Polymarket fees explained

Phí trên Polymarket quyết định chi phí thực tế của mọi giao dịch bạn đặt trên CLOB. Hướng dẫn này giải thích mô hình phí hiện tại: phí taker thay đổi theo danh mục thị trường, lý do danh mục "Geopolitics" được miễn phí, và thực tế là phí maker bằng không. Nếu bạn giao dịch tích cực, hiểu các cơ chế này sẽ giúp bạn định kích thước lệnh và đánh giá liệu một khoảng giá quan sát được có bù được phí hay không.

Key takeaways

• Polymarket charges variable taker fees by market category; maker fees are zero.
• Taker fees currently sit in a range from 0% up to 1.8% depending on category; Geopolitics markets are fee-free.
• Fees apply to executed volume and affect arbitrage and short-lived trades more than passive market-making.
• Remember fees are only one cost: slippage, spread, settlement timing, and resolution risk also matter.

How Polymarket's fee model works

Polymarket routes orders through a Central Limit Order Book (CLOB). For takers — traders who immediately consume liquidity — Polymarket charges a variable fee denominated as a percentage of executed volume. Maker fees are zero: providing resting liquidity does not incur a fee when your order is taken later.

The relayer model matters here. Polymarket sponsors gas through its Relayer, so you do not pay gas on-chain for order placement, approvals, or CTF operations. The taker fee is the primary explicit trading cost for active orders that cross the book.

Current fee bands and the Geopolitics exception

Polymarket uses category-based taker fees. The exact banding and per-category rate can change over time, but the platform publishes that taker fees range from 0% up to 1.8% by category. The notable exception is the "Geopolitics" category, which is fee-free (0% taker fee).

Why fee-free for Geopolitics? Public communications from Polymarket indicate the platform subsidises certain categories for strategic or market-design reasons. In practice, that means traders executing immediately in Geopolitics markets do not pay taker fees, improving the economics of short-term trading and arbitrage in those markets. If Polymarket adjusts category definitions or rates, those changes will affect trading costs; always confirm current fees in the platform UI or official docs before large trades.

Maker fees: zero and why that matters

Maker fees on Polymarket are zero. That means you are not charged when you place a limit order that sits on the book and someone later takes it. Zero maker fees encourage liquidity provision and tighten spreads, which benefits both market quality and traders who arbitrage spreads.

For active traders, zero maker fees change the calculus: when placing limit orders as part of an arbitrage strategy, you can capture the spread without an additional maker charge. However, you still face non-fee costs such as adverse selection and opportunity cost while waiting for fills.

How fees affect common trading strategies

• Arbitrage (intra-market binary and combinatorial): Since taker fees apply to executed volume, you must subtract the taker fee from the gross edge when calculating net profit. For example, buying both legs across two outcomes as taker trades will incur taker fees on both legs unless you manage to execute one or both as maker fills. Use the fee-free Geopolitics category to your advantage when applicable, but still account for slippage and resolution risk.

• Market orders / FAK: Polymarket's helper for market orders returns FAK (Fill-And-Kill) orders. Because FAK executes immediately or cancels, it is treated as a taker action and subject to taker fees.

• Passive limit tactics: Posting limit orders avoids maker fees; if your order fills you keep the full spread minus taker fee (the taker pays the fee, not the maker). This asymmetry makes passive liquidity attractive for low-latency or patient traders.

Practical examples and quick math

• If taker fees are 1.0% in a category, a raw edge of 1.5% may turn into roughly 0.5% before considering slippage and settlement risk.
• In multi-outcome combinatorial arbitrage, you pay taker fees on each leg executed as a taker. If you can post one leg as maker and capture a maker fill, you save that leg's fee.

Always compute net edge after fees, then reduce further for likely slippage and any expected partial fills.

Where to check the current fee for a market

Polymarket shows category and fee information in the market UI and related developer docs. For programmatic work, the Gamma and CLOB APIs are the authoritative surfaces for market metadata and order placement. Use the Gamma API at https://gamma-api.polymarket.com for markets and categories, and the CLOB API at https://clob.polymarket.com for order placement (note: trading endpoints require API key + HMAC). The relayer and SDKs handle wallet onboarding and gasless operations.

Fee-related operational tips for active traders

• Prefer posting passive limit orders when possible to avoid paying taker fees.
• If you must take liquidity, include the taker fee explicitly in your sizing and profit thresholds.
• For arbitrage, try to route one leg through a maker fill; zero maker fees make this especially effective.
• Remember FAK market orders act as taker fills and incur taker fees. See /glossary/fak for the exact term and behaviour.

Risks and things fees don't cover

Fees are only one component of trade cost. Do not treat a quoted spread minus fees as unconditional profit. Consider: slippage and partial fills, resolution risk (UMA disputes can pause or change resolution), settlement timing, and smart-contract risk. The spread itself can move between quote and execution. See /glossary/spread for the term used on Polymarket.

How this affects your trading

Polymarket fees change the break-even edge you need to act. If you trade frequently, factor taker fees into automated triggers and sizing. Use zero maker fees to your advantage by designing strategies that provide liquidity or that start with passive legs and take liquidity only when necessary. When trading in Geopolitics markets, remember the category's fee-free status can improve short-term trade economics — but you still face market, execution, and resolution risks.

Close by checking the market category and current fee rate in the interface or APIs before executing large orders. Polymarket can change category mappings and fee bands, so treat published rates as current only until you verify them.

Polymarket fees are a predictable, category-based cost; incorporate them into your execution plans and risk checks to avoid surprises.

Frequently asked questions

Are maker fees really zero on Polymarket?

Yes. Polymarket currently charges zero maker fees: you are not charged when your posted limit order later fills. Maker-fee policies can change, so verify the current rules in the UI or documentation before relying on them for large strategies.

How do taker fees apply to market orders and FAK orders?

Taker fees apply to any trade that consumes liquidity immediately. Polymarket's market-order helper returns FAK (Fill-And-Kill) orders, which execute immediately (if possible) or cancel; these are taker actions and are subject to the taker fee for that market's category.

Why is the Geopolitics category fee-free?

Polymarket publishes that Geopolitics markets are fee-free. The platform subsidises certain categories for design or strategic reasons, which results in a 0% taker fee for Geopolitics markets. Category definitions and rates can change, so confirm current settings before trading.

How do fees affect arbitrage strategies?

Taker fees reduce the net edge of arbitrage. If you execute legs as taker trades, subtract the taker fee from each executed leg when calculating expected profit. Using maker fills for one or more legs (maker fees are zero) can materially improve net returns and lower the break-even spread.

Where can I find the current taker fee for a market programmatically?

Use the Gamma API (https://gamma-api.polymarket.com) for market metadata, including category information, and the CLOB API (https://clob.polymarket.com) for order placement. The UI also displays category info. Trading endpoints on CLOB require API key + HMAC.