Maker vs Taker Fee
Maker fees apply when an order adds liquidity to the order book instead of consuming it instantly. Taker fees apply when the trade executes immediately against resting liquidity.
In practice, taker fees are usually higher because exchanges want to encourage deeper books and tighter markets. Lower maker fees help reward traders who leave orders available for others to match.
The fee gap is an incentive system.
Makers focus on price control and patience. Takers focus on immediacy and certainty of execution. Neither approach is universally better, but each affects trading cost, fill speed, and slippage risk.
A limit order can still become a taker order if it crosses the book and fills instantly. A post only limit order is one way many traders try to avoid unintended taker fees.
Choosing between maker and taker behavior depends on your strategy, the spread, volatility, and whether execution speed matters more than fee savings.