What You’re Comparing

You can compare transfer fees across three zk Layer 2s by running the same simple transaction on each network and reading the fee estimate before confirming. The key is to keep everything identical except the L2.

Assumption: I’ll use zkSync Era, Starknet, and Scroll as examples, but the steps work for any three zk L2s.

Step‑By‑Step Fee Comparison

Pick One Token That Exists On All 3 L2s

Choose a common asset like ETH or a widely bridged stablecoin such as USDC.
Make sure you have a small amount of that token on each zk L2 in the same wallet (for example, MetaMask).
Keep balances similar so fee differences are not masked by different wallet UIs or rounding.
Connect Your Wallet To Each ZK L2

Add each network RPC in your wallet if needed (zkSync Era, Starknet, Scroll, etc.).
Switch the wallet network one by one to each zk L2.
Confirm that the token balance shows correctly on each network before proceeding.
Set Up The Same Simple Transfer On Each Network

Use the same token and send it to the same recipient address (you can use a second wallet you control).
Use the same transfer amount, for example “0.01 ETH” or “10 USDC”.
Do not confirm yet. Stop at the point where the wallet shows the estimated fee.
Read And Record The Estimated Fee

Note the fee in the native gas token (for example “0.0001 ETH”) shown for each network.
Many wallets also show an approximate fee in dollars. Write that down too, since it is easier to compare.
Repeat this on all three zk L2s within a short time window so Ethereum gas conditions are similar.
Compare Results And Repeat At Different Times

Put the three numbers side by side and see which zk L2 is cheapest for that simple transfer right now.
If you want a better picture, repeat the same procedure later in the day or during a busy period to see how sensitive each network is to Ethereum gas spikes.
Over a few checks, you will see patterns such as “Network A is consistently cheaper for transfers, Network B becomes expensive when L1 gas is high.”

What this means: You are benchmarking real user costs, not theoretical gas numbers, and you can do it safely by stopping before confirmation.

If you tell me the exact three zk L2s you care about and the token you want to test, I can help you design a simple comparison table and what patterns to watch for over time.

Confidence: Medium.