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Fees on Aztec

Every transaction on Aztec requires paying a fee. This page explains how fees work and how to get the tokens needed to pay them.

Mana: Aztec's Unit of Work​

On Ethereum, you pay for computation using "gas." On Aztec, we use "mana." Mana measures the computational effort required to process your transaction.

EthereumAztecDescription
GasManaUnit of computational work
ETH per gas$AZTEC per manaPrice per unit
Gas fee (in ETH)Fee (in $AZTEC)Total cost

What Fees Cover​

Aztec is a Layer 2 rollup on Ethereum, so fees account for costs on both layers:

  1. L1 costs - Publishing blocks and data to Ethereum
  2. L2 costs - Operating the Aztec network, including proving

Paying Fees​

The Fee Token​

Fees on Aztec are paid in $AZTEC, the native token of the network. To pay fees, you need:

  1. $AZTEC tokens bridged from Ethereum
  2. An Aztec account to hold them

Getting Fee Tokens​

On Testnet:

On Mainnet:

  • Bridge $AZTEC from Ethereum to Aztec
  • The bridging process is similar to other L2 token bridges

How Bridging Works​

The fee token is bridged from Ethereum:

  1. Lock $AZTEC on Ethereum (L1)
  2. Claim your tokens on Aztec (L2)
  3. Use them to pay transaction fees

You can even claim bridged tokens and use them to pay for the claim transaction itself.

Fee Payment Options​

Aztec offers flexible fee payment:

Pay Directly​

If you have $AZTEC, pay for your own transactions directly from your account.

Some applications pay fees on behalf of their users, enabling "free" transactions. The application covers the cost, not you.

Fee-Paying Contracts​

Specialized contracts can accept other tokens and pay fees in $AZTEC for you. This is useful if you only hold other tokens.

Understanding Your Fee​

Transaction fees have several components:

  • Base fee - Minimum cost that adjusts based on network demand
  • Priority fee - Optional tip to prioritize your transaction
  • Congestion pricing - Fees increase when the network is busy (similar to Ethereum's EIP-1559)

Tips for Lower Fees​

  • Time your transactions - Fees may be lower during off-peak times
  • Batch operations - Combine multiple actions in one transaction when possible
  • Check fee estimates - Wallets show estimated fees before you confirm
For developers

Learn how to implement fee payment in your applications in the Fees documentation.