Optimism fees explained

Optimism transactions cost a few cents. Here is why an L2 is so cheap, what the L1 data fee is, and how to get the small amount of ETH you need.

Why Optimism fees are low

Optimism executes transactions off Ethereum mainnet and posts compressed data back to it. You pay a tiny L2 execution fee plus a small L1 data fee. Since the blob upgrade, that L1 cost dropped sharply — total fees are usually just a cent or two.

What you pay fees in

All Optimism gas is paid in ETH (not OP). You only need a small amount — a fraction of an ETH covers deploying a token plus many transfers.

How to get ETH on Optimism

• Withdraw ETH from an exchange and choose the Optimism network.
• Or bridge from Ethereum — see how to bridge to Optimism.
• Set your wallet to Optimism — see add Optimism to MetaMask.

Fees when creating a token

Launching a token on Optimism costs the small L2 gas plus any service fee — far cheaper than Ethereum mainnet. Try the Optimism token creator or estimate with our cost calculator.

How are Optimism gas fees calculated?

A Optimism gas fee is not a fixed number — it is the amount of computational work your transaction needs (measured in gas units) multiplied by the price per unit (the gas price, set by network demand). A simple transfer uses little gas; a contract interaction such as deploying a token uses more. On Optimism you pay this fee in ETH, the network’s native asset, and the price rises and falls with how busy the network is. Optimism is designed for low-cost transactions, so fees stay small even for contract interactions. To understand the mechanics across every network, see our general guide to gas fees explained.

Keeping Optimism fees low when you create a token

For anyone launching a token, Optimism fees matter most at one moment: deploying the contract. The good news is that creating a token on Optimism costs only the network gas fee in ETH — there is no separate platform cost beyond any small tool fee. Because the fee tracks network demand, deploying when Optimism is less congested can reduce it further. And since every chain has its own fees, choosing the right network is the biggest factor in what you pay overall; our guide to the best blockchain to create a token and multichain deployment compare the options. When you are ready, you can create your token on Optimism paying just the ETH gas fee, with full ownership kept in your hands.

Frequently asked questions