Maker Fee vs Taker Fee
Also known as: maker-taker pricing, maker fee, taker fee, liquidity rebate
What is it?
Maker and taker fees are the two prices an exchange charges depending on whether your order added liquidity to the book or removed it, and the gap between them is often larger than the spread you are trying to avoid. A maker order rests in the book and waits - a limit order placed away from the current price. Because it gives other traders something to trade against, the venue charges less for it, and on some tiers pays you a rebate instead. A taker order crosses the spread and fills immediately against a resting order; it consumes liquidity, so it is charged more.
Adding liquidity vs removing it
Maker order
- A limit order that rests in the book and waits
- Adds liquidity, so the venue charges less - or pays a rebate
- Typical crypto rate around 0.02%
- May never fill if price walks away from your level
- $20,000 round trip on both legs: about $8
Cheapest execution, but the fill is not guaranteed.
Taker order
- A market order that crosses the spread immediately
- Removes liquidity, so the venue charges more
- Typical crypto rate around 0.06%
- Fills now - certainty is what you are paying for
- $20,000 round trip on both legs: about $24
Certain fill, at two to three times the fee.
Typical crypto pricing sits near 0.02% maker and 0.05-0.075% taker, but the ratio matters more than the absolute numbers. The cost only becomes obvious once you multiply it by turnover. On $20,000 of notional, the difference between 0.02% and 0.06% is about $8 per round trip - immaterial once, and roughly $2,000 over 250 trades. That is why the choice is structural for any bot or scalping strategy: a strategy that pays taker on both legs may need a meaningfully better win rate than the same logic executed with resting limit orders.
The trade-off is real, though - a maker order can go unfilled and leave you out of the move entirely, so the cheaper fee is bought with execution uncertainty. See /risk-warning.
Why it matters: Taker fees typically run two to three times maker fees, so on a high-turnover strategy the order type you use changes the profit and loss more than the entry does.
Round-trip fee = notional x (entry fee rate + exit fee rate)
On any strategy that trades often, the maker-taker gap compounds across every round trip and can decide whether a real edge survives costs.
Real-world example
At 0.02% maker and 0.06% taker, a $20,000 round trip costs $8 as maker on both legs versus $24 as taker - about $4,000 apart over 250 trades.
How SignalBots handles it
SignalBots signals arrive with the entry as a price level rather than a market instruction, so you can place a resting limit order at maker pricing when the setup allows it. See /risk-warning.
Pro tip
Recalculate any high-frequency backtest with taker fees on both legs before funding it - many edges that look solid at maker pricing disappear entirely.
Common pitfalls
Comparing venues on the headline maker fee while trading almost entirely with market orders, which are billed at the taker rate.
Frequently asked questions
How do I make sure my order is a maker order?
Place a limit order at a price that does not immediately cross the spread, so it rests in the book. Many venues also offer a post-only flag that cancels the order rather than letting it fill as a taker.
Why do exchanges pay makers less or even rebate them?
Because resting orders are what makes a market tradable. Charging takers more and makers less pays traders to keep the book full, which tightens spreads and attracts more volume.
Is a maker order always the better choice?
No. It is cheaper but not guaranteed to fill, so on a fast-moving setup you may miss the trade entirely. Missing a move usually costs more than the fee difference saved.
Do these fees apply on top of the spread?
Yes. The spread is the cost of crossing the book, and the fee is charged separately by the venue. Both belong in an all-in round-trip cost calculation.
Can I reduce my fee tier?
Most venues lower both rates as 30-day volume or held balance rises. That helps active traders, but it should not be a reason to trade more than your strategy calls for; your capital is at risk. See /risk-warning.
Trading involves substantial risk of loss. Historical and backtested results do not guarantee future performance. Read the full risk warning.
