How Bitcoin network fees work
The fee depends on transaction space and the chosen fee rate, not simply on how much bitcoin you send.
Fee rate and total fee are different
A fee rate is the amount paid for each virtual byte of transaction space, written as sat/vB. The total fee depends on both that rate and the transaction’s virtual size. Bitcoin Core reports virtual size separately from ordinary byte size; use the virtual size when comparing rates.
A small worked example
Imagine a 140-vB transaction at 5 sat/vB: 140 × 5 = 700 satoshis, or 0.00000700 BTC. Its cash value depends on the exchange rate. At the same rate, a 280-vB transaction costs twice as much. These are made-up examples, not a current fee quote.
Before sending, check the whole quote
Use UTXOHub’s Fees page to compare current estimates, then review the wallet’s total fee before you approve a payment. More inputs or outputs can mean more transaction space. A higher fee rate can improve the chance of earlier inclusion, but demand changes and blocks do not arrive on a fixed schedule. For related unconfirmed transactions, miners can consider the package’s fees and sizes together; neither an individual nor a package fee rate guarantees selection.
Compare current Bitcoin feesWhy UTXOs affect the feeWhy a withdrawal charge can differ
An exchange’s withdrawal fee can follow its own pricing policy. It may also combine several withdrawals into one Bitcoin transaction. The network fee shown by the explorer belongs to that entire transaction, so it is not necessarily the charge shown on your withdrawal receipt. Check the sending service’s breakdown.
Check a lower-than-expected receiptIf you have already sent it
For an unconfirmed transaction, check whether your wallet offers a supported fee increase. Review the new total fee, receiving address and amount before signing a replacement. Once a transaction is confirmed, changing a wallet fee setting will not change the fee already paid.
How to speed up a stuck transactionReferences
- Bitcoin Core, “decoderawtransaction (30.0.0 RPC)”.
- Bitcoin.org, “Frequently Asked Questions”.
- Bitcoin Core, “Package Mempool Accept”.
- Coinbase Help, “Coinbase pricing and fees disclosures”.
- Bitcoin Core, “bumpfee (30.0.0 RPC)”.