Read a bridge quote before you send

A bridge quote shows what a cross-chain transfer is expected to deliver, but the amount that arrives can differ from the headline estimate. Check the destination token, fees and minimum received before you approve the transaction. A route is the set of bridge and swap steps used to move your funds. For a closer look at how thin routes affect a manta bridge transfer, see the linked guide.

What does a bridge quote include?

A quote estimates the amount sent, the amount expected on the destination chain, fees and often a completion time. LI.FI’s quote documentation separates the expected output from the minimum output after slippage. Stargate’s quote documentation also lists a minimum destination amount, fees and an estimated duration. These fields help you compare what the route costs with what it may deliver.

Look at the token and network names as well as the amount. Sending one token and receiving another may involve a swap, which exchanges one asset for another. Two quotes for the same transfer can therefore differ because they use different routes, fees or destination tokens. A low fee alone does not tell you which route delivers more of the token you want.

What does minimum received mean?

Minimum received is the lowest output allowed by the transaction’s slippage setting, subject to how that route implements its limits. Slippage is the change between the quoted price and the price available when a swap executes. LI.FI’s documentation describes its minimum output as an amount that includes slippage; Stargate labels its destination minimum separately from the expected amount.

On a thin route, there may be little liquidity available at the quoted price. A trade can move the price more as it uses that liquidity. The quote may show a plausible estimate while the minimum is much lower. Compare both numbers. If the minimum falls below the amount you are willing to accept, choose another route or wait for a better quote.

How should you compare bridge routes?

Use the same sending amount and destination token when comparing routes. Then check these details together:

• Expected output: the estimated amount on the destination chain.
• Minimum output: the floor the route sets for the transaction.
• Fees: the listed bridge, swap and gas costs, including which token pays them.
• Time: the route’s estimate, which can matter if prices move while the transfer is in progress.

A faster route may cost more, while a route with a better expected output may have a lower minimum. The better choice for most transfers is the one whose minimum output and fees fit your limits, not simply the route with the largest estimate. Quote fields vary by provider, so read the labels in the transfer screen rather than assuming every interface uses the same terms.

When should you check the quote again?

Check again just before signing if the quote has been sitting open, the market has moved, or you changed the amount, token or destination. Quote estimates rely on current route data; LI.FI’s documentation distinguishes those estimates from the transaction request that gets sent to the wallet. A fresh quote can show whether the route or minimum has changed. Before approving, confirm the wallet’s transaction matches the route and destination you selected.