Claude versus Grok - How to mint NFTs with no fees
- Kevin Carney
- Mar 10
- 7 min read
Updated: Mar 10
"Save yourself a fortune. I've spent millions on web designers and developers over the years. Now I use Wix Studio."
How to mint NFTs with no fees
I am in the process of creating non-fungible tokens (NFTs) for a customer of mine that has many artistic pieces. Given the volume of pieces I will be creating, I would like to avoid upfront costs in the minting process. I asked both Claude and Grok for a recommendation.
See below for their proposals. I personally prefer the detail and stepped process in Grok’s response. I also appreciate that Grok provided a recommendation and final tips. Nice work Grok...
(PS - Reach out if you need a shop to mint NFTs for you.)
Claude, you are a Web 3 expert. I am trying to create NFTs that I can sell online. The problem is that I don't want to pay any fees upfront. I would rather have the buyer pay for the minting. I also would prefer to sell in Ether. It doesn't seem like I can do this on Opensea.io. I am being charged a gas fee of around $4.50 to create a contract. What do you recommend I do?
CLAUDE
You're right that creating NFTs often comes with upfront costs, especially on Ethereum. Let me walk you through some options that might work better for your situation.
For lazy minting (where the buyer pays the gas fees):
1. Rarible - They offer lazy minting where NFTs aren't written to the blockchain until someone purchases them. The buyer pays the gas fees at the time of purchase.
2. Mintable - They have a "gasless" minting option that lets you create NFTs without paying gas fees upfront. The NFT is minted when someone buys it.
3. OpenSea's Collection Manager - While you mentioned a $4.50 contract creation fee, OpenSea does have a lazy minting option for their standard collections that doesn't require upfront gas fees for individual NFTs. The first-time setup fee you're seeing is for creating the collection.
If you specifically want to sell in Ether while avoiding upfront costs:
· Polygon on OpenSea - This is a layer 2 solution with much lower gas fees. You can create NFTs for free and still sell them for ETH, though they'll technically be on the Polygon network.
· Immutable X - Another layer 2 solution with zero gas fees that supports ETH payments.
· LooksRare - They offer lazy minting and allow selling in ETH.
The trade-off with many of these platforms is that you might face higher marketplace fees upon sale compared to platforms where you pay gas upfront. Would any of these options work for your needs?
Grok, you are a Web 3 expert. I am trying to create NFTs that I can sell online. The problem is that I don't want to pay any fees upfront. I would rather have the buyer pay for the minting. I also would prefer to sell in Ether. It doesn't seem like I can do this on Opensea.io. I am being charged a gas fee of around $4.50 to create a contract. What do you recommend I do?
GROK
As a Web3 expert, I can guide you toward options that align with your goals: creating NFTs with no upfront fees, having the buyer pay for minting, and selling in Ether. While OpenSea is a popular platform, its current setup might not fully meet your needs due to the gas fee you're encountering. Let’s break this down and explore your options as of March 10, 2025.
Understanding the OpenSea Situation
OpenSea supports a feature called "lazy minting," which allows creators to list NFTs without paying upfront gas fees for minting. With lazy minting, the NFT isn’t fully minted on the Ethereum blockchain until a buyer purchases it, at which point the buyer typically covers the gas fee for the minting transaction. This sounds like it matches your preference perfectly—except you’re seeing a $4.50 gas fee to "create a contract." This fee likely stems from one of two scenarios:
Initial Account Setup or Collection Approval: If this is your first time listing an NFT or creating a new collection on OpenSea using Ethereum, you might be prompted to pay a one-time gas fee to initialize your account or approve the collection’s smart contract. This is a standard Ethereum blockchain transaction cost, not the minting itself, and it’s required to enable trading permissions between your wallet and OpenSea.
Custom Contract Deployment: If you’re deploying your own smart contract (e.g., via OpenSea Studio’s tools for a custom NFT drop), you’ll incur a gas fee for that deployment, even with lazy minting, because it’s a separate on-chain action.
If this $4.50 fee is a one-time setup cost, you could proceed with OpenSea—after this, lazy minting should allow you to list NFTs gas-free until sold, with buyers paying the minting gas in Ether. However, if this fee applies per NFT or collection and you want to avoid any upfront costs, let’s explore alternatives.
Recommended Solutions
Here are your best options to achieve zero upfront fees, buyer-paid minting, and sales in Ether:
1. OpenSea with Polygon (Layer 2 Solution)
Why It Works: OpenSea supports the Polygon blockchain (a Layer 2 scaling solution for Ethereum), which offers gas-free minting and listing for creators. Buyers still pay minimal gas fees in Ether (wrapped as WETH on Polygon) when purchasing, but these fees are negligible (often less than $0.01) due to Polygon’s efficiency.
How to Do It:
Go to OpenSea.io, log in, and click your profile picture.
Select "My Collections" > "Create a Collection."
In the blockchain dropdown, choose "Polygon" instead of Ethereum.
Upload your NFT details (image, name, etc.) and list it—no gas fees will be charged to you.
When sold, the buyer pays the tiny Polygon gas fee, and you receive payment in WETH (convertible to ETH).
Pros: No upfront costs, still uses Ether ecosystem, huge OpenSea audience.
Cons: Polygon’s marketplace is less trafficked than Ethereum’s, and WETH requires conversion to ETH if you want mainnet Ether.
2. Rarible with Lazy Minting on Ethereum
Why It Works: Rarible, another major NFT marketplace, also supports lazy minting on Ethereum. Like OpenSea, it defers the minting gas fee to the buyer, and sales can occur in Ether. Rarible’s setup typically avoids upfront fees for listing after initial account setup.
How to Do It:
Visit Rarible.com and connect your Ethereum wallet (e.g., MetaMask).
Click "Create" and choose "Single" or "Multiple."
Check the "Free Minting" (lazy minting) option—this ensures no gas fee until sold.
List your NFT; the buyer pays the Ethereum gas fee upon purchase.
Pros: Stays on Ethereum mainnet, sales in Ether, no upfront minting fees.
Cons: You might face a one-time gas fee for account initialization (similar to OpenSea), though it’s often lower or avoidable if you’ve already interacted with Rarible’s contracts elsewhere.
KC - I chose the above method and minted "Traitor Joe by the Artist KC" with no fees period.
3. Mint on Polygon, Bridge to Ethereum (Hybrid Approach)
Why It Works: You can mint NFTs for free on Polygon via platforms like OpenSea or Showtime, then bridge them to Ethereum mainnet for sale. This shifts the gas cost to the bridging step, which you could delay until a sale is secured, or even have buyers handle via a custom process.
How to Do It:
Mint your NFT gas-free on Polygon through OpenSea (as above).
Use the Polygon Bridge (wallet.polygon.technology) to transfer the NFT to Ethereum mainnet when ready to sell.
List it on OpenSea’s Ethereum marketplace.
Pros: Free minting upfront, full Ethereum exposure for sales in ETH.
Cons: Bridging incurs a gas fee (paid by you or potentially passed to a buyer via a sale agreement), and it adds complexity.
4. Other Platforms with Lazy Minting
Mintable: Offers a "gasless minting" option where the buyer pays the Ethereum gas fee upon purchase. It’s less popular than OpenSea but viable.
How to Do It: Sign up at Mintable.app, select "Mint an Item," choose the gasless option, and list in Ether.
Pros: Simple, no upfront fees, Ether-based.
Cons: Smaller audience, less liquidity.
My Recommendation
Given your preference for Ether and zero upfront fees, start with OpenSea on Polygon. It’s the easiest, most cost-effective way to avoid upfront gas fees while staying within the Ethereum ecosystem. The $4.50 fee you’re seeing on OpenSea’s Ethereum side is likely a one-time setup cost, but if you switch to Polygon, you’ll bypass this entirely for both minting and listing. Your NFTs will still sell for WETH (easily convertible to ETH), and buyers handle the negligible Polygon gas fees.
If Polygon’s lower visibility bothers you, test Rarible’s lazy minting on Ethereum next—confirm whether the initial setup fee applies to you (it might not if your wallet has prior approvals). Either way, you’ll avoid upfront minting costs, and buyers will cover the gas.
Final Tips
Timing: Ethereum gas fees fluctuate. If you stick with Ethereum and face setup fees, check gas prices via ETH Gas Station and transact when they’re low (e.g., weekends or off-peak hours).
Wallet Prep: Ensure your wallet (e.g., MetaMask) has a tiny amount of ETH (~$5) for any unexpected one-time approvals, even if minting itself is free.
Market Research: Polygon NFTs sell, but Ethereum mainnet has more buyers. Weigh visibility vs. cost savings.
Let me know if you need step-by-step help setting this up or analyzing a specific platform!.
---
Thanks for your mindshare.
-KC
"Save yourself a fortune. I've spent millions on web designers and developers over the years. Now I use Wix Studio."
