Gas Fee Calculator
Calculate Ethereum transaction fees in Gwei, ETH, and USD. Set gas limit, base fee, and priority fee. Compare slow, average, and fast speed tiers.
Transaction Type Preset
Parameters
Maximum gas units the transaction can consume. Unused gas is refunded.
Results
Gwei total
462,000
Gwei
ETH fee
0.000462
ETH
USD fee
$1.155
USD
21,000 gas × (20 + 2 Gwei tip) = 462000.000 Gwei→Fee = Gas Limit × (Base Fee + Priority Fee)Speed Estimates (varying tip)
$1.0763
0.000431 ETH
20 base + 0.5 Gwei tip
$1.155
0.000462 ETH
20 base + 2 Gwei tip
$1.3125
0.000525 ETH
20 base + 5 Gwei tip
EIP-1559: Since the London upgrade, Ethereum gas uses a base fee (burned) + priority fee (tip to validator) model. You set a max fee per gas unit; any amount above base fee + tip is refunded. Use real-time tools like etherscan.io/gastracker for live base fee data.
How Ethereum Gas Fees Are Calculated
The total transaction fee on Ethereum follows a straightforward formula introduced by EIP-1559. Understanding each component helps you make informed decisions when setting transaction parameters.
Gas Limit
The maximum units of computation your transaction is allowed to consume. Unused gas is refunded. Set too low and the transaction reverts (but you still pay for the gas used).
Base Fee (Gwei)
Set by the Ethereum network based on block demand. It is burned (removed from ETH supply). You cannot pay less than the base fee — your transaction will not be included.
Priority Fee (Gwei)
An optional tip paid to the validator for including your transaction. Higher tips incentivise faster inclusion. During quiet periods, 0.5–1 Gwei is sufficient.
Typical Gas Costs by Transaction Type
Gas usage depends on the complexity of the operations performed. The following table shows typical gas ranges for common Ethereum transactions. Actual costs vary by contract implementation and state changes.
| Transaction | Typical Gas | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| ETH Transfer | 21,000 | Fixed — always exactly 21,000 |
| ERC-20 Approve | 45,000–50,000 | First approval costs more (storage write) |
| ERC-20 Transfer | 50,000–80,000 | Depends on token contract |
| NFT Mint (ERC-721) | 60,000–300,000+ | Varies widely by contract |
| Uniswap V3 Swap | 120,000–200,000 | Increases with number of pool hops |
| AAVE Supply/Borrow | 180,000–250,000 | Lending protocol interactions |
| Contract Deploy | 200,000–3,000,000+ | Proportional to bytecode size |
Tips for Reducing Ethereum Gas Costs
Gas fees are a variable cost for any Ethereum interaction. Several strategies can significantly reduce what you pay without sacrificing transaction reliability.
Time your transactions
Base fees are typically lowest between 00:00–08:00 UTC on weekdays and throughout weekends. Setting a lower max fee with a patient priority fee during off-peak hours can save 50–80%.
Use Layer 2 networks
Optimism, Arbitrum, Base, and Polygon offer the same ERC-20 and DeFi ecosystem at 10–100x lower fees than Ethereum mainnet. Bridge assets once and save on every transaction.
Batch transactions
Smart contract wallets like Safe (Gnosis) support batching multiple operations into a single transaction. This pays the 21,000 base cost once instead of multiple times.
Pre-approve token amounts
Approve max uint256 once per token per protocol to avoid repeated approval transactions. Be aware of the security trade-off for unlimited approvals.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is gas and why does Ethereum use it?
Gas is the unit that measures the computational work required to execute an operation on the Ethereum network. Every EVM opcode — addition, storage write, contract call — has a predetermined gas cost. Gas prevents infinite loops (any transaction will eventually run out of gas and revert), and it compensates validators who process and secure the network. You set a gas limit (the maximum units your transaction can consume) and a gas price (what you pay per unit). Unused gas is always refunded.
What changed with EIP-1559 and the London hard fork?
Before EIP-1559 (London hard fork, August 2021), Ethereum used a simple auction model: you set a gas price and miners picked the highest bidders. This caused unpredictable fees and frequent overpayment. EIP-1559 introduced a base fee that is algorithmically adjusted by the network based on demand, plus an optional priority fee (tip) that goes directly to the validator. The base fee is burned (permanently removed from supply), making ETH deflationary when demand is high. You now set a max fee (ceiling) and a max priority fee, and pay only what is necessary.
What gas limit should I use for different transaction types?
Simple ETH transfers between wallets always use exactly 21,000 gas — no more, no less. ERC-20 token approvals typically cost 40,000–50,000 gas. ERC-20 transfers cost 50,000–80,000 gas depending on the token contract's implementation. Uniswap swaps range from 120,000 to 200,000 gas. NFT mints vary widely from 60,000 to 300,000+ gas depending on the contract. Contract deployments can range from 200,000 to over 2,000,000 gas. Always add a 20–30% buffer above the estimated gas to ensure transactions do not run out of gas and revert.
What is the difference between base fee, priority fee, and max fee?
The base fee is the minimum required to include a transaction in the current block. It is automatically set by the network and cannot be lower. It is burned when the transaction is processed. The priority fee (tip) is an optional amount paid on top of the base fee, going directly to the validator as an incentive to include your transaction quickly. The max fee is the total maximum you are willing to pay per gas unit. Any amount between (base fee + priority fee) and max fee is refunded after the transaction. Set max fee generously to avoid failed transactions during fee spikes.
Why do gas fees vary so much throughout the day?
Ethereum block space is limited to roughly 15 million gas per block (with a target of 15M and a maximum of 30M). When demand exceeds the target block size, the base fee automatically increases by up to 12.5% per block. When demand is low, it decreases. Fees tend to be lowest during off-peak hours for North America and Europe — typically early morning UTC on weekdays, and on weekends. Major DeFi events, NFT drops, and token launches can spike fees by 10–100x in minutes. Monitoring real-time gas trackers (Etherscan Gas Tracker, Blocknative) helps time transactions strategically.