# What does Ante cost to use?

For using Ante? No subscriptions, no billing, no invoicing.

Ante is an open, decentralized protocol. v0.5 is launching on Ethereum and is available for anyone to use.

As with all smart contracts running on the Ethereum blockchain, users have to pay gas costs using ETH.

However, there is **work that is needed** in order to create an **Ante Test** for your project:

* You can write your own Ante Test.
* You can hire developers to write an Ante Test for you.
* You can ask the Ante community to write an Ante Test for you.

When you deploy an `AnteTest` and generate an `AntePool`, there will not **automatically** be participants staking that pool from the start. You can choose to stake ETH in that `AntePool` (or have your project's treasury stake). You can also ask community members, investors, or supporters to stake. 

**Without staking in the `AntePool`, it's hard to signal legitimacy using Ante.** **Please plan accordingly.  As with any Smart Contract, never stake more than you are comfortable losing!**


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