> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://blog.opinion.trade/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.
# Opinion Fees Explained
> How Opinion.trade fees work for makers and takers, including the price curve, minimums, discounts and a worked example.
## Quick Answer
**Opinion charges trading fees to takers, while makers are not charged under the current policy.** Published taker fees range from `0%` to `2%` and follow a price curve: the rate is highest near a 50% market probability and lower near 0% or 100%. Opinion currently lists a `$5` minimum order and a `$0.50` minimum fee. Discounts can reduce the calculated fee, but they do not remove the minimum fee. The order preview in the live app is the final number to check before confirming a trade.
## Key Takeaways
* A **maker** places an order that waits in the order book; Opinion's current policy does not charge maker fees.
* A **taker** executes immediately against an existing order and pays the applicable trading fee.
* The published fee range is `0%–2%`, but the exact rate depends on the market, price and discounts.
* The current operational minimums are a `$5` order and a `$0.50` fee.
* Fees are assessed per matched fill, so one order filled at several prices can produce several fee calculations.
## Maker vs Taker on Opinion
The fee question starts with how the order executes—not whether you clicked “buy” or “sell.”
| Execution | What happens | Current Opinion fee policy |
| --------- | ----------------------------------------------------------- | -------------------------- |
| **Maker** | Your limit order rests in the order book and adds liquidity | No maker fee |
| **Taker** | Your order matches immediately with available liquidity | Taker fee applies |
A limit order is not automatically a maker order. If your chosen limit price crosses an order already available in the book, it can execute immediately and behave as a taker. A partially filled order can also be a taker for one part and remain open as a maker for the rest.
## How the Fee Curve Works
Opinion's published formula is:
```text theme={null}
effective fee rate = topic_rate × price × (1 − price)
× (1 − user_discount)
× (1 − transaction_discount)
× (1 − referral_discount)
fee charged = max(notional × effective fee rate, $0.50)
```
`topic_rate` is configured at the market level. `price` is written as a decimal, so a 50-cent outcome share has a price of `0.50`. The term `price × (1 − price)` peaks at 50 cents and falls toward either extreme.
That shape means fees are generally highest when the market is most uncertain. It also means the headline topic rate is not the same as the effective fee charged on notional.
## Worked Example
Suppose a taker executes a `$100` order at a price of `0.50` in a market whose topic rate is `2%`, with no discounts.
```text theme={null}
effective rate = 2% × 0.50 × 0.50 = 0.50%
calculated fee = $100 × 0.50% = $0.50
fee charged = $0.50
```
Now take the same `$100` order at a price of `0.10`:
```text theme={null}
effective rate = 2% × 0.10 × 0.90 = 0.18%
calculated fee = $100 × 0.18% = $0.18
fee charged = $0.50 minimum
```
This is why small orders can have a higher effective cost than the curve alone suggests. Always compare the displayed fee with the order size before confirming.
## What Discounts Change
Opinion documents user, transaction and referral discounts. These factors multiply together rather than adding together. The current Docs say discounts can reach a 100% reduction in the curve-based component, but the `$0.50` minimum fee still applies.
Discount programs and market-level rates can change. Do not assume a rate from another market, an earlier campaign or a previous trade will apply to the next order.
## Trading Fee vs Spread and Gas
The trading fee is only one part of execution cost.
* **Spread:** The gap between the best bid and best ask can cost more than the platform fee in a thin market.
* **Price impact:** A large market order may fill across several price levels.
* **Gas:** Opinion says it covers on-chain gas for trade matching and settlement, while some lower-frequency actions can require user-paid gas.
Read [Order Books, Spreads and Liquidity](/learn/order-book-spread-liquidity) before comparing venues using fee tables alone.
## How to Check the Fee Before You Trade
1. Open the exact market you want to trade.
2. Decide whether immediate execution or a resting limit order fits your goal.
3. Enter the order size and review the price, estimated fill and fee preview.
4. Check whether the `$0.50` minimum materially changes the effective cost.
5. Confirm only after the preview matches your expectation.
The [official fee documentation](https://docs.opinion.trade/trade-on-opinion.trade/fees) and the live order preview should take precedence over screenshots, social posts and older Blog comparisons.
## Where Opinion Fits
Opinion uses an order-book model that rewards liquidity provision by charging takers while leaving makers fee-free under the current policy. Users who value immediate execution should compare the taker fee with spread and price impact; users who can wait may prefer a limit order, with the understanding that it may not fill.
For a cross-platform view, see [Polymarket vs Kalshi vs Opinion Fees](/learn/polymarket-kalshi-opinion-fees). To place a first order, use the [Opinion.trade getting-started guide](/learn/how-to-get-started-on-opinion-trade).
## What to Watch
* The topic rate shown for the specific market.
* Whether an order will rest or execute immediately.
* The `$0.50` minimum fee on smaller trades.
* Partial fills across multiple prices.
* Changes to discounts, gas policy or operational minimums.
## FAQ
Under the fee policy verified on August 13, 2026, makers are not charged. A maker order must rest in the book; a limit order that executes immediately can still be treated as a taker.
Opinion publishes a `0%–2%` fee range. The exact fee depends on the market's topic rate, the execution price, applicable discounts and the `$0.50` minimum.
The formula contains `price × (1 − price)`, which reaches its maximum at `0.50`. The curve is designed to charge more near maximum uncertainty and less toward the probability extremes.
The current official fee page lists a `$5` minimum order, a `$0.50` minimum fee and a `$5` minimum withdrawal. These operational values can change, so check the live app and Docs.
Yes. If the limit price immediately matches liquidity already in the order book, the executed part removes liquidity and can be charged as a taker fill.
No. Spread and price impact can be just as important. Network or funding-provider costs may also apply outside the trade itself.
Educational information only. Prediction-market trading involves risk, and access or eligibility varies by jurisdiction.
## Sources & References
1. [OPINION Docs — Fees](https://docs.opinion.trade/trade-on-opinion.trade/fees) — Current maker/taker policy, fee range, formula, minimums, discounts and gas policy
2. [OPINION Docs — Understanding the order book](https://docs.opinion.trade/trade-on-opinion.trade/trade-on-prediction-market/understanding-the-order-book) — Limit-order, order-book and partial-fill mechanics
*All sources verified 2026-08-13. Prediction-market terms change frequently — verify against each platform's current documentation before treating these numbers as decision-quality data. Editorial content, not investment or gambling advice.*