Crypto Network Fees Compared (2026)
What it actually costs to send and swap on the networks people use — Base and Arbitrum show live gwei from public RPC data; everything else is a 2026 typical range. Updated 2026-09-20.
Key takeaways
- ✓Base and Solana are effectively tied for the lowest fees anywhere — under a cent, usually under a tenth.
- ✓Ethereum mainnet is 100–1,000× more expensive for the identical transaction.
- ✓TRON is the outlier among "cheap" chains — its energy model makes USDT sends cost $1–2.
- ✓Fees on L2s barely move with the amount; only bridge routes charge percentages.
| Network | Gas now | Send (total) | Swap (total) | Confirm |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Base | 0.005 gwei live | $0.0003 now · < $0.01 typ. | $0.002–0.02 | ~2 sec |
| Arbitrum One | 0.02 gwei live | < $0.01 typ. | $0.01–0.05 | ~2 sec |
| Optimism | typical range | < $0.01 | $0.01–0.05 | ~2 sec |
| Solana | typical range | < $0.001 | < $0.01 | < 1 sec |
| Polygon PoS | typical range | $0.01–0.05 | $0.02–0.10 | a few sec |
| BNB Chain | typical range | $0.05–0.15 | $0.10–0.40 | ~3 sec |
| Avalanche C-Chain | typical range | $0.01–0.05 | $0.05–0.20 | ~2 sec |
| TRON | typical range | $1–2 (USDT, energy model) | $1–3 | ~3 sec |
| Ethereum mainnet | typical range | $0.5–5 | $2–15+ | ~12 sec |
Live rows: RPC snapshot (eth_feeHistory) at build time. Arbitrum totals include the L1 data slice described in the Arbitrum fee guide, which is why its gwei looks tiny while totals are cents. Typical ranges are logged receipts, not promises.
Base gas fee calculator →
Live costs in USD and local currencies.
Bridge cost calculator →
See the fee before you cross chains.
Frequently asked questions
Which crypto network has the lowest fees in 2026?
Solana and Base are effectively tied at the bottom — sends are under $0.001 on Solana and about a tenth of a cent on Base. Solana is not EVM, so inside the Ethereum ecosystem Base is the cheapest practical choice. Our own methodology and live numbers are above; the short answer to "cheapest L2" is also in the market-data answer.
Why is Base so much cheaper than Ethereum mainnet?
Base executes transactions on its own infrastructure and splits the cost of one compressed batch posted to Ethereum across hundreds of transactions. EIP-4844 blobs give it a dedicated cheap data lane. The mechanics are in the blob pricing guide.
Are these fees guaranteed?
The Base live figure is an RPC snapshot at build time, and ranges are 2026 receipts — both move with congestion. Confirm on the live tracker before a large transaction.
Does the amount I send change the percentage fee?
No for network sends — gas prices computation, so a $1 transfer and a $100,000 transfer cost the same. Percentage-based bridge fees are the exception; compare them in the bridge calculator.