If you want to save money on spot trading, choosing Maker (limit orders that add liquidity) is cheaper than Taker (orders that take liquidity). This is almost a golden rule in Binance's fee structure: Makers provide liquidity to the order book, and the exchange encourages this behavior, so fees are lower. Takers remove liquidity, so they naturally pay more.
Step 1: Check your Binance spot fee tier
Binance spot fees are not a simple flat 0.1% for both maker and taker. They change depending on your VIP level and whether you pay fees with BNB.
What to do: Open the Binance app or website, find the "Fee Schedule" page and check your current spot trading fees.
How to do it: On the Fee Schedule page you can see the table for spot and margin trading fees. For regular users, both spot Maker and Taker fees are usually 0.1% each. But if you hold BNB and use it to pay fees, you get a discount. If your trading volume reaches a higher VIP level, fees drop further. Binance.US has even launched a promotion offering 0% maker and 0.02% taker fees for all spot users.
Completion standard: You clearly know how much you are charged for Maker and Taker trades on your spot account. If the rates are different, choose the operation method with the lower fee. If they are the same, using Maker still helps you build a record of "providing liquidity" on the exchange.
Step 2: Practical way to tell Maker from Taker
Understand how to trigger Maker fees in the trading interface.
Case A: You want to be a Maker (limit order) — On the trading page, select "Limit Order" and enter a price that won't fill immediately. Your order sits on the order book until the market price reaches it. As long as the order doesn't instantly eat order book liquidity, it enters as a Maker order. If your price is set too high or too low, it may never fill; but once it does, the fee is usually half that of a Taker or even lower.
Case B: You are in a hurry to trade (Taker) — Use a "Market Order" or a "Limit Order" with a price that directly hits the best bid/ask in the order book. The order fills immediately. This is a Taker action. The advantage is speed; the disadvantage is higher cost.
Completion standard: You can tell that a limit order placed away from the current price is a Maker, while a market order is a Taker.
Common mistake: Many people think "I used a limit order, so I am a Maker." But if the limit price equals the current best bid/ask, the order will still fill instantly, and you will be charged the Taker fee.
Spot trading fees may look low (0.02%–0.1%), but they are charged twice — once when you open a position and once when you close it. If you trade frequently or with large amounts, these costs add up fast. There are two solutions: use limit orders to act as a Maker, or hold enough BNB to pay fees with BNB and get an extra 25% discount on top of your current fee rate. For example, for a regular user with 0.1% base spot fees, if Maker and Taker rates are the same, the BNB payment discount becomes the main difference maker. In futures trading, Maker rates are usually significantly lower than Taker rates, so the gap is even more noticeable.
How to verify: After a limit order fills, go to your order history and check the fee charged. If it was charged at the Maker rate, the fee amount will be lower than what a market order of the same size would cost.
Next step: When you are not in a rush to execute, make it a habit to place limit orders. If you are a high‑frequency trader, first make sure your account holds enough BNB to activate the fee discount — this brings more direct savings than worrying about each Maker or Taker trade individually.
