What are the Pros & Cons between MagicEden, OpenSea, and Rarible?
Quick Practical Comparison
Magic Eden vs. OpenSea vs. Rarible. We’ll start at a glance view, then give creator/collector takeaways and when to pick each.
| Marketplace | Best for | Chains (highlights) | Trading fee | Royalties stance/tools | Notable extras |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
|
Solana & Bitcoin Ordinals power users; multi-chain degen + launchpad drops | SOL, BTC(Ordinals), ETH, Base, Arbitrum, Polygon, ApeChain, Avalanche, more | 2% on SOL/BTC/EVM, 0% to list | Buyer-selectable (optional) by default with enforcement options (e.g., OCP on Solana; ERC721C on EVM) | Launchpad + Creator Hub, strong aggregator, Diamonds/$ME rewards, ME wallet (iOS/Android + Chrome) |
|
OpenSea
|
Broadest cross-chain reach and tooling; token + NFT in one app | 19+ chains (ETH, Polygon, Base, Arbitrum, Flow, ApeChain, Berachain, Solana fungible tokens, etc.) | 1% seller fee; 10% if you mint a primary drop via Studio | Optional by default, enforceable if you use ERC721-C/1155-C or newer Studio contracts | OS2 platform = cross-chain purchases, integrated token swaps, marketplace aggregation, Voyages' XP |
|
Rarible
|
Brand-run storefronts and creator-first economics; own your marketplace | RARI Chain, ETH, Polygon, Immutable X, zkSync Era, Base, Arbitrum, Celo, Hedera EVM, more | Regressive on the main site (~0.5-7.5% per side, price-tiered); 0% Rarible fee on community marketplaces (you set your own fee) | Publicly pro-royalties; stopped aggregating from markets that don't enforce; RARI Chain embeds royalties at the protocol level | No-code Community Marketplaces + RaribleX white-label; robust API/protocol |
Sources: Magic Eden chains & fees; OpenSea chains, fees & OS2; Rarible chains, fee model & marketplaces; royalty policies. (Magic Eden Help Center)
Magic Eden — pros & cons
Pros
BTC + Ordinals native with tooling for inscriptions/Runes; broad multi‑chain coverage (SOL, ETH, Base, Arbitrum, Polygon, ApeChain, Avalanche, etc.). (Magic Eden Help Center)
Low friction fees: 0% to list; 2% trading fee across SOL, BTC, and EVM markets. (Magic Eden Help Center)
Creator infrastructure: Launchpad & Creator Hub (pre‑sales, minting, vetting). (Magic Eden Help Center)
Aggregation: buy/sweep listings from other markets in one UI (Reservoir‑powered on ETH). (Magic Eden Help Center)
Rewards & wallet: cross‑chain Diamonds/$ME rewards and a first‑party wallet (mobile/extension). (Magic Eden)
Cons
Royalties are optional by default (buyer‑selectable). Creators can opt into enforcement (e.g., Open Creator Protocol on Solana; EVM collections using ERC721C). (Magic Eden Help Center)
Fee is higher than OpenSea’s current 1% (see OpenSea below). (OpenSea Help Center)
OpenSea — pros & cons
Pros
OS2 = “one‑stop” web3 marketplace: NFTs and tokens in one place, marketplace aggregation, cross‑chain purchasing, improved discovery, and Voyages XP rewards. (OpenSea)
Broadest chain coverage (19+ chains) including ETH, Polygon, Base, Arbitrum, Flow, ApeChain, Berachain, Soneium, plus Solana fungible tokens. (OpenSea)
Lower marketplace fee today: 1% on NFT sales (and 10% if you mint a primary drop via OpenSea Studio). (OpenSea Help Center)
Cons
Royalties: optional by default for many collections; enforcement requires ERC721‑C/1155‑C or newer Studio contracts (post‑Apr 2, 2024). (OpenSea Help Center)
No native Bitcoin Ordinals trading (unlike Magic Eden). (OpenSea Help Center)
Rarible — pros & cons
Pros
Creator‑first policy: publicly refused to aggregate orders from markets that don’t honor royalties; strong messaging/tools around protecting creator earnings. (TokenInsight)
Own your storefront: Community Marketplaces (no‑code) and RaribleX (white‑label). Rarible takes 0% on these; you set the community fee (can be 0%). (Rarible)
RARI Chain (L3 on Arbitrum) embeds royalties at node level to guarantee payouts—useful for brands that need enforceable secondary earnings. (L2BEAT)
Multi‑chain reach beyond the usual EVMs (ETH, Polygon, Immutable X, zkSync Era, Base, Arbitrum, Celo, Hedera EVM, etc.). (Rarible Help)
Cons
Fees vary on the main Rarible.com aggregator (regressive schedule ~0.5%–7.5% per side depending on price tier). Native community marketplaces avoid this, but that’s your own storefront. (Rarible Help)
Aggregating less external liquidity than peers (by policy choice), which can mean thinner order books on the main site for some collections. (TokenInsight)
Which should you use?
Given your mix of creator + brand needs:
If you want Bitcoin/Ordinals or Solana‑first drops with broad degen reach: Magic Eden. You’ll get ordinals tooling, a strong SOL audience, and straightforward 2% fees; add ERC721C/OCP if you must enforce royalties. (Magic Eden Help Center)
If you want maximum cross‑chain exposure and integrated token + NFT flows: OpenSea (OS2). Lower 1% fee, good discovery, marketplace aggregation, and cross‑chain buying are helpful for wider distribution. Use ERC721‑C/1155‑C (or new Studio) if enforcement matters. (OpenSea Help Center)
If you want a branded, owned storefront with enforceable economics: Rarible. Spin up a Community Marketplace (0% Rarible fee; you set the fee), or go RaribleX for a fully branded shop. Consider RARI Chain for protocol‑level royalties. Then also list/aggregate to ME/OS2 for reach. (Rarible)
Notes that often decide the choice
Royalties today are an implementation detail, not a guarantee.
Magic Eden: optional by default; Solana OCP and EVM ERC721C can enforce. (Magic Eden Help Center)
OpenSea: optional unless you use ERC721‑C/1155‑C or post‑Apr‑2024 Studio contracts to enforce. (OpenSea Help Center)
Rarible: pro‑enforcement stance; RARI Chain bakes royalties into the chain rules. (TokenInsight)
Fee check (as of Sept 2025): Magic Eden 2%; OpenSea 1% (NFT sales) and 10% for Studio‑minted primary drops; Rarible main site price‑tiered per‑side fees; 0% on Rarible community storefronts (you choose a community fee). (Magic Eden Help Center)
Chains:
Magic Eden supports SOL/ETH/EVM + Bitcoin/Ordinals. (Magic Eden Help Center)
OpenSea supports 19+ chains (no Bitcoin), and token swaps are integrated. (OpenSea Help Center)
Rarible supports a broad, evolving set (incl. Immutable X, zkSync Era, Base, Arbitrum, Celo, Hedera EVM) plus RARI Chain. (Rarible Help)
