Polymarket Fees — Complete Cost Breakdown 2026
April 12, 2026 · PolyMath Team · 7 min read
Before you place your first trade on Polymarket, you need to know one thing: what does it actually cost? The answer is surprisingly simple — but there are a few hidden costs most beginners miss. This guide breaks down every fee category with exact numbers and real dollar examples.
The short version: Polymarket charges a 2% fee on net winnings, zero on losses, and there are Polygon network (gas) fees when depositing or withdrawing. For most traders, the total cost is lower than traditional sportsbooks or regulated exchanges like Kalshi.
The Four Types of Polymarket Costs
There are four distinct ways costs arise when trading on Polymarket:
- Trading fees — charged on winning positions at resolution
- Spreads — the bid-ask gap embedded in market prices
- Gas fees — Polygon network fees for deposits and withdrawals
- Withdrawal fees — bridge and exchange fees when cashing out to USD
1. Trading Fees: 2% on Net Winnings
Polymarket's primary fee is a flat 2% fee on net profit. This is only charged when your position resolves YES (you win). If you lose, you pay nothing beyond your initial stake.
Real Dollar Examples
| Bet Size | Market Price | You Win | Fee (2%) | Net Payout |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| $100 | 50¢ (50%) | $100 profit | $2.00 | $198.00 |
| $100 | 80¢ (80%) | $25 profit | $0.50 | $124.50 |
| $500 | 60¢ (60%) | $333 profit | $6.67 | $826.33 |
| $1,000 | 40¢ (40%) | $1,500 profit | $30.00 | $2,470.00 |
Formula: Fee = (payout − stake) × 0.02. Losing bets pay zero fee.
An important nuance: the 2% is on net profit, not on the total payout. If you stake $100 on a YES position priced at 80¢ and it resolves YES, your payout is $125 total ($25 profit). You pay 2% of $25 = $0.50 — not 2% of $125.
This makes Polymarket's fee structure very favorable for higher-probability trades (where your profit margin per dollar is smaller) and still competitive for lower-probability long shots.
2. Spreads — The Hidden Cost
Spreads are the most overlooked cost on Polymarket. When you buy YES at 62¢ and the best NO offer is at 40¢, the "midpoint" is 60¢ — meaning you're effectively paying 2¢ extra per share to cross the spread.
In liquid, high-volume markets (election markets, major econ indicators), spreads are typically 0.5¢ to 2¢ — almost negligible. In thinly-traded niche markets, spreads can reach 5¢ to 15¢, which represents a 5–15% cost per share at midpoint — far more expensive than the 2% resolution fee.
The fix: use limit orders instead of market orders. A limit order lets you set your price and wait for someone to fill you, effectively becoming a market maker and earning the spread instead of paying it.
3. Gas Fees — Polygon Network Costs
Polymarket runs on the Polygon blockchain, which has extremely low gas fees compared to Ethereum mainnet. Typical Polygon gas costs are:
- Depositing USDC to Polymarket: $0.01 – $0.05
- Placing or cancelling orders: near zero (Polymarket subsidizes most on-chain interactions)
- Withdrawing USDC from Polygon: $0.01 – $0.10
Gas fees are largely negligible on Polygon. The bigger friction is bridging — moving USDC from Ethereum mainnet to Polygon, or back, incurs Ethereum gas which can be $5–$30+depending on network congestion. If you're funding via credit card or using a native USDC transfer, you avoid mainnet gas entirely.
4. Withdrawal Fees
Getting USD back out of Polymarket involves a few steps, each with potential costs:
Option A: Withdraw to Crypto Exchange
Withdraw USDC from Polygon to Coinbase, Kraken, or similar. Polygon USDC withdrawal on most exchanges: free or $1–$2. Then sell USDC for USD and transfer to bank: typically free.
Option B: Use a Cross-Chain Bridge
Bridge from Polygon to Ethereum mainnet first: costs Ethereum gas ($5–$30) plus a potential bridge fee of 0.1–0.3%. Only makes sense for larger withdrawal amounts ($500+).
Option C: Direct Fiat Out (Moonpay/Banxa)
Some users sell USDC directly for fiat via Moonpay or similar on-ramps. Fees are higher here: typically 1.5–4% of withdrawal amount. Only use for convenience on smaller amounts.
Best practice: Use Coinbase and the Polygon USDC network for the cheapest withdrawals. Batch your withdrawals — instead of pulling out $50 at a time, wait until you have $200+ to make any fixed fees negligible.
Polymarket vs Kalshi: Fee Comparison
Kalshi is the leading regulated US alternative to Polymarket. Here's how the fee structures compare:
| Fee Type | Polymarket | Kalshi |
|---|---|---|
| Trading fee model | 2% of net winnings | 5–7¢ per contract (taker) |
| Fee on losses | None | Yes (per trade) |
| Maker rebates | None | Yes (negative fees) |
| Deposit fee | Free (crypto) | Free (ACH) |
| Withdrawal fee | Crypto network fees ($0–$10) | Free (ACH) |
| Min. trade size | ~$1 | $0.01 (1 cent per contract) |
| Effective fee (avg trader) | ~1.0–1.5% | ~5–7% of contract value |
Bottom line on fees:Polymarket is significantly cheaper for most traders. Kalshi's flat per-contract fee model hurts you when you're buying contracts far from 50¢ (low-probability outcomes) since the fee represents a higher percentage of the contract's potential value. Kalshi's advantage is easier USD funding and withdrawal — no crypto wallet required. See our full Polymarket vs Kalshi comparison for a complete breakdown beyond fees.
5 Ways to Minimize Polymarket Fees
Use Limit Orders to Avoid Spread Costs
Market orders fill at the best available ask — meaning you always pay the spread. Limit orders post your bid at the price you choose, letting counterparties come to you. In active markets, limit orders often fill within minutes and save you 1–3¢ per share.
Batch Withdrawals to Amortize Fixed Costs
Any fixed fees (exchange minimums, bridge costs) become a smaller percentage of larger transfers. Instead of withdrawing $50 five times, withdraw $250 once. For Ethereum bridge costs especially, batch withdrawals are essential to keep the effective fee below 1%.
Focus on High-Liquidity Markets
Markets with high volume have tighter spreads. The Fed rate decision market might have a 0.5¢ spread; an obscure sports market might have a 10¢ spread. Choosing liquid markets means your effective spread cost is near zero — leaving only the 2% resolution fee.
Factor Fees Into Your EV Calculations
A bet with +3% gross EV becomes near break-even after the 2% fee. Always account for the fee in your expected value calculation. Our free EV Calculator has a fee field built in — use it before every trade.
Deposit via Native USDC (Avoid Bridge Fees)
If you're funding via Coinbase, send USDC directly on the Polygon network — not Ethereum mainnet. This avoids Ethereum gas entirely. Most major exchanges now support Polygon USDC withdrawals. Look for "MATIC" or "Polygon" in the network selection dropdown.
Total Cost: What Does a Trade Actually Cost?
Let's walk through a complete trade lifecycle for a $200 position:
Example: $200 bet on a 60¢ market that resolves YES
That 2.8% total cost compares extremely favorably to traditional prediction platforms, sportsbooks (which typically have 5–10% built-in vigorish), and regulated exchanges like Kalshi.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does Polymarket charge fees on losing bets?
No. If your position resolves against you, you lose your stake and pay no additional fee. The 2% fee is only applied to net winnings at resolution.
Are there fees to cancel or modify orders?
No. Cancelling limit orders on Polymarket is free. You may pay a tiny Polygon gas fee (fractions of a cent) for on-chain interactions, but Polymarket subsidizes most of these.
Does Polymarket charge a deposit fee?
Polymarket itself charges no deposit fee. Costs depend on how you get USDC to the Polygon network. Using Coinbase with the Polygon network option is typically free or under $1.
How does the 2% fee affect my Kelly Criterion calculations?
The fee reduces your effective edge. In your Kelly calculation, subtract the 2% fee from your expected return before computing optimal bet size. Our Kelly Calculator includes a fee-adjusted mode for this exact purpose.
Use Fee-Adjusted EV and Kelly Tools
Both our EV Calculator and Kelly Criterion Calculator include built-in fee adjustment fields. Enter your stake, market price, and estimated true probability — and see your edge after Polymarket's 2% fee.
Ready to start trading? Sign up for Polymarket and get your first markets funded in under 10 minutes. Create your Polymarket account →
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