only lineups.
Phenom Poker, on the other hand, approaches rakeback from a more traditional point of view. The operator pays rakeback across five loyalty tiers, and adds extra rakeback to players who have PHNM tokens staked, as follows:
| VIP Tier | Base Rakeback | 50 – 499 PHNM | 500 – 4,999 PHNM | 5,000+ PHNM |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bronze | 10% | N/A | N/A | N/A |
| Silver | 15% | 17.5% | N/A | N/A |
| Gold | 20% | 22.5% | 25% | N/A |
| Platinum | 25% | 27.5% | 30% | 33% |
| Phenom | 30% | 33% | 36% | 40% |
Players at Phenom Poker can get up to 40% rakeback if they earn Phenom tier and are heavily invested in the PHNM token, while everyone gets at least 10%. Rakeback is paid weekly and in cash, so you don’t have to worry about how you do in various promotions or challenges.
Both CoinPoker and Phenom Poker offer attractive loyalty schemes with plenty of perks for the players, and the ultimate choice comes down to your playing style and preference in terms of rakeback variance. New players who are playing with limited bankrolls can also enjoy a variety of freeroll tournaments at both sites, offering free value and practice opportunities with no risk involved.
Game Types & Liquidity at CoinPoker & Phenom Poker
Another major difference when choosing CoinPoker or Phenom Poker is the variety of game types and the depth of the player pool on the two sites. CoinPoker and Phenom Poker, at their core, are designed with different player types in mind, and the games lobby shows this very quickly.
CoinPoker has a more traditional approach to online poker, with No Limit Hold’em and Pot Limit Omaha cash games and tournaments dominating the lobby. The operator also offers 5 and 6 Card Omaha tables, but the games are mainly centered around traditional poker formats. You will find lots of traffic at micro, low, and mid stakes NLH, along with some high-stakes NLH and PLO games running almost every day.
Phenom Poker, on the other hand, caters more to mixed game players. It’s one of the rare online poker platforms where you can play games like Seven Card Stud, Razz, 2-7 Triple Draw, Badugi, 8-Game, and over a dozen other poker games that aren’t typically available on online poker sites. Despite that, Phenom Poker suffers from liquidity issues, with games running only sporadically across the stakes. High stakes mixed game action is available on occasion, with even some big name players using the site as their platform for high stakes cash games. On the other hand, if you are looking for traditional cash games or tournaments, CoinPoker will likely have more options for you.
Tournament Poker Action at CoinPoker vs Phenom Poker
When it comes to tournament action, CoinPoker and Phenom Poker are two significantly different platforms. While CoinPoker offers a regular daily and weekly schedule of No Limit Hold’em tournaments with significant prize pools, Phenom Poker’s schedule is mixed game-oriented, and the guaranteed prize pools are much more limited.
As one of the fastest growing poker sites in the world, CoinPoker is able to offer ongoing tournament poker action across all stakes. Regular daily tournaments and satellite make up the bulk of the schedule, with dozens of events running every hour, stakes ranging from freerolls to $109 and beyond. Sunday tournaments pay out over $2.5 million in prizes every weekend, offering action from micro to high stakes, and single game guarantees of up to $100,000. CoinPoker is also home to tournament series like World Poker Masters, Coin Series of Poker, and Battle of Malta Online, as well as CoinMasters, a competition that gives players a chance to win a $100k sponsored poker career.
Phenom Poker, on the other hand, gives tournament players a significantly different experience. Low liquidity means tournament playing fields are also much smaller, with only a few dozen players usually playing in each event. Yet, players who enjoy mixed game tournaments will be pleased to see a new event running every 15 to 30 minutes, with many different poker formats played every day. The guarantees get bigger in the weekly tournaments, a few of which are on the schedule every day, which offer up to 100 buy-ins in guaranteed prizes, ensuring more value for everyone who gets involved.
When it comes to tournament fees, CoinPoker players pay between 2% and 8% of their tournament buy-ins to the operator, while Phenom Poker typically charges 10% of each buy-in as the entry fee. Players without a bankroll can start building theirs at both sites through a series of daily and weekly freerolls, offering plenty of reason to sign up and play on both sites if you are still in your bankroll building stage.
Special Platform Features Compared
Another thing worth having a look at when comparing CoinPoker vs Phenom Poker are the special features available on both sites. While both operators have put in extensive work in improving their platforms, CoinPoker’s recent overhaul has made it one of the best sites around, with a multitude of special features that improve gameplay and make every aspect of the game better.
Some of the key CoinPoker features include:
- Integrated HUD: CoinPoker’s integrated Heads Up Display lets you see live stats on other players at your table without installing any third party software. Key stats such as VPIP, PFR, 3-Bet, and many others are available at a glance, along with more detailed stats for the stat nerds.
- Bomb Pots: The popularity of bomb pots has been soaring, and CoinPoker has stayed on top of the game. Bomb pot tables feature bomb pots in regular time intervals, where each player is forced to commit 1 – 5 big blinds and go straight to a double-board flop, for guaranteed action.
- Hand History Replayer: Integrated hand history replayer lets you take a look back at the hands you played recently and look for mistakes in yours or leaks in your opponents’ games.
- Run It Multiple Times: At CoinPoker, you can run it twice, and you can keep going past twice, if both you and your opponent agree. Reduce the variance by splitting the big pots into multiple smaller ones.
- PokerIntel: PokerIntel is an advanced piece of technology integrated into your CoinPoker software that tracks your every move. Analyze your stats, find your leaks with ease, and get detailed insights on your playing style, your winnings, and potential areas to improve.
- Showdown Meter: Much like PokerIntel, the Showdown Meter lets you see how things are going from an objective point of view. The meter shows if you have been running above or below average in all-in pots, and gives you a quick reality check, whether you are on a big downswing or on a major heater.
- Skill Score: For the tournament poker players, Skill Score quickly shows how you stack up against others on the platform. The better your MTT results over an extended period of time, the higher your Skill Score will be as well.
On the other hand, Phenom Poker’s featured include:
- Mixed Games: The best standout feature of Phenom Poker is the availability of dozens of different poker games. Compared to CoinPoker’s limited selection of games, Phenom Poker is the place to be for mixed game enthusiasts.
- PHNM Tokens: Unique to Phenom Poker, PHNM Tokens provide players with access to community ownership, higher players rewards, and a vested interest in the operator’s success.
- Run It Twice or Three Times: Like CoinPoker, Phenom Poker gives its players a chance to run the board twice or thrice when the chips are in and there is no more action.
- Public Referral Program: Phenom Poker every Phenom Poker player can earn $50 for inviting their friends to come and join them on the site. Every successful referral gets you another $50 in cash.
- No HUDs: Phenom Poker has banned all HUDs and does not offer an integrated HUD either. As such, players are forced to play old-school and gather information by observing the games, instead of looking at the stat window to get a read on their opponents.
Comparatively, the two platforms are quite different. While CoinPoker strives to stay on top of all the technological breakthroughs in the industry, Phenom Poker continues to offer the old school vibes, while staying on top of updates in terms of security, intuitive user interface, and graphics.
CoinPoker’s platform is much more stats-oriented, with features like PokerIntel, integrated HUD, and Showdown Meter all designed to help players understand the game from an objective point of view. Phenom Poker, on the other hand, forces players to be more involved in the moment, observe action, and get reads on their opponents in real time.
CoinPoker vs Phenom Poker – Side by Side Comparison
Don’t have the patience to read through all that? We don’t blame you! Here is a quick recap of the main selling points of both CoinPoker and Phenom Poker, side by side, to help you decide which site is the best for you:
| Category | CoinPoker | Phenom Poker |
|---|---|---|
| Best For | NLH and PLO players and bonus hunters | Mixed game enthusiasts and fixed rakeback lovers |
| Cash Game Rake | 5% | 2.5% – 5% |
| Welcome Bonus | 150% up to $2,000 | 200% up to $4,000 |
| Bonus Release Rate | 10% | 25% |
| Maximum Player Rewards | Varies (Possibly over 100% at low stakes) | 40% |
| Main Games | NLH and PLO | Mixed Games |
| Player Liquidity | Mid-to-High | Low |
| Deposit/Withdrawal Methods | Fiat and Crypto for deposits, Crypto for withdrawals | Crypto only |
| HUD and Poker Stats | Integrated | None |
| Hand Replayer | Integrated | Integrated |
Need More Help? Reach Out to Our Support!
We have compared CoinPoker vs Phenom Poker in several major areas. Our comparison looked at the rake structure and rewards, game types, player liquidity, special features of both platforms, and more. While it was impossible to come to a final conclusion on which platform is better, we can say with certainty that both sites cater to a specific group of poker players.
CoinPoker is a large poker platform, oriented toward an average poker player these days, whose main games at NLH and PLO. The site has plenty of traffic, and offers the lucrative CoinRewards scheme, which pays back more than 100% of all rake back to the players at micro stakes. Significant promotions across all stakes and game types make CoinPoker excellent for bonus value hunters, and the traffic at higher stakes NLH and PLO games makes it a home to many of the world’s high rollers.
Phenom Poker, on the other hand, is a platform designed specifically for mixed game players. With its large selection of mixed cash game and tournament tables, Phenom Poker ensures that players never have to play NLH or PLO, if those games simply aren’t their jam. The site still suffers from limited liquidity, but as the player pool gets bigger, so too will the guaranteed tournament prizes and the cash game action. For the time being, Phenom Poker remains the perfect training ground for mixed game enthusiasts, while simultaneously offering sporadic high stakes mixed game matches for some of the best in the world.
If you are still not sure and have more questions, we highly recommend you reach out to our customer support agents, who can answer your questions and help you make the right choice. Whether it’s CoinPoker, Phenom Poker, or another site that’s best for you, our agents will help you find the right fit.
