Minting costs differ most in who pays: Highlight charges collectors a 0.0008 ETH mint fee on ETH-based chains, while OpenSea's help center lists a 10% fee on primary drops, taken from the creator's sale. Manifold lets artists deploy their own contracts from open-source code, and Zora turns each post into a coin with a 1% trading fee. Developer platforms such as thirdweb and Crossmint charge per user or per action instead.
Quick answer
Manifold is the best pick for artists who want their own contract and code on GitHub. Use Highlight for auctions and generative drops across 14 networks, and thirdweb or Crossmint if you are building minting into an app.
- 01Manifold: best for artists
- 02Highlight: best for auctions and art
- 03Zora: best for coin-style posts
- 04OpenSea: best for reach
- 05thirdweb: best for developers
The 6 best NFT minting tools
Manifold lets artists mint 1 of 1s, editions and burn-to-redeem drops on contracts they own, then sell on any marketplace. Its Creator Core contracts are public on GitHub, and the company is Manifold Technologies Ltd.
- Platforms
- Web, API
- Company
- Manifold Technologies Ltd.
- Open source
- Yes, Creator Core contracts on GitHub
- Chains
- Ethereum, Base, Optimism, Shape (Client SDK)
- US availability
- Available: terms name no country restrictions
Pros
- Artists mint on their own contracts, not a shared marketplace contract
- Supports 1 of 1s, editions and burn-to-redeem drops
- Creator Core contracts public on GitHub (24 repositories)
Cons
- Fees are not stated on its home page or developer docs
- Deploying your own contract costs network gas up front
- Built for minting; its home page says you sell on any marketplace
Skip it if you want fees in writing up front: we could not find them on its home page or docs.
#2H
Best for auctions and art
Highlight supports editions, series and generative art with English, Dutch and ranked auctions on 14 mainnets. Collectors pay a 0.0008 ETH mint fee on ETH-based chains, per its public chain config.
- Chains
- Ethereum, Base, Arbitrum, Optimism, Zora and other EVM networks
- Platforms
- Web, API, CLI
- Fees
- 0.0008 ETH mint fee per mint on ETH-based chains; 1 USDC on USDC mints
- Chains
- 14 mainnets incl. Ethereum, Base, Arbitrum, Optimism, Zora, ApeChain
- US availability
- Available: terms restrict only sanctioned jurisdictions
Pros
- 14 mainnets including Ethereum, Base, Arbitrum and Zora
- English, Dutch and ranked auctions besides fixed-price mints
- CLI, TypeScript SDK and REST API for automated drops
Cons
- Collectors pay a 0.0008 ETH mint fee per mint on ETH-based chains
- Mint fee is 2.265 POL on Polygon and 3.5 MNT on Mantle
- Each collection lives on one chain
Skip it if you want collectors to pay no platform fee: the 0.0008 ETH mint fee applies to each mint.
#3Z
Best for coin-style posts
Zora turns profiles and posts into coins with a fixed 1 billion supply that trade on Uniswap V4. Creators earn a share of the 1% fee on every trade, and its protocol contracts are public on GitHub.
- Platforms
- Web, API
- Fees
- 1% on creator and content coins; 0.01% on trend coins
- Token
- ZORA
- Open source
- Yes
- Chains
- Base, Robinhood Chain and Solana
Pros
- Creators earn a share of the 1% fee on every trade of their coins
- Sniper tax of 99% decaying over 10 seconds limits launch bots
- Protocol contracts and SDKs are public on GitHub
Cons
- 1% trading fee on creator and content coins
- Half of each creator coin supply vests to the creator over 5 years
- Protocol rewards are paid in ZORA, so their value moves with that token
Skip it if you want a classic NFT edition: Zora posts become coins, with half of creator coin supply vesting over 5 years.
OpenSea runs primary drops for creators on a marketplace that lists 27 chains. Its help center lists a 10% fee on mints in a primary drop, so the reach costs a share of your sale.
- Chains
- Ethereum, Solana, Base and 27 more
- Platforms
- Web, API
- Custody
- Non-custodial
- Fees
- 1% on sales, 10% on primary-drop mints, plus collection creator fees
- Company
- Ozone Networks, Inc. (Miami, Florida)
Pros
- Supports 30 chains
- 1% marketplace fee on sales
- Collection fees exposed through a public API
Cons
- 10% fee on primary-drop mints
- Creator fees on some collections raise total cost
Skip it if you want to keep most of the mint revenue: 10% of primary drop mints goes to OpenSea.
thirdweb gives developers audited contracts, wallets and RPC across 2,500+ chains. The free tier covers the first 1,000 user wallets, and paid plans start at $99 per month.
- Chains
- EVM networks
- Platforms
- Web, API, SDK
- Pricing
- Growth $99/mo; Scale $499/mo; Pro from $1,499/mo
- Free plan
- No free plan listed; every plan includes 1,000 user wallets, 1,000 sponsored transactions, 1M RPC requests and 1 GB storage
- Chains
- 2,500+ for RPC and server wallets; 145+ for gas sponsorship
Pros
- Every plan includes 1,000 user wallets, 1,000 sponsored transactions and 1M RPC requests
- One SDK covers wallets, contracts, RPC and payments
- RPC and server wallets listed for 2,500+ chains
Cons
- Gas sponsorship covers 145+ chains, far fewer than its RPC coverage
- Pro plan starts at $1,499/mo
Skip it if you do not write code: it is a developer platform.
#6C
Best for card-paying users
Crossmint offers embedded wallets and token minting through an API, with tokenization priced from $0.01 per action. The first 1,000 monthly active wallets are free, and it lists 50+ blockchains.
- Platforms
- Web, API, SDK
- Free plan
- 1,000 monthly active wallets, up to 2,000 transactions
- Pricing
- Wallets: overage from $0.02 to $0.025 per monthly active wallet (page lists both); tokenization from $0.01 per action; ramp fees per transaction, not published
- Chains
- 50+ blockchains
- US availability
- Onramp covers all US states, including New York
Pros
- 1,000 monthly active wallets free
- Offers both custodial and non-custodial wallets
- Tokenization priced from $0.01 per action
Cons
- On-ramp and off-ramp fees are not published
- Gas sponsorship on the developer plan is capped at $50
- Developer tokenization rate limit is 100 per hour
Skip it if you need published ramp fees: Crossmint does not list them.
Not on this list
Foundation: Shut down: Foundation said in April 2026 that its marketplace is closing permanently after a planned sale to Blackdove fell through.
NFT Minting Tools compared
Select a name to jump to its review.
| Name | Best for | US availability | Fees | Chains |
|---|
| Manifold | Own contract, no code | Available: terms name no country restrictions | Free for creators; collectors pay 0.0005 ETH per claim (0.0008 ETH allowlisted), 0.00069 ETH per burn | Ethereum, Base, Optimism, Shape (Client SDK) |
|---|
| Highlight | Generative art and auctions | Available: terms restrict only sanctioned jurisdictions | 0.0008 ETH mint fee per mint on ETH-based chains; 1 USDC on USDC mints | Ethereum, Base, Arbitrum, Optimism, Zora and other EVM networks |
|---|
| Zora | Posts as tradeable coins | Available in the US: its referral program is open only to users located in the US | 1% on creator and content coins; 0.01% on trend coins | Base, Robinhood Chain and Solana |
|---|
| OpenSea | Drops in front of buyers | Available: terms restrict only sanctioned jurisdictions | 1% on sales, 10% on primary-drop mints, plus collection creator fees | Ethereum, Solana, Base and 27 more |
|---|
| thirdweb | Apps that mint for users | Available: terms restrict only sanctioned jurisdictions | Bridge swaps 0.3%; sponsored gas 2.5% surcharge on mainnets; token launches 0.5% protocol + 2% convenience fee | EVM networks |
|---|
| Crossmint | Minting for non-crypto users | Onramp covers all US states, including New York | Checkout and onramp: per-transaction convenience fee usually paid by users; rate depends on plan and volume | 50+ blockchains |
|---|
“Not verified” means we could not confirm the value on the project’s own pages.
How we rank NFT minting tools
- 01Mint fee: who pays what per mint or per drop, from the tool's own page.
- 02Contract ownership: whether the creator deploys and owns the contract, or mints on a shared one.
- 03Chains: which networks you can mint on.
- 04Sale formats: editions, auctions, burn-to-redeem and generative series.
- 05Code access: whether contracts and SDKs are public on GitHub.
No project paid to be listed or ranked. Full rules: methodology.
What we did not test
- We did not open accounts, deposit money or place trades with these services.
- We did not audit smart contracts, reserves or security claims ourselves; we report what the project and its auditors publish.
- Fees, limits and availability change; the list date shows when we last checked them.
Rubric last updated Oct 1, 2026. Crypto assets are not insured by the FDIC or SIPC, and you can lose all the money you put in. This page is educational content, not financial advice.
How to choose
01Decide who pays the fee
Highlight's 0.0008 ETH fee is paid by the collector on each mint. OpenSea's 10% primary drop fee comes out of the creator's revenue. Price your drop with the right one in mind.
02Own the contract if you plan a long career
Manifold deploys contracts you own, so your collection is not tied to one marketplace. You pay the gas to deploy it.
03Pick the chain before the tool
Highlight covers 14 mainnets, OpenSea lists 27 chains, thirdweb 2,500+. Gas on Ethereum mainnet costs more than on Base or Arbitrum.
04Developers: compare per-user pricing
thirdweb charges $0.015 per monthly active user after 1,000 free wallets; Crossmint starts at $0.02 per monthly active wallet after 1,000.
Who should skip all of these
- Collectors looking to buy NFTs: see our NFT marketplaces list.
- Anyone expecting a mint to make money: none of these tools guarantee buyers.
Bottom line
Artists should start with Manifold or Highlight; developers with thirdweb or Crossmint.
Check who pays the mint fee and who owns the contract before you launch.
Educational content, not financial advice. Crypto assets are volatile; do your own research.
FAQ
What is the cheapest way to mint an NFT?
±
Highlight's public chain config lists a 0.0008 ETH mint fee per mint on ETH-based chains, paid by collectors. Gas is extra and lower on networks such as Base than on Ethereum.
How much does OpenSea charge to mint?
±
OpenSea's help center lists a 10% fee on minting in a primary drop and a 1% fee on NFT sales, as of May 12, 2026.
Is Manifold free?
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For creators, yes: Manifold Studio charges creators nothing, and collectors pay a flat fee per mint on top of the price, 0.0005 ETH for a standard claim. Deploying your own contract costs network gas.
Can I mint NFTs without code?
±
Yes. Manifold, Highlight, Zora and OpenSea work in the browser. thirdweb and Crossmint are for developers.
What does a Manifold mint cost a collector?
±
Manifold Studio is free for creators; collectors pay a flat fee per mint on top of the creator's price. Its help center lists 0.0005 ETH for claims, 0.0008 ETH for allowlisted claims and 0.00069 ETH for burn-redeem mints, plus gas.
What changed in this list
2026-09-26First version: 6 minting tools, mint fees and chains checked on each tool's own pages.
2026-10-01Added a FAQ on Manifold's collector fees and Foundation, which announced a permanent shutdown in April 2026, to Not on this list.
Who made this page
✓
Fact check
Checked against 7 sourcesLast check: Oct 1, 2026
A value we could not confirm on the project’s own pages is marked “Not verified” instead of estimated.
How we review