What Are Polymarket Fees? The Complete 2026 Guide
Polymarket charges a taker fee on each trade, calculated as a percentage of the trade's notional value, and the exact rate depends on the market category. Makers pay zero. There are no Polymarket fees for deposits, withdrawals, or settlement—only the taker fee at order fill, which is charged immediately and not "on winnings."
How Polymarket Fees Work in 2026: Direct Answer
Polymarket charges a 'taker fee' on every trade that removes liquidity from the order book. The fee is the product of the number of shares, the market's category fee rate (about 4-7%), the price, and (1 minus the price). There are no Polymarket fees for depositing, withdrawing, or settling trades. The taker fee is paid at the moment your trade fills, not on profits or winnings.
Polymarket Fee Structure: Taker, Maker, and Category Rates
Polymarket fees are simple but category-based:
Taker fee: Only takers (those who "take" existing orders from the book) pay a fee. The formula is:
taker fee = shares × category_rate × price × (1 − price)Maker fee: Makers (those who place limit orders that sit on the book) pay no fee and actually earn rebates.
Category rates:
- Politics, finance, tech, mentions: ~4%
- Sports, economy, culture, other: ~5%
- Crypto: ~7%
- Geopolitics: 0% (fee-free)
You can check the current rates and examples for each category at ArbMonster Venues.
Polymarket Fee Formula: Step-by-Step Breakdown
The core of Polymarket's taker fee is the formula:
Taker Fee = Shares × Category Rate × Price × (1 − Price)
- Shares: Number of contracts/shares bought or sold.
- Category Rate: The percent fee for the market's category (e.g., 0.05 for 5%).
- Price: The price per share (in USDC, from $0.01 to $0.99).
The (1 − Price) term ensures that fees are highest at 50¢ and lower near 1¢ or 99¢, matching the risk the platform takes. No fees are charged "on winnings" or at settlement.
Worked Example: Calculating Your Fee
Suppose you want to buy 100 YES shares at 40¢ each in an NBA market (sports category, 5% fee):
| Step | Value |
|---|---|
| Shares | 100 |
| Category Rate | 0.05 |
| Price per share | 0.40 |
| (1 − Price) | 0.60 |
| Fee | 100 × 0.05 × 0.40 × 0.60 = $1.20 |
So, buying 100 shares at 40¢ in a 5% category costs $40 in shares and $1.20 in taker fees, taken immediately when the trade fills.
You can double-check calculations with the Polymarket Fee Calculator.
Polymarket Fees vs. Other Costs: Deposits, Withdrawals, and On-Ramps
- No Polymarket fees for deposits or withdrawals. However, if you use an on-ramp (like a crypto exchange or third-party service) to fund your USDC wallet, those services may charge their own fees—these are separate from Polymarket.
- Settlement: No fee to settle contracts.
- Makers: If you place a limit order that sits on the book and is filled by someone else, you pay zero and may earn a rebate.
Why Fees Peak at 50¢: The Math
The formula's Price × (1 − Price) part means:
- At 50¢, fee per share is highest: 0.5 × 0.5 = 0.25
- At 10¢, it's 0.1 × 0.9 = 0.09 (much less)
- At 90¢, 0.9 × 0.1 = 0.09 (also less)
If you trade near the edges (very low or high prices), your effective fee rate drops.
Table: Fee Per Share by Price (5% Category)
| Price | Fee per Share |
|---|---|
| $0.10 | $0.0045 |
| $0.25 | $0.0094 |
| $0.50 | $0.0125 |
| $0.75 | $0.0094 |
| $0.90 | $0.0045 |
Polymarket Fees in Arbitrage: Why They Matter
For cross-venue arbitrage (comparing Polymarket to Kalshi or sportsbooks), taker fees can turn a theoretical pricing gap into a net cost. That's why tools like ArbMonster always show net-of-fee opportunities and let you compare every shared Kalshi/Polymarket market live. You can learn more about how ArbMonster calculates these numbers in the methodology.
Key Takeaways
- Polymarket charges a taker fee on every trade that removes liquidity; makers pay zero and may get rebates.
- The fee formula is:
shares × category_rate × price × (1 − price). - Category rates (2026): ~4% (politics/finance/tech/mentions), ~5% (sports/economy/culture), ~7% (crypto), 0% (geopolitics).
- No Polymarket fees for deposits, withdrawals, or settlement—only the taker fee at execution.
- Fees are highest at 50¢/share and lower near the edges (1¢ or 99¢).
- Always factor in taker fees when comparing Polymarket odds or looking for arbitrage.
FAQ
Q: When are Polymarket fees charged?
Polymarket taker fees are charged immediately when your order fills, not when you settle or claim winnings. The fee is deducted from your balance at the moment the trade executes.
Q: Do I pay a fee if I place a limit order on Polymarket?
No. If your order sits on the book and is filled by someone else (making you the 'maker'), you pay zero fee and may even receive a small rebate. Only 'takers'—those who execute against existing orders—pay the fee.
Q: Are there any fees to deposit or withdraw funds from Polymarket?
Polymarket itself charges no deposit or withdrawal fees. However, the service you use to move USDC onto or off of Polymarket (like a crypto exchange or payment provider) may have its own charges, which are separate from Polymarket.
Q: How can I quickly calculate Polymarket taker fees?
Use the formula: shares × category_rate × price × (1 − price). For step-by-step help or batch calculations, try the Polymarket Fee Calculator at ArbMonster.
ArbMonster is a data service. Nothing here is financial or betting advice; markets carry risk, venues have age and jurisdiction restrictions, and you are responsible for verifying everything before acting.