Restaking Calculator
Free Restaking Calculator. Estimate combined yield from native staking plus restaking protocols like EigenLayer.
Restaking yields are variable and depend on AVS demand. Slashing risks are real. This is not financial advice.
How to use Restaking Calculator
The Restaking Calculator models the additional yield earned by re-deploying staked ETH to secure other protocols via restaking layers like EigenLayer. Enter your staked ETH amount and the base staking APY, then add the restaking protocol's reward rate — the tool computes total combined yield, compounded returns over your chosen time horizon, and a risk-adjusted comparison against plain staking.
Restaking amplifies rewards but introduces compounding slashing risk: your ETH secures both Ethereum's consensus layer and one or more Actively Validated Services (AVS). The calculator displays the worst-case loss scenario alongside the projected gains, helping you decide whether the extra 2–6% yield justifies the added smart contract and operator risk.
Input guide and assumptions
The ETH amount field accepts any quantity, though validator economics assume 32 ETH minimums for native staking. Base staking APY (currently ~3.5% on Ethereum) reflects the consensus layer reward. The restaking reward rate varies by AVS and operator — check your restaking dashboard for the current figure.
Time horizon (in months or years) controls the compounding projection. The slashing risk toggle models a configurable percentage loss if a slashing event occurs. The output shows total yield in ETH and USD, effective APY, and a side-by-side comparison of restaking vs. plain staking vs. liquid staking alternatives.
How to interpret results correctly
The headline is Total Combined APY, shown right beside your plain native staking rate so you can see exactly how much restaking adds. Below it the breakdown splits into Base Staking APY, Restaking Boost, AVS Rewards across however many AVS you secure, and the Protocol Fee, which is deducted only from the extra restaking yield — never from your base. The Annual ETH Earned and Additional from Restaking rows show the same picture denominated in coins.
Read the Native Staking versus With Restaking cards as a side-by-side: both quote yearly ETH, and the right card adds a USD figure once a price is loaded. The honest number is Additional from Restaking, not the combined APY — that delta is the true reward for the extra slashing exposure flagged by the Slashing Risk indicator. Compare the base leg against a plain <a href="/staking-calculator/">staking calculator</a> to confirm your starting rate is realistic.
Practical scenarios and planning workflow
The core use case is deciding whether to layer EigenLayer-style restaking on top of validators you already run. Load the Balanced 3 AVS preset, then swap in your real ETH amount and the boost and AVS reward rates your operator actually pays. The calculator instantly shows how many extra ETH per year the additional AVS produce after the protocol fee, so you can weigh that against the rising slashing risk.
It also works for comparing operators or LRT providers. Hold ETH staked and base APY fixed, then test a conservative single-AVS setup against an aggressive five-AVS one and watch both the Additional from Restaking row and the Slashing Risk badge climb together. Pair it with a <a href="/liquid-staking-calculator/">liquid staking calculator</a> when you are choosing between native restaking and a liquid restaking token wrapper.
Risk and execution checklist
- Before committing capital: 1) Enter the base staking APY your validator or LST actually earns, not a marketing headline. 2) Use the restaking boost and AVS reward rate your chosen protocol currently distributes, since both float with AVS demand. 3) Set the AVS count to the exact number you will opt into. 4) Confirm the protocol fee matches the operator's published cut, remembering it applies only to the extra yield.
- After calculating: check that the Slashing Risk badge sits where your risk tolerance allows — every added AVS pushes it from Low toward Very High because each one can independently slash your stake. Confirm the Additional from Restaking figure is large enough to justify that compounding tail risk. If the extra ETH is marginal, the safer choice is fewer AVS or plain native staking.
Common mistakes to avoid
- The most common error is assuming AVS rewards stack linearly forever. The calculator multiplies AVS count by the reward rate, so it is easy to dial in ten AVS at a high rate and see a dazzling APY — but real AVS pay variable, often modest emissions, and securing ten of them maxes out the Slashing Risk indicator. Treat any combined APY built from many AVS at generous rates as optimistic, not promised.
- Another mistake is forgetting the protocol fee only touches the restaking layer. People sometimes deduct it from their whole yield and understate returns, or ignore it entirely and overstate them. The base staking APY flows through untouched; only the boost plus AVS rewards are netted down by the fee. Also avoid leaving the auto-fetched ETH price stale — the USD rows only update when the price input is current.
Performance benchmarks and expectation ranges
Native ETH staking has run roughly 3–4% APY in recent epochs, which is why the presets default base APY near 3.2%. Restaking boosts and AVS rewards are far more speculative: many live AVS distribute low single-digit percentages, and points-based programs may pay almost nothing in realized yield until tokens launch. A combined APY of 5–7% is a plausible optimistic target; double-digit figures usually assume aggressive AVS counts.
Protocol fees on restaking commonly sit around 5–15%, so the 10% preset is representative. Slashing penalties vary by AVS but can reach a meaningful slice of stake for serious faults. As a sanity anchor, compare the boost you entered against a generic <a href="/apy-apr-calculator/">APY/APR calculator</a> — if your restaking layer alone claims to beat blue-chip DeFi yields with little risk, the inputs are probably too generous.
Execution templates you can reuse
Workflow: 1) Start from the preset closest to your plan — Conservative 1 AVS, Balanced 3 AVS, or Aggressive 5 AVS. 2) Replace ETH staked with your actual position and let the ETH price auto-fetch from CoinGecko or enter it manually. 3) Set base APY, restaking boost, AVS count, AVS reward rate, and protocol fee to your operator's real numbers. 4) Read Total Combined APY against native, then check Additional from Restaking.
Decide using the delta, not the headline: if Additional from Restaking comfortably clears the slashing tail risk shown in the badge, the layer is earning its keep; if it is thin, trim AVS count and re-run. Re-test periodically as AVS rewards drift. When sizing how much of your ETH to allocate, sanity-check the portfolio weight with a <a href="/portfolio-calculator/">portfolio calculator</a> so restaking is not an outsized share.
Data hygiene and model maintenance
Restaking inputs go stale fast because AVS reward rates and active AVS counts change as protocols add and remove services. Re-enter the boost and AVS reward rate from your dashboard at least monthly, and adjust the AVS count whenever you opt in or out of a service. The auto-fetched ETH price covers the spot snapshot, but every yield assumption behind the combined APY is yours to keep current.
Keep a short log each time you re-run: date, ETH staked, base APY, boost, AVS count, reward rate, fee, and the resulting combined APY. Over a few months this reveals how volatile your restaking edge really is versus the steadier base leg. If your realized rewards consistently undershoot the calculator, lower the reward-rate assumption rather than trusting protocol marketing figures.
Final validation before capital deployment
Sanity-check the math directly: the tool computes combined APY as base + (restaking boost + AVS count × AVS reward rate) × (1 − fee). With the Balanced preset that is 3.2% + (3.5% + 3 × 2%) × 0.90 = 3.2% + 9.5% × 0.90 = 3.2% + 8.55% = 11.75%. If your screen shows that combined APY for those inputs, the engine is behaving and only your assumptions are in question.
Validate the coin rows the same way: Annual ETH Earned should equal ETH staked × combined APY, and Additional from Restaking should equal that minus ETH staked × base APY. Multiply by the ETH price to confirm the USD row. If any figure looks off, the usual culprit is a fee applied to the wrong layer or an AVS count that does not match what you actually secure — re-check those two inputs first.
Authoritative sources
Frequently asked questions
What is restaking and how does it work?
Restaking lets you reuse staked ETH (or LSTs like stETH) to secure additional protocols called AVSs (Actively Validated Services) via EigenLayer. You earn base ETH staking yield (~3.2%) plus AVS rewards (~2–8% extra), but you also accept slashing risk from each AVS you opt into. Total stack: ETH + LST yield + restaking yield.
What APY does EigenLayer restaking actually pay?
As of 2026, native restakers earn ~3.2% base ETH staking + ~2–6% AVS rewards (paid in EIGEN, USDC, and AVS-native tokens) = ~5–9% total APY. LRTs (Liquid Restaking Tokens like ezETH, weETH) typically pay 4–7% APY net of fees, with restaking points giving exposure to future airdrops worth 1–3% more.
How is restaking slashing risk calculated?
Each AVS sets its own slashing conditions and percentage (typically 1–5% of restaked stake per offense). Restake to 5 AVSs and theoretical max slashing exposure is sum of all AVSs (could be 25%+). EigenLayer is rolling out unique stake allocation in 2025–2026 so you can cap exposure per AVS. Currently most AVSs are not yet slashing-enabled.
What's the biggest restaking mistake?
Opting into too many AVSs for tiny extra yield. A 0.5% AVS reward isn't worth a 5% slashing risk on a poorly-audited operator. Also: depositing into LRTs without checking the underlying validator quality — if your LRT operator runs flaky validators, you eat both ETH slashing AND restaking slashing. Stick to 2–3 reputable AVSs and 1–2 audited LRTs (EtherFi, Renzo, Kelp).
EigenLayer vs Symbiotic vs Karak — which is best?
EigenLayer: largest ($15B+ TVL), ETH-only initially, most AVSs (EigenDA, AltLayer, Lagrange). Symbiotic: multi-asset (any ERC-20 as collateral), more flexible slashing, smaller AVS set. Karak: multi-chain, multi-asset, focuses on quick AVS bootstrapping. For maximum yield/exposure, most users split: 60% EigenLayer, 25% Symbiotic, 15% Karak.
Native restaking vs LRT — which should I choose?
Native restaking (run your own validator, point to EigenPod): full control, no LRT counterparty risk, but requires 32 ETH and operational expertise. LRTs (weETH, ezETH, rsETH): tradeable, no minimum, ~10% commission, plus you get restaking points/airdrop exposure. For <32 ETH or DeFi composability, LRTs win. For institutional-size stakes, native restaking with a reputable operator is cheaper long-term.
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