Solana vs. Ethereum L2s, a UX comparison
1/ A lot of people are excited about ZK-rollups, and for good reason.
However, from a UX experience, ZK-rollups aren't too different than existing L2s. E.g. Polygon already offers low fees and fast transactions.
Let's look at Solana vs. L2s, and see why one might be preferred.
However, from a UX experience, ZK-rollups aren't too different than existing L2s. E.g. Polygon already offers low fees and fast transactions.
Let's look at Solana vs. L2s, and see why one might be preferred.
2/ To simplify things, I'll mainly be looking at Polygon.
Yes, I know that ZK-rollups are more secure than Polygon's sidechain.
But really, most users don't care about that 🤷♂️. Users care about things like low fees and fast transactions, e.g. how good the UX is.
Yes, I know that ZK-rollups are more secure than Polygon's sidechain.
But really, most users don't care about that 🤷♂️. Users care about things like low fees and fast transactions, e.g. how good the UX is.
3/ Costs
Both Solana and Polygon have extremely low transaction fees
Sending SOL costs 0.000005 SOL, or ~$0.001
Sending MATIC costs 0.00063 MATIC, or ~$0.001
Both Solana and Polygon have extremely low transaction fees
Sending SOL costs 0.000005 SOL, or ~$0.001
Sending MATIC costs 0.00063 MATIC, or ~$0.001
4/ Getting assets
In order to use the Polygon network, you need MATIC.
It's easy to buy MATC on the Ethereum Mainnet, but much harder to get it onto the Polygon Mainnet. In fact, it's so complicated that we wrote an entire guide about it.
medium.com/@nifty.pixels/…
In order to use the Polygon network, you need MATIC.
It's easy to buy MATC on the Ethereum Mainnet, but much harder to get it onto the Polygon Mainnet. In fact, it's so complicated that we wrote an entire guide about it.
medium.com/@nifty.pixels/…
5/ The most obvious way to get MATIC on the Polygon Mainnet is to buy it on Coinbase, transfer it to MetaMask, and then bridge it using the Polygon Bridge.
Unfortunately, you need to pay L1 gas fees in order to bridge your assets, which is quite expensive ($50 or more).
Unfortunately, you need to pay L1 gas fees in order to bridge your assets, which is quite expensive ($50 or more).
6/ Getting Solana is easy—I can just buy it on Coinbase and transfer it to Phantom.
Some CEXs support direct withdrawal to the Polygon Mainnet, but most users don't know about this.
Turns out that having multiple networks is confusing 😵💫
Some CEXs support direct withdrawal to the Polygon Mainnet, but most users don't know about this.
Turns out that having multiple networks is confusing 😵💫
7/ Lack of L2 support
Another issue that L2s currently face is scattered support.
For example, I can buy Polygon NFTs on @opensea, but @rainbowdotme doesn't display them.
And certain important products, like @ensdomains, are only usable on L1.
Another issue that L2s currently face is scattered support.
For example, I can buy Polygon NFTs on @opensea, but @rainbowdotme doesn't display them.
And certain important products, like @ensdomains, are only usable on L1.
8/ Of course, the situation will improve. But it's definitely simpler when every product operates on the same base layer.
9/ L2 choice overload
It's already hard convincing people to try out web3 products. It's even harder when you need to explain how L2s work, and what the difference is between all of them.
"Polygon has low fees, but there's also Arbitrum. Oh, but zkSync is coming out soon..."
It's already hard convincing people to try out web3 products. It's even harder when you need to explain how L2s work, and what the difference is between all of them.
"Polygon has low fees, but there's also Arbitrum. Oh, but zkSync is coming out soon..."
10/ Again, this will improve over time. But for now, I find it much easier to point people to Solana—a blockchain designed to be fast—as opposed to one of Ethereum's many L2s.
11/ To make it clear, I'm not opposed to Ethereum L2s! Polygon is great—that's why I built an NFT marketplace on it (@niftypixelsio).
However, from a UX perspective, Solana has many advantages over L2s.
However, from a UX perspective, Solana has many advantages over L2s.
12/ I have no doubt L2s will improve, and that their additional complexity will be abstracted away from the user.
Eventually, users might not even be aware of which blockchain they're transacting with.
Eventually, users might not even be aware of which blockchain they're transacting with.
13/ But in the meantime, with rollups in an immature state, and sharding still on the horizon (eta 2023), more and more people will turn to building great products on Solana.
At least, that's what I'll be doing 😛
At least, that's what I'll be doing 😛
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