How to Calculate Layer 2 Fee Comparison

What is Layer 2 Fee Comparison?

The Layer 2 Fee Comparison Calculator compares transaction costs across Ethereum L2 rollups including Arbitrum, Optimism, Base, and zkSync, helping users choose the cheapest network for their specific transaction type.

Formula

EF

Execution Fee ($) — L2 computation cost for executing the transaction

DF

Data Fee ($) — Cost of posting transaction data to Ethereum L1

BC

Bridge Cost ($) — One-time gas cost to bridge funds from L1 to L2

S

Savings per TX ($) — Difference between L1 and L2 transaction cost

Step-by-Step Guide

1. 1Select the transaction type (transfer, swap, NFT mint, contract deployment)
2. 2The calculator fetches current gas prices on each L2 and the L1 data posting cost
3. 3Compare total transaction cost across Arbitrum, Optimism, Base, zkSync, and Ethereum mainnet
4. 4Factor in bridge costs if moving funds from mainnet to the L2

Worked Examples

Common Mistakes to Avoid

• ✕Not including the bridge cost (gas to move funds to L2) when calculating total savings
• ✕Comparing L2 fees at different times — Ethereum L1 congestion directly affects L2 data costs
• ✕Assuming all L2s have the same security guarantees — optimistic vs ZK rollups differ in finality

Frequently Asked Questions