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Prediction market fees depend on the venue and the contract price. So, at 50 cents, Interactive Brokers ForecastEx is the lowest-cost venue of the 6 listed here. Kalshi and Polymarket US charge a taker fee that’s highest at 50 cents, about 1.75 cents per contract, and falls toward zero near 1 cent and 99 cents. PredictIt charges nothing to trade but takes 10% of the profit on winning trades.
So the cheapest venue isn’t always the same one. It changes with the price you buy at and the type of order you place. Below, we break down how each venue works out its fee and what the same trade costs everywhere.
How Prediction Market Fees Work
Taker Fees, Maker Fees and Profit Fees
A taker order fills right away against an order that’s already waiting. A maker order sits on the order book until someone else fills it.
Kalshi, Polymarket US, and Crypto.com charge takers a fee based on price × (1 − price). Notably, that’s why the fee peaks at 50 cents and shrinks at the extremes. Yet, PredictIt works differently. It charges on winning profits instead of on each trade.
Kalshi Fees
Kalshi fees follow a published formula: 0.07 × contracts × price × (1 − price), rounded up. At 50 cents, that’s 1.75 cents per contract.
Some other markets charge makers nothing. And some listed series carry a maker fee of 0.0175 × contracts × price × (1 − price). In fact, there’s no settlement fee. ACH deposits and withdrawals are free, while debit card deposits can cost up to 2%. These Kalshi prediction market fees come from Kalshi’s fee schedule, effective July 7, 2026.
Polymarket Fees
Polymarket fees apply to Polymarket US only, as the international platform isn’t open to US users. Takers pay 0.0695 × contracts × price × (1 − price), which is about 1.74 cents per contract at 50 cents. As you can see, fees are rounded to the nearest cent.
Makers pay no fee and can earn a rebate. But this depends on their maker tier after all. Polymarket US’s fee page, effective October 19, 2026, lists no deposit or withdrawal fees.
Robinhood Prediction Market Fees
Robinhood prediction market fees come in two parts. Robinhood’s commission is 10% × price × (1 − price) for each contract. Robinhood Gold members pay half that rate, 5%. Either way, the commission tops out at $0.01 per contract.
The exchange can then add its own fee of up to $0.01 per contract. Robinhood charges both when you open a position and again when you close it. So those fees can add up if you trade in and out often.
PredictIt Fees
PredictIt fees are simple, and that is because there’s no fee to buy or sell. Instead, PredictIt takes 10% of profits from winning trades.
PredictIt also removed its 5% withdrawal fee on September 23, 2026. Withdrawals by ACH or check are now free, and ACH deposits are free too.
Crypto.com and ForecastEx Fees
Crypto.com charges takers 0.07 × contracts × price × (1 − price) on sports and prediction singles. Crypto, FX, commodity, and index contracts cost a flat $0.02 per contract. Makers on singles pay 0.0175 × contracts × price × (1 − price). The fee is waived when a position settles in the funds.
Interactive Brokers charges no commission on ForecastEx contracts, plus a $0.01 exchange fee per contract. It also pays an incentive coupon on open positions. The coupon accrues daily and is paid monthly, at a current rate of 3.38% APY that can change.
Deposit and Withdrawal Fees
Funding costs matter too. Kalshi’s ACH transfers are free, but card deposits can cost up to 2%. PredictIt no longer charges to withdraw.
Polymarket US lists no deposit or withdrawal fees on its fee page.
The Same Trade at Every Venue
Here’s a quick prediction market fees comparison for one trade: 100 contracts bought at 50 cents with a taker order.
| Venue | Fee on the trade | How it is worked out |
|---|---|---|
| Interactive Brokers ForecastEx | $1.00 | $0.00 commission + $0.01 exchange fee per contract |
| Polymarket US | $1.74 | 0.0695 x 100 x 0.50 x 0.50 = $1.7375, rounded to the nearest cent |
| Kalshi | $1.75 | 0.07 x 100 x 0.50 x 0.50 |
| Crypto.com (sports and prediction singles) | $1.75 | 0.07 x 100 x 0.50 x 0.50 |
| Robinhood | Up to $2.00 | Commission capped at $0.01 per contract + exchange fee of up to $0.01 per contract |
| PredictIt | $0.00 to buy | If the contract wins and pays $1, the $50 profit carries a 10% fee: $5.00 |
This table covers one taker trade at 50 cents. At prices near 1 cent or 99 cents, the formula-based fees fall close to zero. That’s why prediction market fees compared at one price can look very different at another.
How We Rank Low-Fee Prediction Markets
Our ranking puts trading costs first. We measure it as the price of the same 100-contract trade at 50 cents. Deposit and withdrawal fees come next. We also reward venues that publish a full fee schedule.
Liquidity counts, because a wide bid-ask spread can cost more than the fee itself. Regulatory status rounds it out. The order is calculated from these weights, as it’s not set by hand. This prediction market fees comparison follows our review methodology.
Trading fees|40
Deposit and withdrawal fees|20
Fee transparency|15
Liquidity|15
Regulatory status|10
Prediction Market Fees Compared: Ranked List
Here are the six venues ranked by prediction market fees, starting with the lowest cost per trade.
Where Prediction Markets Are Legal
Federal Regulation by the CFTC
The Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) regulates prediction markets federally. Kalshi (KalshiEX LLC), Polymarket US (QCX LLC), Crypto.com (Crypto.com | Derivatives North America) and ForecastEx (ForecastEx LLC) are CFTC-designated contract markets.
Robinhood works in a different way. Robinhood Derivatives, LLC is registered with the CFTC as a futures commission merchant. PredictIt operates under CFTC staff no-action relief, Letter 14-130, as amended by Letter 25-20 in July 2025.
State Court Actions
Some states have pushed back. On September 25, 2026, the Sixth Circuit ruled that Ohio and Tennessee can apply their sports betting laws to Kalshi’s sports contracts.
In Michigan, a state court ordered Kalshi on September 1, 2026, to keep blocking its sports contracts. Availability varies by state and market category, and each venue lists its own restrictions. A market you see in one state may be missing in another.
Age Rules
Kalshi requires users to be 18 or older. Interactive Brokers offers event contracts only to clients 21 and older. Check each venue’s own eligibility rules before you sign up.
Trading Risks and Responsible Play
A binary contract settles at $1 or $0. So that means you can lose the full amount you paid for it. Fees are charged whether a trade wins or loses, apart from PredictIt’s profit fee. Low fees don’t lower that risk.
Only trade with money you’re fine losing. Set a budget before you trade, and use the limit tools each venue offers. Our responsible gambling resources page has more help.
