I just recently revisited the question of how much it actually costs to sell and mint an NFT. The costs are not easy to overview because several factors come into play.

The first thing you need to understand: Gas fees are often the biggest chunk. If you want to mint on Ethereum, you pay fees to the miners who process your transaction. These costs can become quite hefty, especially when the network is congested. Depending on how busy the chain is, these fees can vary massively – sometimes moderate, sometimes extremely high.

Then come the platform fees. Most NFT marketplaces take a cut from the sale. OpenSea and Rarible typically charge 3 percent, while others like SuperRare or KnownOrigin ask for significantly more – sometimes up to 10 percent. This is an important point when calculating the costs of selling an NFT.

What many underestimate: The actual costs depend heavily on which platform you use and how complex your NFT is. Some marketplaces offer cheaper alternatives if you're willing to work on other blockchains. Ethereum is expensive, but not the only option.

If you really want to save, it’s worth checking the gas prices and minting at a cheaper time. And beforehand, you should definitely compare which platform makes the most sense for selling your NFT. The fee structures vary considerably, and that can make a big difference in the end.