negligible fee

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "negligible fee" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used to describe a fee that is so small that it is not worth considering or is insignificant in the context of a larger transaction or cost. Example: "The service comes with a negligible fee, making it an affordable option for everyone."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

2 human-written examples

Now the tennis aspirant-boy or girl-pays a negligible fee and enters a boys' or junior local tournament, or a competition for a place on a high school or college team.

The New York Times - Magazine

You've hopefully heard this before with regard to your Facebook account and other social media sites, but it bears repeating: Whenever you are offered something free of charge or for a negligible fee, assume that you are the product.

Huffington Post

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

55 human-written examples

Many other European countries continue to offer free education or have negligible fees.

Independent

Instituting volunteer visas or creating non-negligible fees for volunteer visas is another viable solution.

Huffington Post

Some charge a negligible admission fee.

The New York Times - Travel

This is done by allowing more access to patented material, through a negligible license fee.

Huffington Post

And with negligible tuition fees, who can blame them?

The Guardian

It will continue to purchase platinum from Amplats and will continue to conduct some market research for the company for a year or two but the metal purchasing will be without discounts and the market research fees negligible compared to before.

The Guardian - Business

Revenues come primarily from advertising (85%), as well as payments for virtual goods (15%) and platform development fees (negligible).

TechCrunch

And he made deals that shifted costs to Citizens, a cash-rich company in which he had a negligible stake, and shifted fees to Century Communications, a cash-poor company in which he owned a big stake.

The New York Times

The phase shift due to the inter-sensor propagation time (Matoza and Fee 2014) was negligible.

Earth, Planets and Space

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When describing a fee, consider your audience. "Negligible fee" implies a formal context. For informal writing, use "small fee".

Common error

Avoid using "negligible fee" when there's no fee at all. "Negligible" means very small, not non-existent.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "negligible fee" functions as a descriptive term, modifying the noun "fee" to indicate its small and insignificant amount. This is supported by Ludwig, where it's used to describe costs that are so low they are almost not worth mentioning.

Expression frequency: Rare

Frequent in

News & Media

100%

Science

0%

Formal & Business

0%

Less common in

Science

0%

Formal & Business

0%

Academia

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The phrase "negligible fee" is a grammatically sound and usable expression in English, denoting a fee so small as to be insignificant. Ludwig identifies it as a valid way to describe minimal costs. While not overly common, it appears in reputable sources, predominantly in the News & Media category. Alternatives such as "minimal fee" or "insignificant fee" offer similar meanings and may be more appropriate depending on the specific context. Remember to reserve this phrase for situations where a fee truly exists but is exceedingly small, and consider your audience when choosing between more formal and informal alternatives.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

minimal fee

Replaces "negligible" with "minimal", indicating a very small but existing fee.

insignificant fee

Substitutes "negligible" with "insignificant", emphasizing the fee's lack of importance.

nominal fee

Uses "nominal" instead of "negligible", suggesting a fee that is very small in relation to the value of the service.

small charge

Replaces "fee" with "charge", a more general term for a cost, and "negligible" with "small".

token fee

Uses "token" to describe the fee, implying it's a symbolic amount.

modest fee

Replaces "negligible" with "modest", suggesting a fee that is not excessive or large.

low fee

A simple and direct alternative, using "low" to describe the fee's size.

very small fee

Explicitly states the fee is "very small", replacing "negligible".

minor fee

Substitutes "negligible" with "minor", suggesting a fee of little consequence.

trifling fee

Employs "trifling" instead of "negligible", emphasizing the fee's unimportance.

FAQs

What does "negligible fee" mean?

A "negligible fee" is a fee so small it's practically not worth considering. It's essentially an insignificant cost.

When is it appropriate to use the term "negligible fee"?

Use "negligible fee" when you want to emphasize that a cost is so minimal it shouldn't deter someone from a purchase or service, especially in a formal context.

What are some alternatives to saying "negligible fee"?

You can use alternatives like "minimal fee", "insignificant fee", or "small charge" depending on the context.

Is "negligible fee" the same as a free service?

No, "negligible fee" means there is still a fee, but it's so small it's almost nothing. A free service, on the other hand, has no fee at all.