Polymarket vs PredictIt
Last updated · how we verify
PredictIt charges 10% of net profit per market and 5% on withdrawals; Polymarket charges neither. On a $1,000 winning trade at 50¢ that is roughly $195.00 versus $20.00. The difference is structural: Polymarket charges a small fee for trading, PredictIt takes a cut of winning. PredictIt is also US-only, mostly political, and position-limited.
The cost difference, worked through
Take $1,000 on a market at 50¢ that resolves in your favour.
| Polymarket (Politics) | PredictIt | |
|---|---|---|
| Shares bought | 2000 | 2000 |
| Trading fee in | $20.00 | $0.00 |
| Gross profit on resolution | $1,000.00 | $1,000.00 |
| Fee on profit | $0.00 | $100.00 (10%) |
| Withdrawal fee | $0.00 | $95.00 (5%) |
| Total cost | $20.00 | $195.00 |
The structural point matters more than the arithmetic: Polymarket charges you for trading; PredictIt charges you for winning. A profitable trader pays PredictIt far more, and the better they do the wider the gap gets. A losing trader pays PredictIt's profit fee nothing — but still meets the withdrawal fee on the way out.
The old site claimed '15% total cost' as a single number. The real structure is two separate charges: 10% of net profit per market plus 5% on withdrawal. They do not simply add to 15% of your stake.
Source: bonus.com, bonus.com · verified 17 August 2026
Everything else
| Polymarket | PredictIt | |
|---|---|---|
| Availability | Global except blocked list; US via Polymarket US | US only |
| Regulatory status | Polymarket US is a CFTC DCM | Won its court challenge against the CFTC in July 2025 and moved from a withdrawn no-action letter toward full CFTC registration with expanded position limits. |
| Custody | Non-custodial (intl) | Custodial |
| Funding | USDC on Polygon, or card on-ramp | Fiat: debit card and bank transfer |
| Position limits | None of this kind | historically $850 per market; reported to have been expanded after full registration |
| Market breadth | Very wide — politics, sport, crypto, culture, weather | Primarily politics |
| Fee on profit | None | 10% of net profit per market |
| Withdrawal fee | None | 5% on withdrawals |
| Maker rebates | 20–25% | None |
Availability varies by jurisdiction. 18+. Event contracts carry risk of loss.
You appear to be in the US. Polymarket’s international exchange blocks US IP addresses — use Polymarket US, the CFTC-regulated exchange, instead. See what’s available in your state.
Verdict
PredictIt's significance is historical — it kept regulated US political prediction markets alive through a CFTC shutdown attempt, and won. But as a product it is from an earlier generation: narrow markets, position limits, and a cost structure that penalises success.
Unless you specifically want PredictIt's political markets and already have a funded account, Polymarket is cheaper, broader and available internationally. If you want a US-regulated custodial account, Kalshi is the stronger comparison. Polymarket vs Kalshi →
Questions
Is PredictIt still operating?
Yes. Won its court challenge against the CFTC in July 2025 and moved from a withdrawn no-action letter toward full CFTC registration with expanded position limits.
What is PredictIt's position limit?
historically $850 per market; reported to have been expanded after full registration. Sources conflict on the current figure, so we are not publishing a single number — check PredictIt directly before you rely on it.
Which is cheaper?
Polymarket, substantially, and the gap widens the more you win — because PredictIt's main charge is a percentage of profit, while Polymarket's is a small charge on the trade itself.
Does Polymarket charge 15% like PredictIt?
No, and neither does PredictIt in the way that figure implies. The old site claimed '15% total cost' as a single number. The real structure is two separate charges: 10% of net profit per market plus 5% on withdrawal. They do not simply add to 15% of your stake.
Related
All alternatives
The comparison hub.
vs Kalshi
The genuinely close comparison.
Polymarket fees
The full schedule.
By state
Where each platform is usable.
All figures on this page verified 17 August 2026 against primary sources where reachable. Unconfirmed values are marked.