Crypto gas-fee calculator for Ethereum transactions and Layer 2 cost comparison — up to 1000× cheaper than mainnet.
Four tabs: Gwei → USD conversion across multiple gas tiers, cost per transaction type (transfer / swap / NFT / DeFi), Layer 2 comparison (Arbitrum / Optimism / Polygon / Base / zkSync / Solana), and gas-optimization tips.
Disclaimer: Gas prices fluctuate. Check real-time on Etherscan, ETH Gas Station, or Blocknative before important transactions.
Calculator information
📋 How to use this calculator
- Enter the current gas price in Gwei (check Etherscan Gas Tracker or your wallet).
- Pick the transaction type: simple transfer (21,000 gas), ERC-20 transfer (~65,000 gas), Uniswap swap (~150,000 gas), or NFT mint (~250,000 gas).
- Enter the current ETH price in USD for automatic fee conversion.
- Compare the same operation across Layer 2 networks: Arbitrum, Optimism, Base, Polygon, zkSync, or alternative chains like Solana.
- Use the gas optimizer tips: batch transactions, set an appropriate EIP-1559 maxFee, transact during off-peak hours (00:00-06:00 UTC).
- Review the slow/standard/fast price tiers to balance speed against cost.
- Check the estimated confirmation time for each tier before submitting.
🧮 Ethereum transaction fee (EIP-1559)
Fee_ETH = Gas_used x (Base_fee + Priority_fee) / 1e9; Fee_USD = Fee_ETH x ETH_price
- Gas_used = gas units consumed (21,000 for a simple transfer)
- Base_fee = minimum gas price in Gwei (burned)
- Priority_fee = validator tip in Gwei
- 1e9 = Gwei-to-ETH conversion (1 ETH = 10^9 Gwei)
Layer 2s use rollups that batch hundreds of transactions before settling on Ethereum, so per-transaction fees are 10-100x cheaper. Solana charges a flat fee of ~$0.00025 thanks to its different architecture (Proof of History).
💡 Worked example: Uniswap V3 swap at 25 Gwei
Given:- Gas used: 150,000 (Uniswap V3 swap)
- Base fee: 23 Gwei
- Priority fee (tip): 2 Gwei
- Total gas price: 25 Gwei
- ETH price: $3,500
Steps:- Fee ETH = 150,000 x 25 / 1e9 = 0.00375 ETH
- Fee USD = 0.00375 x 3,500 = $13.13
- On Arbitrum: effective gas ~0.1 Gwei, total fee ~$0.50
- On Polygon: fee ~$0.02; Solana ~$0.0005
Result: The same swap costs $13.13 on Ethereum mainnet vs $0.50 on Arbitrum - about 26x cheaper. For routine transactions under $1,000, use a Layer 2 to save on fees.
❓ Frequently asked questions
Why do Ethereum gas fees spike so dramatically?
Ethereum's throughput is only ~15 TPS and the gas market is an auction. When demand surges (popular NFT mints, market crashes, large airdrops), users bid up priority fees to get included. EIP-1559 (August 2021) introduced a burned base fee that adjusts up or down 12.5% per block, making gas more predictable - but spikes still happen.
What is the difference between Optimistic Rollups and ZK-Rollups?
Optimistic Rollups (Arbitrum, Optimism, Base) assume transactions are valid by default and allow a 7-day challenge window for fraud proofs - so withdrawals to L1 are slow. ZK-Rollups (zkSync, Starknet, Polygon zkEVM) use mathematical validity proofs, so withdrawals are faster (under an hour), but computation is more expensive and the ecosystem is younger.
How can I save on gas fees?
Seven tips: (1) use Layer 2 for transactions under $10,000; (2) batch transactions with Gnosis Safe or Multicall; (3) transact during off-peak windows (Saturday-Sunday 00:00-08:00 UTC); (4) set custom gas in MetaMask instead of the default; (5) use unlimited approvals on DEXs you use often to avoid approving each swap; (6) defer non-urgent transactions when gas tops 50 Gwei; (7) check Etherscan Gas Tracker before submitting.
Are Solana fees really that cheap?
Yes - Solana averages $0.00025 thanks to high throughput (~3,000 practical TPS) and a fixed per-signature fee rather than an auction. Trade-offs: the network has had multiple outages (2022-2024), validator nodes require high-spec hardware, and the validator set is more centralized. Solana is excellent for simple transactions; for complex DeFi, Ethereum L2s remain dominant.
What is MEV and does it affect gas fees?
MEV (Maximal Extractable Value) is profit validators or searchers extract by reordering, inserting, or censoring transactions - sandwich attacks on DEXs are a common example. To avoid MEV, use Flashbots Protect RPC, MEV Blocker, or a private mempool. MEV pushes gas higher during large arbitrage opportunities because bots race to execute - particularly around liquidations or popular NFT drops.
📚 Sources & references
Last updated: May 11, 2026