How is the Lightning Network different from a regular Bitcoin transaction?

A regular on-chain bitcoin transaction is recorded directly on the blockchain and takes 10 to 60 minutes to confirm. A Lightning transaction happens off-chain inside a payment channel, settles in milliseconds, and costs a fraction of a cent. On-chain transactions are best for large, high-security transfers. Layer 2 bitcoin via Lightning is ideal for fast, frequent, everyday instant bitcoin payments where bitcoin scalability matters most.