How to Add Polygon (POL) to MetaMask (2026)
By HodlGuide Editorial Team · Updated August 2026 · Last tested: August 2026 · 6 min read
If Ethereum’s gas fees have started to sting, Polygon is usually the first place people go. A swap that costs $10–$20 on Ethereum mainnet typically costs a fraction of a cent on Polygon, and because it’s an EVM chain, your MetaMask address and seed phrase work there unchanged — you’re not creating a new wallet, just pointing the one you have at a faster, cheaper network.
This guide covers the one-click way to add Polygon, the manual settings if you’d rather type them in, how to actually get your first bit of POL for gas (the step most guides skip), and the exact errors you might hit — with the fix for each. When we last added Polygon to a fresh MetaMask install in August 2026, the whole thing took about 40 seconds; the only snag was funding gas, which we cover below.
One thing to clear up first: Polygon’s gas token is now POL, not MATIC. The token migrated 1:1 from MATIC to POL in 2024, so newer MetaMask setups show the balance as POL. If a guide still tells you the currency symbol is “MATIC,” it’s out of date — though functionally the network still works either way.
The fastest way: add Polygon with one click (Chainlist)
- Go to chainlist.org and click Connect Wallet, then approve the connection in MetaMask.
- Search “Polygon” and find the Polygon Mainnet card. Confirm it shows Chain ID 137 — your safety check that you’re adding the real network.
[SCREENSHOT 1: Chainlist Polygon Mainnet card, Chain ID 137]
- Click Add to MetaMask, then Approve in the popup.
[SCREENSHOT 2: MetaMask approval popup]
The manual way: enter the settings yourself
In MetaMask, open the network dropdown → Add a network → Add a network manually, and enter exactly:
[SCREENSHOT 3: manual network form]
| Field | Value |
|---|---|
| Network name | Polygon Mainnet |
| New RPC URL | https://polygon-rpc.com |
| Chain ID | 137 |
| Currency symbol | POL |
| Block explorer URL | https://polygonscan.com |
Double-check the Chain ID is 137 and the RPC URL is spelled correctly — a wrong character is the cause of the most common error (below). Click Save.
[SCREENSHOT 4: Polygon selected in network switcher]
Which RPC should you use? https://polygon-rpc.com is the free public endpoint and is fine for normal use. If you’re doing heavy activity and see slow or failed requests, that’s the public RPC rate-limiting you — not a wallet problem. Create a free endpoint at Alchemy or Infura and paste that URL instead. Most guides never mention this, and it’s the real reason “Polygon is slow in MetaMask” complaints happen.
Getting your first POL for gas (the step everyone skips)
To do anything on Polygon — even move a token you already own — you need a little POL for gas, and a new Polygon wallet has zero. Three ways to get it:
- Withdraw from an exchange (easiest): buy a small amount of POL on Coinbase/Binance/Kraken and withdraw, choosing Polygon as the network. $2–$3 of POL is thousands of transactions of gas. Confirm the exchange sends on Polygon, not Ethereum.
- Bridge from Ethereum: use the official Polygon Portal (portal.polygon.technology); deposits arrive in ~7–8 minutes. You’ll still need a little ETH on mainnet for the bridge transaction.
- Buy directly in MetaMask: the built-in “Buy” button sells POL on Polygon via card/provider, usually at higher fees.
For a first-timer: withdraw a few dollars of POL from whatever exchange you already use — cheapest and least error-prone.
Adding tokens (USDC, etc.) on Polygon
POL shows automatically; other tokens won’t until you import them. Get the token’s Polygon contract address from polygonscan.com, then in MetaMask click Import tokens and paste it.
[SCREENSHOT 5: import token by contract address]
⚠️ Always copy the contract from PolygonScan or the project’s official site — searching a token by name can surface scam tokens with the same name. (More in our MetaMask security guide.)
Troubleshooting: the exact errors, and how to fix them
“Could not fetch chain ID. Is your RPC URL correct?” — the #1 error, almost always a typo in the RPC URL or a temporary public-RPC outage. Re-check https://polygon-rpc.com; if correct and still failing, switch to an Alchemy/Infura RPC.
Token balance shows 0 after switching. — you’re on the right network but haven’t imported the token (see above). If POL reads 0, gas hasn’t arrived or you withdrew on the wrong network.
“Insufficient funds for gas.” — you have tokens but no POL for the fee; top up as above.
Transactions stuck / “nonce too high” after switching networks. — MetaMask’s transaction count got out of sync. Fix: Settings → Advanced → Clear activity tab data (clears local history only — does not touch funds or seed phrase), then retry.
MetaMask won’t connect to a site at all (separate from the RPC errors above) — that’s usually a browser/extension-state issue rather than a Polygon-specific one. Our MetaMask not connecting fix guide walks through the full checklist.
On mobile: same steps in the app — tap the network name → Add network → Polygon is usually in “Popular” for one-tap adding, or use Custom network with the settings above. If a dApp won’t connect in the mobile browser, open it inside MetaMask’s built-in browser.
Polygon vs Ethereum vs BNB Chain
| Polygon | Ethereum | BNB Chain | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gas token | POL | ETH | BNB |
| Typical gas cost | under $0.01 | $1–$20+ | $0.10–$0.50 |
| Block time | ~2 seconds | ~12 seconds | ~3 seconds |
| Best for | Cheap DeFi, NFTs, gaming, stablecoin transfers | Blue-chip DeFi, high-value | BNB-ecosystem apps |
Polygon’s sweet spot is anything where Ethereum’s fees make small transactions uneconomical.
Related guides: New to crypto entirely? Start with our free Crypto 101 course. Bridging to a different Layer 2 instead? See how to bridge tokens from Ethereum to Arbitrum. Want exposure that isn’t tied to a single token’s volatility? Our gold-backed crypto guide covers digital gold.
FAQ
Is it safe to add the Polygon network to MetaMask?
Yes — adding a network doesn’t touch your seed phrase or funds; you’re only telling MetaMask where to send requests. The only real risk is a fake network, which is why you verify Chain ID 137 and use an RPC from a trusted source.
Does adding Polygon cost anything?
No. Adding is free; you only pay gas (in POL) once you transact, and Polygon gas is a fraction of a cent.
Is it POL or MATIC now?
POL — the token migrated 1:1 from MATIC in 2024. Old configs labeled “MATIC” still work, but POL is correct in 2026.
Do I need a separate wallet for Polygon?
No — because Polygon is EVM-compatible, your existing MetaMask address and seed phrase work on it. Same address, different network.
Why is Polygon slow or failing in my MetaMask?
Almost always the free public RPC being rate-limited — switch to a personal Alchemy/Infura RPC.
Can I move tokens from Ethereum to Polygon?
Yes, via a bridge like the Polygon Portal; keep a little ETH on mainnet to cover it, ~7–8 minutes to arrive.
Disclaimer: educational information, not financial advice. Always double-check network details from official sources.
The HodlGuide editorial team researches and tests crypto wallets and exchanges, documenting setup flows, fees and security practices so readers can choose the right tool for self-custody.