Comparison

Launch Fees 2025: A Complete Analysis of Solana Token Launch Costs

Launching a token involves more than an initial fee. This 2025 analysis compares total costs across platforms, examining upfront launch costs, creator revenue models, and ongoing holder rewards. The true expense is often found in the long-term fee structure, not the initial deposit.

TL;DR

•Upfront launch fees vary from 0 SOL to 1+ SOL, but initial cost is rarely the primary financial factor.
•The critical cost is the ongoing revenue model: most platforms take 100% of trade fees, leaving creators with zero.
•Some platforms, like Spawned, share revenue (0.30% to creator, 0.30% to holders) and include an AI website builder to offset costs.
•Post-graduation fees can be a permanent 1% tax; platforms using Token-2022 can enforce this in perpetuity.
•Choosing a platform is a cost-benefit analysis: higher initial investment can lead to sustainable, long-term project funding.

Quick Comparison

Upfront launch fees vary from 0 SOL to 1+ SOL, but initial cost is rarely the primary financial factor.

The critical cost is the ongoing revenue model: most platforms take 100% of trade fees, leaving creators with zero.

Some platforms, like Spawned, share revenue (0.30% to creator, 0.30% to holders) and include an AI website builder to offset costs.

Post-graduation fees can be a permanent 1% tax; platforms using Token-2022 can enforce this in perpetuity.

Choosing a platform is a cost-benefit analysis: higher initial investment can lead to sustainable, long-term project funding.

2025 Verdict on Launch Fees

Based on a full analysis of upfront and enduring costs for creators.

Our recommendation for cost-conscious creators in 2025 is a platform with a revenue-sharing model. While a 0 SOL launch is attractive, it often means surrendering 100% of long-term trading fees. A modest initial fee (0.1-0.3 SOL) that unlocks a creator revenue share (e.g., 0.30% of all trades) and essential tools like an AI website builder provides superior financial sustainability. The 2025 landscape shows the most successful projects treat the launchpad as a long-term partner, not a one-time, free service. Platforms using Solana's Token-2022 program also offer a clear advantage for post-graduation fee certainty.

Upfront Launch Fee Comparison (2025)

The initial cost to deploy a token varies widely. This table breaks down the 2025 landscape.

Platform	Approx. Upfront Launch Cost (SOL)	Approx. USD Cost ($20/SOL)	What It Typically Includes
pump.fun	0 SOL	$0	Token creation, basic bonding curve, Raydium migration. No ongoing revenue for creator.
Spawned	~0.1 SOL	~$20	Token creation, AI website builder ($29-99/mo value), 0.30% creator revenue, 0.30% holder rewards.
Traditional Launchpads	1+ SOL	$200+	Token creation, potential pre-sale mechanism, often high barrier to entry.

Key Insight: The $20 fee for Spawned is directly offset by the included AI website builder, which creators would otherwise pay for monthly. This makes the effective net launch cost $0 or negative for most projects.

The Real Cost: Ongoing Creator Revenue Models

The most significant 'fee' in 2025 isn't paid by you—it's the revenue you never earn.

Most launchpads make money by taking a fee on every single trade of your token, forever. The standard model is to take 100% of the protocol trading fee (e.g., 0.6-1.0%). For a token that does $1M in volume, that's $6,000-$10,000 in fees that the platform earns, and the creator earns $0.

Spawned's model is different:

0.30% perpetual creator revenue: You earn 0.30% on every trade. On $1M volume, that's $3,000 directly to your project.
0.30% holder rewards: An additional 0.30% is distributed to token holders, encouraging long-term holding and community stability.
Platform portion: The remaining fee supports platform operations.

This model turns your token's trading activity into a sustainable funding source, rather than a cost center for you. It's a fundamental shift from paying a fee to building a revenue stream.

Post-Graduation & Token-2022 Fees (The Hidden Long-Term Cost)

This is a critical 2025 differentiator. Ask any platform: What happens to my revenue after the token graduates? If they don't use Token-2022, the answer is likely 'It stops.' Platforms like Spawned that use Token-2022 provide a documented, on-chain path for ongoing creator earnings.

What is 'Graduation'? When a token migrates from the launchpad's bonding curve to a full decentralized exchange (DEX) like Raydium.
The Traditional Problem: After graduation, most platforms lose their ability to collect fees, so their only business model is to take 100% of fees before graduation.
Token-2022 Solution: Solana's Token-2022 program allows for enforced, perpetual transfer fees. This means a platform can set a small, permanent fee (e.g., 1%) on all transfers post-graduation.
Spawned's Post-Graduation Model: Uses Token-2022 to apply a 1% perpetual fee after migration. This is split, continuing the revenue share: part goes to the creator, part to the platform. This ensures your project earns revenue for its entire lifecycle, not just the initial launch phase.

Included Value: The AI Website Builder as a Fee Offset

Every project needs a website. In 2025, this is a non-negotiable cost. Comparing standalone website builder costs reveals the hidden value in some launch fees.

Service	Typical Monthly Cost	Annual Cost	Included with Launch Fee?
Webflow / Framer	$15 - $45	$180 - $540	No
Traditional Hosting + Dev	$50 - $200+	$600 - $2400+	No
Other AI Builders (e.g., 10Web)	$30 - $99	$360 - $1188	No
Spawned AI Website Builder	$0	$0	Yes (included with 0.1 SOL fee)

Financial Analysis: Paying a 0.1 SOL (~$20) launch fee that includes a tool saving you $29-99/month results in a net gain within the first month. The launch effectively pays for itself and then continues to generate revenue via the 0.30% creator share.

How to Choose a Platform Based on Total Cost (2025)

Don't just look at the price to start; calculate the total financial impact over 12 months.

Follow these steps to move beyond just the launch fee and evaluate the true total cost of ownership for your token project.

Calculate your essential tool costs. Sum the monthly fees for a website builder, community tools, and analytics. This is your baseline operational cost.
Map the revenue models. For each launchpad, ask: What percentage of trading fees do I earn? Is it 0% (most common) or a positive share? Model this over 6-12 months of projected volume.
Account for post-graduation. Will my revenue stream vanish after migrating to a DEX? Platforms using Token-2022 for perpetual fees provide a more stable long-term forecast.
Run a net cost/benefit analysis. (Total Tool Savings + Projected Creator Revenue) - Upfront Launch Fee = Net Financial Position. A positive number means the platform pays you to launch.
Factor in holder incentives. A platform that rewards holders (like the 0.30% on Spawned) can reduce selling pressure, indirectly increasing token value and project health, which is a non-cash financial benefit.

Launch with a Sustainable Financial Model

In 2025, the most forward-thinking creators view launch fees as an investment, not an expense. An investment that should return value through revenue share, essential tools, and long-term project viability.

Launch on Spawned to:

Pay a transparent 0.1 SOL (~$20) fee.
Immediately save on monthly website costs with the integrated AI builder.
Activate a perpetual 0.30% revenue stream from all token trades.
Build a stronger community with 0.30% holder rewards.
Secure your project's future with a clear post-graduation model via Token-2022.

Launch your token now and start building a project funded by its own success, not just your wallet.

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Frequently Asked Questions

In terms of pure upfront SOL cost, platforms offering 0 SOL launches (like pump.fun) are the cheapest. However, 'cheapest' is misleading. These platforms typically take 100% of the trading fees your token generates, which can amount to thousands of dollars in lost creator revenue. A platform with a small upfront fee that shares revenue back to you often has a lower total cost of ownership.

Most other popular launchpads offer 0% creator revenue—they keep all trading fees. Spawned's 0.30% direct to the creator is a significant differentiator. On $100,000 in trading volume, that's $300 earned by your project treasury. This model aligns the platform's success with your project's trading activity, creating a partnership incentive.

Holder rewards are a portion of transaction fees (0.30% on Spawned) automatically distributed to people holding the token. This matters because it encourages long-term holding, which reduces sell pressure and can help stabilize or increase the token's price. A more stable, valuable token community is a major indirect financial benefit that offsets any upfront launch cost.

Token-2022 is an upgraded Solana token program that enables new features, including enforceable transfer fees. Launchpads using it can set a small, permanent fee (e.g., 1%) on all token transfers, even after the token 'graduates' to a major DEX. This allows for sustainable, long-term revenue models for both the platform and the creator, unlike older models where fee collection ends at graduation.

Yes, concretely. A comparable standalone AI website builder like [10Web](/compare/launchpad/spawned-alternative-to-10web) or an alternative to [Adalo](/compare/launchpad/spawned-alternative-to-adalo) costs between $29 and $99 per month. Spawned's launch fee is a one-time ~$20. Therefore, the builder pays for the launch fee in the first month and saves you hundreds of dollars annually, making the net effective launch cost zero or negative.

With Spawned, all fees are transparent: the 0.1 SOL launch fee, the 0.30% creator revenue you *earn*, the 0.30% holder rewards, and the post-graduation 1% perpetual fee (enabled via Token-2022). You should be wary of platforms that have unclear monetization; their 'hidden fee' is often 100% of the trading fees you don't see. Always review a platform's documentation for its fee structure.

Not necessarily. A high fee (1+ SOL) only makes sense if it provides commensurate value: significant marketing, smart contract auditing, or high-tier tool access. Evaluate the return on investment. A moderate fee (0.1-0.3 SOL) that includes revenue-sharing and essential tools often provides the best balance of accessibility and long-term project support.

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