Since we wrote the article about How does OpenSea Make Money, we got many messages asking about one paragraph from that article.
“However, on OpenSea, you don’t pay this gas fee until your NFT is sold.”
But how is it possible that you don’t have to pay anything to create and sell NFTs? It might cause some trouble understanding this since NFTs are supposed to be minted to the blockchain, which ensures it can’t be copied.
We decided to write this article to explain how you can mint an NFT absolutely for free on OpenSea. No gas fees or hidden fees whatsoever.
Also, it is worth mentioning that this is not just a Matic chain thing or a thing on other smaller chains. This can be done on the Ethereum network.
But without further ado, let’s take a look at how to sell on OpenSea for free, without any minting and other fees.
How does free selling on OpenSea work
You are not signing your soul to the devil, nor does anyone else pay these fees for you.
But let’s look back at the beginning. At the beginning of 2021, OpenSea introduced its new minting system. Before that, when minting NFTs, you had to pay gas fees to get your artwork written to the blockchain.
And given that Ethereum was and still is the largest chain where Non-Fungible Token trading takes place, fees wouldn’t miss you. As high as sometimes in the hundreds of dollars.
The problem wasn’t only in high gas fees. But also, many NFTs have been minted, consuming a lot of electricity, without ever being sold. Straight waste of money for everyone.
And there is where OpenSea came up with the idea of free minting. What if NFTs weren’t minted immediately but only after they were sold?
The new system, called lazy minting, allows you to mint NFT on OpenSea for free, without any up-front gas cost, as NFT isn’t transferred to the blockchain until the first sale takes place.
Can’t be my NFT stolen since it is not minted to blockchain OpenSea?
Not at all. The details you enter when creating a new NFT collection, including your crypto address, are stored in the Token’s ID. Thus, even before it is minted, it contains your data, and no one is able to copy it. It’s a really well-designed system.
And the best part? Even before your NFTs exist on-chain, you can sell them on any other platform. The Smart Contract returns the correct details and conforms to the ERC-1155 standard so they can be sold and transferred off-platform.
How to Create NFTs on OpenSea for Free
1. Connect your wallet to OpenSea
First, you’ll need to connect your wallet to the website.
Either type in the URL or search for OpenSea on Google (or another search engine you use). Alternatively, you can get there by using this link: https://opensea.io/.
Tap on that little wallet icon in the top right and choose your appropriate option.
You’ll have to approve the connection a few times during the process. We would recommend a MetaMask wallet, for that matter.
If you need any help with the process, you can visit our guide on How to Connect MetaMask to OpenSea.
2. Create an OpenSea collection
NFTs on OpenSea must be included in a collection. That way, you can group similar artworks.
To create a new collection, tap on your profile icon in the top right, click “My Collections,” then Create.
3. Fill in Collection Details
Here is where the most critical information takes place. The crucial thing you have to get right is your logo, featured image, banner, and the collection’s name.
The dimensions included on the OpenSea website are not ideal. We have made a comprehensive guide on how to make the perfect OpenSea banner, which explains why. But to put it simply, it is mainly because the recommended size is only optimized for desktop devices.
You can visit the article and find out more. The article also contains a downloadable Template!
4. Create your Collection
As you can see, you won’t be asked to pay any fees whatsoever. It is that simple. And in a very similar way, you can also create NFTs for free.
Conclusion
Since OpenSea introduced lazy minting, everything became really simple. You no longer need any ETH in your wallet to actually start your career as an NFT creator, as you can mint and sell NFTs for free.
Or, if this marketplace doesn’t suit you, you can take a look at the best Marketplaces on Avalanche.
Read Further
The Perfect OpenSea Banner Size + Template for Download
How To Connect Metamask Wallet To OpenSea