Kalshi Fees Explained
Kalshi's trading fee is 0.07 × contracts × price × (1 − price), capped at $1.75 per 100 contracts for takers. Limit (maker) orders pay about 75% less. There is no signup, inactivity, or settlement fee. Use the calculator on this page before you send a clip — then trust the live ticket on kalshi.com if the two disagree.
Kalshi trading fee
The Kalshi trading fee uses P × (1 − P) — highest near $0.50 (maximum uncertainty) and lowest near $0.01 or $0.99. That is why a long-shot or a near-certain contract is cheaper to take than a coin-flip, even at the same size.
At exactly $0.50 with 100 contracts: 0.07 × 100 × 0.5 × 0.5 = $1.75 — which is also the cap. No taker ticket exceeds $1.75 per 100 contracts, regardless of how large the clip is.
Taker vs Maker Fees
Kalshi distinguishes takers (market orders that execute immediately) from makers (limit orders that rest and add liquidity):
- Taker fee: full formula, capped at $1.75 per 100 contracts
- Maker fee: ~75% discount (25% of the formula), capped at $0.44 per 100 contracts
Using limit orders in liquid markets is the single biggest way to cut trading costs. In a tight book, a limit can fill at or near your price while paying a quarter of the taker fee. A stale limit that never fills costs nothing — and earns nothing.
Fee Examples
| Contracts | Price | Taker Fee | Maker Fee |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10 | 50¢ | $0.18 | $0.04 |
| 50 | 60¢ | $0.84 | $0.21 |
| 100 | 50¢ | $1.75 | $0.44 |
| 100 | 70¢ | $1.47 | $0.37 |
| 100 | 90¢ | $0.63 | $0.16 |
Kalshi deposit fee and withdrawal fee
There is no Kalshi deposit fee on ACH, wire, PayPal, or Venmo. A debit-card deposit is about 2%. The Kalshi withdrawal fee is $0 on ACH and about $2 on a debit card.
- No signup fee
- No monthly fee or inactivity fee
- No settlement fee — markets resolve for free
- No deposit fee for ACH, wire, PayPal, Venmo
- ~2% debit card deposit fee
- $2 flat debit card withdrawal fee
International wires and bank FX sit outside this formula. If you fund from a non-USD account, the spread and correspondent fees usually dwarf the taker line. Check whether Kalshi is open where you live before you convert cash.
How to Pay Less
- Prefer limit orders on liquid contracts so you fill as a maker.
- Size the clip with the calculator, then confirm the payout after the fee.
- Fund with ACH when you can wait — debit's ~2% is a larger tax than the book fee on small tickets.
- Read how market vs limit actually works before you mash the market button on a wide spread.
Common questions
What is the Kalshi trading fee?
The taker fee is 0.07 × contracts × price × (1 − price), capped at $1.75 per 100 contracts. A maker pays about 25% of that formula, capped at $0.44 per 100 contracts. At 50¢ the taker cap is already $1.75 per 100 contracts.
What is the Kalshi withdrawal fee?
ACH withdrawals have no Kalshi fee and usually take three to four bank days. A debit-card withdrawal is a flat fee of about $2. A bank can still charge for an incoming wire.
How much is the Kalshi fee on 100 contracts at 50¢?
At $0.50 the formula hits the taker cap: $1.75 per 100 contracts. A maker fill on the same ticket is about $0.44.
Is there a Kalshi deposit or signup fee?
Signup, ACH deposits, wires, PayPal, Venmo, inactivity, and settlement are free. Debit-card deposits cost about 2%. Debit-card withdrawals are a $2 flat fee.
How do I pay less in Kalshi fees?
Use limit orders in liquid markets so you fill as a maker. Fees also shrink away from 50¢ — a 90¢ contract pays less taker than a coin-flip price. Confirm the live ticket on kalshi.com before you send the order.
Does idle cash on Kalshi offset trading fees?
Idle USD can earn around 3.5–4% APY in the app. That is interest on cash, not a rebate on fills. A bad fill still costs more than a few days of APY on a small balance.
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