NFT Royalty Calculator
Find out exactly how much a creator earns each time their NFT resells on the secondary market. Converts ETH royalty income into USD using the current ETH price.
About this calculator
NFT royalties are a percentage of every secondary sale automatically paid to the original creator via smart contract. The formula is: Royalty (USD) = Sale Price (ETH) × (Royalty Percentage / 100) × ETH Price (USD). For example, if an NFT sells for 2 ETH with a 10% royalty and ETH is worth $2,000, the creator earns 2 × 0.10 × $2,000 = $400. Royalty percentages are encoded at mint time and enforced by the marketplace — common values range from 2.5% to 10%. Note that some marketplaces have moved to optional royalties, so actual enforcement depends on the platform. This calculator gives the theoretical maximum royalty per sale.
How to use
Imagine your NFT sells for 3.5 ETH, you set a 7.5% royalty at mint, and ETH is currently trading at $1,800. Step 1 — Enter Sale Price: 3.5 ETH. Step 2 — Enter Royalty Percentage: 7.5%. Step 3 — Enter ETH Price: $1,800. Step 4 — The calculator computes: 3.5 × (7.5 / 100) × 1,800 = 3.5 × 0.075 × 1,800 = $472.50. That is your royalty income from a single resale. Repeat the calculation with different sale prices to project cumulative earnings across multiple secondary transactions.
Frequently asked questions
What royalty percentage should I set when minting an NFT?
Most successful NFT collections use royalties between 5% and 10%. Setting it too high (above 10%) can discourage secondary trading because buyers factor royalty costs into their bids. Setting it too low means you miss meaningful passive income as your collection gains value. A 7.5% royalty is a common middle ground that balances creator compensation with market liquidity. Always check the specific marketplace's royalty enforcement policy before minting, as some platforms cap or make royalties optional.
How do NFT royalties work on secondary sales?
Royalties are programmed into the NFT's smart contract at the time of minting, typically using the ERC-2981 royalty standard on Ethereum. Every time the NFT is sold on a compliant marketplace, the contract automatically routes the specified percentage of the sale price to the creator's wallet before settling the remainder with the seller. This happens on-chain with no manual intervention. However, royalty enforcement is marketplace-dependent — decentralized or aggregator platforms may bypass the royalty logic, so creators should list on royalty-enforcing platforms.
Why do ETH price fluctuations matter for NFT royalty income?
Because NFTs are priced and sold in ETH, your royalty is first calculated in ETH and then converted to fiat. If ETH's dollar value doubles between the time you minted and the time of a secondary sale, your USD royalty income doubles even if the ETH sale price stays the same. Conversely, a falling ETH price erodes real income. Creators who rely on royalties for revenue should monitor ETH/USD rates and consider whether to hold earned ETH or convert it promptly to manage currency risk.