Below are answers to the ten most common questions traders ask about maker and taker fees.
1. What is a maker fee in simple terms?
A maker fee is the charge you pay when your order adds liquidity to the exchange's order book by sitting there and waiting for a match. It is the lower of the two fee types.
2. What is a taker fee in simple terms?
A taker fee is the charge you pay when your order immediately removes liquidity from the order book by matching an existing order. It is the higher of the two fee types.
3. Are maker fees always lower than taker fees?
On virtually all centralized exchanges, yes. The entire point of the model is to reward liquidity providers with lower costs. Some platforms even offer maker rebates — paying you a small amount for adding liquidity.
4. Can a limit order be a taker order?
Yes. If your limit order is priced to match immediately with an existing order, it executes as a taker order and you pay the higher taker fee. The order type is less important than whether the order rests in the book or executes immediately.
Always check whether your limit order price crosses the current spread before submitting. If it does, it will execute as a taker.
5. How do I guarantee maker status?
Use the Post Only order option available on most major exchanges. This ensures your limit order either rests in the book (earning the maker fee) or is cancelled — it will never accidentally execute as a taker.
6. What is the typical maker fee on major exchanges?
Maker fees on major exchanges typically range from 0.00% to 0.40% depending on the exchange and your volume tier. Binance starts at 0.10%, Kraken at 0.16%, and Coinbase Advanced Trade at 0.40% for entry-level traders.
7. What is the typical taker fee on major exchanges?
Taker fees generally range from 0.05% to 0.60% for standard retail traders. Binance starts at 0.10%, Kraken at 0.26%, and Coinbase Advanced Trade at 0.60%.
8. Do all crypto exchanges use maker-taker fees?
No. Some retail-focused platforms use a flat fee per trade regardless of order type. Decentralized exchanges (DEXs) typically use a flat swap fee rather than a maker-taker structure.
9. How can I calculate my maker or taker fee?
Multiply your trade value by the applicable fee percentage. For example, a $5,000 trade with a 0.25% taker fee costs $12.50 in fees.
10. What is a maker-taker fee calculator?
A maker-taker fee calculator is a simple tool where you input your trade size and the exchange's maker/taker rates to see your expected fee in dollar terms before placing a trade. Most exchanges display this in their trade confirmation screen.
Very useful explanation. I switched to Post Only mode on Binance after reading something similar and my monthly fee spend dropped noticeably.
Great breakdown of how maker and taker fees work. Using limit orders has definitely helped me reduce costs.
This is the clearest explanation of the maker-taker model I have come across. The table comparing order types is especially helpful.
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