Polymarket vs PredictIt
Polymarket
Crypto, on-chain · USDC, pUSD · Offshore
6.9 out of 10, editor score
- +Free withdrawals
- +$2 minimum deposit
- +7 market categories
PredictIt
Regulated exchange · USD · United States
3.9 out of 10, editor score
Verdict
Polymarket is the largest on-chain market, with the widest category list and a free maker side, but its international product is closed or close-only in many countries including the US. PredictIt is US-only, runs under CFTC no-action relief and focuses on politics. Polymarket scores higher on our model; for US political traders, PredictIt is the one that will take them.
Row by row
The edge on each row is marked. Built automatically from the platform records, so it never drifts from the reviews — rows that describe rather than rank, like jurisdiction or market categories, say “no edge” instead of picking a side.
| Criterion | Polymarket | PredictIt | Edge |
|---|---|---|---|
| Overview | |||
| Editor Score | 6.9/10 | 3.9/10 | Polymarket |
| Type | Crypto / on-chain | Regulated exchange | No edge |
| Launched | 2020 | — | No edge |
| Mobile apps | iOS, Android | — | No edge |
| Fees | |||
| Fee conditions & evidence | Taker fee = shares × category rate × price × (1 − price). For 100 crypto shares at $0.50 with rate 0.07, the fee is $1.75 on a $50 purchase: 3.5% of purchase cost, not 1.75%. Rounding and any rebates must be considered separately. Review evidence · Official fee source | PredictIt charges 10% of profit on profitable share sales or settlement, using purchase order (FIFO) for partial sales. No profit fee applies to break-even or losing trades. Withdrawals cost 5%, with a 30-day hold after the initial deposit; the terms allow additional method-specific charges. These percentages use different bases and must not be added into a single 15% trading fee. Review evidence · Official fee source | Depends on the trade |
| Maker fee | 0% | See fee conditions above | No edge |
| Taker fee | See fee conditions above | See fee conditions above | No edge |
| Withdrawal fee | Free | — | No edge |
| Deposits and withdrawals | |||
| Minimum deposit | $2 | — | No edge |
| Currencies | USDC, pUSD | USD | No edge |
| Markets | |||
| Market categories | Politics, Sports, Crypto, Economy, Entertainment, Science, Other | Politics, Economy | No edge |
| Public API | Yes | — | No edge |
| Access and regulation | |||
| Jurisdiction | Offshore | United States | No edge |
| Licensing | — | — | No edge |
| KYC required | — | — | No edge |
| KYC trigger | — | — | No edge |
| Supported countries | — | — | No edge |
Access
Polymarket’s international product restricts US users to closing positions; a separate entity, QCX LLC d/b/a Polymarket US, is a CFTC-designated contract market. PredictIt is open to US persons only.
Costs
Polymarket charges nothing to makers; takers pay a fee that depends on price and category. PredictIt’s costs are set out in its own terms and summarised in its review.
Which one suits you
Choose Polymarket if…
→Non-US traders in eligible countries who want breadth and self-custody.
Choose PredictIt if…
→US persons trading political markets.
FAQ
- Can Americans use Polymarket?
- Not the international product, which is close-only for US users. Polymarket US is a separate CFTC-designated exchange.
- Which has more political markets?
- Polymarket lists more markets across more categories; PredictIt specialises in US politics.