OpenSea NFT Purchase Gas Fee: Live Cost on Ethereum
Right now, to buy an NFT on a marketplace on Ethereum mainnet costs about $0.040 at the standard gas price of 0.081 gwei.
Buying a listed NFT executes the marketplace's settlement contract, which verifies the seller's signed order, transfers payment and royalties and moves the NFT. A typical purchase uses about 150,000 to 250,000 gas.
How the cost is calculated
Fee = gas used × gas price × ETH price. With the current standard price: 200,000 gas × 0.081 gwei = 0.00001618 ETH, which is $0.040 at $2,492 per ETH. Across the typical range of about 150,000 to 250,000 gas, the standard cost is between $0.030 and $0.050.
How to pay less
- Sweeping several NFTs in one transaction is cheaper per item than buying them one by one.
- Marketplace and creator fees are separate from gas.
- Check the cheapest hours to transact and avoid known demand spikes.
What it cost on recent days
Cost of this action at each day's average and peak standard gas price, using that day's average ETH price.
| Day | Avg gas | Cost at avg | Cost at peak |
|---|---|---|---|
| October 10, 2026 | 0.088 gwei | $0.044 | $0.069 |
| October 9, 2026 | 0.212 gwei | $0.105 | $0.616 |
| October 8, 2026 | 0.940 gwei | $0.474 | $6.18 |
| October 7, 2026 | 0.682 gwei | $0.354 | $3.05 |
| October 6, 2026 | 0.544 gwei | $0.294 | $2.41 |
| October 5, 2026 | 0.467 gwei | $0.254 | $1.88 |
| October 4, 2026 | 0.122 gwei | $0.066 | $0.505 |
Compare with other Ethereum actions
| Action | Typical gas | Standard cost |
|---|---|---|
| Send ETH | 21,000 | $0.0042 |
| Send USDT (ERC-20) | 63,000 | $0.013 |
| Send USDC (ERC-20) | 60,000 | $0.012 |
| Approve a token | 46,000 | $0.0093 |
| Swap on Uniswap | 150,000 | $0.030 |
| Mint an NFT | 120,000 | $0.024 |
| Transfer an NFT | 70,000 | $0.014 |
| Buy an NFT on a marketplace | 200,000 | $0.040 |
| Deposit into Aave | 220,000 | $0.044 |
| Wrap ETH into WETH | 46,000 | $0.0093 |
| Stake ETH with Lido | 85,000 | $0.017 |
| Bridge ETH to a layer-2 | 110,000 | $0.022 |
| Register an ENS name | 300,000 | $0.060 |
| Deploy a smart contract | 1,200,000 | $0.242 |
Frequently asked questions
How much does it cost to buy an NFT on a marketplace right now?
About $0.040 at the standard gas price of 0.081 gwei with ETH at $2,492, using a typical 200,000 gas.
How much gas does it use?
Typically about 150,000 to 250,000 gas. Exact usage depends on the contract and on whether new storage is written.
Why does the cost change during the day?
The gas price follows demand for Ethereum block space. Busy hours and market events push it up; quiet hours bring it down.