How to Buy NFTs Without Gas Fees: The Cheapest Ways to Start | by Pooja | Feb, 2025

The world of NFTs has opened up exciting opportunities for collectors, investors, and creators. However, one of the biggest barriers to entry is the often-high gas fees associated with blockchain transactions. If you’re looking for the cheapest ways to start, this guide will show you how to buy NFTs without gas fees.

Gas fees are transaction costs required to process operations on blockchain networks like Ethereum. These fees fluctuate based on network congestion, and during peak times, they can become quite expensive. Fortunately, there are several ways to avoid or significantly reduce these fees when purchasing NFTs.

Some NFT marketplaces operate on blockchains with minimal or zero gas fees. Consider the following platforms:

• Immutable X: A layer-2 solution for Ethereum that offers gas-free NFT transactions.
• Polygon-based Marketplaces: Platforms like OpenSea and Rarible allow NFT purchases on Polygon, which has negligible fees.
• Tezos Marketplaces: Platforms like Hic et Nunc and Objkt use the Tezos blockchain, known for low transaction costs.

Ethereum isn’t the only blockchain supporting NFTs. Other blockchains with lower fees include:

• Solana: Fast transactions with fees that are fractions of a cent.
• Binance Smart Chain (BSC): Offers NFT transactions with much lower fees than Ethereum.
• Avalanche: A growing ecosystem with efficient and low-cost transactions.

Layer-2 solutions are built on top of Ethereum and help reduce costs. Examples include:

• Immutable X: Offers instant trades with zero gas fees.
• Optimism and Arbitrum: Emerging Ethereum scaling solutions that offer cheaper transactions.

If you’re interested in minting NFTs, some platforms offer free minting options:

• Lazy Minting: OpenSea and Rarible allow you to create NFTs without upfront gas costs. The buyer pays the gas fee upon purchase.
• Tezos and Solana: Offer low-cost minting compared to Ethereum.

If you’re using Ethereum, you can reduce gas fees by transacting during off-peak hours. Tools like Etherscan Gas Tracker help you determine the best time to buy NFTs at the lowest cost.

Some marketplaces allow purchases via credit cards or fiat payment options, bypassing gas fees altogether. Platforms like Nifty Gateway and NBA Top Shot enable users to buy NFTs with traditional payment methods.

NFTs don’t have to be expensive to acquire. By choosing the right blockchain, using gas-free marketplaces, leveraging Layer-2 solutions, and taking advantage of lazy minting, you can start collecting NFTs without worrying about high gas fees. Now that you know how to buy NFTs without gas fees, you can explore the digital art and collectibles space without breaking the bank!