Polymarket Fees Overview
- Fees Structure: Polymarket US uses a variable trading fee based on the number of contracts, the contract price, and the order type. Taker orders use the formula Fee = Θ × C × p × (1 − p). Maker orders can receive a small rebate instead of paying a trading fee. Fees are highest near 50¢ and lower as contracts move closer to $0 or $1.
- Key Benefit: Polymarket US is built for traders who want lower costs and more control over price. Taker fees stay competitive, while maker orders let you post your own price and potentially earn a rebate for adding liquidity.
Deposit & Withdrawal Methods
Payout Speed
Up to 3 Business Days
Polymarket is a legal prediction market app that operates through a federally regulated exchange structure in the U.S.
With Polymarket, you can buy and sell contracts based on real-world outcomes, including sports, politics, and entertainment events.
Your risk and payout depend on how many contracts you buy and the price you pay. Contract prices range from $0 to $1, with lower prices pointing to outcomes the market views as less likely.
If your position wins, you receive $1 per contract. If it loses, the contract settles at $0. The price works like a live probability signal based on how traders are buying and selling.
Polymarket offers the lowest fees among all prediction market apps.
The platform uses a variable fee model based on contract count, contract price, and order type. Taker orders use this formula: Fee = Θ × C × p × (1 − p).
Taker fees range from $0.0005 to $0.0125 per contract, depending on the contract price. Fees are highest near 50¢ and lower as the price moves closer to $0 or $1.
Maker orders have no trading fee.
A taker order means you accept a price already available in the market, so your trade goes through right away.
A maker order means you post your own price and wait for another trader to match it.
Polymarket is especially strong for maker orders because makers can receive a small rebate instead of paying a trading fee. That gives patient traders a better shot at controlling their entry price while keeping costs down.
Taker orders are better when speed is more important. Maker orders are better when you care more about price and don’t mind waiting for another trader to match your number.
Polymarket US Pricing & Fees
Polymarket’s pricing works differently from a sportsbook because the platform doesn’t post fixed odds with a built-in house edge.
Instead, prices come from traders buying and selling contracts. If more traders buy an outcome, the price can move higher. If sellers take over, the price can move lower.
Each contract trades between $0 and $1.
A contract priced at 60¢ means the market is giving the outcome about a 60% chance. If the contract wins, it pays $1. If it loses, it settles at $0.
That makes Polymarket closer to an exchange than a sportsbook.
You’re not taking a number from a bookmaker. You’re trading at a price created by other users in the market.
Polymarket US uses a variable fee model.
The fee depends on three things: how many contracts you trade, the contract price, and whether you place a taker or maker order.
Taker orders pay a fee. Maker orders have no trading fee and may qualify for a small rebate.
Here’s how it breaks down.
| Fee Type | Formula / Description | Effective Range |
|---|---|---|
| Taker Fee | Fee = Θ × C × p × (1 − p), with Θ = 0.05 | About $0.0005 to $0.0125 per contract |
| Maker Fee | No trading fee | $0 |
| Maker Rebate | Rebate = Θ × C × p × (1 − p), with Θ = 0.0125 | Potential rebate for adding liquidity |
| Settlement Fee | None listed in this fee model | No separate settlement fee |
| Membership Fee | None | No membership required |
p = price of a single contract, such as $0.50
C = number of contracts traded
Θ = fee coefficient used in the formula
In plain English, taker fees are highest when a contract is near 50¢.
That’s because p × (1 − p) peaks at 50¢. As the contract gets closer to $0 or $1, the fee gets smaller.
So if you’re trading a coin-flip market around 50¢, your taker fee will be near the top of the range.
If you’re trading a longshot at 10¢ or a heavy favorite at 90¢, the taker fee will be lower on a per-contract basis.
Maker Fee Rebates
Polymarket doesn’t charge a maker trading fee.
Even better, maker orders can earn a small rebate when another trader matches the price you posted.
That’s useful if you’re patient.
Instead of paying the taker fee to get your trade executed instantly, you can name your price, wait for another trader, and potentially get paid a small rebate for helping the market (adding liquidity).
Detailed Fee Analysis
On taker orders, the most expensive zone is the middle of the market. A contract near 50¢ carries the highest per-contract fee because the market is closest to a true toss-up.
At 50¢, taker fees reach about $0.0125 per contract, or about $1.25 per 100 contracts.
At 10¢ or 90¢, the taker fee drops to about $0.0045 per contract, or about $0.45 per 100 contracts.
At 1¢ or 99¢, it drops even further, to about $0.0005 per contract.
That fee curve creates a real difference between trading styles.
If you trade in and out of tight 50/50 markets all day, taker fees will take a bigger bite. If you mostly trade longshots, favorites, or wait with maker orders, Polymarket becomes much cheaper.
The best part is the maker side.
Polymarket lets you post your own price with no trading fee, and maker orders can qualify for rebates. For traders who don’t need instant execution, that can make a meaningful difference over time.
For me, that’s where Polymarket has its biggest fee edge.
Taker pricing is already competitive, but the no-fee maker structure gives patient traders a better way to control cost.
How Polymarket US Fees Compare to Other Prediction Markets
Here’s how Polymarket's fees compare with other prediction market platforms.
| Platform | Fee Model | Fees |
|---|---|---|
| Kalshi | Probability-based maker/taker fee | $0.0007 to $0.0175 per contract for taker orders and $0.000175 to $0.004375 per contract for maker orders |
| Polymarket | Formula-based trading fee | contracts × price × (1 − price). Taker fees range from about $0.0005 to $0.0125 per contract. Maker orders have no fees |
| OG | Flat per-contract fee | $0.02 per contract |
| Novig | No-fee model | No fees |
| Crypto.com | Contract-based fee | $1 contracts: $0.02 to open or close early, with no fee if held to a win. $10 contracts: $0.20 to open or close, reduced to $0.10 on a winning settlement |
| ProphetX | Commission on winnings | 2% commission on winning bets |
| Underdog | Flat per-contract fee | $0.02 per contract |
| Fanatics Markets | Per-contract fee | $0.0034 to $0.02 per contract, depending on contract price |
| Sporttrade | Profit-based commission | 2% on net profit |
| Robinhood | Per-contract fee | $0.02 per contract, with $0.01 paid to Robinhood and $0.01 paid to Kalshi |
| PrizePicks | Per-contract fee | $0.005 to $0.02 per contract |
| FanDuel Predict | Payout-based commission | 2% on potential payout |
| DraftKings Predictions | Flat per-contract fee | $0.02 per contract |
| PredictIt | Profit-based fee | 10% on profits from winning trades |
As you can see from the table, Polymarket US offers the lowest fees among all prediction market platforms.
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