Lightning vs on-chain:
when does each make sense?
Sending a small amount? Large amount? The math on when Lightning saves money vs on-chain, based on your payment size and the current fee environment.
Check current: mempool.space ↗
100 ppm = 0.01% typical. Higher for obscure routes.
BTC price as of 2026-07-01 snapshot. Edit to update.
Lightning fees vary by route and liquidityliquidityHow quickly and easily you can convert an asset to cash without significantly affecting its price.Full definition. These are typical estimates. Large Lightning payments sometimes fail due to liquidity limits on intermediate channels.
What this tool assumes
- Lightning fees are routing-dependent; 1 sat + 0.001% is a common baseline.
- On-chain fees depend on sat/vB rate and transaction weight.
Estimates only. Actual routing fees on Lightning vary widely.
HOW THIS IS CALCULATED
This tool runs entirely in your browser — no data is sent to any server. All formulas use standard financial math. Verify the methodology or inspect the source code in your browser's dev tools.