Solana recorded the second-lowest median transaction fees among major blockchains in mid-January 2026, trailing only Avalanche and undercutting Base, BNB and Polygon in high-volume DeFi activity.
Recent fee comparison data shows Solana’s median user costs remain several times lower than Base and well below persistent base-layer gas fees on Ethereum.
The network’s structurally low fees reflect its high-throughput, parallel execution design, which allows it to absorb spikes in activity without sharply increasing per-transaction costs.
By contrast, rollup-based ecosystems such as Base and Arbitrum inherit cost sensitivity from their Ethereum settlement layer, particularly during periods of elevated calldata demand.
Median fee metrics, which reflect what typical users pay rather than peak congestion extremes, show Solana consistently clearing transactions at low cost even during heavy usage.
Industry observers say this predictable fee environment strengthens Solana’s positioning as an execution-focused chain suited to payments, gaming and on-chain trading.
As competition intensifies across blockchain ecosystems, the ability to maintain low median fees without sacrificing throughput is emerging as a key differentiator for cost-sensitive applications.
At the time of reporting, Solana price was $83.51.