Maker vs Taker: Quick Explanation
- Maker: You place a limit order that doesn’t fill immediately → you “make” liquidity
- Taker: You place a market order or a limit order that fills immediately → you “take” liquidity
Makers get lower fees because they add liquidity to the order book.
Binance Fee Comparison
Spot Trading
| Type | Regular | With Referral |
|---|---|---|
| Maker | 0.10% | 0.08% |
| Taker | 0.10% | 0.08% |
Futures Trading
| Type | Regular | With Referral |
|---|---|---|
| Maker | 0.02% | 0.016% |
| Taker | 0.05% | 0.04% |
On futures, maker fees are 60% cheaper than taker fees. This difference is significant for active traders.
How to Pay Maker Fees
Use Limit Orders
Instead of clicking “Market Buy,” use “Limit Buy” and set a price slightly below the current price. Your order enters the book and fills when the price reaches it.
Post-Only Orders
On the advanced trading interface, you can enable “Post Only” mode. This ensures your order is always a maker order — if it would fill immediately, it’s rejected instead.
When Taker Fees Are Worth It
- Fast-moving markets: When the price is running and you need to enter NOW
- Small positions: The fee difference on a $100 trade is negligible
- Stop losses: These typically execute as taker orders
Annual Savings from Maker Orders
For a futures trader doing $100,000/month:
- All taker: $100,000 × 0.05% × 12 = $600/year
- All maker: $100,000 × 0.02% × 12 = $240/year
- Savings: $360/year just from using limit orders
Referral safety check
Know what a referral link actually provides
Be cautious with referral codes or links that do not clearly identify their provider and benefit. SmallDrift’s official RATE20 link provides a 20% trading-fee discount, and Binance’s signup page transparently displays SmallDrift, RATE20, the discount, and the referral benefit before account creation.
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