Non-Fungible Tokens (NFTs) have revolutionized the way digital art is created, monetized, and marketed. Almost all kinds of digital artworks, including drawings, paintings, fine art, photography, music, video clips, audiovisuals, video games, sports assets, virtual worlds, animations, generative art, etc., can be converted into NFTs and thus become exchangeable digital assets that can be easily traded on an NFT art marketplace. In this review, I will walk you through the best NFT marketplaces for artists to sell their art.
The following are the 20 top NFT marketplaces for NFT creators:
1. Opensea
The top spot among the world’s largest NFT marketplaces goes to the Opensea platform. This NFT platform hosts many different types of NFTs with more than 700 unique digital art projects.
With over a million NFT enthusiasts, Opensea ranks as the most popular NFT marketplace. In addition to hosting popular NFTs, it has more than 200 payment methods which make it easier for NFT collectors to buy digital artwork and for NFT artists to get paid.
Cross-listing and self-listing are two prominent features of this non-exclusive platform. Cross-listing allows digital creators and NFT collectors to list NFT artwork created on other NFT platforms.
On the other hand, a self-listing facility enables content creators to list their own NFTs without having to waste time and money waiting for someone else to do it on their behalf. Naturally, to achieve this, Opensea has deliberately invested in creating a user-friendly interface requiring basic information such as Name, Category, and Type of NFT (mutable or immutable).
Opensea charges a flat rate of 2.5% to the buyers on the purchase price. In addition to sales, one can earn a 10% royalty and a referral commission of 2.5% on the sales from those referred. The platform supports major Ethereum-based wallets.
2. Nifty Gateway
Being a centralized NFT art marketplace, Nifty Gateway serves as a curated platform for digital artwork. What makes this platform stand out from the rest is its explicit support for fiat payment methods. The platform allows one to use a credit card and supports major fiat currencies. It also supports the use of debit cards.
NFT artworks on this platform are known as “Nifties” while the NFT collection is known as “Drop”. The unique thing about a Drop is that it is listed for sale for a limited period at specific hours.
Nifty Gateway supports the MetaMask crypto wallet. It charges a flat fee of 5% on sales plus 30 USD cents per transaction. For resale, it charges an additional 10% which goes to the original creators.
3. Magic Eden
In case you are looking for the best alternative to Nifty Gateway, Magic Eden could be your best option. This non-exclusive platform has some of the best features that you can find on Nifty Gateway including drops and nifties. It also lists limited open editions.
However, unlike Nifty Gateway, this digital art NFT marketplace is hosted on Solana Blockchain Network. Thus, it rides on the inherent advantages of Solana, including ultra-fast speeds and much lower gas fees compared to the Ethereum blockchain.
The main downside of this community-owned NFT marketplace is that the would-be first-time NFT creators on the platform have to make an application to be considered which creates a barrier to entry.
Magic Eden provides a free listing and charges a 2% fee on sales. Creators get to set the percentage of royalty to earn. The Phantom crypto wallet is the best crypto wallet for this platform.
4. Rarible
The best alternative to Opensea is Rarible. In fact, both platforms cross-list each other’s digital items. Thus, you are more likely to find on Rarible NFT Marketplace some of the digital collectibles listed on the Opensea platform. However, you can find unique NFT memes and trading cards on Rarible that you may not likely find on Opensea.
This user-friendly platform is not only open source but also has a consensus mechanism that empowers NFT creators to participate in decisions that affect their user experience.
Rarible NFT digital platform has its own cryptocurrency, the RARI token which makes it easy to trade NFTs on the platform. This ERC-20 is also used for staking NFTs and governance purposes.
Like Opensea, Rarible charges a flat fee of 2.5% for listing. However, this rate is chargeable to both the buyer and the seller. To cut on initial costs, NFT creators can opt for Lazy minting which is free unless there is a sale.
Earning opportunity includes revenue from sales plus royalties.
5. Async Art marketplace
Tech-savvy lovers of programmable art will find Async Art a good place to be in the NFT world. Each programmable NFT artwork has a Master and Layers. Layers are the independent programmable elements that comprise the Master. Each of these elements is tokenizable and thus can be created and owned separately. The Master is the entire NFT asset.
Async Art also has Blueprints, a scheme that enables NFT creators to produce generative art. Music NFT and similar digital content can also be generated and hosted on this platform.
It costs 10% on the primary market and 1% on the secondary market. Thus, digital creators earn 90% on primary sales and 10% royalty on secondary sales. Secondary sellers get to earn 89% on sales. The platform supports major Ethereum-based wallets.
6. Mintable
NFT creators will find Mintable a great place to mint NFTs. Apart from minting, NFT collectors can put up their collections for trade on the platform.
This platform has a lot of educational resources for new creators. These resources are found at Mintable Editorial, a library with a knowledge base that enables new creators to learn how to use the platform for minting NFTs. Furthermore, it also provides specialized learning material for new collectors. These materials are available at the Seller’s University. The purpose of this portal is to enable NFT collectors to learn how to trade on the platform and make the best out of it.
Crypto wallets supported by Mintable include MetaMask and WalletConnect.
When it comes to cost, Mintable charges 2.5% for normal NFTs, 5% for gasless NFTs, and 10% for printable NFTs.
Income opportunities availed by Mintable include sales and royalties. Two levels of royalty are available – the 10% royalty, and the 5% royalty.
7. SuperRare
Premium digital NFT creators will find SuperRare a natural home for them. SuperRare is an exclusive marketplace that caters to niche digital artworks. Strict ownership verification and proof of original creation make it an ideal place for limited edition collections.
SuperRare has a high-end gallery approach whereby rare and highly curated pieces of art are availed for auction. Thus, if you believe your artwork can attract the interest of a high-end gallery, then SuperRare is a great place for you. Apart from auction listing, you can also place a fixed-price listing.
Since SuperRare is decentralized and non-custodial, you need to link your crypto wallet containing your NFT artwork to the platform. The best thing is that this online marketplace supports most of the common wallets including MetaMask Wallet, Nexo Wallet, Coinbase Wallet, and many other Ethereum-based wallets. Your digital assets are linked to the platform via smart contracts which execute trading transactions.
When it comes to costs, SuperRare is exorbitant. NFT artists will fork out a whopping 15% transaction fee just for listing. In addition, the artists get to foot the Ethereum blockchain gas fees ranging from $0.5 to $2 worth of ethers. Buyers are charged 3% on the listing price of the artwork being bought.
Nonetheless, the income side is highly rewarding. In addition to earning 85% on sales, the NFT creators receive a 10% royalty on secondary sales. Secondary sales are sales made by the original buyers on the secondary market. This royalty is guaranteed by the smart contract system which uses a smart code to track the artwork transactions and then automatically deducts the amount from resale and channels the deduction directly to the original creator’s account.
8. Portion
When it comes to photographic NFT artworks, there is hardly any platform that matches Portion in the NFT space. This digital platform charges no transaction fee. Thus, photographic digital creators get to keep all the sales proceeds.
To sweeten the deal, Portion has its own token, $FOTO, which it uses to incentivize listing on its platform.
In addition to keeping 100% of sales proceeds, photographic NFT creators get to earn an 11% royalty on secondary sales.
9. KnownOrigin
In case you are looking for a place to list original and authentic digital artworks and hence have control over your digital assets, then, KnownOrigin is a good place to consider. This is probably the closest alternative to SuperRare.
The charges are a 15% transaction fee on primary sales and a 2.5% transaction fee on secondary sales. Primary sellers get to keep 85% of sales proceeds. Original creators get a 12.5% royalty from sales in the secondary market. Since the marketplace is hosted on the Ethereum blockchain, it supports major Ethereum-based wallets.
10. Foundation
If you are an NFT photography artist that is looking for an alternative to SuperRare, then Foundation is the best alternative. Foundation has a high reputation for quality authentic NFT photography.
Like SuperRare, Foundation charges artists a 15% fee deductible from sales. And like SuperRare, in addition to keeping 85% of sales proceeds, it awards NFT artists a 10% royalty on sales made in the secondary market.
The Foundation platform supports the MetaMask crypto wallet.
11. MakersPlace
If you are looking for an alternative to Foundation, then, MakersPlace is the most likely option. Like Foundation, it charges a 15% transaction fee on sales. Furthermore, NFT artists earn a 10% royalty on the secondary market.
12. Axie Marketplace
NFT game creators will find Axie Marketplace one of the best places to list their game items. Game creators are charged a 5.25% transaction fee on listing while buyers are not charged any transaction fee. Game players earn various amounts of crypto rewards for playing games on the platform. Creators can also earn from rentals whereby they allow players to rent game items to other players.
13. AtomicHub
With more than 92 million NFTs listed on its platform, AtomicHub is one of the few top NFT marketplaces that are not based on the Ethereum blockchain network. Instead, this NFT digital platform is anchored on the EOSIO blockchain network.
NFTs on this platform are listed as atomic assets on the Worldwide Asset eXchange (WAX) blockchain exchange. To facilitate funding and NFT trading, AtomicHub has its own token, WAX. The main advantage of listing on AtomicHub is that the NFTs are automatically listed on other trading platforms hosted on the EOSIO blockchain network, thus granting your NFT digital assets maximum market exposure. This increases the potential for your NFT sales to attract more revenues.
Another big advantage to NFT creators is that the WAX has no gas fees. Furthermore, AtomicHub provides multiple listing options including ordinary trading, trading based on wish lists, and auctions.
The best crypto wallet to use on AtomicHub is Wax Cloud Wallet. Other supported wallets include Scatter Wallet and Anchor Wallet. It only costs 2% on sales with no upfront fees. In addition to earning from sales proceeds, you also get to earn royalty.
14. Ephimera
Like the Foundation and Portion Platforms, Ephimera is another platform that has a strong focus on premium NFT photography. Only limited-edition photography is allowed and strictly based on exclusive ownership rights. No copies or further editions can be created. Thus, the buyer acquires full rights to the sold NFT artwork.
To operate on Ephimera digital platform, you need a MetaMask crypto wallet. Transaction fee on this platform is based on sales, that 10% on primary sales and 5% on secondary sales. The NFT creator earns 90% of sales proceeds on the primary market and 10% of sales proceeds on the secondary market.
15. Binance NFT Marketplace
Hosting your NFT artwork on the world’s largest cryptocurrency exchange can give you unparallel advantages in terms of marketing. Binance NFT marketplace provides these advantages.
This marketplace is anchored on the Binance Smart Chain, an Ethereum-compatible blockchain network. Thus, your NFTs must be Ethereum-based NFTs.
NFT creators are charged a 1% transaction fee. In addition, they pay Ethereum gas fees. In addition to sales proceeds, digital creators also get to earn a 1% royalty in the secondary market.
16. Art Blocks
Generative art is gaining popularity as NFT artwork. Art Blocks is among the few NFT marketplaces that are pioneering this form of NFT. Unlike minting popular NFTs, Generative art requires some coding knowledge to mint.
Art Blocks charges a 10% transaction fee on sales. NFT creators get to decide on how much royalty to earn from the secondary market.
17. BakerySwap
Being able to stake your NFT on DeFi is one of the unique benefits of BakerySwap. The platform has its own token, the BAKE token.
BakerySwap not only allows trading in NFTs but also provides lots of fun. NFT fans can play NFT games, participate in art competitions, and exchange memes. They are then rewarded BAKEs which they can use on the platform to buy digital assets or even stake for passive interest income.
NFT creators pay 0.01 BNB to mint on the platform. Traders pay a 0.3% transaction fee.
18. Zora
Creators of Music NFT will find Zora particularly suitable. This platform hosts a media registry where NFT artists can list their digital artworks for trade.
Zora charges no transaction fee. It provides ownable infrastructure just like Shopify and WordPress which allows Digital creators to mint their own NFTs.
19. Solanart
Those who prefer Solana Blockchain Network will find Solanart a great place to mint and trade their NFTs. The gas fee on Solana is extremely low compared to Ethereum. This significantly reduces the cost of minting. In addition to low gas fees, Solana is extremely fast compared to Ethereum. These two factors make Solanart an ideal platform for NFT creators.
20. MintBase
NFT creators looking for a cheaper alternative to Ethereum-based NFT minting will find MintBase a good place to mint their digital artworks. Established on the NEAR blockchain network, the gas fee is significantly low compared to Ethereum. Nonetheless, those who want to mint on the Ethereum blockchain can still do so on this platform.
Apart from minting, NFT artists can list their NFT digital assets on their own NFT store. They can also list the minted NFT on other platforms such as Opensea. MintBase charges a 2.5% transaction fee on sales.
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