How Much Does a Volume Bot Cost? A Worked Example

"How much does a volume bot cost?" is the first question most creators ask, and the honest answer is: it depends on how much volume you want. There is usually no flat price. You pay fees on every trade, and the funds you put in come back to you. Here is how to work out your number.

The cost parts

1. DEX fee. The pool's own fee. For example, 0.25% on a PancakeSwap V2 pool.
2. Network fee. A small amount per transaction, paid in SOL, BNB or ETH.
3. Slippage. The price impact of trading in a small pool.

There is no subscription. The bot shows the cost of your session on the review screen before anything runs.

Read crypto trading fees explained for a closer look at each.

What you put in is not what you spend

This is the part people miss. The money you fund your wallets with is not the cost. It is working capital, and it comes back to your master wallet when the session ends. The cost is the slice shaved off by fees along the way.

A worked example

These are illustrative numbers, not a quote, so your own session will differ.

• You use 20 maker wallets at about $2 each, so you fund roughly $40.
• During the session the wallets trade a total of $1,000 of volume. Funds recycle between buys and sells, so volume can be much larger than the amount funded.
• DEX fee on a 0.25% pool: 0.25% of $1,000 = $2.50
• Network fees: a few cents per trade on Solana, which may be a few dollars across the whole session. It depends on the chain and the trade count.
• Slippage: small on a deep pool, larger on a thin one.

So the pool's own fee on $1,000 of volume is about $2.50, plus network fees and slippage, and the review screen in the bot shows anything on top of that. The $40 you funded is still there at the end, less those costs.

A handy rule of thumb

On a 0.25% pool, the DEX fee alone is about 0.25% of the volume you generate. Network fees and slippage come on top, so plan for more. Multiply the volume you want by the pool's fee for a first estimate, then check the review screen in the bot for the real total.

Why the cost can look bigger on small sessions

Network fees are a fixed amount per transaction. On tiny trades they take a larger share. That is one reason very small sessions can feel expensive per dollar of volume.

The bump bot costs less per hour

A bump bot places tiny trades inside small bundles, and the funds recycle between the bundle's wallets. It does not try to build large volume, so it costs less to run for a long time.

How to set a budget

1. Decide the goal. Visibility for a new token, or a higher 24-hour volume?
2. Pick the tool. Bump bot or volume bot.
3. Estimate the fees. Use the rule of thumb above, then check the review screen.
4. Add a buffer for network fees and slippage.
5. Set a duration, and use the progress reports to check. Mentat Booster sends one every 5 minutes, and you can stop at any time.

Also keep a little SOL, BNB or ETH in the master wallet for network fees, especially for a gradual exit.

Is it worth it?

Only you can say. If a small, steady cost keeps a new token visible while your promotion works, many creators find it worthwhile. If you have no plan beyond the bot, it is just a cost. Our launch checklist can help you decide.

Start a session in Mentat Booster and see the cost on the review screen before anything runs.