🐢 Low
⚡ Standard
Fast
Tips to Save on Gas Fees
Transact during off-peak hours
Gas fees tend to be lowest on weekends and during nighttime UTC (roughly 00:00–06:00 UTC). Network congestion drops significantly when US and European markets are closed. Use the current fee tier above as your real-time signal: if you're seeing 'Low' or 'Standard' readings, it's generally a good time to transact.
Use Layer 2 networks
Networks like Arbitrum, Optimism, and Base offer 10–100x lower fees while maintaining Ethereum's security guarantees.
Set a custom gas limit
Most wallets let you set a max fee. Use the 'Low' tier if you're not in a rush — your transaction will still confirm, just more slowly.
Batch transactions
If you have multiple transfers, some protocols let you batch them into a single transaction, especially useful for NFT minting and token approvals.
What are Ethereum Gas Fees?
Gas fees are payments made by users to compensate for the computing energy required to process and validate transactions on the Ethereum blockchain. They are denominated in \"Gwei\" — a unit of ETH where 1 Gwei = 0.000000001 ETH. Every operation on Ethereum requires a specific amount of computational work, measured in \"gas units.\" The total cost is: Gas Units × Gas Price (Gwei).
How EIP-1559 Changed Gas Fees
The August 2021 EIP-1559 upgrade introduced a two-component fee model:
Base Fee (Burned)
A protocol-determined fee that adjusts automatically based on demand. This amount is permanently destroyed, making ETH deflationary during high usage. The base fee can only change by ±12.5% per block.
Priority Tip (To Validators)
An optional tip to validators as an incentive for faster inclusion. During low congestion, 1–2 Gwei is usually sufficient.
Gas Costs by Transaction Type
| Transaction | Gas Units | @ 20 Gwei | @ 100 Gwei |
|---|---|---|---|
| ETH Transfer | 21,000 | ~$1.50 | ~$7.50 |
| ERC-20 Transfer | 65,000 | ~$4.50 | ~$23 |
| Uniswap Swap | 150,000–300,000 | ~$10–21 | ~$52–105 |
| NFT Mint | 100,000–250,000 | ~$7–17 | ~$35–87 |
| Aave Deposit | 200,000–400,000 | ~$14–28 | ~$70–140 |
*Estimates based on ETH ≈ $3,500.
Layer 2: The Gas Fee Solution
| Network | Avg Swap Cost | Savings vs L1 |
|---|---|---|
| Arbitrum | $0.10–$0.50 | ~95–99% |
| Optimism | $0.10–$0.50 | ~95–99% |
| Base | $0.01–$0.10 | ~99%+ |
| zkSync Era | $0.05–$0.30 | ~97–99% |
| Polygon | $0.01–$0.05 | ~99%+ |
Frequently Asked Questions
Why are Ethereum gas fees so high?+
What is Gwei?+
What's the cheapest time to transact?+
Can I cancel a pending transaction?+
Why did my transaction fail but I still paid gas?+
Will gas fees ever go down permanently?+
Disclaimer
Gas fee estimates are based on recent Ethereum blocks and may fluctuate rapidly. Actual costs depend on gas limit, data size, and network conditions. This tool is for informational purposes only.