Polygon vs BNB Chain
Polygon and BNB Chain are two of the cheapest, most popular EVM chains for launching a token. Both use MetaMask and cost cents — here is how they compare and which to pick.
Quick comparison
| Polygon | BNB Chain | |
|---|---|---|
| Token standard | ERC-20 | BEP-20 |
| Native coin | POL | BNB |
| Typical fee | < $0.01 | ~$0.10–0.30 |
| Speed | ~2s | ~3s |
| Main DEX | QuickSwap / Uniswap | PancakeSwap |
| Wallet | MetaMask | MetaMask / Trust |
Fees
Both are cheap, but Polygon is usually the cheapest — gas is a fraction of a cent. BNB Chain is still very affordable (cents). For high-volume minting or airdrops, Polygon edges ahead on cost. See Polygon fees.
Standards & compatibility
Polygon uses ERC-20 (the Ethereum standard), while BNB Chain uses BEP-20. They are nearly identical in practice and both work with MetaMask. ERC-20 on Polygon plugs directly into the wider Ethereum tooling and L2 ecosystem. Read ERC-20 vs BEP-20.
Ecosystem
BNB Chain has a huge retail and meme-coin crowd centred on PancakeSwap. Polygon has deep DeFi, enterprise and NFT adoption plus strong Ethereum alignment. Both have ample liquidity for new tokens.
Which should you choose?
Pick Polygon for the lowest fees and Ethereum-standard ERC-20 compatibility. Pick BNB Chain if your audience lives on PancakeSwap and the BNB ecosystem. You can launch on either in minutes: create on Polygon or create on BNB Chain.
Frequently asked questions
Is Polygon cheaper than BNB Chain?
Usually yes — Polygon gas is typically a fraction of a cent, while BNB Chain is a few cents. Both are far cheaper than Ethereum.
Can I use MetaMask for both?
Yes. MetaMask works on both Polygon and BNB Chain with the same address — you just switch the network.
ERC-20 or BEP-20 — does it matter?
They are functionally almost identical. Polygon tokens are ERC-20; BNB Chain tokens are BEP-20. Choose based on where your community and liquidity are.
Ready to create your Polygon token?
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