As more people choose to invest in the industry, collectors are looking for quality images and videos to purchase. That being said, marketplaces have put restriction limits on file sizes to help manage their databases.
This post will cover marketplace restrictions, list the file sizes of a few famous NFTs, and answer a few questions about how file sizes affect the industry.
NFT Size Restrictions By Marketplace
While there is no max file size for your NFT digital art, each NFT marketplace will have different restrictions on its file size limits. Even with the max limits, many will recommend that you upload a smaller image to allow it to load faster.
OpenSea
OpenSea was founded in late 2017 by two men who were passionate about the industry. After spending time in many NFT-related Discord servers, they realized there was a need for a place where collectors could buy and sell their NFT assets safely. It was the first NFT marketplace and is also the largest.
OpenSea allows people to upload files with a maximum size of 100MB (though they recommend keeping it under 50MB if possible). The platform allows the following file types: JPG, GIF, PNG, MP4, SVT, MP3, WebM, WAV, GLTF, GLB, and OGG.
Read our OpenSea Review for additional information about this platform.
Rarible
Rarible was launched in 2020 as a DAO (Decentralized Autonomous Organization) that allows users to earn governance tokens (called $RARI) through buying and selling on the platform. These tokens allow holders to vote on future changes to the platform.
The maximum file size allowed on Rarible is 10MB, a mere 10% of what OpenSea allows. Users can upload the following types: WebP, PNG, MP4, GIF, MP3, JPEG, and more.
Read more about how Rarible compares to OpenSea here.
SuperRare
SuperRare prides itself on being more like an art gallery than a marketplace. They are very exclusive on who they choose to work with and only add a few to their database on a monthly basis. SuperRare is similar to Rarible in that they also have a token ($RARE) that allows their users to have a future say in the platform.
SuperRare allows a maximum file upload of 50MB, though the thumbnail shown will be 10MB.
Foundation
Created in 2020, Foundation is a marketplace that runs on an auction format. Each auction runs for 24 hours once the reserve price has been met.
Foundation allows a maximum file upload of 50MB. They request that images are 3,000px or less. They also asked that videos are uploaded in 4K or 1080p.
Mintable
Mintable is primarily known for its gasless minting. Gas fees can be one of the most expensive aspects of buying NFTs. There are some limitations on what you can mint via this method. The platform also allows normal minting and “printable minting” which allows artists to put up a collection and remove unsold artworks at a later date.
Mintable has a maximum file size limit of 3GB. They accept any image format, MP4 videos, and GLB 3D files.
KnownOrigin
KnownOrigin is selective on which artist they work with on the platform. While you can fill out an application, it may be a few months before you hear back from the company. An artist who sells through the marketplace will pay a 15% commission on their initial sale but will earn 10% royalties on all secondary sales of their work.
The platform accepts PNGs, JPG, GIFS, SVG, WebP, WebM, Mp4, and GLB file formats. They have a 75MB max size for the main asset and a 25MB size for cover images.
Mintbase
While the above platforms run on the Ethereum Blockchain, Mintbase is different as it runs on the PoS blockchain, NEAR. This allows lower transaction fees. The files can be moved to the Ethereum blockchain through a bridge.
The platform allows JPGs, GIFS, and PNGs up to 10MB large and video files (MP4, MP3, and OGG) up to 16MB.
File Sizes for Famous NFTs
Want to know how your NFT file size compares with well-known tokens? Here is a list of a few of the most popular collections on the market:
- Axie Infinity – The characters in this NFT-based game measure 512px by 384px. The game was released in March 2018.
- Bored Ape Yacht Club – Created in April 2021, the Bored Ape Yacht Club was an instant success. Interestingly, while the file sizes of these ERC-721s are 631px by 631px, their drops (Mutant Apes and Kennel Club) are twice the size at 1262px square.
- Cool Cats – Launched in July 2021, the collection of 9,999 blue cats each measure 1080px by 1080px.
- CryptoPunks – Hailed as one of the first NFT projects, CryptoPunks was released in June 2017. Each piece of the collection of pixelated punks is 336px by 336px.
- Everydays: The First 5000 Days – The $69 million USD sale of this digital artwork by Beeple made headlines in March 2021. The file is very large as far as NFTs go, measuring 21,069px by 21,069.
- Meebits – After their success with CryptoPunks, the creators at Larva Labs created a project of 3D models in May 2021. These models can be imported into several games, but their portraits measure 1024px by 1536px.
- VeeFriends – When Gary Vaynerchuk created his project, he inbuilt utility into his non-fungible tokens. Every token-holder will be able to attend his VeeCon in 2022, 2023, and 2024. Several of his tokens have additional utility as well, even allowing a select few to have one-on-one access to him. The file size for these assets are 640px x 860px.
Frequently Asked Questions
What File Formats Can Be Used?
There are many file types that can be used when crafting an NFT. In fact, regardless of whether your NFTR art is a video file (WEBM), GIF, GLB, or an image file (JPG, PNG), you should be able to upload your new NFT to a marketplace so long as it doesn’t exceed the maximum file size.
Where Are NFT Media Files Stored?
Due to their size, media files are not uploaded to the Ethereum blockchain. Instead, they are stored on IPFS (Interplanetary File System). This filing system can efficiently store large files including the images for NFTs, websites, and applications.
What many people don’t understand is that it isn’t necessarily the NFT image that makes it valuable. While many people can copy the NFT digital art by saving the JPEG to their system, nobody can duplicate the smart contract on the blockchain that stores the transaction information about the piece and who owns it. It is this unlockable aspect of NFTs that gives them value.
Are Gas Fees Higher When NFT Images are Higher?
Gas fees are paid whenever you make a transaction on the blockchain. Ether (ETH) is paid to the miners for processing the transaction. Alex Atallah, one of the co-founders of OpenSea.io was asked this question on his Twitter feed. His response was that it shouldn’t affect the price of transactions. The only time file size will affect gas prices is when they are minted and only if the metadata of the image is stored on-chain.