How to use a gas fee tracker to set and check a fee
A gas fee tracker shows base fees and priority fees. Enter those in your wallet and check the total before you sign. On Ethereum, gas is paid in ether.
Vahe HakobyanEditor-in-chief
Updated Oct 6, 20263 min readFact-checked
On this page
- The base fee is burned; the priority fee is a tip.
- A failed transaction still costs its fee.
- A tracker only reads public data, so it does not need your keys.
Gas measures the work a transaction needs on Ethereum. A tracker shows what the network charges now, and your wallet is where you set the fee.
What a gas fee tracker shows
Most trackers open on Ethereum, which went live on 30 July 2015, so pick your network first. Other chains use a different fee system and their own token.
- Base fee: the minimum a valid transaction pays, set by the protocol and burned.
- Priority fee: the tip that brings validators to your transaction.
- Confirmation estimate: a rough wait at that fee.
Step by step: setting the fee
A tracker suggests a range, and you choose where inside it to land. When the network is busy, the tip has to be higher for the same speed.
- 1Open your send screenFill in the address and amount first, then find the fee settings.
- 2Turn on custom gasSelect the advanced or custom option in your wallet to reveal the fee fields.
- 3Enter the priority feeType the tip the tracker shows for your speed.
- 4Set your maximum feeSet it above the base fee plus the tip, or the transaction will not execute.
- 5Check before you signConfirm the network, the address, and the maximum fee, then sign.
How to avoid fake trackers
Fake trackers copy real ones and reach you through search ads, forum posts, and chat links. A real tracker only reads public data and does not need your keys.
After the transaction: records and safety
The IRS treats cryptocurrency as property, so selling it or trading it for another token is taxable at the dollar value that day. Buying crypto with dollars is not.
Frequently asked questions
No. Most follow Ethereum's fee model, and other chains use their own token for gas.
No. The estimate reflects demand when you looked, and the base fee can change before inclusion.
Yes. Most run in a mobile browser, and your wallet shows its own estimate too.
Validators are less likely to include it, so it can confirm late or not at all.
