How to Buy a Bored Ape NFT: The Complete Guide

Hi friend! Have you heard about the Bored Ape Yacht Club NFT collection sweeping the crypto world?

These cool cartoon apes have become the hottest digital collectibles around. Owning one unlocks access to an elite club of NFT lovers like celebrities, top artists, and internet pioneers.

As a tech geek and NFT fan myself, I totally get the hype. But breaking into the Bored Ape club isn‘t easy for newcomers.

Not to worry – I‘ve created this guide just for you explaining everything you need to know to get your own Bored Ape NFT.

Let‘s dive in!

What are Bored Ape NFTs?

Bored Ape Yacht Club (BAYC) is a collection of 10,000 unique cartoon NFTs (non-fungible tokens). Each one was generated with a different mix of quirky features:

Here are some of the traits that make each Bored Ape special:

Clothing like sailor hats or hoodies
Cool accessories like glasses or cigarettes
Fur color and style like brown, white, or rainbow
Facial expressions ranging from bored to angry to grinning
Background colors from blue to green to purple

No two apes look exactly alike. As you browse, you‘ll see apes with laser eyes, silver fur, solid gold teeth grills, and more. The variety comes from the mix of 177 possible traits.

According to the creators Yuga Labs, the different looks are "programmatically generated" from these options. Each time an ape is minted, the algorithm picks a random set of traits to produce a one-of-a-kind character.

But these aren‘t just any ol‘ JPEGs…

Owning a Bored Ape doubles as your membership to an exclusive club full of perks:

Access to member-only benefits like parties, events, and online chats
IP/commercial rights to your ape‘s image
Potential airdrops of other hot NFTs

Plus, they look super cool as your online profile pic!

The Bored Ape brand is still growing, but it‘s clear this is much more than just another NFT art collection.

Let‘s look at the stats showing this red hot interest:

Current floor price: ~75 ETH ($200,000+)
All-time volume traded: 604,737 ETH ($1.62 billion)
Total unique owners: 19,364
Notable owners: Eminem, Steph Curry, Post Malone, Jimmy Fallon, Snoop Dogg

As you can see, joining the Bored Ape Yacht Club has become extremely prestigious, but also costly.

So how can you actually get your hands on one of these coveted NFTs? Keep reading to find out…

How to Buy a Bored Ape NFT in 6 Simple Steps

The process involves getting setup with crypto wallets, purchasing ETH, and placing your order on OpenSea. Here are the detailed steps:

Step 1: Get a Crypto Wallet

To interact with the Ethereum blockchain where Bored Apes are minted, you need a crypto wallet.

For buying NFTs, MetaMask is my top choice. It‘s a browser extension wallet that easily connects with platforms like OpenSea.

Here‘s how quick & easy it is to get MetaMask:

Install the MetaMask browser extension for Chrome or Firefox.
Create a new wallet and save your 12-word secret recovery phrase somewhere secure offline. This acts as your password to access your wallet.
Purchase ETH from an exchange like Coinbase.
Withdraw the ETH from Coinbase and send it to your MetaMask wallet address for safekeeping.

I‘d recommend having at least 75 ETH in your wallet before trying to buy an Ape. This covers the current floor price plus gas fees.

For more details, see my complete MetaMask setup guide.

Once you‘ve secured your wallet, we can move onto picking your marketplace.

Step 2: Connect Your Wallet to OpenSea

OpenSea is the largest NFT marketplace and where most Bored Apes are bought and sold. You‘ll need to connect MetaMask to transact here.

Follow these quick steps to link it up:

Go to OpenSea.io and click "Sign In" in the top right.
Choose "MetaMask" from the list of options.
A pop-up will ask you to connect. Click "Connect".
MetaMask will prompt you to confirm – click "Next" and then "Connect" to approve.

Once connected, your wallet will interact directly with OpenSea to buy, sell, and transfer NFTs.

Time for the really fun part…

Step 3: Browse and Buy Your Bored Ape

Now you can officially begin your search for the perfect Bored Ape!

Search for "Bored Ape Yacht Club" on OpenSea and select the official collection.
Browse through all the apes and select one you want to make an offer on.
Click "Buy Now" and confirm the purchase in your MetaMask wallet.
Congrats – that Bored Ape now belongs to you! View it in your MetaMask wallet under "Collectibles".

A few tips for choosing your ape:

Sort by lowest price to find apes priced at the floor.
Look for rare traits like solid gold or rainbow fur to stand out.
Don‘t rush your purchase! With 10,000 options, pick one that really vibes with you.

Once you officially own your ape, it‘s time to put that NFT to use!

Step 4: Display Your Fancy New Bored Ape

To show off your exclusive new status, you‘ll want to:

Set your ape as your profile pic on social media. Accounts get auto-verified.
Join the private Bored Ape Discord channel using your NFT as proof of access.
Follow @BoredApeYC on Twitter to stay in the loop on events, collabs, and other member perks.

Don‘t be shy – flaunt your awesome new NFT! This signals your membership in an elite crypto club.

Step 5: Secure Your NFT Investment

As an asset potentially worth hundreds of thousands of dollars, it‘s critical to keep your Bored Ape safe.

I recommend these security best practices:

Store your NFT only in your personal wallet, NOT on an exchange.
Turn on 2-factor authentication on your MetaMask wallet.
Keep your seed phrase somewhere ultra secure like a password manager or safe.
Be wary of fake airdrops or offers – never share your seed phrase.
Use a hardware wallet like a Ledger Nano X for extra-secure storage.

Follow these tips and you can sleep easy knowing your Ape is protected.

Step 6: Learn More About the BAYC Roadmap

Expanding the value and utility of Bored Apes over time is key to the project‘s roadmap.

As an owner, stay in the loop on where BAYC is headed next by:

Joining the Discord chats
Following @BoredApeYC on Twitter
Checking the official website‘s Roadmap page

This will clue you into upcoming events, collaborations, and developments that may increase the perks of membership even more.

And that covers everything you need to know to join the ranks of elite Bored Ape owners!

How Much Does It Cost to Buy a Bored Ape in 2022?

Let‘s break down the current costs:

Mint price: 0.08 ETH (about $190 USD at launch in April 2021)
Current floor price: ~75 ETH (~$200,000 USD)
List prices: Floor to 250+ ETH ($500k+)
Gas fees: 0.06 – 0.1+ ETH (~$150-$300+) per transaction

As you can see, buying a Bored Ape now comes with a hefty price tag thanks to their surging popularity.

But many owners believe gaining access to such an exclusive network and brand makes the high cost of entry worthwhile.

Owning a Bored Ape also comes with the opportunity to sell it later for profit if the floor price continues rising.

For example, if you had bought an ape at 0.08 ETH on launch day, you could sell it today for 75 ETH and net ~$200,000 in profit! Not bad 🙂

So if you have the funds, owning a Bored Ape can be considered an investment in an elite digital asset.

How Can I Get the Best Deal on a Bored Ape?

While OpenSea is the go-to marketplace, here are some tips for finding discounted or rare apes:

Check OpenSea frequently for newly listed apes. You may get lucky finding one below market value.
Join the Bored Ape Discord & follow key members on Twitter. People sometimes post private sale offers.
Watch for sellers with multiple apes who may be willing to give deals on bulk purchases.
Follow OpenSea stats to spot trends in the traits that are gaining/declining in demand.
Buying through an OTC broker site can sometimes net negotiated deals outside of OpenSea.
Look into newer projects like Mutant Ape Yacht Club that offer lower-priced entry points.

With persistence, you may be able to buy an ape for below the floor price or spot one with valuable traits for a steal.

Should I Mint or Buy a Bored Ape?

Minting your own Bored Ape would‘ve been the best move, since the launch price was only 0.08 ETH compared to 75 ETH now.

But all 10,000 of the Bored Ape NFTs have already been minted or bought. The collection is fully sold out.

So new buyers have no choice but to purchase existing Bored Apes on the secondary market from current owners.

Despite much higher prices for these resales, most owners still seem bullish on the value. They see Bored Apes as a solid long-term investment as the brand grows.

Many also think the community will only get more exclusive over time, elevating membership.

So while upfront costs are steep now, joining the BAYC club sooner than later could still pay off in the long run.

What‘s the Cheapest Bored Ape I Can Buy?

The cheapest options are usually apes priced right around the current floor price, roughly 75 ETH or ~$200,000 at time of writing.

Finding one listed below the floor price means you likely found a great deal. However, this is very uncommon for such a premier NFT brand.

Some cheaper alternatives if a real Bored Ape is out of reach:

Try Mutant Ape Yacht Club – Current floor is ~11 ETH
Check out the Bored Ape Kennel Club which features dogs – Floor ~15 ETH
Look into newer BAYC projects like BAYC Otherside – Floor around 3 ETH
Wait and hope for an airdrop which could deliver a free NFT for holders

The whole Bored Ape ecosystem is exploding, so even owning a smaller piece could get your foot in the door.

Frequently Asked Questions

Let‘s cover some common questions about buying a Bored Ape NFT:

What‘s the Cheapest Way to Join the Bored Ape Community?

The cheapest options are newer spin-off collections by Yuga Labs like:

Mutant Ape Yacht Club – Current floor ~11 ETH
Bored Ape Kennel Club (dogs) – Floor ~15 ETH
BAYC Otherside – Floor around 3 ETH

These give you partial access to member benefits for a lower buy-in cost.

Holding anything tied to the Bored Ape brand should let you participate in the community to some degree.

Can I Buy a Bored Ape Directly with a Credit Card?

Unfortunately no. You can only purchase Bored Ape NFTs using ETH sent from a crypto wallet like MetaMask.

You can buy ETH with a credit card on platforms like Coinbase. But to complete the NFT purchase, that ETH must be sent to your wallet.

Is Buying a Bored Ape Risky?

There are investment risks like with any asset class. But most owners feel the Bored Ape brand strength makes it less risky long-term.

Just be sure to take security precautions like using a hardware wallet. Don‘t share your seed phrase or fall for scams.

How Many Bored Apes Can I Buy?

No limits – you can buy as many as you want if you have the funds! Some "ape holders" own collections of 10, 50, even 100+ Bored Apes.

This gives greater influence in the community. And more apes means more value if the floor price rises.

Is There an iOS Bored Ape App?

There‘s no official iOS app, but you can access OpenSea on mobile web to buy/sell. Use WalletConnect to connect your MetaMask wallet.

For checking your collection, portfolio tracking apps like CoinStats let you add your public wallet address to view your NFT assets.

What Should I Do After Buying a Bored Ape?

Tips for new Bored Ape owners:

Set your ape as your profile picture and join the Discord to engage with the community.
Consider holding long-term as the brand grows. Many owners regret selling too fast.
Learn about upcoming developments from the BoredApeYC Twitter and website.
Get excited about events, collabs, and airdrops only for members!

Welcome to the Bored Ape Yacht Club!

And that covers everything I‘ve learned on how to buy a Bored Ape NFT!

Owning such a sought-after NFT lets you join the ranks of celebrities and thought leaders.

Beyond the social status, you gain access to an exciting community with tons of perks for members.

Just follow the steps for setting up your crypto wallet, purchasing ETH, connecting to OpenSea, and placing your order.

Before you know it, you‘ll be part of one of the hottest NFT projects out there – the Bored Ape Yacht Club!

I hope you found this guide helpful. Let me know if you have any other questions!