Ethereum Mainnet Fees Move Higher Again
Ethereum transaction costs have risen notably after falling to relatively low levels in mid-March. Data cited in the report shows that on April 3, the average Ethereum network fee stood at 0.0056 ETH, or about $19.58 per transfer. That marks a sharp rebound from the $5.98 low recorded in mid-March.
Earlier in the year, average fees had reached $52 per transfer on January 10. From mid-January to mid-March, Ethereum fees declined by 88.49%, offering users a much cheaper window for on-chain activity. But within 22 days of that low, fees climbed again, suggesting that renewed network demand pushed transaction costs upward.
Median Fees Are Rising Too
The increase is not limited to average fees. Ethereum’s median-sized transaction fee is now around 0.0021 ETH, or roughly $7.47 per transaction. On March 11, that figure had dropped to just $2.39. For comparison, median fees hit a much higher peak of $29 on January 10.
While current fee levels remain below the highs seen at the start of the year, they are significantly above the lows recorded just weeks earlier. For users sending ETH or interacting with smart contracts on the base layer, this means costs have become materially less favorable again.
Layer-2 Fees Increase, but Stay Well Below L1
As Ethereum layer-1 fees rose, costs across several layer-2 networks also moved higher. Even so, L2s remain substantially cheaper than the mainnet. According to the report, Loopring offered the lowest L2 transfer cost at about $0.15, while a token swap on Loopring cost around $0.87. By comparison, a token swap on Ethereum layer 1 was priced at roughly $25.67.
Zksync listed common ETH transfers at about $0.21 and token swaps at $0.52. Polygon Hermez charged around $0.25 for a simple ETH transfer. On Boba Network, transfers cost about $0.79, while trading an Ethereum-based token cost roughly $1.27.
Elsewhere, Arbitrum One showed fees of about $0.81 per transfer and $1.12 for token trading. Optimism priced ETH transfers at $1.28 and token swaps at $1.89. Aztec Network came in at around $2.48 per ETH transfer, still far below Ethereum’s current median mainnet fee of $7.47.
Cost Gap Continues to Favor Scaling Networks
The latest figures show that both mainnet and layer-2 fees are rising, but the gap between them remains significant. For users making frequent transfers or token swaps, L2 networks still offer a much more economical alternative. With Ethereum mainnet fees approaching $20 again, the pricing contrast underscores the practical role of scaling solutions during periods of higher on-chain demand.