How to use the Gas Fee Estimator
- Enter the gas limit for your transaction type.
- Enter the current gas price in gwei, including any priority tip.
- Enter the token's fiat price.
- Compare the fee against the transaction value to judge whether it is worth executing.
How the calculation works
Fee = gas units × gas price. Gwei is 10⁻⁹ of the native token, so the fee in tokens is (gas × gwei) ÷ 10⁹, then multiplied by the fiat price. Typical gas limits are stable by transaction type: a plain transfer is 21,000, a token transfer around 45,000–65,000, and a DEX swap 120,000–250,000 depending on the route.
Under EIP-1559 the gas price splits into a base fee, which is burned and adjusts algorithmically with block fullness, and a priority tip that goes to the validator. Raising the tip buys faster inclusion but does not change the base fee. Unused gas is refunded, so setting a generous limit costs nothing extra — but setting it too low risks the transaction reverting with the fee still charged.
Fee (token) = gas limit × gas price (gwei) / 1e9 ; fee (fiat) = fee × token priceSource: EIP-1559 fee market: base fee plus priority tip, with gwei as 10⁻⁹ of the native unit.
Worked example
A DEX swap with a 180,000 gas limit at 28 gwei, token price 2,450.
- Fee in tokens = 180,000 × 28 / 1e9 = 0.00504.
- Fee in fiat = 0.00504 × 2,450 = 12.35.
- On a 300 swap that is 4.1% of value.
- On a 5,000 swap it is 0.25%.
About 12.35 per swap — negligible on large trades, prohibitive on small ones.
Frequently asked questions
Why do fees spike?+
The base fee rises when blocks are full. Popular mints and volatile markets push demand for block space up sharply.
Do I pay for unused gas?+
No. The limit is a ceiling; unused gas is refunded. Only the gas actually consumed is charged.
What happens if the limit is too low?+
The transaction runs out of gas and reverts, and the gas consumed is still charged.
How can I pay less?+
Transact during quieter hours, batch actions, or use a layer-2 network where fees are orders of magnitude lower.
Last reviewed August 31, 2026. We review this page whenever the underlying formula, tax year, published rate or standard changes.