Monero fees explained
A normal Monero transaction costs around 0.00003 XMR in network fees, about two US cents at October 2026 prices. The fee depends on the size of the transaction in bytes and the priority you choose, not on how much you send. Exchanges and swap services add their own, often much larger, charges.
The short answer
Monero's network fee is small and predictable. On 24 October 2026 the fee estimate from the xmrchain explorer was 20,000 piconero per byte. A typical payment with one input and two outputs is about 1.5 kB, which works out to roughly 0.00003 XMR. With XMR at about $590, that is around $0.02. Check today's figure on Monero fee today, or estimate your own with the fee calculator.
How the fee is calculated
You pay per byte of transaction data, multiplied by a priority level. Since the network upgrade of 18 October 2018 fees have been charged per byte rather than per kilobyte, and the same upgrade introduced Bulletproofs, which made transactions much smaller and cheaper.
- Size, not amount. Sending 0.1 XMR or 100 XMR costs the same if the transactions are the same size.
- Inputs make it bigger. Each coin your wallet spends adds a ring signature with 16 members. A wallet with many small incoming payments may need many inputs, so its transactions cost more.
- Outputs add a little. Every recipient, plus your change, adds an output. Paying several people in one transaction is cheaper than separate payments.
- Priority multiplies the base fee. Higher priority pays more so miners include it sooner when blocks are busy.
Priority levels
Most wallets offer four levels, usually called slow (or low), normal (or automatic), fast and fastest. Nodes report a fee for each level, and wallets pick one for you unless you change it.
| Priority | When to use it |
|---|---|
| Slow / low | Almost always enough. Blocks are rarely full. |
| Normal / automatic | Default in many wallets; adapts if the network is busy. |
| Fast / fastest | Only when the mempool is backed up and you need the next block. Costs much more. |
Paying more does not make your coins spendable sooner after they arrive. Received XMR is locked for 10 blocks (about 20 minutes) whatever fee was paid. See how to send Monero and the confirmation time tool.
Why fees stay low: dynamic block size
Monero has no fixed block size limit. A block can grow up to twice the median size of the last 100 blocks. Miners who make a block bigger than that median lose part of their block reward as a penalty, so they only include extra transactions when the fees cover it. The result is that capacity expands when demand rises, while fees stay modest. The fixed block reward of 0.6 XMR (see Monero supply) means miners do not rely on high fees for income.
The fees that actually cost you money
The network fee is usually the smallest part of what you pay. Watch for these:
| Fee | Who charges it | What to check |
|---|---|---|
| Network fee | Miners | About 0.00003 XMR for a normal transaction |
| Withdrawal fee | Exchanges | Often a fixed amount far above the network fee; compare before you buy |
| Spread | Swap services and brokers | The gap between the rate you get and the market price; compare the amount you receive, not the advertised fee |
| Trading fee | Exchanges and P2P markets | A percentage of the trade |
| Card or bank fee | Card on-ramps | Card purchases often cost several per cent; see buy Monero with a card |
| Wallet fee | Some multi-coin wallets | A few wallets add their own fee to sends or built-in swaps; read the confirmation screen |
Monero fees compared with Bitcoin
Bitcoin fees depend on demand for its limited block space and can spike sharply. Monero fees depend on transaction size and have stayed in fractions of a cent to a few cents for years. A Monero transaction is larger than a simple Bitcoin one because of its privacy data, but the price per byte is low. See Monero vs Bitcoin.
How to keep fees low
- Leave priority on the lowest or automatic setting unless a payment is urgent.
- Batch payments to several people in one transaction where your wallet supports it.
- Avoid accumulating dozens of tiny incoming payments, which make future transactions bigger. Pool mining payouts at a sensible threshold.
- Compare the full cost when buying: exchange withdrawal fees and swap spreads matter far more than the network fee.
- Ignore anyone who says you must pay a "fee" to unlock or release your XMR. That is a scam (see Monero scams).
Frequently asked questions
How much is a Monero transaction fee?
Typically around 0.00003 XMR for a payment with one input and two outputs, which was about two US cents in October 2026. Larger transactions and higher priority cost more.
Does sending more XMR cost a higher fee?
No. Monero fees depend on the transaction's size in bytes and the priority you choose, not on the amount sent.
Why is my Monero fee higher than usual?
Usually because your wallet had to combine many small inputs, which makes the transaction larger, or because you chose a higher priority. Network congestion can also raise the suggested fee.
Does a higher fee unlock my XMR faster?
No. Higher priority can get a transaction into a block sooner when blocks are busy, but received funds are always locked for 10 blocks, about 20 minutes.
Who receives Monero fees?
The miner who includes the transaction in a block, on top of the fixed 0.6 XMR block reward.