What is Maker/taker fees?
Exchange fee model: "makers" add orders to the book (cheaper), "takers" fill existing ones (dearer).
Maker/taker is the fee model on exchange order books. A "maker" places an order that waits on the book — providing liquidity others can trade against — and pays the lower fee. A "taker" fills an existing order for instant execution and pays more. The discount is the exchange paying you to make its market deeper.
For practical purposes: limit orders that rest on the book usually earn maker rates; market orders always pay taker rates. On the platforms we review the difference is real money over time, and it's only half the cost story — the spread is the other half, especially on instant-buy interfaces. The fee calculator compares the all-in cost across every exchange we track.
See it in practice
Related terms: Spread · Custodial · KYC · full glossary
FAQ
How do I pay maker fees instead of taker fees?
Use limit orders set at prices that don't execute immediately — they rest on the book until matched. The trade-off is execution risk: the market may move away and your order may never fill.
Why do exchanges reward makers?
Resting orders are the product — a deep order book means better prices and less slippage for everyone, which attracts more traders. Makers build that depth, so exchanges price their fees to encourage it.
General information only, not financial advice. Definitions are maintained in our fact database and reviewed with the daily rebuild.