Polymarket and PredictIt are both famous for political markets, but they’re aimed at different people. Polymarket’s main exchange is a global, crypto-funded market with enormous volume, closed to Americans. PredictIt is a small-stakes, dollar-funded US politics market. Americans who want Polymarket use its separate CFTC-regulated app, Polymarket US, which brings its own trade-offs.
Side by side
| Polymarket (main exchange) | Polymarket US | PredictIt | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Who can use it | Users outside restricted countries; not the US | Eligible US residents (iPhone app) | US persons, 18+ |
| Legal basis | Offshore exchange | CFTC-regulated exchange and clearing house | CFTC staff no-action relief |
| Markets | Politics, sports, crypto, culture, tech and more | Sports, politics, crypto, economics and more | Politics and policy only |
| Limits | No fixed position cap | Deposit limits (for example $50,000 a day by card or bank) | $3,500 per contract per trader |
| Fees | Taker fee 0.04–0.07 × p × (1 − p) by category; makers free | Taker 0.0695 × p × (1 − p) | 10% of profit on winning trades |
| Money | Crypto (pUSD on Polygon) | USD | USD |
From each platform’s documentation and recent reporting, checked October 2026.
Scale and liquidity
Polymarket is the world’s largest prediction market by volume, and its election markets are among the deepest anywhere. PredictIt’s $3,500-per-contract limit keeps every market small by design: it’s a place for many small positions, not big ones. That shows in the prices: a large order barely moves Polymarket’s biggest books, while thin PredictIt markets can swing several cents on modest trades. Live Polymarket politics markets:
Polymarket politics: most traded
Latest price for “Yes”, shown as an implied chance. Polymarket volume in USD, Kalshi in contracts. Updated 3 min ago.
Fees compared
Polymarket charges takers a fee shaped like price × (1 − price), from 0.04 on politics to 0.07 on crypto, and nothing to makers or on geopolitics markets. PredictIt charges nothing to trade but takes 10% of the profit on every winning trade. On a 50¢ politics share, Polymarket’s taker fee is 1¢; PredictIt takes 5¢ only if you win. See Polymarket fees.
Legal status for Americans
Polymarket’s main exchange treats the US as a restricted country, so Americans can’t trade there; using a VPN breaks its terms. US residents have two legal options: Polymarket US, a CFTC-regulated app, or PredictIt, which operates under CFTC no-action relief amended in July 2025. See Is Polymarket legal in the US?
Choose Polymarket
Outside the US: for the deepest markets and widest range. In the US: Polymarket US, if you want sports and other categories in a regulated app.
Choose PredictIt
You’re American, trade only politics in small amounts, and prefer paying fees only when you win.
FAQ
Can Americans use Polymarket?
Which has better election odds?
Is PredictIt shutting down?
Related: Kalshi vs PredictIt · Polymarket alternatives · Polymarket review · Polymarket US