This post contains affiliate links. Benefits and fees below were checked on 2026-11-07.
Which futures exchange has the lowest fees? And does a referral discount change that ranking?
I’ll start with the base rates, then the referral side, and then how to check each number yourself. Fee schedules change, so the official fee pages are linked in the last section.
What are the base futures fees?
Here are the standard futures rates in my data for all four exchanges:
| Exchange | Futures maker | Futures taker |
|---|---|---|
| Bybit | 0.02% | 0.055% |
| OKX | 0.02% | 0.05% |
| Binance | 0.02% | 0.05% |
| Bitget | 0.02% | 0.06% |
Maker fees are identical. All four list 0.02%, so they can’t separate the exchanges. Taker fees can: OKX and Binance tie at 0.05%, Bybit sits at 0.055%, and Bitget at 0.06%.
A maker order is a limit order that rests on the order book, while a taker order takes liquidity immediately, like a market order. If you mostly use market orders to get in and out, the taker column is the one to watch. If you mostly place resting limit orders, the four look the same at the base level.
Spot rates, for reference: Bybit, Binance and Bitget list 0.1% maker and 0.1% taker, while OKX lists 0.08% maker and 0.1% taker. This post is about futures, so I won’t go deeper on spot.
What do the referral programs offer?
Each exchange’s referral program has two figures in my data, a discount and a cashback:
| Exchange | Discount | Cashback |
|---|---|---|
| Bybit | 20% | 20% |
| OKX | 20% | 10% |
| Binance | 20% | 10% |
| Bitget | 30% | 20% |
The discount is 20% on Bybit, OKX and Binance, and 30% on Bitget. Cashback is 20% on Bybit and Bitget, and 10% on OKX and Binance. Bitget has the highest figure on both, and Bybit matches it on cashback but not on discount.
So does this change the ranking? I can’t tell from my data how the discount and cashback combine, and that depends on your account tier and the product you trade. I’m not going to multiply them into a made-up “effective fee”. Bitget starts with the highest taker rate, so whether its larger referral figures close the gap is something to check on the exchange’s own page, with your own numbers.
How is the cashback paid?
The payout schedule differs, which affects how soon you see the money. Bybit credits 20% of the trading fees you paid in the previous week every Monday, automatically in USDT. OKX credits its 10% cashback to your account once a week, also automatically in USDT. Binance pays its 10% once a week, again automatically. Bitget is the fastest, crediting its 20% cashback automatically 4 times a day.
If you trade rarely, the schedule hardly matters, and the cashback percentage is what counts.
What’s different about Bybit?
Bybit has two extras in my data.
The first is a welcome bonus. Bybit lists up to $100 for new sign-ups, subject to its new-user event terms, so the amount you get can vary. Read those terms before counting on it.
The second is adding a code after sign-up. If you registered a main account without any code, you can add an Affiliate code within 14 days of sign-up through “Join an Affiliate’s Community”. Regular user referral codes are not accepted, and once you add a code it cannot be changed. The Bybit code is 30638.
The other exchanges have no welcome bonus or late-add option in my data.
Where are the sign-up links and codes?
These are the official links and codes exactly as I have them:
- Bybit sign-up (code 30638)
- OKX sign-up (code 52413969)
- Binance sign-up (code NPLZ3XZ6)
- Bitget sign-up (code 4qkg5700)
If you’re signing up through a referral, use the link or enter the code during registration. For Bybit, the late-add window above is the only way to fix a missed code.
How can I check these numbers myself?
Fee tables go out of date, so verify before you commit. Start with the official fee pages, which is where my numbers come from: Bybit trading fee structure, OKX fees, Binance fee FAQ and Bitget fee article.
Then make sure you’re comparing the same tier. Fee schedules are usually tiered, so look at the default level your account would start on, not a high-volume one. Next, go through your recent orders and count how many were maker and how many were taker, which tells you which fee column deserves more weight. Read each exchange’s referral terms too, including how the discount and cashback apply and whether the discount covers futures.
Finally, do the arithmetic with your own numbers. Fee is position size times rate, so run it for your usual size on each exchange, with and without the referral figures.
FAQ
Which exchange has the lowest futures taker fee in this data?
OKX and Binance, both at 0.05%. Bybit is at 0.055% and Bitget at 0.06%, while maker fees are 0.02% on all four.
Does a referral discount change the ranking?
It might. Bitget lists the largest referral figures (30% discount, 20% cashback), but my data doesn’t say how they combine with the base rate, so check the exchange’s page before drawing a conclusion.
Can I add a Bybit code after I’ve already signed up?
Possibly. A main account registered without any code can add an Affiliate code within 14 days of sign-up through “Join an Affiliate’s Community”. Regular user referral codes aren’t accepted, and the code can’t be changed once added.
This is general information, not investment advice.