Guide
How Solana Transaction Fees Work: Base Fees and Priority Fees Explained
Bottom line: fees are two-tiered—"base + priority"
Solana transaction fees are made up of two parts: (1) a base fee and (2) a priority fee. The base fee is a fixed, tiny amount of 5,000 lamports per signature. The priority fee is optional—you add it during congestion only when you want your transaction processed faster. A key feature of Solana is that everyday transfers cost almost nothing (typically a fraction of a cent).
Key takeaways
A fee = base fee (5,000 lamports per signature) + an optional priority fee. 1 SOL = 1 billion lamports. Of the base fee, half is burned and half goes to the validator. The priority fee lets you jump the queue during congestion. Separately, you may need rent to keep an account open. See also why Solana's fees are so low.
The two fees
| Type | Amount | Purpose | Distribution |
|---|---|---|---|
| Base fee | 5,000 lamports per signature | Payment for signature verification | 50% burned / 50% to validator |
| Priority fee | Optional (added during congestion) | Speeds up processing order | 100% to validator |
- 1 SOL = 1,000,000,000 lamports. 5,000 lamports equals 0.000005 SOL.
Why are fees so low?
Thanks to technologies like Proof of History, Solana can process many transactions quickly and in parallel, keeping the cost per transaction low (see why Solana is so fast). That said, priority fees matter during congestion, so you add one when needed.
Fees and rent are different things
Beyond transaction fees, creating a new token account requires rent (a deposit of roughly 0.002 SOL). Always keep a small amount of SOL in your wallet.
Read next
- Priority fees → What is a priority fee?
- Deposits → What is rent?
Frequently asked questions
Q. How much are Solana transaction fees? A. The base fee is 5,000 lamports (0.000005 SOL) per signature, so a typical transfer costs a fraction of a cent. During congestion, an optional priority fee is added.
Q. Who receives the fees? A. Half of the base fee is burned and half goes to the validator. The entire priority fee goes to the validator.
Q. What is a lamport? A. It's the smallest unit of SOL, where 1 SOL = 1 billion lamports. Fees are denominated in lamports.
Sources
- Solana official (Fees): https://solana.com/docs/core/fees
- Solana official (Fee Structure): https://solana.com/docs/core/fees/fee-structure
Important notice
This article is for informational purposes only and is not investment advice. Crypto assets (including SOL) carry risks such as price volatility, hacking, and network outages. Make any operational or investment decisions at your own responsibility, after checking the latest official information.
Sources
FAQ
- How much are Solana transaction fees?
- The base fee is 5,000 lamports (0.000005 SOL) per signature, so a typical transfer costs a fraction of a cent. During congestion, an optional priority fee is added.
- Who receives the fees?
- Half of the base fee is burned and half goes to the validator. The entire priority fee goes to the validator.
- What is a lamport?
- It's the smallest unit of SOL, where 1 SOL = 1 billion lamports. Fees are denominated in lamports.
This article is informational only and is not financial, investment, or trading advice. Prices are reference snapshots and may be outdated. Always do your own research.
