Polygon fees explained

Polygon transactions cost a tiny fraction of a cent. Here is why fees are so low, what you pay them in, and how to get the small amount of POL you need.

Why Polygon fees are so low

Polygon processes transactions on its own high-throughput network rather than directly on congested Ethereum mainnet. More capacity and less congestion means gas fees stay tiny — usually well under $0.01 even for token deployments.

What you pay fees in

All Polygon gas is paid in POL (formerly MATIC), the network's native coin. You only need a small amount — a few POL covers deploying a token plus many transfers and approvals.

How to get POL

• Buy POL on an exchange (Binance, Coinbase, etc.) and withdraw to the Polygon network.
• Or bridge from Ethereum — see how to bridge to Polygon.
• Make sure your wallet is set to Polygon — see add Polygon to MetaMask.

Fees when creating a token

Launching a token on Polygon costs the small network gas plus any service fee. Compared with Ethereum (dollars) Polygon is dramatically cheaper. Try the Polygon token creator or estimate with our cost calculator.

How are Polygon gas fees calculated?

A Polygon 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 Polygon you pay this fee in POL, the network’s native asset, and the price rises and falls with how busy the network is. Polygon 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 Polygon fees low when you create a token

For anyone launching a token, Polygon fees matter most at one moment: deploying the contract. The good news is that creating a token on Polygon costs only the network gas fee in POL — there is no separate platform cost beyond any small tool fee. Because the fee tracks network demand, deploying when Polygon 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 Polygon paying just the POL gas fee, with full ownership kept in your hands.

Frequently asked questions