When you send ETH or use a DeFi app, you pay a Ethereum gas fee, the cost to process your transaction on the Ethereum network. This fee isn’t fixed—it changes by the second based on demand. Also known as network fee, it’s what keeps the blockchain running, paying miners and validators to confirm your trade, swap, or NFT mint. If you’ve ever waited 10 minutes for a simple token swap because the fee was too low, you’ve felt how messy this system can be.
Gas fees rise when lots of people are using Ethereum at once—like during an NFT drop, a new DeFi launch, or a big market move. The network gets crowded, and users bid up prices to get their transactions processed faster. That’s why a $2 trade might suddenly cost $50. But here’s the thing: you don’t have to pay it. Many users avoid high fees by waiting for quiet hours, using Layer 2 networks like Arbitrum or Optimism, or switching to stablecoins on Polygon, which often cost less than a penny. These alternatives aren’t magic—they’re practical workarounds built into the ecosystem because Ethereum’s base layer was never meant for everyday micro-transactions.
Related to this are Ethereum transactions, the basic actions that require gas, like sending tokens, interacting with smart contracts, or staking ETH. Every time you connect your wallet to Uniswap or claim an airdrop, you’re triggering one. And when those transactions pile up, the network slows down. That’s why platforms like LFJ v2.2 on Arbitrum or Uniswap v2 on Optimism exist—they move the work off Ethereum’s main chain, slashing fees while keeping security. You’re still using Ethereum’s brand, but not its expensive backbone.
Then there’s the Ethereum network, the underlying system that powers everything from DeFi to NFTs, running on thousands of global computers. It’s not just a blockchain—it’s a global computer with a limited processing speed. Think of it like a highway: more cars mean more traffic, and tolls go up. The 2022 NFT crash wasn’t just about hype fading—it was also about people realizing they couldn’t afford to trade anymore because gas fees ate half their profits. That’s when smart users started looking elsewhere, and that’s why today, you’ll see more activity on Layer 2s than on Ethereum’s mainnet.
So what can you do? Check gas prices before you act. Use tools that show real-time fees. Avoid peak times—early morning or late night UTC often means lower costs. And if you’re doing frequent trades, consider moving your main wallet to a cheaper chain. You’re not abandoning Ethereum—you’re just using it smarter.
The posts below show you exactly how people are handling this right now: from Iranians using Polygon to dodge fees and sanctions, to traders avoiding useless tokens that cost more to trade than they’re worth, to platforms that vanished because no one could afford to use them. You’ll see real examples of what works, what doesn’t, and how to stop overpaying for every little thing on Ethereum.
Ethereum gas fees are the costs to send transactions or run smart contracts on the network. They're paid in ETH and vary based on demand. Learn how they work, why they changed in 2021, and how to save money.