TL;DR
Makers add liquidity with limit orders → lower fees. Takers remove liquidity with market orders → higher fees. Use limit orders whenever possible to pay maker fees.
The Simple Explanation
âś… Maker (Lower Fee)
You "make" liquidity by placing an order that doesn't execute immediately—it sits on the order book waiting.
Example: BTC is $85,000. You place a limit buy at $84,500. Your order waits on the book until someone sells at your price.
❌ Taker (Higher Fee)
You "take" liquidity by executing immediately against existing orders on the book.
Example: BTC is $85,000. You place a market order to buy now. Your order immediately matches with a seller's existing order.
Why Exchanges Charge Different Fees
Exchanges want deep order books (lots of buy and sell orders) because it attracts more traders. Makers provide this liquidity, so exchanges reward them with lower fees. Takers consume liquidity, so they pay more.
Maker/Taker Fees by Exchange
| Exchange | Maker | Taker | Savings |
|---|---|---|---|
| Binance.US | 0% | 0.02% | 100% |
| Kraken | 0.40% | 0.80% | 50% |
| Coinbase Adv. | 0.40% | 0.60% | 33% |
| Gemini | 0.60% | 1.20% | 50% |
How to Pay Maker Fees
- 1. Use limit orders — Set your exact price instead of "market"
- 2. Set price away from market — If BTC is $85,000, place buy at $84,900 or sell at $85,100
- 3. Be patient — Your order might take minutes or hours to fill
- 4. Check "post only" option — Some exchanges have this to guarantee maker status
When Taker Fees Are Worth It
Sometimes paying more makes sense:
- • Fast-moving markets — Price might move past your limit order
- • Breaking news — Need to execute now, not later
- • Small amounts — Fee difference is negligible on small trades
- • Stop-losses — Protection is worth the extra fee
Real Savings Example
Scenario: You trade $50,000/month on Kraken
All Taker (0.80%)
$50,000 Ă— 0.80% = $400/month
$4,800/year
All Maker (0.40%)
$50,000 Ă— 0.40% = $200/month
$2,400/year
Annual savings: $2,400
The Bottom Line
Use limit orders to pay maker fees whenever speed isn't critical. The 30-50% savings add up over time. On exchanges like Binance.US where maker and taker are nearly equal (0% vs 0.02%), it barely matters—but on Kraken, Coinbase, and Gemini, it's free money.
Compare All Exchanges