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Short answer: Starknet is usually the lower-cost execution environment, while Ethereum Layer 1 (L1) is the base settlement and consensus network. Starknet executes transactions away from L1 and submits STARK validity proofs and data to Ethereum. That can reduce the amount each user pays for shared L1 work, but the final fee depends on data publication, computation, operator charges, proof costs and current network demand. Starknet can use Ethereum for verifying state transitions without automatically having Ethereum’s validator, sequencing or proving structure.

The practical choice is therefore not simply cheap versus expensive. Use Ethereum L1 when direct base-layer execution, its mature validator set and direct inclusion guarantees are the priority. Use Starknet when its rollup execution model, application-specific features or potentially lower and more predictable execution costs fit the transaction, while accepting a different sequencing and proving decentralization profile.

What you are comparing

Ethereum L1 and Starknet are different layers of one broader system. Ethereum L1 executes transactions directly in its own state machine. Validators order blocks, reach consensus and make the canonical L1 state available to applications. Every transaction competes for L1 block space and pays gas according to the computation and data it causes on that base layer.

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Starknet is a validity-rollup Layer 2 (L2). Its roadmap says Starknet state transitions are proven with STARK proofs and settled on Ethereum. Ethereum.org describes the rollup pattern as executing transactions outside Layer 1 and posting data to Layer 1, where consensus is reached. Starknet therefore moves much of the execution workload away from Ethereum while retaining Ethereum as the place where rollup data and validity evidence are checked.

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This division creates four separate questions:

  • How much does a transaction cost? The answer depends on which work is paid for on L1 and which work is amortized across a Starknet batch.
  • Where is correctness enforced? Ethereum verifies the proof that attests to Starknet’s state transition.
  • Who orders transactions? A rollup sequencer can construct L2 blocks and influence ordering before a proof is submitted.
  • Who performs proving and validation? Those roles can be distributed differently from Ethereum’s L1 validator set.

A proof that a state transition is valid does not, by itself, prove that transaction ordering, block production or proof generation is decentralized.

Fees: why Starknet can cost less, and why no fixed multiplier is reliable

Ethereum L1 users pay directly for execution and for the data and state changes their transactions impose on Ethereum. The gas price changes with demand, and the gas consumed changes with the transaction’s computation and data. A simple transfer and a contract call can therefore have very different costs even when sent at the same time.

A Starknet transaction has a different cost stack. Ethereum.org identifies several components for a ZK-rollup:

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Fee component Ethereum L1 Starknet rollup Why it matters
Transaction execution Executed directly on Ethereum and charged as L1 gas Executed by Starknet’s L2 system; the user still pays for the associated rollup computation Execution is not free merely because it occurs off L1
Data publication Transaction data is included directly in L1 blocks Rollup data needed for Ethereum to reconstruct or verify the state is published to L1 When Ethereum data prices rise, this part of an L2 fee can rise too
State writes Paid as the transaction changes Ethereum state Ethereum incurs state-related costs for the rollup’s settlement records, while Starknet maintains its own L2 state The rollup batches shared L1 work across many users
Operator or sequencer fee Ethereum validators include transactions through the L1 fee market A Starknet operator or sequencer can charge for ordering and processing L2 transactions This is a distinct L2 charge, not an Ethereum gas line item
Proof generation and verification Ethereum’s own consensus and execution machinery handles L1 blocks STARK proofs must be generated and verified, with related computation and posting costs Proof overhead is part of the rollup economics even when users do not see a separate line item

Batching is the main reason an L2 can reduce per-transaction cost. A rollup spreads fixed L1 publication and proof expenses over many transactions. The saving is not guaranteed: a small batch, unusually large calldata, expensive L1 gas or a computation-heavy transaction can change the result. Two Starknet transactions with different data and contract logic can have materially different fees.

What the available Starknet figures do—and do not—show

Starknet’s roadmap describes Phase 2 milestones of 127 sustained transactions per second, two-second transaction confirmations and sub-cent fees. These are Starknet-published roadmap performance claims attached to that phase description; the page does not establish them as an independently measured, current comparison with Ethereum L1. They should not be quoted as a live fee or throughput guarantee.

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The Starknet FAQ states that fees are currently paid in ETH and that users may be able to pay in STRK after Provisions. Because token-payment support and fee rules can change, check the live network implementation before sending a transaction. The fact that a fee can be denominated in a particular token does not change the underlying cost drivers.

How to make a fair fee comparison

Do not compare a headline L1 gas estimate with a generic L2 claim. Compare the same action, at the same time, with all relevant costs visible.

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  1. Define the transaction. Specify the contract method, token amounts, calldata size and whether the action is a simple transfer, swap, mint or multi-step call.
  2. Record the network and timestamp. Ethereum gas markets and rollup conditions change. A number without a date is not a durable price.
  3. Capture the complete quote. For Ethereum, record gas used and gas price. For Starknet, record the L2 execution or operator charge and any component attributed to L1 data, state publication or proof processing.
  4. Separate one-time setup from recurring use. Account deployment, contract deployment or a first-time storage write can cost more than later calls. Do not use a setup transaction to represent every transaction.
  5. Repeat the sample. Take observations under low, normal and high demand. One unusually cheap batch or one congested L1 block cannot establish a permanent ratio.
  6. State what is excluded. If a comparison omits bridging, wallet service charges or application fees, say so. Those expenses are not the same as protocol execution fees.

Without a current, like-for-like sample, the defensible conclusion is qualitative: Starknet is designed to amortize Ethereum costs across batches and can be cheaper for many transactions, but neither a universal discount nor a fixed multiple is established by the available evidence.

Security: validity proofs secure state transitions, not every operating role

On Ethereum L1, the network’s validator consensus determines which block is canonical and whether its execution is accepted. On Starknet, the rollup’s validity mechanism adds another layer: a prover produces a STARK proof for a claimed state transition, and Ethereum verifies that proof. If the proof verifies against the required data and prior state, Ethereum can reject an invalid transition without re-executing every Starknet transaction itself.

Starknet’s roadmap summarizes the mechanism this way: “Starknet transactions settle on Ethereum by verifying STARK proofs that attest to each state transition.” That is a statement about validity and settlement. It does not mean that every Starknet component has the same decentralization or fault model as Ethereum L1.

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What the proof protects

  • State-transition correctness: A prover cannot make Ethereum accept an arbitrary state update if the verifier rejects the STARK proof.
  • Execution compression: Many L2 transactions can be represented by one proof and one settlement update, reducing the amount of execution Ethereum must perform directly.
  • Ethereum settlement: The accepted proof and accompanying data become part of the Ethereum-settled record for the rollup.

What the proof does not automatically protect

  • Transaction ordering: A sequencer chooses which pending transactions enter an L2 block and in what order. A valid proof can certify the chosen order without proving that the order was fair.
  • Inclusion speed: A transaction can wait for an operator to include it even though any eventual state transition must be valid.
  • Censorship resistance: A centralized sequencer may delay or omit transactions. Proof verification does not force immediate inclusion.
  • Prover decentralization: Generating a valid proof and verifying it are different activities. A single proving operator can produce proofs that Ethereum verifies.
  • Availability and operational reliability: Users still depend on the rollup’s data publication and software infrastructure to observe and use the latest state.

Ethereum.org specifically notes that a centralized sequencer can control L2 block production and influence transaction ordering. This is why “secured by Ethereum” should be read precisely: Starknet uses Ethereum to settle and verify the rollup’s state-transition evidence, while sequencing and proving may remain separate operational trust considerations.

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Decentralization: four roles, four different answers

Decentralization is not one binary property. For this comparison, examine at least four roles.

1. Ethereum consensus and settlement

Ethereum provides the base-layer consensus in which Starknet settlement transactions and proof-verification results are recorded. This is the strongest part of the “inherits Ethereum security” description: an accepted rollup update must pass Ethereum’s settlement rules and proof verification.

2. Starknet sequencing

The sequencer receives pending transactions, orders them and proposes L2 blocks. Ethereum.org warns that a centralized sequencer can influence ordering. That influence matters for latency, censorship resistance and the order in which competing transactions execute, even when every resulting state transition is valid.

Starknet’s roadmap labels Phase 3 as its current phase and says the v0.14.0 “Grinta” upgrade lays the foundation for a distributed sequencer layer with three independent sequencers, each with a mempool. The roadmap is a plan and status statement from Starknet, not an independent deployment audit. Confirm the live sequencer set, failover behavior and inclusion rules before treating the design as fully operational.

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3. Starknet proving

Starknet’s Staking v4 roadmap section explicitly says proving remains centralized under StarkWare. That means proof verification can be performed on Ethereum while proof generation is still concentrated in one organization. Centralized proving does not allow an invalid proof to pass the verifier, but it can affect liveness, operational dependence and the ability to recover from a proving outage.

4. Validator and staking responsibilities

The roadmap describes a phased path toward broader validator responsibilities, staking and distributed sequencing. Its FAQ also describes staking and a decentralized sequencer set as future functionality. These statements should be treated as roadmap targets and implementation plans, not as proof that all listed responsibilities are already distributed on the live network.

Roadmap milestones and how to interpret them

Roadmap language is useful for understanding intended architecture, but it is not the same as a production measurement. The following distinctions prevent overclaiming:

Statement Proper interpretation What it does not establish
Phase 2 reported 127 sustained TPS A Starknet-published milestone associated with the Phase 2 description It is not an independently measured current throughput comparison with Ethereum L1
Phase 2 reported two-second confirmations A roadmap performance claim for that phase It is not a guarantee for every application, congestion level or final settlement event
Phase 2 reported sub-cent fees A source-attributed milestone It is not a current price for every transaction or a permanent L1 discount
Phase 3 is labeled current The roadmap’s own phase designation It is not an independent audit of deployed components
Grinta lays the foundation for three independent sequencers An implementation step toward distributed sequencing It does not by itself prove that the three-sequencer design is fully live, censorship-resistant or fault-tested
Proving remains centralized under StarkWare in Staking v4 An explicit roadmap statement about the proving role It does not mean Ethereum’s proof verifier is centralized in the same way

Phase 4 and Phase 5 are described as containing additional decentralization elements that are in progress or future. Their inclusion on a roadmap should not be converted into a present-tense claim about the production network.

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Throughput and latency are not substitutes for settlement security

A rollup can advertise faster user-facing confirmation and higher transaction throughput than direct Ethereum execution because it batches work away from L1. That is a capacity and responsiveness benefit, not a replacement for settlement analysis.

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Ask which event a source calls a confirmation. An L2 interface may show an accepted transaction before the corresponding proof is generated and verified on Ethereum. A later settlement event records the rollup update on L1. When comparing two networks, use the same definition—sequencer acceptance, L2 block inclusion, proof verification or L1 settlement—otherwise the latency numbers describe different milestones.

The same caution applies to throughput. Sustained TPS depends on transaction type, calldata, prover capacity, batching and the measurement period. A single roadmap number cannot predict the throughput of a specific contract or a congested day.

Which network fits which use case?

Priority More suitable starting point Reasoning Question to verify
Direct base-layer execution and mature settlement assumptions Ethereum L1 The transaction is included directly in Ethereum’s validator-produced blocks Can the application tolerate current L1 gas and confirmation times?
Lower per-transaction cost through batching Starknet Shared L1 publication and proof costs may be amortized across many L2 transactions What is the current all-in quote for this exact transaction?
Concern about transaction ordering Evaluate both, with extra scrutiny on Starknet sequencing Starknet’s sequencer may control L2 block production and ordering Who operates the sequencer today, and what inclusion or escape mechanisms exist?
Proof-based state-transition validity Starknet, settled to Ethereum STARK proofs are verified on Ethereum for rollup state updates Which data is published, and when is the proof verified?
Independently distributed proving Do not assume either system from the fee comparison Starknet’s roadmap says proving remains centralized under StarkWare in Staking v4 What is the current prover operator set and recovery process?
Specialized or non-EVM application design Assess Starknet on its own architecture The Ethereum Foundation’s March 23, 2026 discussion frames independent L2s as places for specialization, different pricing or inclusion logic and lower latency Does the application benefit enough to justify L2-specific operational assumptions?

A practical checklist before sending a transaction

  1. Identify the layer. Confirm that the wallet or application is connected to Ethereum L1 or Starknet; similarly named assets and contracts can exist on different networks.
  2. Check the fee denomination. Starknet’s FAQ says ETH is currently used for fees and mentions possible STRK payment after Provisions. Verify the live rule and keep enough of the required token for the transaction.
  3. Inspect the transaction type. Contract deployment, account creation and storage-heavy calls can have different cost profiles from a simple transfer.
  4. Read the quoted fee and limits. Note the estimated fee, any max-fee setting and the conditions under which the quote expires.
  5. Check sequencing and settlement expectations. Determine whether the application needs immediate L2 acceptance or Ethereum-settled finality for the next step.
  6. Recheck during congestion. Ethereum gas prices and rollup publication conditions can change between signing and submission.
  7. Keep records for comparisons. Save the timestamp, transaction type, quoted fee and settlement status if you are evaluating networks rather than sending a one-off payment.

Common misconceptions

“Starknet is just Ethereum with cheaper gas.”

No. Starknet changes where execution, sequencing and proving occur. It uses Ethereum settlement and proof verification, but its user experience and operational roles are those of an L2.

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“A valid STARK proof means the sequencer cannot censor me.”

No. The proof attests to the validity of the state transition that was produced. It does not force a sequencer to include a particular pending transaction immediately.

“Sub-cent fees are the current price.”

Not necessarily. The figure is a Starknet roadmap milestone for Phase 2, not an independently verified, current fee quote for every transaction.

“Three planned sequencers mean sequencing is already fully decentralized.”

Not from the roadmap statement alone. It describes a foundation for a distributed layer and must be checked against the live deployment, participation, failover and ordering rules.

“Ethereum security transfers every Ethereum property to the rollup.”

Ethereum provides settlement and verifies the rollup’s validity evidence. Sequencer control, prover concentration, data publication and operational liveness remain separate properties to evaluate.

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Bottom line

Choose Starknet for an Ethereum-settled rollup experience when batching, specialized execution or potentially lower fees matter more than direct L1 inclusion and a fully established L1 operating model. Choose Ethereum L1 when the transaction needs direct base-layer execution and you are willing to pay the prevailing gas market. For security, ask whether the claim concerns proof validity, settlement, ordering or proving; for decentralization, identify the operator for each role. That framing gives a more accurate answer than calling one network simply cheaper, safer or more decentralized.

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