> For the complete documentation index, see [llms.txt](https://docs.tronsave.io/llms.txt). Markdown versions of documentation pages are available by appending `.md` to page URLs; this page is available as [Markdown](https://docs.tronsave.io/concepts/energy-and-bandwidth.md).

# Energy & Bandwidth

Every action on the TRON network consumes two resources. Understanding them is the key to understanding why TronSave saves you money.

## Energy

* **What it's for:** executing **smart contracts** — e.g. transferring USDT (a TRC‑20 token), interacting with a DEX, minting, etc.
* **How you get it:** by **staking TRX** (Stake 2.0), or by **renting** it on TronSave.
* **If you don't have enough:** the network **burns TRX** to cover the shortfall — this is what makes contract calls expensive.

> A single **USDT TRC‑20 transfer** costs roughly **\~64,400–167,000 Energy** depending on the receiver's state (e.g. whether the receiver already holds USDT).

## Bandwidth

* **What it's for:** covering the **byte size** of a transaction. Every transaction needs Bandwidth.
* **How you get it:** a small **free daily allowance** per account, plus staking TRX or renting.
* **If you don't have enough:** the network burns a small amount of TRX.

## Why rent instead of burn?

When you lack staked resources, TRON burns TRX at the protocol rate. On TronSave you instead pay the **market rental rate**, which is typically **far cheaper** — up to **\~70%** savings for frequent operations like USDT transfers.

|            | Burn TRX (no resources) | Rent on TronSave                      |
| ---------- | ----------------------- | ------------------------------------- |
| Cost basis | Protocol burn rate      | Market rate (often much lower)        |
| Setup      | None                    | Place an order / hold a small balance |
| Best for   | One‑off, tiny usage     | Frequent transfers, bots, dApps       |

## Units

* Resources are counted in **Energy** / **Bandwidth** units.
* Prices are quoted in **SUN**, where **1 TRX = 1,000,000 SUN**.

See the [Glossary](/concepts/glossary.md) for all terms, and [Pricing & APY](/concepts/pricing-and-apy.md) for how rental prices are set.

## Next steps

* [The Rental Model](/concepts/rental-model.md) · [Order Types](/concepts/order-types.md) · [Quickstart](/getting-started/quickstart.md)