Bridge cost calculator
Estimate what a cross-chain move actually costs — live gas plus the service fee — and see how it stacks up against withdrawing from an exchange.
- Service fee (0.5%)
- $5.00
- Gas on Ethereum (live)
- …
- Network fee to Base
- $
- Trading / spread
- varies
On a flat fee alone an exchange can edge it, but that assumes your funds are already there and you accept its spread and custody. Bridging keeps you non-custodial end to end.
Bridge Ethereum → BaseEstimates only. The bridge figure is our 0.5% service fee plus live gas on Ethereum; it excludes the small liquidity spread, which the quote always shows before you confirm. The exchange figure is an editable, typical flat network fee and ignores trading fees and the requirement that your funds already sit on the exchange.
What goes into the cost of bridging
Two things drive what you pay to bridge: the gas on the chain you’re leaving, and the fee on the amount you move. Gas is the big variable — leaving Ethereum mainnet can cost a few dollars, while leaving a layer 2 is usually cents. On top of that sits a small service fee and a liquidity spread that the quote shows in full before you confirm.
Bridge or withdraw from an exchange?
If your funds already sit on a centralized exchange, a withdrawal can be a cheap way to reach a chain — but it’s a flat network fee plus whatever spread and trading cost the exchange adds, and it means trusting the exchange with custody until it lands. On the raw fee, that flat withdrawal can be cheaper for large transfers, while the bridge’s percentage fee tends to win for smaller amounts, when an exchange’s withdrawal fee is steep, or whenever your funds aren’t already on an exchange — and bridging stays non-custodial from start to finish. Use the calculator above with your own numbers, then start from the full list of routes or check live gas fees by chain.
Common questions
How is the bridge cost calculated?
It's our 0.5% service fee on the amount you move, plus the live gas cost on the chain you're leaving (pulled from LI.FI). It excludes the small liquidity spread, which varies by route and is always shown in the quote before you confirm.
Are the exchange numbers accurate?
They're a starting estimate. Exchange network-withdrawal fees vary a lot by platform and change often, so the field is editable — put in your exchange's actual fee. The comparison also ignores trading fees and assumes your funds already sit on the exchange, which often isn't the case.
When is bridging cheaper than an exchange withdrawal?
It depends on the amount and where your funds are. An exchange withdrawal is usually a flat network fee regardless of size, so for large transfers it can undercut a percentage-based bridge fee. Bridging tends to win for small-to-mid amounts, when your exchange charges a steep withdrawal fee, or whenever your funds aren't already sitting on an exchange — and it stays non-custodial the whole way.
Does using the calculator cost anything or need a wallet?
No. It's a free estimate and connects to nothing — no wallet, no sign-in. When you're ready, the bridge itself is non-custodial and shows the exact fee and received amount before you confirm.