# Solana Fees

When trading on Solana through Shotgun, you control several transaction settings that affect speed, success rate, and cost. Tuning these correctly gives you a real execution edge.

{% hint style="info" %}
Solana network fees are separate from Shotgun's platform fee and are paid directly to validators. They are not cashback-eligible.
{% endhint %}

## Priority Fee

The Priority Fee is an extra payment made to Solana validators to increase the likelihood of faster confirmation - especially during high network congestion or when trading high-volume tokens.

* **Default:** 0.001 SOL
* **When to increase:** During high network congestion or when trading newly launched tokens
* **Presets available** - switch quickly between preset fee levels to adapt to market conditions

{% hint style="info" %}
If your transactions are failing or slow, increasing your Priority Fee is usually the first fix.
{% endhint %}

## Slippage

Slippage is the difference between the expected trade price when you submit and the actual price when it executes. Setting a slippage limit ensures your trade only executes within your acceptable price range.

* **Too low** → frequent failed transactions during volatile markets
* **Too high** → you accept a worse price than expected
* For most tokens, **1–3%** is a good starting point
* For new launches or low-liquidity tokens, **5–20%** may be needed

{% hint style="warning" %}
If you are not using MEV Protection, keep your slippage low - high slippage with no MEV protection makes your transaction an easy target for sandwich attacks.
{% endhint %}

## MEV Protection

Shotgun includes built-in MEV protection to shield your trades from front-running bots.

* **Off** - no protection. Your trades are exposed to MEV bots, which may result in worse entry prices.
* **On** - transactions are routed through protected channels, reducing the risk of front-running and sandwich attacks.

{% hint style="danger" %}
Shotgun recommends keeping MEV Protection **On** at all times.
{% endhint %}

## Bribe

A Bribe is an additional tip paid to block builders (Jito) to prioritize your transaction above others.

* **Default:** 0.001 SOL
* **Optional** - but recommended during high-volume trading periods or new token launches
* Works alongside the Priority Fee to maximize transaction success rate

## Custom RPC

By default, Shotgun routes all transactions through its own RPC. If you have access to a private RPC, you can plug it in directly.

To use a custom RPC, paste your URL into the **RPC** field in your settings.


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