Kalshi vs Polymarket

Short answer: Polymarket US for liquidity and the $25 welcome bonus. Kalshi for desktop access and the deepest weather books. Here's the full breakdown.

Trade $25, get $25 (opens in a new tab)

Certain limitations apply. The offer is available to new users only, subject to the terms and conditions at kalshi.com/tc/500. 18+ only. Restrictions and eligibility requirements apply. Event contract trading involves significant risk and is not appropriate for everyone. Please carefully consider if it is appropriate for you in light of your personal financial circumstances. Kalshi products are not available in all jurisdictions. See kalshi.com/regulatory for more information.

The 30-second verdict

• 📱 Want a low-deposit offer: Polymarket US ($10 → $25 bonus, code FLPREDICTS).
• 💻 Want the $25 Kalshi offer: Kalshi (#3).
• 🌪 Hurricane and weather markets: Kalshi.
• 🗳 Politics, sports, culture, crypto depth: Polymarket.

Full comparison table

Where Kalshi wins

Desktop access and tax paperwork. Kalshi runs in a browser and issues U.S. tax documentation, which suits traders who want everything on one statement.

Fed rate, jobs, inflation contracts. The economics product is the category leader, with the largest size on FOMC and CPI contracts.

Weather and hurricane markets. Kalshi lists named storms through Atlantic hurricane season — directly relevant for Florida.

Where Polymarket wins

Liquidity and breadth. Polymarket consistently posts the largest volume on political markets and carries hundreds of long-tail sports and culture markets.

Advertised $0 platform fee. Your main execution cost is the spread, which matters most when you trade often.

Welcome offer. A $10 deposit with code FLPREDICTS unlocks a $25 trading bonus for new users.

Cost on a $100 trade

Buy 200 contracts of a YES at $0.50 = $100 cost. If it resolves YES at $1.00 that's a $200 return.

• Kalshi: a per-contract fee applies and is displayed before you confirm.
• Polymarket US: since October 2026, a taker fee on orders that fill straight away (highest near 50¢); the spread is also a cost.

Small per trade, meaningful over volume. Always read the quote on the screen.

Head-to-head scoring rubric

Both platforms scored on the same six-criteria editorial rubric. Composite is the weighted average.

Polymarket US takes the top spot on liquidity, fees and offer value. Kalshi remains the strongest desktop and weather-market option.

Florida angle: which one should Floridians pick?

Florida has no state individual income tax and both platforms are available to Florida traders. Polymarket US is the better starting point thanks to the $10 deposit and $25 trading bonus with code FLPREDICTS. Kalshi is a useful additional account for web trading and hurricane markets, with a trade $25, get $25 offer for eligible new users.

Federal reporting may still apply to gains on either platform, so keep records and consult a tax professional about your situation.

Sources

• › Kalshi Help Center — fees, deposits, and withdrawals (opens in a new tab)
• › CFTC — Designated Contract Markets (regulated exchanges) (opens in a new tab)
• › Polymarket Learn — how markets and resolution work (opens in a new tab)
• › Polymarket developer documentation (opens in a new tab)

Frequently asked questions

Is Kalshi or Polymarket better for U.S. traders?

Polymarket US is our #1 pick for its liquidity and $25 welcome bonus on a $10 deposit. Kalshi ranks #3 and is the better fit if you want web access, weather markets and USD tax documentation.

Which has lower fees, Kalshi or Polymarket?

Polymarket US charges a price-based taker fee since October 2026 (about $1.74 per 100 contracts at 50¢), so count it along with the spread. Kalshi charges a per-contract trading fee. Compare the quoted total on the same market before you trade.

Are Kalshi and Polymarket prices the same?

Not always. Coverage, liquidity and resolution rules differ — Polymarket often leads politics and culture, while Kalshi is strong in economics and weather.

Can Florida residents use both Kalshi and Polymarket?

Eligible Florida users may use both under each platform's current rules. Kalshi's offer and products are subject to jurisdictional and account eligibility.

Which one settles faster?

Both resolve within a short window after the event concludes and credit USD to your balance. Settlement timing depends on the published rules of each market.

Do Kalshi and Polymarket report to the IRS?

Kalshi issues U.S. tax documentation for reportable activity. Keep your own records on any platform — U.S. taxpayers remain responsible for reporting gains.

Kalshi or Polymarket for a Florida resident?

Start with Polymarket US: deposit $10, enter code FLPREDICTS, and claim a $25 trading bonus. Add Kalshi when you want the deepest hurricane markets.

Which is better for Florida hurricane and weather markets?

Kalshi — its Atlantic-hurricane and named-storm markets are the deepest available and are the contracts Floridians search for from June through November.

How do Kalshi and Polymarket compare on our scoring rubric?

Under our six-criteria methodology, Polymarket scores 4.8/5 and Kalshi 4.5/5. Polymarket wins on liquidity, fees and offer value; Kalshi wins on tax documentation. See the scoring table below.