Polymarket Fees Explained: Per-Category Taker Fees (2026)

Polymarket's fee structure (2026)

Polymarket started as a zero-fee platform, then added per-category taker fees in 2026. Sports launched at 0.03 in March and rose to 0.05 in July 2026. The old "2% of profit" model that some guides still cite was never how the current system works. Fees are charged per trade, not on winnings at settlement.

Takers pay the fee. Makers (limit orders that rest on the book) pay zero and earn a rebate funded by taker fees. Geopolitics markets remain free for everyone.

The fee formula

For every taker trade:

fee = C × feeRate × p × (1 - p)

Where:

• C = number of shares (contracts)
• feeRate = category-specific taker rate
• p = price per share (0 to 1)

This is the same curve shape Kalshi uses. The fee peaks at p = 0.50 and shrinks toward zero as the price approaches 0 or 1. Balanced markets cost the most to trade. Lopsided ones cost the least.

Makers pay no fee. Instead they earn a rebate equal to a share of the taker fees collected in that market: 25% in most categories, 20% in crypto, 15% in sports.

Category fee table

Taker rates by category, with the dollar fee on 100 shares at $0.50 (the peak of the curve):

Makers pay zero in every category and collect a rebate on top. Crypto matches Kalshi's 0.07 rate exactly. Politics at 0.04 runs about 43% cheaper than Kalshi at any price. Sports at 0.05 runs about 29% cheaper.

Worked examples

Example 1: 100 shares of a Politics market at $0.50

fee = 100 × 0.04 × 0.50 × 0.50 fee = 100 × 0.04 × 0.25 fee = $1.00 (taker)

As a maker: $0.00, plus a rebate on collected taker fees.

Example 2: 100 shares of a Crypto market at $0.50

fee = 100 × 0.07 × 0.50 × 0.50 fee = 100 × 0.07 × 0.25 fee = $1.75 (taker)

Crypto is the most expensive category and matches Kalshi's taker fee at every price. As a maker: $0.00.

Example 3: 100 shares of a Sports market at $0.80

fee = 100 × 0.05 × 0.80 × 0.20 fee = 100 × 0.05 × 0.16 fee = $0.80 (taker)

At $0.50 the same position costs $1.25. The fee falls as the price moves toward the extremes. As a maker: $0.00.

Example 4: 100 shares of a Sports market at $0.50

fee = 100 × 0.05 × 0.50 × 0.50 fee = 100 × 0.05 × 0.25 fee = $1.25 (taker)

This is the peak sports fee. Against Kalshi's $1.75 on the same trade, it is about 29% cheaper. As a maker: $0.00.

Example 5: Geopolitics market — any price

fee = $0.00

Geopolitics and world-events markets charge no taker fee and no maker fee at any price.

How the fee curve behaves

The fee tracks p × (1 - p), so it is symmetric around $0.50:

• At $0.50, the fee is at its maximum.
• At $0.20 or $0.80, the fee is 64% of the peak (0.16 vs 0.25).
• At $0.10 or $0.90, the fee is 36% of the peak (0.09 vs 0.25).
• At $0.02 or $0.98, the fee is under 8% of the peak.

Trading closer to the extremes always costs less, in every category. A longshot at $0.10 costs a fraction of what a coinflip at $0.50 costs to enter.

What did not change

Makers still pay zero. Limit orders that rest on the book pay no fee and earn a rebate. Using limit orders is the single largest fee lever you control.

Settlement is free. The fee formula returns zero at p = 1 and p = 0, so winning and losing contracts settle with no fee. You only pay when you trade into the book.

CLOB mechanics are unchanged. The order book still operates the same way. Makers provide liquidity, takers cross the spread. The difference now is that takers pay the category fee on top of the spread, and makers pay nothing.

How Polymarket's CLOB drives your costs

Polymarket runs on a central limit order book (CLOB) built on Polygon. Buyers post bids, sellers post asks, and trades execute when the two sides meet.

Takers place orders that execute immediately against existing orders. They pay the full category fee.

Makers place limit orders that rest on the book. They pay zero and earn a rebate funded by the taker fees collected in that market. On sports markets, that rebate is 15%. On crypto, 20%. Everywhere else, 25%.

The spread between the best bid and ask is still a real cost on most markets. A 3-cent spread on a $0.50 contract costs 6%, far more than any category fee. Use limit orders to avoid crossing the spread and to skip the taker fee entirely.

Hidden cost: USDC conversion and on-ramp fees

Polymarket runs on USDC on the Polygon network. If you start with dollars in a bank account:

1. Buy USDC on an exchange (0-0.6% fee)
2. Bridge to Polygon ($0.50-$2.00 gas)
3. Deposit into Polymarket
4. When you withdraw, reverse the process

On a $1,000 deposit with $200 in eventual profits, conversion costs run roughly $10-$11 round-trip (5.4% of profit). Fund in large batches to minimize per-dollar overhead.

Polymarket vs Kalshi at key price points

Both platforms charge only on entry and both settle free. Here is Polymarket Politics (feeRate 0.04) against Kalshi taker (0.07 × p × (1-p)), per contract:

Polymarket Politics is cheaper than Kalshi taker at every price, and Polymarket makers pay nothing. For crypto markets, Polymarket matches Kalshi taker exactly at 0.07. For geopolitics, Polymarket charges nothing while Kalshi charges its standard formula. If the same market exists on both platforms, Polymarket wins on fees in every category except crypto, where the two tie on takers and Polymarket still wins on makers.

How to minimize your Polymarket fees

1. Use limit orders. Makers pay zero and earn a rebate. This is the biggest lever by far. A resting limit order pays nothing where the same trade as a taker pays the full category fee.

2. Trade liquid markets. The spread is still a real cost. A 1-cent spread on a $0.50 contract costs 2%. Wide spreads on thin markets can dwarf the fee.

3. Check the category. Politics, finance, tech, and mentions (0.04) cost less than sports, economics, culture, weather, and other (0.05), which cost less than crypto (0.07). Geopolitics is free.

4. Trade geopolitics for zero fees. World-events and geopolitics markets charge no taker fee and no maker fee.

5. Trade at extreme prices when possible. Fees drop sharply below $0.20 and above $0.80 in every category.

6. Fund in large batches. USDC on-ramp costs are fixed per transaction. Depositing $5,000 once costs the same as depositing $500 ten times.

Frequently asked questions

What fees does Polymarket charge?

Polymarket charges per-category taker fees using the formula fee = C × feeRate × p × (1-p). Rates by category: politics, finance, tech, and mentions 0.04; sports, economics, culture, weather, and other 0.05; crypto 0.07; geopolitics 0. Makers (limit orders) pay zero and earn a rebate. The fee peaks at $0.50 and settlement is free.

Is Polymarket cheaper than Kalshi?

For most categories, yes. Polymarket politics (0.04) runs about 43% cheaper than Kalshi taker at every price, and sports (0.05) about 29% cheaper. Crypto (0.07) matches Kalshi exactly. Geopolitics is free. And Polymarket makers pay zero in every category, undercutting Kalshi outright.

Does Polymarket charge maker and taker fees?

Only takers pay a fee. Makers pay zero and earn a rebate equal to a share of the taker fees collected in that market: 25% in most categories, 20% in crypto, 15% in sports.

Do all Polymarket markets have fees now?

Taker fees apply across every category except geopolitics, which is free for everyone. Makers pay zero in all categories. There is no fee at settlement, since the formula returns zero at $1.00 and $0.00.

What are the hidden costs on Polymarket?

Beyond category taker fees: the bid-ask spread on the order book (1-8 cents per contract), USDC on-ramp and off-ramp fees ($5-$10 per round trip), and price impact slippage on large orders in thin markets. Makers avoid the taker fee entirely by resting limit orders on the book.