Polymarket fees, explained

The full Polymarket fee schedule (2026)

Fees are set per market category and charged only to the taker — the person whose order matches an existing order. Post a limit order that sits on the book and you are a maker: your fee is $0, and you can earn a share of taker fees back as a maker rebate. Rates below are from Polymarket's official fee documentation, checked October 2026.

How the fee is calculated

Fee = shares × category rate × price × (1 − price), charged in USDC when the trade matches. The price term is the part most guides miss:

• The fee peaks at 50¢ — a coin-flip market is the most expensive to take.
• It shrinks toward $0 at the extremes — the same fee applies at 30¢ and 70¢, and a 95¢ trade costs a fraction of a 50¢ trade.
• Worked example: buy 100 crypto shares at 50¢ and the taker fee is 100 × 0.07 × 0.50 × 0.50 = $1.75. Buy the same 100 shares at 90¢ and it drops to $0.63.

Run your own numbers — including the fee — in our payout and fee calculator before you trade.

How to pay $0 in trading fees

• Use limit orders. Resting orders are maker orders: no fee, plus a possible rebate. This alone removes the entire trading fee for patient traders.
• Trade geopolitics and world-events markets — fee-free for takers too.
• Avoid market orders on coin-flip prices in crypto markets, where the taker fee is at its maximum.

The other costs (not Polymarket fees)

• The spread — the gap between buy and sell prices. On thin markets this can cost more than the fee; on liquid markets it is often 1¢.
• Deposit and withdrawal — Polymarket charges nothing to deposit or withdraw USDC. An exchange or on-ramp (for example Coinbase or MoonPay) may charge its own fee to get money in or out, and network gas on Polygon is a fraction of a cent.
• Your time in the market — money tied up until resolution earns nothing. A trade that locks $100 for three months to make $8 has a poor annualized return even when the prediction is right.

Polymarket fees FAQ

Does Polymarket have fees?

Yes — taker fees by category (table above). No maker fees, no deposit or USDC withdrawal fees charged by Polymarket, and no fee at all on geopolitics markets.

Is there a Polymarket fee calculator?

Yes — our calculator includes the official fee formula. Pick the category, enter price and stake, and it shows profit after the taker fee.

Did Polymarket used to be free?

Trading was fee-free for years. Category taker fees were introduced in stages through 2026, which is why older guides still claim there are no fees — they are out of date.