Fee Guide

Polymarket Fees: What You Actually Pay

Q: What are Polymarket's trading fees?

Polymarket charges a 2% fee on winnings (not on your total stake). If you buy a YES contract at 50¢ and it resolves YES, you receive 98¢ profit instead of $1.00 profit. There is no fee on losing trades — you only pay when you win.

Q: Does Polymarket charge deposit or withdrawal fees?

Polymarket itself does not charge deposit or withdrawal fees. However, you will pay Polygon network gas fees (typically under $0.01) and potentially a spread on USDC purchases if you buy USDC through a third-party app. Withdrawing USDC back to your wallet also incurs minimal Polygon gas.

Q: How do Polymarket fees compare to Kalshi?

Both Polymarket and Kalshi charge approximately 2% fees on winning trades. The key difference is that Polymarket requires USDC on Polygon, so you incur extra costs buying and bridging USDC. Kalshi accepts direct USD via bank transfer, so US users often face lower total costs on Kalshi.

Q: How do Polymarket fees compare to sportsbooks?

Sportsbooks typically charge 4–6% vig (juice) built into their lines. Polymarket's 2% fee on winnings is structurally lower for skilled traders who win more than they lose. For recreational bettors who lose most bets, the comparison is different since Polymarket only charges fees on wins.

Q: Is there a way to trade prediction markets with zero fees?

PaperPoly is a free paper trading platform that charges no fees. You trade live Polymarket odds with $1,000 in virtual capital — no deposit, no gas fees, no withdrawal fees, and no 2% vig. It is the only prediction market platform that is completely free.

Polymarket charges a 2% fee on winnings — but that's not the whole story. Here's a complete breakdown of every cost involved in trading on Polymarket in 2026.

Updated September 2026·5 min read

The short answer

•Polymarket charges 2% of your profit on winning trades — nothing on losses
•Depositing requires USDC on Polygon — expect 0.5–1.5% on USDC purchase
•Gas fees on Polygon are negligible: under $0.01 per transaction
•Total all-in cost per winning trade: approximately 2.5–3.5%
•Kalshi is cheaper for US residents (USD deposit, same 2% fee, no crypto spread)

Full fee breakdown

Fee itemCostNotes

Trading fee (winning trade)2% of profitOnly charged when your contract resolves in your favor

Trading fee (losing trade)0%No fee deducted — you simply lose your stake

Deposit fee (Polymarket)$0.00Polymarket itself charges nothing to deposit

Polygon gas fee<$0.01Per transaction on Polygon network

USDC purchase spread0.5–1.5%Varies by method: Coinbase, Transak, Binance

USDC bridge fee (if bridging from Ethereum)0.05–0.1% + gasOnly if you hold ETH-native USDC

Withdrawal fee$0.00Polymarket charges nothing; Polygon gas is <$0.01

How the 2% fee works in practice

Example: you buy YES at 60¢ and win

You spend (stake)$60.00

Gross profit at resolution (win)$40.00

Polymarket fee (2% of $40 profit)−$0.80

Net profit$39.20

Effective fee rate: 0.8% of your total position ($0.80 / $100 notional)

Example: you buy YES at 60¢ and lose

You spend (stake)$60.00

Polymarket fee$0.00

Total loss−$60.00

No fee on losing trades. You lose only your stake.

The hidden cost: getting USDC on Polygon

Polymarket's listed 2% fee understates the real cost because it excludes the friction of getting USDC onto the Polygon network. Here's what each deposit method actually costs:

Buy USDC on Coinbase, withdraw to Polygon

Best

Cost: 0.5–1.0% spread + $0.00 gas (Coinbase covers it)

Buy USDC via Transak (in-app on Polymarket)

Convenient

Cost: 1.0–3.0% depending on payment method and region

Bridge USDC from Ethereum mainnet

Avoid (high gas)

Cost: 0.05% bridge fee + $5–15 ETH gas

Buy on Binance, withdraw to Polygon

Good for high volume

Cost: 0.1% trading fee + free Polygon withdrawal

How Polymarket fees compare to alternatives

Polymarket

2% on wins

Deposit: USDC via crypto (cost varies)

Not available (US blocked)

Kalshi

~2% on wins

Deposit: USD bank transfer (free)

Legal for US residents

PredictIt

5% on profits + 10% on withdrawals

Deposit: USD (debit card or ACH)

Legal for US residents

Typical sportsbook

4–6% vig on every bet

Deposit: USD (varies by state)

Legal in 38 states

PaperPoly

Zero — paper trading only

Deposit: No deposit needed

Legal everywhere

Frequently Asked Questions

What are Polymarket's trading fees?