Ethereum Gas Fee Calculator
Calculate ETH transaction costs and compare Layer 1 vs Layer 2 fees. Enter your gas limit and gas price to see exact costs in ETH and USD — including savings on Arbitrum, Optimism, Base, and zkSync.
How Ethereum Gas Fees Work
Every Ethereum transaction requires computational resources to process and validate. Gas is the unit that measures this computational effort. When you send ETH, swap tokens, or mint an NFT, you pay a gas fee to compensate the network validators who process your transaction and secure the blockchain.
Gas fees are calculated using a simple formula: Transaction Fee = Gas Limit × Gas Price. The gas limit is the maximum amount of gas units your transaction can consume, while the gas price (measured in gwei) is how much you're willing to pay per unit of gas. One gwei equals 0.000000001 ETH.
Gas Fee Formula
Fee (ETH) = Gas Limit × Gas Price (gwei) × 10⁻⁹
Where: Gas Limit = max units of computation, Gas Price = cost per unit in gwei
Gas Limits by Transaction Type
Different operations require different amounts of gas. A simple ETH transfer uses the minimum of 21,000 gas units. An ERC-20 token transfer (like sending USDC) typically uses around 65,000 gas. Token swaps on decentralized exchanges consume approximately 150,000 gas, and minting an NFT can use 250,000 gas units or more depending on the smart contract complexity.
Example
ETH Transfer at 30 gwei with ETH at $2,500
- Gas limit: 21,000 units
- Gas price: 30 gwei
- Fee: 21,000 × 30 = 630,000 gwei = 0.00063 ETH
- Cost in USD: $1.58
- Same tx on Arbitrum: ~$0.16 (90% savings)
Why Layer 2 Networks Save You Money
Layer 2 (L2) networks process transactions off-chain and post compressed data back to Ethereum. This dramatically reduces costs while inheriting Ethereum's security. Arbitrum and Optimism typically cost about 10% of L1 fees, Base around 5%, and zkSync roughly 8%. For frequent traders or DeFi users, L2s can save hundreds of dollars per month in gas fees.
Tips to Minimize Gas Costs
Time your transactions for low-activity periods — weekends and early UTC mornings typically have the lowest gas prices. Use Layer 2 networks whenever possible. Batch multiple operations into a single transaction when your wallet or protocol supports it. Monitor gas trackers to identify optimal windows before executing large transactions.