Crypto gas fees explained

A gas fee is the small payment you make to a blockchain network to process your transaction — like postage for sending value. It goes to the validators who secure the network, not to any company.

What is "gas"?

Every action on a blockchain — sending tokens, swapping, deploying a contract — uses computing power. Gas is the unit that measures that work, and the gas fee is what you pay for it, in the chain's native coin (BNB, ETH, SOL).

Why do gas fees go up and down?

Most chains use a simple auction: when many people transact at once, fees rise; when the network is quiet, they fall. Fees depend on network demand and how complex your transaction is (deploying a token costs more than a simple transfer).

Gas fees by chain

• Solana — a fraction of a cent; the cheapest.
• BNB Chain — typically well under $1.
• Base & Arbitrum — a few cents (layer-2s).
• Ethereum — the most expensive, from a couple of dollars to much more when busy.

Estimate any transaction with our gas fee calculator, compare real costs in the cost calculator, and see our chain comparison.

Why layer-2s are so cheap

Base and Arbitrum are "layer-2" networks that bundle many transactions together and settle them on Ethereum. You get Ethereum-grade security at a tiny fraction of the cost — ideal for creating a token affordably.

How to save on gas

• Choose a low-fee chain (Solana, BNB Chain, Base, Arbitrum) for your launch.
• Transact when the network is less busy.
• Keep a small amount of the native coin in your wallet to cover fees.

What you pay to create a token

Creating a token costs the network gas fee plus a small flat service fee — and nothing else. There are no subscriptions. Exact amounts per chain are shown on each token creator page before you deploy.

Frequently asked questions