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Copyright & Licensing Game

🚀 NFT Launchpad: Launch Your Collection

Learn how to mint, market, and sell your NFT project

🚀 NFT Launchpads: From Idea to Mint

You've created 10,000 unique NFTs. Now comes the hard part: launching them successfully. Should you use OpenSea's lazy minting? A dedicated launchpad like Magic Eden? Build your own smart contract? Each choice impacts fees, audience, and launch mechanics. A wrong platform can cost you 50% of potential revenue.

NFT launchpads are platforms that facilitate collection launches—handling minting, whitelists, payment processing, and initial distribution. Think of them as "launch pads" for your rocket ship. Some offer full-service (whitelist tools, presale mechanics, marketing), others just provide infrastructure (smart contracts, hosting). Choosing the right one depends on collection size, budget, and technical expertise.

💰

Fee Structures

Platform fees (1.5-5%), gas costs, royalty splits—understand total launch costs

🎯

Launch Mechanics

Whitelist, public mint, Dutch auction, fair launch—each has tradeoffs

👥

Audience Reach

OpenSea has millions of users, niche launchpads have targeted communities

🔍 Interactive: Platform Selector

Compare major NFT launchpad platforms. Each offers different features, fees, and target audiences. Click to explore what each platform provides.

🌊

OpenSea

Secondary + Lazy Mint

2.5%
Platform Fee
✅ Features
  • Lazy Minting
  • No Upfront Costs
  • Largest Audience
  • ERC-721 & ERC-1155
❌ Limitations
  • No Whitelist Tools
  • No Fair Launch
  • Post-Mint Only
  • High Competition
Best For:

Individual artists, small collections, low-budget launches

🎯 Key Launch Decisions

1️⃣
Platform Choice

Marketplace vs. dedicated launchpad vs. custom contract. Budget and technical skill determine best fit.

2️⃣
Mint Mechanics

Free mint, fixed price, Dutch auction, bonding curve—each attracts different buyers and affects sellout speed.

3️⃣
Whitelist Strategy

Open public mint vs. whitelist-only vs. hybrid. Whitelists build hype but limit reach.

4️⃣
Pricing Model

Too high = low mint rate. Too low = instant sellout but lower revenue. Dynamic pricing helps find balance.

Successful Launch Example

Doodles (10k collection)

  • Used custom smart contract with whitelist
  • 0.123 ETH mint price (fair, memorable)
  • Sold out in minutes, floor 10x in weeks
  • Strong community pre-launch via Twitter/Discord

Failed Launch Example

Anonymous Cash Grab (10k collection)

  • Used cheap launchpad with broken mint UI
  • 0.5 ETH price (too high for unknown project)
  • Only 20% minted, team disappeared
  • No community, no roadmap, pure hype attempt

💡 Key Insight

The launchpad you choose impacts every aspect of your mint: fees, audience, mechanics, and perception. OpenSea is easy but lacks launch tools. Dedicated launchpads offer whitelists and presales but charge 5%+ fees. Custom contracts give full control but require technical expertise. Most successful projects (BAYC, Azuki, Doodles) used custom smart contracts with careful launch mechanics—but they also had experienced teams and strong communities. For first-time creators, starting with Magic Eden or similar balanced launchpads reduces risk while maintaining flexibility.

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