Gas Priority Fee Calculator
Ethereum's EIP-1559 fee model splits the gas price into a base fee that is burned and a priority fee (tip) that goes to the validator, all subject to the max fee per gas you are willing to pay. This calculator combines the base fee, your priority fee, your max fee cap, and the gas units used to show the effective per-gas fee, the tip portion, and the total transaction cost in ETH.
EIP-1559 fee formula
Per-gas fee = min(base fee + priority fee, max fee)
Effective tip = per-gas fee - base fee
Total fee (ETH) = per-gas fee * gas units / 1,000,000,000
Total tip (ETH) = effective tip * gas units / 1,000,000,000
The base fee is burned and the effective tip is paid to the validator. If the base fee plus your priority fee exceeds your max fee, the tip is squeezed so the total per-gas fee equals the max fee.
Reading the result
- The effective fee per gas is what every unit of gas actually costs.
- The effective tip is the portion the validator keeps after the burned base fee.
- Total fee in ETH is the per-gas fee times the gas units, converted from gwei.
- A standard ETH transfer uses 21,000 gas; contract calls use more.
Priority fees: frequently asked questions
What is a priority fee?
Under Ethereum's EIP-1559 fee model, the priority fee (or tip) is paid directly to the validator on top of the base fee. The base fee is burned, while the priority fee incentivizes the validator to include your transaction sooner. A higher priority fee generally means faster inclusion when the network is busy.
How is the total fee per gas calculated?
The fee you actually pay per unit of gas is the base fee plus your priority fee, capped at your max fee per gas. If the base fee plus tip exceeds your max fee, the tip is reduced so the total never exceeds your cap. This calculator shows the effective per-gas fee and the total in ETH.
What is a gwei?
A gwei is one billionth of an ether (1 ETH = 1,000,000,000 gwei). Gas prices are quoted in gwei because the per-gas amounts are very small. The calculator multiplies the per-gas fee in gwei by the gas units, then divides by one billion to express the total in ETH.
Why does my actual fee sometimes differ?
The base fee changes block by block with network demand, and the gas units a transaction consumes can vary slightly depending on its execution path. This tool estimates the cost from the values you enter at one moment; confirm the live base fee and your wallet's gas estimate before sending.
Sources and method
- The fee split follows the EIP-1559 specification: base fee plus priority fee capped at max fee, with gas cost equal to per-gas fee times gas units. It is a deterministic identity; all inputs are user-editable.
- Ethereum Foundation: Gas and fees documentation.
Reviewed by the CalculatorHub team, edited by James Graham, 19 June 2026. See our methodology.