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Neither Solana nor Ethereum is better for every user: Solana is a strong fit when you want low-cost interactions and high observed throughput on one chain, while Ethereum’s fees and user experience depend on whether you mean mainnet or a particular Layer 2 (L2). For DeFi, choose by the specific app, its liquidity on the exact network, the cost of the action when you make it, and the network’s settlement and withdrawal assumptions—not by a chain-wide slogan.
The comparison below separates Ethereum mainnet from Ethereum L2s, explains what fee and throughput figures do (and do not) tell you, and gives you a practical way to decide for a particular DeFi transaction.
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| Name | Best for | Key spec | Checked |
|---|---|---|---|
| Solana | Users prioritizing low-cost interactions and high observed throughput on a single chain | 1,303.46 average TPS in 2026 Q1, as reported by Ambrosia and Mizrach | November 2026 |
| Ethereum mainnet | Users whose application or position specifically needs mainnet execution and settlement | 25.78 average TPS in 2026 Q1, as reported by Ambrosia and Mizrach | November 2026 |
| Ethereum L2s (aggregate) | Users whose app is available on a suitable L2 and who accept that network’s settlement and withdrawal model | 226.92 average TPS across Ethereum L2s in 2026 Q1, as reported by Ambrosia and Mizrach | November 2026 |
These are historical averages from one peer-reviewed study, not guarantees, capacity limits, or live readings. The L2 figure is an aggregate, not a speed rating for any individual rollup. The study covers selected transaction data from January 2024 through March 2026; its counts do not establish that every counted transaction represents the same amount of economic activity. Ambrosia and Mizrach’s study provides the methodology and context.
Use the table as orientation, not as a purchasing decision. A network can show high aggregate throughput while the particular application you need has little liquidity, and a low fee on one operation does not mean every operation has the same cost. The relevant unit is your transaction on a named network at a stated time.
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What does “Ethereum” mean in this comparison?
It can mean Ethereum mainnet alone, or the broader Ethereum ecosystem that includes separate Layer 2 networks. Those are different comparisons: mainnet is Ethereum’s settlement layer, while each L2 offers its own execution environment, fees, bridge and withdrawal behavior, and security assumptions.
An L2 can make execution less expensive or increase throughput, but “Ethereum L2” is not a single network with one user experience. The fee you pay is the fee on the particular chain where your transaction executes. The way that network relies on Ethereum, and the steps or delays involved in moving funds back to mainnet, also vary. Ethereum.org notes that L2 safety depends on the underlying technology, smart-contract security, and network maturity, and that there is no single official Ethereum L2. See its overview of Ethereum Layer 2 before treating an L2 as interchangeable with mainnet.
So, when someone says “Ethereum is expensive” or “Ethereum is fast,” ask whether they mean mainnet or a named L2—and what transaction they are discussing. A comparison that lumps every L2 together can hide important differences for a DeFi user.
Moving assets between these environments is also part of the choice. You may need a bridge or another transfer route to fund an L2, and a return to mainnet can involve a different process from the initial deposit. Confirm the supported assets, destination network, and withdrawal procedure before committing funds; an execution fee alone does not describe the full cost or operational experience.
Is Solana cheaper than Ethereum?
Often, Solana can be attractive for low-cost interactions, but there is no permanently valid dollar-price comparison. Solana charges in SOL using a base fee and, optionally, a priority fee; Ethereum charges in gas, with the final cost affected by gas consumed, the base fee, and the priority tip. The actual cost depends on the network, the operation, and conditions when the transaction is sent.
Solana’s fee documentation sets the base fee at 5,000 lamports per signature. A transaction may also include a priority fee, calculated from the compute-unit price and requested compute-unit limit. Every Solana transaction fee is paid in SOL. The 5,000-lamport figure is a protocol unit, not a stable amount in dollars: converting it requires a dated SOL price, and a transaction’s signature count matters. A priority fee can also change the total.
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The signature detail matters when comparing operations. A transaction that requires more signatures has a larger base-fee component, while the requested compute-unit limit and price affect the optional priority component. Treat the documented 5,000-lamport amount as a formula input rather than as a promise that every DeFi action costs exactly that amount.
On Ethereum, a transaction pays for computational work measured in gas. The fee is based on gas used multiplied by the gas price. The protocol base fee adjusts with demand in previous blocks; a user-set priority fee, or tip, can influence inclusion. More computation means more gas, and a busier block environment can make inclusion more expensive. Ethereum burns the base fee and pays the priority tip to the validator. The Ethereum gas and fees guide explains the components.
That means a simple transfer and a DeFi swap are not fair comparison units unless the same type of action is measured on each chain. A swap may require more computation than a basic transfer, and applications can differ in the work their transactions require. For a useful real-time comparison, record the exact action, the exact chain (including the L2 name if relevant), and the time. A generic claim such as “one chain costs X” is not a reliable quote.
Also account for costs around the transaction. Funding an L2, bridging assets, or withdrawing to mainnet can involve separate transactions and fees. A route that looks cheapest for the swap itself may not be cheapest once the complete in-and-out path is included. Compare the whole task when you know you will move assets between networks.
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Scan for outdated or missing drivers - takes under a minuteDriver Scan →Clear out junk files and repair common Windows errorsFree Scan →Historical fee research is useful for context but should not be mistaken for today’s fee. In a study analyzing January 2024 to March 2026, Ambrosia and Mizrach report that Ethereum mainnet median fees declined from more than $2 to less than $0.02 over that period. Their reported median for Ethereum L2s fell from $0.05 to $0.0015, a decline of more than 95%. These are study-period results—not current quotes, predictions, or a guarantee about a particular app or L2. Read the study’s scope and findings alongside any fee estimate.
Is Solana faster than Ethereum?
Solana had higher observed average throughput than Ethereum mainnet and Ethereum L2s in the cited study’s 2026 Q1 data. That does not mean a user’s transaction will always confirm faster, or that the throughput figures are guaranteed network capacity. Throughput, block or slot cadence, transaction inclusion, wallet acknowledgment, and protocol finality are different measures.
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Ambrosia and Mizrach report average daily throughput for 2026 Q1 of 1,303.46 TPS on Solana, 25.78 TPS on Ethereum mainnet, and 226.92 TPS across Ethereum L2 networks. TPS means transactions per second, but the figures are observed averages based on the study’s transaction dataset and grouping. They are not a controlled comparison of identical swaps, nor do they show how quickly a particular transaction will complete. The aggregate L2 figure also cannot tell you which individual L2 is faster for your use.
Averages can hide busy periods and quiet periods. They also combine transactions that may differ in computation and economic purpose. Use them to understand historical activity at a broad level, then check the current transaction status, fee estimate, and application conditions for the action you actually intend to submit.
Ethereum proof-of-stake organizes time into 12-second slots and epochs of 32 slots. A proposer is selected for each slot. Those protocol timings do not mean every transaction is included in exactly one slot, and inclusion is not the same thing as finality. A wallet’s quick acknowledgment or a transaction appearing in a block is not, by itself, proof that it has reached protocol finality. See Ethereum.org’s proof-of-stake explanation for the slot and epoch model.
For a user, the practical question is not just “How many transactions per second can this network process?” It is “How long until this exact action is usable for my purpose, and what level of confirmation do I need?” A transaction that needs to settle a position, support a time-sensitive trade, or precede another transaction may make confirmation and finality distinctions more consequential than a headline TPS figure.
Which is better for DeFi?
Neither chain wins DeFi universally. The better choice is the exact network where the protocol you want is available, the liquidity is suitable for your trade or position, transaction costs are acceptable at the time, and you are comfortable with that network’s execution and settlement assumptions.
Use this checklist before moving funds or submitting a transaction:
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- Find the exact application and network. Confirm that the protocol supports the chain you intend to use. An application available on one network is not automatically available on another.
- Check usable liquidity for your action. Look at the relevant market or pool on that network, not just the chain’s general reputation. Liquidity that is adequate for a small trade may not be adequate for a larger one; the actual trade size and route matter.
- Compare the same operation’s estimated cost. Check the same type of transaction—such as the same swap route—on Solana, Ethereum mainnet, or the specific L2 you are considering. Take the estimate close to the time you plan to act, since fees change with network conditions.
- Understand the path funds will take. If using an L2, establish how funds arrive there and what process is required to withdraw or return them to mainnet. The relevant bridge, withdrawal behavior, and any associated wait or operational requirements are network-specific.
- Review the network’s assumptions. For an L2, investigate its technology, smart-contract security, maturity, and reliance on Ethereum. “Built on Ethereum” does not erase the differences among L2s.
- Decide what confirmation you need. Do not treat a wallet message or quick inclusion as equivalent to finality. Consider the consequence of acting on an unfinalized transaction for the task at hand.
For one user, Solana may be the sensible choice if the desired DeFi app has suitable liquidity there and lower transaction costs are a priority. Another user may prefer an L2 because the target application and market are there and its withdrawal and security model are acceptable. A mainnet transaction may make sense where the particular application or position calls for mainnet. Those are conditional decisions, not a chain-wide DeFi ranking.
Application availability can change independently on each network. Verify the protocol’s own supported-network list and make sure the token contract, pool, and wallet network all match. Sending an asset to the wrong network or using an unsupported contract can create an operational problem that a favorable TPS number cannot solve.
Should you compare DeFi by total value locked?
Not by itself. Total value locked (TVL) is only useful when the measurement has a clear date and scope, and it does not tell you whether the specific market or pool you plan to use has enough liquidity for your transaction.
Ethereum mainnet and “Ethereum plus L2s” are different scopes; comparing one against Solana without saying which scope is used can mislead. A chain-level TVL figure also does not answer questions about a particular protocol, asset pair, trade size, or execution route. If you consult live dashboards such as Ethereum’s and Solana’s, capture values on the same date and state precisely what is included. No same-date, comparable TVL ranking is asserted here.
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For a decision you are making now, examine the actual protocol and market rather than using a single aggregate number as a proxy for every DeFi use. A broad metric can provide context; it cannot establish that a trade will have acceptable liquidity, cost, or execution on a given network.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.How should you make the choice for a specific transaction?
Start with the app and action, then compare networks that can actually support them. This avoids choosing a chain from a general speed or fee claim and discovering later that the intended protocol, market, or withdrawal route does not fit.
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- Write down the job. Identify the protocol, asset pair or position, approximate transaction, and whether it is time-sensitive.
- List eligible networks. Include Solana, Ethereum mainnet, and only the specific Ethereum L2s where that application and market are available.
- Compare the same task at the same time. Check the estimated fee for the intended operation on each candidate network. Keep the network name and observation time with the estimate; do not compare a current quote on one chain to an undated figure for another.
- Check the market, not just the chain. Confirm that the relevant market has liquidity for your intended trade or position. A high chain-wide TPS figure does not establish market depth.
- Account for moving in and out. For an L2, include the path for funding it and withdrawing from it in your decision. An execution fee is only one part of the experience if you need to move funds between networks.
- Make the trade-off explicit. Choose the network that meets your application, liquidity, fee, and settlement requirements. If none does, reconsider the route or timing rather than assuming a chain label solves the problem.
This approach also helps keep changing data in perspective. A fee estimate is a snapshot; the study’s 2026 Q1 TPS figures and its 2024–2026 median-fee trend are historical evidence, not live network conditions. Recheck the transaction and network details when you are ready to act.
Self-custody hardware: useful, but not a chain upgrade
A hardware wallet can be a sensible optional tool if you already intend to hold assets yourself. Ethereum.org describes a hardware wallet as an offline device for keeping crypto, and Ledger’s supported-assets page lists both ETH and SOL among assets supported by its Nano hardware-wallet line. Confirm current model-level support, wallet software compatibility, and availability before buying.
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A hardware wallet does not lower Solana or Ethereum fees, make either network faster, guarantee recovery, or make a DeFi protocol safe. You still need to verify the destination network, application permissions, transaction details, and recovery process. Keep this purchase separate from the fee and throughput decision: it addresses key custody, not execution performance.
Common comparison mistakes
- Using one dollar fee as a permanent rule. Fees vary with the operation, network conditions, asset price, and, on Solana, signatures and priority settings.
- Comparing mainnet with an unnamed L2. Name the exact L2 and include its bridge, withdrawal, and security assumptions.
- Treating TPS as user latency. Throughput averages do not specify inclusion or finality for your transaction.
- Using chain-wide TVL as market depth. Check the exact pool, pair, trade size, and route.
- Ignoring the complete asset path. Funding and withdrawing can add operational steps and separate fees.
- Assuming a hardware wallet changes protocol risk. It protects keys when used correctly but does not validate contracts or guarantee transaction success.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does the 2026 Q1 TPS comparison predict how quickly my swap will finish?
No. It reports average throughput for a study-defined transaction dataset, not a completion-time promise for a specific swap. Your transaction’s inclusion and the confirmation or finality you need are separate from a network-wide average.
Does the aggregate Ethereum L2 TPS figure apply to every L2?
No. It combines L2 activity for the study’s analysis and cannot be used as an individual network’s measured speed. Check the particular L2 and application relevant to your transaction.
Can I use the study’s historical Ethereum fee reductions as a quote today?
No. The reductions describe median fees over the study’s January 2024–March 2026 window, not a live fee estimate. Check the current estimate for the exact operation and network before transacting.
Is Ethereum’s 12-second slot the same as transaction finality?
No. A slot is part of Ethereum’s proof-of-stake timing structure; it does not mean every transaction is included in one slot or finalized at that moment. Inclusion, a wallet’s acknowledgment, and protocol finality are distinct.
Is Solana always cheaper than Ethereum?
No. Solana’s 5,000-lamport base fee per signature is a protocol unit, and priority fees can apply. Ethereum costs depend on gas used, the base fee, and the priority tip. Compare the same operation on named networks at the same time.
The Bottom Line
Bottom line: Solana is often compelling for low-cost activity and high observed single-chain throughput. Ethereum mainnet is a settlement layer, while each L2 offers a distinct execution and withdrawal experience. For DeFi, choose the named network where your application, liquidity, current fee, and acceptable settlement and security assumptions line up.
