Ethereum Layer 2 Comparison 2026
Side-by-side comparison of the top Ethereum L2 networks by fees, speed, TVL and ecosystem maturity.
| Feature | Arbitrum One | Optimism | Base | zkSync Era | Starknet |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Type | Optimistic | Optimistic | Optimistic | ZK-rollup | ZK-rollup |
| Avg tx fee | ~$0.01-0.05 | ~$0.01-0.05 | ~$0.001-0.01 | ~$0.01-0.10 | ~$0.05-0.20 |
| TVS (Oct 2026) | ~$10.2B | ~$1.8B | ~$15.0B | ~$0.26B | ~$0.36B |
| Finality | ~7 days | ~7 days | ~7 days | ~24h | ~4h |
| EVM compatible | โ Full | โ Full | โ Full | โ Full | ๐ด Partial |
| Native token | ARB | OP | ETH only | ZK | STRK |
| Best for | DeFi, trading | OP Stack apps | Coinbase users | ZK security | DeFi + Cairo |
| Ecosystem | ๐ฅ๐ฅ๐ฅ๐ฅ๐ฅ | ๐ฅ๐ฅ๐ฅ๐ฅโช | ๐ฅ๐ฅ๐ฅ๐ฅโช | ๐ฅ๐ฅ๐ฅโชโช | ๐ฅ๐ฅ๐ฅโชโช |
โ Optimistic rollups (Arbitrum, OP, Base)
- EVM identical โ deploy existing Solidity without changes
- Lower fees, especially Base (post EIP-4844)
- 7-day withdrawal period to L1 (use fast bridge to skip)
- Largest DeFi ecosystems today
๐ ZK rollups (zkSync, Starknet)
- Cryptographic proof = stronger security guarantees
- Faster finality to L1 (hours vs days)
- Higher computational cost = slightly higher fees
- Growing ecosystems, still maturing
TVS figures: L2beat, Oct 2026. Base overtook Arbitrum in value secured during 2026; Optimism and ZK rollups saw sharp TVL declines.
Frequently asked questions
Which Ethereum L2 has the most value secured right now?
As of October 2026, Base leads with roughly $15B in total value secured (per L2beat), having overtaken Arbitrum (~$10.2B) earlier this year. Optimism (~$1.8B) and the ZK rollups zkSync Era (~$0.26B) and Starknet (~$0.36B) trail well behind after steep TVL declines.
What's the real difference between optimistic and ZK rollups?
Optimistic rollups (Arbitrum, Optimism, Base) assume transactions are valid and only run a fraud proof if challenged, which means a ~7-day withdrawal window to Ethereum unless you use a fast bridge. ZK rollups (zkSync Era, Starknet) post a cryptographic validity proof with every batch, so withdrawals finalize in hours instead of days, at the cost of higher proving overhead.
Are L2 fees still much cheaper than Ethereum mainnet?
Yes. Since the EIP-4844 blob fee upgrade, all five networks settle typical transfers for fractions of a cent to a few cents, versus dollars on L1 during congestion. Base and Arbitrum are usually the cheapest; Starknet tends to run slightly higher due to proving costs.