Polymarket's fee is paid only by takers, orders that fill immediately against the book, and is calculated as shares × rate × price × (1 − price), with the rate set by market category. Geopolitics is free; politics, finance, tech and mentions are 4%; sports, economics, culture, weather and general markets are 5%; crypto is 7%. Makers pay nothing and get a share of taker fees back as rebates. Moving USDC in and out is free. On a 50¢ contract that's 0–1.75¢ per share, in line with or below Kalshi.
Rates by category
| Category | Taker rate | Fee per share at 50¢ | At 80¢ / 20¢ | Maker rebate share |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Geopolitics | 0% | 0 | 0 | — |
| Politics | 4% | 1¢ | 0.64¢ | 25% |
| Finance | 4% | 1¢ | 0.64¢ | 25% |
| Tech | 4% | 1¢ | 0.64¢ | 25% |
| Mentions | 4% | 1¢ | 0.64¢ | 25% |
| Sports | 5% | 1.25¢ | 0.8¢ | 15% |
| Economics | 5% | 1.25¢ | 0.8¢ | 25% |
| Culture | 5% | 1.25¢ | 0.8¢ | 25% |
| Weather | 5% | 1.25¢ | 0.8¢ | 25% |
| Other / general | 5% | 1.25¢ | 0.8¢ | 25% |
| Crypto | 7% | 1.75¢ | 1.12¢ | 20% |
Fees are rounded to five decimal places with a minimum of 0.00001 USDC, so tiny trades near the extremes may incur nothing. Per-market parameters are shown on each market's details page.
Worked examples
- 100 Yes shares on a Senate race at 62¢ (politics): 100 × 0.04 × 0.62 × 0.38 = $0.94.
- 100 shares on an NFL game at 50¢ (sports): 100 × 0.05 × 0.25 = $1.25.
- 100 shares on Bitcoin above $X at 30¢ (crypto): 100 × 0.07 × 0.30 × 0.70 = $1.47.
- Any size on a ceasefire market (geopolitics): $0.
- Any of the above as a resting limit order that gets filled: $0, plus a rebate.
Maker and taker rebates
Taker fees fund a Maker Rebates Program paid daily to accounts whose resting orders fill, at the category share above. High-volume takers can also earn part of their fees back through a tiered Taker Rebate Program. For anyone running size, the economics favour posting liquidity rather than taking it.
Deposits and withdrawals
- Global site: USDC on Polygon in and out, no Polymarket fee; network cost negligible. Buying USDC with a card through an on-ramp (MoonPay etc.) carries the on-ramp's fee.
- Polymarket US: no deposit or withdrawal fee from Polymarket; card issuers may charge. Minimum deposit $20; withdrawals return to the funding source after the deposit clears.
Versus Kalshi
Kalshi charges 7% × price × (1 − price) on every category. Polymarket is cheaper on politics, finance and tech (4%), cheaper on sports and economics (5%), equal on crypto (7%), and free on geopolitics. Both are free for makers on most markets. Full comparison in Kalshi vs Polymarket.
Source: Polymarket fee documentation (docs.polymarket.com/trading/fees), checked October 15, 2026.