Ethereum vs Solana: what is the difference?

The main difference in Ethereum vs Solana is how each network is built to handle activity. Ethereum runs a slower base layer and relies on separate networks on top of it to scale, while Solana tries to process everything on a single, very fast chain. Both are general-purpose smart contract platforms, so the comparison is about design choices rather than what they can do in theory.

How do Ethereum and Solana reach consensus?

Both networks use proof of stake, where validators lock up the native coin to help produce and confirm blocks. Ethereum moved from mining to proof of stake in September 2022. A full Ethereum validator deposits 32 ETH, and a block becomes final once validators holding at least two thirds of all staked ETH agree on it.

Solana adds a feature called Proof of History. It works like a built-in clock: validators run a repeated hashing function that marks the passage of time, so the network can agree on the order of events quickly. A leader schedule, weighted by stake, decides which validator produces each block. For background, see proof of work vs proof of stake.

Is Solana faster than Ethereum?

On raw block timing, yes. Ethereum divides time into 12-second slots, grouped into epochs of 32 slots. Solana's slot time is set at about 400 milliseconds, with roughly 432,000 slots in an epoch, which works out to about two days.

Speed is not the whole story. Ethereum's approach is to keep its base layer more conservative and let layer 2 networks handle much of the everyday traffic, then settle back to Ethereum. Solana keeps activity on one chain, which avoids moving between networks but puts heavy demands on the computers that run validators.

How do Solana vs Ethereum fees work?

Ethereum fees are measured in gas. Since the London upgrade in August 2021, each block has a base fee that moves up when blocks are busy and down when they are quiet, changing by at most 12.5% per block. The base fee is burned, and users can add a tip that goes to the validator. Our guide to gas fees covers this in more detail.

Solana charges a base fee of 5,000 lamports (a lamport is a tiny fraction of a SOL) for each signature on a transaction. Half of that base fee is burned and half goes to the validator. Users can also add a priority fee, which goes entirely to the validator and helps a transaction get scheduled sooner when the network is crowded. On Solana, the fee is charged even if the transaction fails.

The practical result is that both networks price block space by demand, but in different ways. Ethereum adjusts a shared base fee automatically, while Solana keeps a small fixed base fee and lets users bid extra through priority fees during busy periods.

For a fuller picture of each network on its own, see what Ethereum is and what Solana is. Fee levels, speed and network rules can change with upgrades, so the details here describe both networks as of October 2026.