Which is cheaper, a maker fee or a taker fee?

The maker fee is cheaper. A maker order rests on the order book and adds liquidity, so the exchange charges less. A taker order fills instantly and removes liquidity, so it pays the higher taker fee. On Binance and Gate.io the maker fee is about 0.02% versus a taker fee of about 0.05%.

How do I make sure I pay the maker fee?

Use a limit order priced so that it does not fill instantly, for example a buy order set slightly below the current price. The order then rests on the book and you are treated as a maker. A market order always fills immediately and is charged the taker fee.

Can cashback make the maker fee even lower?

Yes. Cashback applies on top of whatever fee you pay. So if you already pay the lower maker fee, cashback through TetherBoost returns a percentage of it, pushing your effective cost below the published maker rate. The exchange pays it directly, so TetherBoost never holds your money.

Guide

Maker vs Taker Fees: What They Are and Which Is Cheaper

Every trade you place on a crypto exchange charges either a maker fee or a taker fee, and the two are not the same price. This guide explains the difference in plain language, shows why taker fees are usually higher, and walks through how to pay the cheaper maker fee on purpose.

Updated June 2026

What is a maker fee?

A maker order is an order that does not fill right away. Instead, it rests on the order book and waits for someone else to trade against it. Because your order adds liquidity to the market, the exchange rewards you with a lower fee. That lower fee is called the maker fee.

The classic way to place a maker order is a limit order set away from the current price. For example, if Bitcoin trades at 60,000 USDT and you place a buy limit order at 59,900 USDT, your order sits on the book until the price comes to you. While it waits, you are a maker.

What is a taker fee?

A taker order fills immediately by matching against orders already on the book. Because it removes liquidity from the market, the exchange charges a higher fee, called the taker fee.

A market order is always a taker order, because it grabs whatever price is available right now. A limit order can also become a taker if you set it at a price that fills instantly. In short, if your order executes the moment you submit it, you are a taker and you pay the taker fee.

Why is the taker fee higher?

Exchanges want a deep, liquid order book so that traders can buy and sell at fair prices. Makers provide that liquidity by leaving orders on the book, so they get a discount. Takers consume it, so they pay more.

The gap is real money. On Gate.io and Binance the maker fee is about 0.02% while the taker fee is about 0.05%, so a taker pays more than double. On MEXC the spot maker fee is 0% and the taker fee is about 0.02%, which means a patient maker order can cost nothing in fees at all.

Worked example: the same trade, two fees

Imagine you buy 10,000 USDT of Bitcoin on Binance. If you use a market order, you are a taker and pay about 0.05%, which is 5 USDT. If you instead place a limit order that rests on the book and fills as a maker, you pay about 0.02%, which is 2 USDT. Same trade, but the maker route saves you 3 USDT.

That gap repeats on every trade. Over a hundred trades of that size, choosing maker orders saves 300 USDT in fees. The habit is simple: when you are not in a hurry, use a limit order and let the price come to you.

Taker (market order): 10,000 USDT x 0.05% = 5 USDT
Maker (limit order resting on the book): 10,000 USDT x 0.02% = 2 USDT
Difference per trade: 3 USDT, and it adds up fast

Lower the maker fee even further with cashback

Paying the maker fee is already the cheaper choice, but it is not the floor. With TetherBoost you also receive cashback on the fees you do pay, so the real cost drops below the published maker rate.

The cashback is paid by the exchange directly through an official partner link, so TetherBoost never holds your funds and there is no account-suspension risk. You keep trading exactly as you do now and simply get a slice of each fee back. On MEXC and Gate.io the rate is 65%, and on Binance it is 20%.

Pay the maker fee, then get part of it back

Choose limit orders to land in the maker tier, then sign up through TetherBoost to claim cashback on the fees you still pay. The exchange sends it directly, so there is no risk to your account.

MEXC65%Gate.io65%Binance20%

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Frequently asked questions

Which is cheaper, a maker fee or a taker fee?: The maker fee is cheaper. A maker order rests on the order book and adds liquidity, so the exchange charges less. A taker order fills instantly and removes liquidity, so it pays the higher taker fee. On Binance and Gate.io the maker fee is about 0.02% versus a taker fee of about 0.05%.
How do I make sure I pay the maker fee?: Use a limit order priced so that it does not fill instantly, for example a buy order set slightly below the current price. The order then rests on the book and you are treated as a maker. A market order always fills immediately and is charged the taker fee.
Can cashback make the maker fee even lower?: Yes. Cashback applies on top of whatever fee you pay. So if you already pay the lower maker fee, cashback through TetherBoost returns a percentage of it, pushing your effective cost below the published maker rate. The exchange pays it directly, so TetherBoost never holds your money.