The guide to decentralized perp trading

Perpetual futures moved on-chain. Start with what every venue charges — then read the full schedule on the venue's own page.

What each perp DEX charges

Base-tier perp rates across every perp DEX we cover or compare. Each venue name links to its full schedule and the date we verified it against official documentation.

Base-tier perp fees across the venues PerpDEX Guide covers
Venue Fee model Maker (base) Taker (base)
Hyperliquid verified 2026-07-16 Order-book maker/taker; volume tiers; no gas per trade. 0.015% 0.045% Open account at Hyperliquid (opens in a new tab)
Aster verified 2026-07-31 Order-book maker/taker; two perp contract families with different taker rates. 0% 0.04% (USDT-margined) / 0.005% (USD1-margined) Open account at Aster (opens in a new tab)
dYdX verified 2026-07-30 Order-book maker/taker; 30-day-volume tiers set by governance. 0.01% 0.05% Open account at dYdX (opens in a new tab)
GMX verified 2026-07-16 Pool-based: position fee on open/close (imbalance-dependent) + borrowing fee while open + capped price impact. n/a (no maker/taker split) 0.04%–0.06% position fee, by pool imbalance Open account at GMX (opens in a new tab)
Lighter verified 2026-07-31 Order-book; zero-fee Standard accounts, paid Premium tier for higher limits. 0% (Standard) / 0.0040% (Premium) 0% (Standard) / 0.0280% (Premium) Open account at Lighter (opens in a new tab)
ApeX Omni verified 2026-07-22 Order-book maker/taker; 30-day volume tiers. 0.020% → 0% (by tier) 0.050% → 0.025% (by tier) Open account at ApeX Omni (opens in a new tab)
edgeX verified 2026-07-17 Order-book with daily 30-day volume tiers. Not published Not published Open account at edgeX (opens in a new tab)
Extended verified 2026-09-10 Order-book maker/taker with documented maker rebates. 0% 0.025% Open account at Extended (opens in a new tab)
Jupiter Perps verified 2026-07-22 Pool-based: flat open and close fees plus a borrow fee while the position is open. n/a (no maker/taker split) 0.06% open + 0.06% close, plus borrow Open account at Jupiter Perps (opens in a new tab)
Ostium verified 2026-07-17 Per-event: open fee, oracle fee, rollover while open, close fee. n/a (no maker/taker split) Open + oracle + rollover + close Open account at Ostium (opens in a new tab)
Pacifica verified 2026-09-11 Order-book maker/taker; volume tiers. 0.015% → 0% (by tier) 0.040% → 0.028% (by tier) Open account at Pacifica (opens in a new tab)
Paradex verified 2026-09-10 Zero-fee Retail orders (web app or interactive-token API); Pro orders (standard API) pay a flat maker fee and a 14-day-volume taker ladder. 0% (retail) / 0.003% (Pro) 0% (retail) / 0.045% → 0.035% (Pro, by 14-day volume) Open account at Paradex (opens in a new tab)
Hyperliquid
Maker 0.015% Taker 0.045%

Order-book maker/taker; volume tiers; no gas per trade.

verified 2026-07-16

Open account at Hyperliquid (opens in a new tab)
Aster
Maker 0% Taker 0.04% (USDT-margined) / 0.005% (USD1-margined)

Order-book maker/taker; two perp contract families with different taker rates.

verified 2026-07-31

Open account at Aster (opens in a new tab)
dYdX
Maker 0.01% Taker 0.05%

Order-book maker/taker; 30-day-volume tiers set by governance.

verified 2026-07-30

Open account at dYdX (opens in a new tab)
GMX
Maker n/a (no maker/taker split) Taker 0.04%–0.06% position fee, by pool imbalance

Pool-based: position fee on open/close (imbalance-dependent) + borrowing fee while open + capped price impact.

verified 2026-07-16

Open account at GMX (opens in a new tab)
Lighter
Maker 0% (Standard) / 0.0040% (Premium) Taker 0% (Standard) / 0.0280% (Premium)

Order-book; zero-fee Standard accounts, paid Premium tier for higher limits.

verified 2026-07-31

Open account at Lighter (opens in a new tab)
ApeX Omni
Maker 0.020% → 0% (by tier) Taker 0.050% → 0.025% (by tier)

Order-book maker/taker; 30-day volume tiers.

verified 2026-07-22

Open account at ApeX Omni (opens in a new tab)
edgeX
Maker Not published Taker Not published

Order-book with daily 30-day volume tiers.

verified 2026-07-17

Open account at edgeX (opens in a new tab)
Extended
Maker 0% Taker 0.025%

Order-book maker/taker with documented maker rebates.

verified 2026-09-10

Open account at Extended (opens in a new tab)
Jupiter Perps
Maker n/a (no maker/taker split) Taker 0.06% open + 0.06% close, plus borrow

Pool-based: flat open and close fees plus a borrow fee while the position is open.

verified 2026-07-22

Open account at Jupiter Perps (opens in a new tab)
Ostium
Maker n/a (no maker/taker split) Taker Open + oracle + rollover + close

Per-event: open fee, oracle fee, rollover while open, close fee.

verified 2026-07-17

Open account at Ostium (opens in a new tab)
Pacifica
Maker 0.015% → 0% (by tier) Taker 0.040% → 0.028% (by tier)

Order-book maker/taker; volume tiers.

verified 2026-09-11

Open account at Pacifica (opens in a new tab)
Paradex
Maker 0% (retail) / 0.003% (Pro) Taker 0% (retail) / 0.045% → 0.035% (Pro, by 14-day volume)

Zero-fee Retail orders (web app or interactive-token API); Pro orders (standard API) pay a flat maker fee and a 14-day-volume taker ladder.

verified 2026-09-10

Open account at Paradex (opens in a new tab)

Referral links: Hyperliquid, Aster, dYdX, GMX, Lighter. Following one may earn us a commission at no extra cost to you. The other 7 venues are plain links we earn nothing from — they are listed on the same terms as the rest. Neither affects the figures above or the order of this table. How we work.

Base rates answer one narrow question — what a small taker order costs on day one. For discount paths, what each flat rate hides, and how to read this honestly, see the full fee comparison. Every figure is checked against the platform's official documentation; see how we work on the methodology page.

Hyperliquid — the flagship on-chain perps exchange

Hyperliquid review What it is, how it differs from CEX futures, and the risks — the full picture. Fees explained Maker/taker rates, volume tiers, HYPE staking discounts, and funding — verified. Referral discount How the 4% fee discount works and how to activate it.

Aster — the low-fee challenger

Aster review The BNB-ecosystem order-book perp DEX with 0% maker fees, reviewed honestly. Fees explained 0% maker on both perp families, the USD1 distinction, and the ASTER discount. Referral rebate How Aster's commission split works and what lands on your side.

dYdX — the longest-running major perp DEX

dYdX review The Cosmos app-chain veteran — track record, governance-set fees, honest restrictions. Fees explained Volume tiers, verified maker rebates at scale, and hourly funding mechanics. Referral discount The fee-tier-3 head start — up to $550 in verified fee savings, and how to claim it.

Lighter — zero fees, zk-verified

Lighter review The zk-rollup where standard accounts trade free — and how that model sustains itself. Fees explained Zero-fee standard accounts, the Premium latency tier, and the LIT staking grid. Referral code Code PERPDEXGUIDE — what it does, and why we don't quote a discount Lighter doesn't publish.

GMX — the pool-model alternative

GMX review No order book — pools take the other side. What that means for traders and LPs. Fees explained Position fees by pool-balance effect, borrow costs, and price impact. Referral discount The verified tier table — and what the 5% discount doesn't cover.

edgeX — the order book that prices itself in-app

edgeX review Self-custodial order book settling to Ethereum, USDT collateral, stock and forex perps — and a fee table the docs leave to the app. Fees explained The 30-day tier system, sub-account tier sharing, gas covered, hourly funding — and exactly what is not published. How to start Wallet or email login, the 10 USDT minimum, first order, and withdrawal chains and delays.

Paradex — private perps, options and zero retail fees

Paradex review Starknet appchain with hidden positions, free retail orders, a published Pro ladder, and the socialised-loss rules its docs disclose. Fees explained Retail zero, the Pro maker fee and taker ladder, DIME discounts, options caps, funding caps and the withdrawal charge. How to start Wallet, Starknet or email login, USDC via 30+ chains, retail vs Pro classification, and withdrawal timings.

Extended — TradFi perps on Starknet with a flat fee

Extended review Starknet-settled venue from an ex-Revolut team: 100+ markets across crypto, equities, FX and commodities, multi-asset collateral, no token, US and UK barred. Fees explained Flat 0.025% taker and 0% maker, the maker rebate ladder, referral discount, hourly funding caps by market group, and the 1% liquidation fee. How to start EVM or Starknet wallet, two signatures, deposits from six chains, sub-accounts as isolated margin, leverage brackets, and withdrawal timings.

Pacifica — Solana perps with unified spot-and-perp margin

Pacifica review Off-chain matching with on-chain custody, unified margin with implicit USDC borrowing, crypto plus equity, FX and commodity perps, no token, and a Terms list that bars the US, UK and Canada. Fees explained Eight tiers from 0.040% / 0.015% to 0.028% / 0% by 30-day volume, VIP tier transfer, hourly funding capped at ±4%, money-market interest and the liquidation deduction. How to start Solana wallet, USDC on Solana only, closed-beta caps, cross vs isolated per pair, leverage by market, and the $1 withdrawal fee.

Learn the mechanics first

Platform-agnostic guides to the instruments themselves — read these before comparing venues.

Live market tools

Funding rates—Open interest—24h volume—

Loading live data from Hyperliquid…

Beyond the dashboards: pick a strategy in the strategy explorer, or put an amount and risk appetite through the earning scenarios tool.

Compare the venues

Fee-verified, honest head-to-heads — the rival wins where it wins.

Best perp DEX in 2026 Hyperliquid, Aster, dYdX, GMX, and Lighter compared on verified numbers. Hyperliquid vs Aster The two hottest order-book perp DEXs, head to head on fees and custody. Hyperliquid vs dYdX The on-chain order book against the longest-running major perp DEX. Hyperliquid vs GMX The order-book model versus GMX's pool-based perps, on fees and mechanics. Hyperliquid vs Lighter The on-chain order book against Lighter's zero-fee zk-rollup — fees, latency, maturity.

More Hyperliquid head-to-heads: vs ApeX , vs Binance Futures , vs Bybit , vs edgeX , vs Extended , vs Jupiter , vs Ostium , vs Pacifica , vs Paradex