How to Compare Blur and OpenSea on NFT Royalties

Blur and OpenSea competed over creator royalties by making different choices about whether marketplaces should collect them—and under what conditions. Blur announced that it would enforce full royalties for collections that blocked trading on OpenSea. OpenSea later moved to optional creator fees for new collections. The dispute made royalties a marketplace-policy issue, not a guaranteed payment attached to every NFT resale.

For you, the practical point is simple: don’t assume a creator will receive a royalty just because one marketplace displays a percentage. The fee may depend on the collection’s settings, where the NFT sells and what the marketplace currently supports. Policies and marketplace activity can change, so check the live listing and transaction preview before acting.

If you create NFTs, compare how each platform treats your collection and whether its royalty settings match your goals. If you collect, include any royalty in your total cost and don’t treat past marketplace policy as a promise about future resales.

A creator royalty is a fee intended to go to an NFT creator or designated recipient when the NFT is resold. It is separate from the amount paid to the seller and may also be separate from a marketplace charge and blockchain gas. The precise recipient and percentage depend on the collection’s setup and the marketplace’s rules.

Royalties are not automatically guaranteed across the whole NFT ecosystem. A marketplace can collect or encourage them in its own sales flow, while another venue may use a different policy. Depending on the NFT’s design, a transfer between wallets may also happen without a marketplace collecting anything. That means a royalty shown on one listing should not be treated as a universal rule for the token.

Before you list or buy, identify these separate costs:

Cost	What to check
Creator royalty	Whether it applies to this collection and sale
Marketplace charge	The current fee shown by the platform
Network gas	The wallet’s estimate before you sign

Check the final transaction details, not just the headline price.

Blur’s royalty stance connected creator payments to a collection’s decision to block trading on OpenSea. In effect, the platform offered a stronger royalty outcome for creators willing to limit where their NFTs could be traded. That approach put pressure on creators to choose between supporting royalties and keeping listings available across marketplaces.

OpenSea later moved to optional creator fees for new collections. The change reflected a different trade-off: making the fee less of a required condition for a resale. Neither policy settled the broader question of whether creators should receive a share of secondary sales. Instead, each marketplace set rules for transactions made through its own service.

This history matters when you evaluate a collection today. A prior announcement does not tell you the current treatment of every collection, and a creator’s preferences may not match a marketplace’s current implementation. Check the collection’s royalty settings and any trading restrictions before listing. If you’re buying, confirm what the checkout actually charges and whether the NFT can be sold elsewhere under different terms.

If you’re choosing where to list, decide first whether you prioritize royalties, broad access to buyers or both. A platform’s stated policy is only one part of that decision: a restriction intended to support royalties may reduce the places where a collection can trade. Optional fees may leave more flexibility for trading but make creator income less predictable.

Use this checklist before you commit:

1. Confirm the marketplace supports your blockchain and collection.
2. Review the current royalty settings and who receives payments.
3. Check whether the collection or platform restricts trading elsewhere.
4. Look at the seller’s total costs, including platform charges and gas.
5. Make a small test listing or transaction only if the costs and terms are clear.
6. Save the collection contract address and confirm it matches the asset you intend to list.

Blur’s current access, fees and safeguards are unclear, so verify them directly in the platform before connecting a wallet. OpenSea’s current fee and royalty treatment can also vary by collection and sale. Don’t rely on an old policy announcement as a substitute for checking the live listing controls.

If you’re buying, compare the total amount you will pay—not just the seller’s asking price. The checkout may include a creator royalty, marketplace charge and network gas. The applicable amounts can differ by platform, collection and transaction, so inspect the breakdown before approving anything in your wallet.

Before you buy or make an offer:

• Verify the collection name and contract address; similar names can be used by unrelated collections.
• Confirm the token ID, item and sale terms match what you intended to purchase.
• Check whether the displayed royalty is included in the total or added separately.
• Review the wallet prompt for the payment amount and any permissions requested.
• Make sure you are using the intended blockchain and account.

A marketplace’s royalty policy does not establish that an NFT is authentic, valuable or easy to resell. It also cannot promise what a later buyer will pay or whether another platform will support the collection. Treat royalties as one part of the transaction terms, not as evidence of investment quality or a guaranteed income stream for the creator.

The total cost depends on the live transaction. It can include the NFT price, a creator royalty, a marketplace charge and blockchain gas. These are distinct charges, and the exact figures can change with the collection, network and marketplace. Neither a low advertised fee nor a zero-looking royalty line means the transaction has no other costs.

Blur’s current fees are unclear, so check its order details and wallet preview before trading. On OpenSea, inspect the specific listing and checkout instead of assuming one royalty treatment applies to every collection. A transaction may also fail or need another attempt, potentially creating additional network costs. Keep enough funds in the relevant asset for the full displayed total and any required gas.

Don’t sign if the wallet prompt differs from the sale you intended, the amount is unclear, or the transaction requests permissions you don’t understand. A listing price is not the same as the final amount paid. Review the total again immediately before confirming, particularly if you are accepting an offer or using a marketplace feature that creates a separate transaction.

The biggest mistake is treating a royalty policy as a permanent, ecosystem-wide rule. Marketplace policies can change, and a collection may be handled differently across platforms. Another common mistake is assuming a displayed fee guarantees that the creator will receive it on every future transfer. Check the specific sale flow and don’t make a purchase based on an assumed royalty outcome.

Also avoid these shortcuts:

• Choosing a platform from an old announcement alone. Confirm current access, fees and collection support before connecting.
• Ignoring trading restrictions. A block on one marketplace can narrow where you or a future buyer can trade.
• Comparing only headline prices. Add royalties, platform charges and gas to the comparison.
• Approving a vague wallet prompt. Read the transaction details and reject anything that does not match your intended action.
• Assuming royalties make an NFT a good investment. They do not guarantee demand, resale proceeds or creator income.

The safest decision is to treat each listing as its own transaction: verify the asset, read the current terms and check the full wallet preview before signing.

The Blur–OpenSea dispute showed that marketplaces can compete by changing how they treat royalties, but it did not make creator payments automatic. In 2026, focus on the collection and transaction in front of you: check current marketplace rules, who receives any royalty, whether trading restrictions apply and what the full purchase or listing costs.

For creators, choose a platform based on the balance you want between royalty support and access to potential buyers. For collectors, compare the total cost and confirm the NFT’s identity before signing. In either role, verify current platform access and safeguards instead of assuming that a familiar name means the same rules still apply.

If you compare Blur, OpenSea or another marketplace such as Magic Eden, use the same checklist for each: supported chain, collection-specific royalty treatment, marketplace charges, gas, wallet permissions and resale restrictions. A clear transaction preview is more useful than a general promise about royalties. If any detail is missing or unexpected, pause rather than approving the transaction.