> For the complete documentation index, see [llms.txt](https://docs.luganodes.com/llms.txt). Markdown versions of documentation pages are available by appending `.md` to page URLs; this page is available as [Markdown](https://docs.luganodes.com/tron-energy/how-tron-fees-work.md). # How TRON fees work Bandwidth, energy, address activation and what a TRON transaction costs with and without delegated energy. TRON has no separate gas fee. Every transaction consumes two resources instead: **bandwidth** for its size and **energy** for smart-contract execution. When the sending address doesn't have enough of either, the network burns TRX from that address to cover the shortfall. ## Units ``` 1 TRX = 1,000,000 sun ``` Resource prices are set in sun by network parameters; the figures on this page are from 28 Oct 2026. ## Bandwidth Bandwidth pays for the bytes a transaction occupies on chain. | | | | --------------------- | ------------------------------------------------------------------------- | | Consumed by | Every transaction | | Free allowance | 600 bandwidth a day for each activated address, replenished over 24 hours | | Burn price when short | 1,000 sun (0.001 TRX) per unit | | A USDT transfer | About 345 bandwidth, a little over half the free daily allowance | Some features carry fixed fees on top: a memo costs 1 TRX and a multi-signature transaction costs 1 TRX. ## Energy Energy pays for smart-contract execution: token transfers, swaps and any other contract call. | | | | --------------------- | -------------------------------------------------------------------- | | Consumed by | Every smart-contract call | | Free allowance | None | | How to get it | Stake TRX for energy, or receive energy delegated by another address | | Burn price when short | 100 sun (0.0001 TRX) per unit | | Recovery | Energy from staked TRX recovers over 24 hours after use | ### Why a USDT transfer needs so much energy TRON raises the energy cost of its busiest contracts. A heavily used contract pays up to 4.4 times its base energy. USDT's contract sits at that maximum today, so a transfer needs about **64,285 energy** when the recipient already holds USDT, and about **130,285 energy** when the recipient has never held USDT (the transfer creates a new balance entry). ## What a transfer costs when TRX is burned ``` TRX burned = energy shortfall × energy price + bandwidth shortfall × bandwidth price + fixed fees (memo, multi-signature) ``` | USDT transfer | Energy | Bandwidth | TRX burned | | --------------------------------------------- | ----------------- | --------------- | ------------- | | To an existing holder, free bandwidth left | 64,285 × 100 sun | Free | **6.43 TRX** | | To an existing holder, free bandwidth used up | 64,285 × 100 sun | 345 × 1,000 sun | **6.77 TRX** | | To a new holder, free bandwidth left | 130,285 × 100 sun | Free | **13.03 TRX** | | To a new holder, free bandwidth used up | 130,285 × 100 sun | 345 × 1,000 sun | **13.37 TRX** | These values change when the network changes its prices or a contract's [energy factor](/tron-energy/glossary.md). For live figures, call [Estimate energy](/tron-energy/energy-rental-api/estimate-energy.md): it returns `energy_required`, `bandwidth_required` and `burn_cost_trx_if_unsponsored` for the exact transfer. ## Address activation A new TRON address exists on chain only once it is activated. Until then it cannot send transactions or receive delegated energy. Receiving USDT or another TRC-20 token does not activate an address; a transfer of TRX or a TRC-10 token from an active address does. | | | | -------------------- | -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | | Paid by | The address that sends the activating transfer, once per new address | | Account creation fee | 1 TRX | | Bandwidth | Taken from the sender's staked or delegated bandwidth; when that is not enough, a fixed 0.1 TRX is burned. The free daily allowance does not apply | [Activate an address](/tron-energy/energy-rental-api/activate-an-address.md) activates an address through the API, and a rental can activate its receiver with `activate_if_needed`. ## Three ways to cover energy | | Burn TRX | Stake TRX | Delegated energy from Luganodes | | ------------ | ------------------------------------------ | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | | How it works | The network burns TRX for each transaction | You stake TRX and receive energy in proportion to your share of all TRX staked for energy | We delegate the energy each transaction needs to your sending address | | Setup | None | Stake and manage the position | An agreement, then our API or RPC endpoint, or fixed addresses managed by our team | | Capital | Spent per transaction | Locked while staked; unstaking waits 14 days | No TRX staked | ## Where Luganodes fits TRON Energy by Luganodes delegates the energy each transaction needs to your sending address, from institutional suppliers only, with every delegation screened and recorded on TRON. See the [Overview](/tron-energy/overview.md) for the three delivery models. ## Sources * TRON developer docs: [Resource model](https://developers.tron.network/docs/resource-model), [Paying for resources](https://developers.tron.network/docs/paying-for-resources), [Accounts](https://developers.tron.network/docs/account) * Live parameters: `wallet/getchainparameters` (`getEnergyFee`, `getTransactionFee`, `getFreeNetLimit`, `getMemoFee`, `getMultiSignFee`, `getCreateNewAccountFeeInSystemContract`, `getCreateAccountFee`, `getDynamicEnergyMaxFactor`, `getUnfreezeDelayDays`)