Ultimate Guide to NFT Minting: Create and Sell NFTs for Free

What Is NFT Minting?

NFT stands for Non-Fungible Token, which is used to prove ownership of specific assets. Typically, NFTs refer to digital assets that exist on blockchain networks. In simple terms, NFT minting is the process of creating artwork or digital content on a blockchain, transforming it into a unique, verifiable digital asset that can be bought, sold, and traded.

What can be turned into an NFT? Essentially, anything you own in the digital space can be minted as an NFT. This includes tweets, digital artwork, music albums, video clips, 3D models, and even virtual real estate. Among these options, art pieces have gained the most popularity in recent years, creating a revolutionary new market for digital creators worldwide.

Thanks to blockchain technology, artists around the world can now create and sell their artwork in a secure and transparent manner. The beauty of this system is that anyone can create NFTs and sell their work, democratizing access to the digital art market. This has opened up unprecedented opportunities for creators who previously struggled to monetize their digital creations.

However, when tokenizing digital assets and minting NFTs, there's often a significant concern: the notorious gas fees. Since most NFTs are issued on Ethereum, we'll focus on minting methods using this popular network. These gas fees, which are transaction costs on the blockchain network, can be quite expensive and vary depending on network congestion. The cost can fluctuate dramatically based on the time of day and overall network activity.

The NFT minting process isn't drastically different from uploading content to streaming platforms, but the gas fees cannot be ignored. These fees change over time and can sometimes be prohibitively expensive for new creators. To mint and create NFTs, you'll need a cryptocurrency wallet like MetaMask and a small amount of Ether to pay for gas fees. In this comprehensive guide, we'll explore how to create and sell NFTs for free on both Ethereum and Polygon blockchains, helping you navigate around these costly fees.

Minting NFTs for Free

Before learning how to sell NFT artwork, you need to choose a marketplace that allows you to mint NFTs for free. Additionally, you'll need a cryptocurrency wallet to pay fees when your NFT sells and to receive payments. This wallet serves as your gateway to the blockchain world and your personal digital vault.

There are numerous platforms where you can create and sell NFTs, each with different features, user interfaces, and fee structures. We'll explore the most popular platforms for NFT trading: OpenSea and Rarible. While these platforms support various cryptocurrency wallets, we'll use MetaMask, the most popular wallet among cryptocurrency users due to its security features and ease of use.

An important point to note about popular NFT marketplaces is that while NFT minting is free, they charge a service fee of 2.5% based on the sale price for listing NFTs. This fee goes to the platform, not the blockchain network, and covers the costs of maintaining the marketplace infrastructure and providing services to creators and buyers.

How to Mint NFTs for Free on OpenSea

Step 1: Install MetaMask Wallet and Create an Account

MetaMask is a popular cryptocurrency wallet available as a browser extension and mobile app. If you've never used it before, first download the wallet from the MetaMask website. The installation process is straightforward and takes only a few minutes.

If you already have a MetaMask wallet, you can import it using your Secret Recovery Phrase. For new users, you can create a wallet by following the guided setup process. It's crucial to write down your secret recovery phrase (using pen and paper, not digitally) as you'll need it to recover your wallet if something happens to your device. This phrase is the only way to regain access to your wallet if you lose your password or device. You'll also need to set a password that will be required each time you connect to a new device.

Step 2: Connect MetaMask to OpenSea

Navigate to the OpenSea marketplace and click the wallet icon in the upper right corner to connect your wallet. A popup will appear with various wallet options; select MetaMask and confirm the connection. This process establishes a secure link between your wallet and the marketplace. Once your wallet is connected to the NFT marketplace, you can view your profile and create your first NFT. The platform will remember your wallet address for future visits.

Step 3: Create and Mint NFTs for Free on OpenSea

You can choose between creating a Single NFT or an NFT collection. NFT collections, which have a higher success rate than single NFTs, are more popular among creators as they allow for thematic consistency and can generate more interest from collectors.

To create a Single NFT, click Create in the upper right menu. For creating an NFT collection, click on your account icon (upper right, next to the wallet icon), then navigate to My Collections and select Create a Collection. Collections allow you to organize related NFTs under a single umbrella, making it easier for collectors to discover and purchase multiple pieces.

The minting process for singles and collections is quite similar, though NFT collections require additional information. After creation, you can add items or select the number of NFTs to mint. If you want to create scarcity for your NFTs, you can burn some of them later, increasing the value of remaining pieces.

You must include the following details for each artwork or NFT:

• Digital artwork (image, video, audio, 3D model)
• Name
• External link
• Description
• Collection (if you've created one)
• Properties
• Unlockable content
• Supply
• Blockchain

Since we're discussing how to create and sell NFTs for free, it's crucial to select Polygon instead of the default Ethereum blockchain. This choice is the key to avoiding upfront gas fees.

As you already know, Ethereum is primarily used for NFT blockchains, but other blockchains that support smart contracts and NFT minting also exist. Polygon offers significantly lower fees and faster transaction speeds, making it one of the major networks suitable for NFT and cryptocurrency trading. In this case, OpenSea creators can use Polygon to create NFTs for free, avoiding the high gas fees associated with Ethereum.

Click Create to generate your first NFT. However, it won't appear in the sales listing yet and won't be searchable by others until you complete the next step.

Step 4: List Your NFT

To list your NFT for sale, click Sell in the upper right corner. This opens up various selling options that give you control over how you want to sell your creation.

You can set your desired price using different methods: fixed price, timed auction, or declining price. Each method has its advantages depending on your goals and the perceived value of your NFT.

After entering all details, click Complete Listing. Your NFT will then appear in the marketplace, visible to potential buyers worldwide.

Keep in mind that when your NFT sells, you'll pay OpenSea a 2.5% fee on the sale price. This platform fee is standard across most major NFT marketplaces and helps maintain the infrastructure.

Congratulations! You can now create and sell NFTs on OpenSea without paying upfront gas fees.

What Is Lazy Minting?

Lazy minting, also known as gasless minting, refers to NFTs that are minted at the point of purchase rather than at creation. This innovative approach allows new artists to mint NFTs without upfront costs, removing a significant barrier to entry for creators. Lazy minting is a feature offered by popular marketplaces including OpenSea and Rarible.

The lazy minting feature was introduced in late of recent years in response to skyrocketing gas fees that were pricing out many creators. This feature is particularly suitable for creators who are new to the market or don't want to pay expensive amounts before their work sells. It democratizes access to NFT creation by eliminating financial risk for artists.

With lazy minting, advanced technology allows NFT minting costs to be deferred until the first buyer purchases it. The NFT is only actually recorded on the blockchain after a sale occurs. Before minting, the related data is stored in IPFS (InterPlanetary File System), a decentralized file storage system that ensures your content remains accessible.

NFT transfer fees are also included in gas fees. This is why creators don't have to pay additional costs upfront. A certain percentage of the purchase price is used to record the NFT on the blockchain when the transaction occurs, with the buyer covering these costs as part of their purchase.

How to Mint NFTs for Free on Rarible

Rarible is another popular NFT marketplace known for NFT artwork, gaming items, and other NFT assets. The platform offers a user-friendly interface and various features that appeal to both creators and collectors. Let's explore in detail how to sell NFTs for free on Rarible. Since you need a wallet to connect to Rarible, we'll use MetaMask, just as we did with OpenSea.

Step 1: Install MetaMask Wallet and Create an Account

This step is identical to Step 1 for OpenSea. If you don't have a MetaMask wallet, create and download one. Make sure to securely store your secret recovery phrase in case of device issues. This phrase is your lifeline to recovering your digital assets.

Step 2: Connect MetaMask to Rarible

Navigate to Rarible.com, click Sign, then select Sign in with MetaMask to connect your MetaMask wallet. The platform will request permission to view your wallet address and interact with it for transactions.

Step 3: Create and Mint NFTs for Free on Rarible

Once you've connected your wallet to the marketplace and agreed to Rarible's terms of service, click Create in the upper right corner to generate your NFT.

Select the Ethereum blockchain and choose between Single or Multiple NFTs. The interface is intuitive and guides you through each decision.

Clicking Multiple allows you to create an NFT collection, which is commonly preferred by creators building a cohesive body of work. However, since we're learning how to create and sell NFTs for free, there's no significant difference in the process. For this guide, we'll select Single to keep things straightforward.

Enter the following details for your new NFT:

• Digital file (image, video, audio)
• Choose sale type (fixed price, bid, timed auction)
• Price
• Unlockable content
• Collection (select Rarible for free minting)
• Free minting (must be enabled)
• Name
• Description
• Royalties

To enable the free minting feature, you must select the Rarible collection. This is a crucial step that many new creators miss.

Also, make sure the free minting feature is enabled. This feature is actually the lazy minting functionality we discussed earlier. When you use this feature, the buyer pays the gas fees needed for NFT minting when the NFT is first sold, eliminating your upfront costs.

After filling in all information and verifying accuracy (changes cannot be made later), scroll down and click Create Item. You've now minted your first NFT on Rarible.

Once the NFT is created, it becomes immediately available for purchase on Rarible. However, until someone actually purchases the NFT, it's only issued on the Ethereum blockchain and not stored on-chain, saving you from paying gas fees.

Congratulations! You've now learned how to sell NFTs for free on Rarible.

How to Sell NFTs

Now that you know how to sell NFTs for free on OpenSea and Rarible, let's explore two crucial strategies: building an NFT community and promoting your NFTs. These strategies can make the difference between an NFT that sits unsold and one that generates significant interest and sales.

Building a Community

Forming an NFT community is extremely important and something new artists must pay attention to. OpenSea and other popular NFT marketplaces use social verification for artwork approval. This means having an active social media presence isn't just recommended—it's often required. OpenSea requires at least one social media platform that manages and publicizes NFT collections to the public.

Start by letting your followers know you're interested in NFTs and building anticipation for your work. Then, share your first NFT collection as soon as you create it, generating excitement and early interest. Engage with your audience regularly, respond to comments, and build genuine relationships with potential collectors.

Experts recommend releasing limited edition NFT drops to increase revenue and followers. Scarcity creates demand, and limited releases can generate urgency among collectors who don't want to miss out on your work.

Promoting Your NFTs

To increase sales opportunities for your work, you need to know how to promote your NFTs effectively. Don't fall into the trap of thinking people will automatically buy just because you list your work. You must promote your NFTs through every possible social media channel to maximize visibility and reach potential buyers.

The majority of NFT artists and creators use Twitter, Telegram, Discord, and Reddit to communicate with fans and build their communities. Each platform serves a different purpose: Twitter for announcements and quick updates, Discord for building a dedicated community, Telegram for direct communication, and Reddit for reaching broader audiences and getting feedback. Develop a consistent posting schedule and engage authentically with your audience across these platforms.

OpenSea vs Rarible

Now you've learned how to sell NFT artwork on both OpenSea and Rarible platforms. So which marketplace is better? The answer depends on your community, existing fan base, unique features you value, and personal preferences. Since there are differences between OpenSea and Rarible, you can utilize each based on specific features you prefer.

In conclusion, both are popular NFT marketplaces with many similarities, including user-friendly interfaces, large user bases, and support for lazy minting. However, a key difference is that you can mint NFTs on different blockchains. On OpenSea, you can mint on Ethereum or Polygon blockchains, while Rarible allows minting on Ethereum, Flow, and Tezos. This gives you more flexibility in choosing the blockchain that best suits your needs and target audience.

Since NFTs have been receiving considerable attention relatively recently, both marketplaces expect more NFT creators to participate in the cryptocurrency market. Therefore, the current gaps between platforms may narrow in the future as competition drives innovation and improvement.

Additionally, Rarible has introduced verification badges, a feature that many artists prefer. This can be an important factor in choosing a platform for selling NFTs, as it helps establish credibility and authenticity for your work. Verified creators often see higher sales and more trust from collectors.

FAQ

What is an NFT and how does it differ from other digital assets?

An NFT is a unique digital asset on blockchain representing ownership of specific items like art or collectibles. Unlike fungible tokens such as Bitcoin, NFTs have unique identifiers and cannot be exchanged one-to-one, making each token distinct and irreplaceable.

Which platforms allow you to create and mint NFTs for free without gas fees?

Starchive allows you to create and mint NFTs for free without gas fees on the Palm network. You pay nothing until you sell your NFTs.

What are the step-by-step instructions to create an NFT on a free platform?

Choose a free NFT platform, create a digital wallet, upload your artwork in supported format, add metadata and description, set royalties if desired, then mint your NFT by confirming the transaction on the blockchain.

How do you set up a digital wallet to buy, sell, and manage NFTs?

Create a crypto wallet compatible with NFTs, connect it to an NFT platform, and use your private key to access and manage your NFTs on the blockchain. Your assets remain secure on the blockchain, controlled through your wallet.

What strategies can help you market and sell your NFTs successfully?

Build a strong community through social media engagement and content marketing. Leverage influencer partnerships to expand reach. Plan strategic launches to create excitement and urgency. Maintain continuous engagement with your audience for sustained growth and relevance in the NFT market.

What are the risks and legal considerations when creating and selling NFTs?

Key risks include intellectual property infringement, market volatility, and smart contract vulnerabilities. Legal considerations involve copyright compliance, tax obligations, and clear terms of sale to protect both creators and buyers.