If you’ve spent any time trading perpetual futures on Bybit, you’ve likely seen the “Post-Only” checkbox next to your order entry. It looks simple enough, but a lot of traders — especially newer ones — skip it without understanding what it actually does. That’s a missed opportunity. A post-only order ensures you never pay the taker fee, but it also requires a specific strategy to use effectively. Let’s break down exactly how to use this tool, from the basics to the more advanced edge cases.
At a Glance
| # | Key Point | Why It Matters |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Post-Only orders add liquidity | You pay the maker fee (often 0.01%) instead of the taker fee (0.06%) |
| 2 | They will not execute immediately | If matched instantly, the order is cancelled |
| 3 | Use limit orders, not market orders | Post-Only only works with limit orders on the order book |
| 4 | Place orders at the bid or ask | You must be the best price to stay on the book |
| 5 | Great for scalping with tight spreads | Earn rebates while entering and exiting positions |
| 6 | Check your fee tier on Bybit | Your maker fee could be negative (you get paid) |
| 7 | Use with stop-limit orders | Post-Only can be applied to limit orders in a stop-limit setup |
| 8 | Watch out for high volatility | Rapid price moves can cause repeated cancellations |
| 9 | Combine with iceberg orders | Hide your full size while earning maker rebates |
1. Understand What a Post-Only Order Actually Does
A post-only order is a type of limit order that will only be placed on the order book if it can be added as liquidity — meaning it won’t immediately match with an existing order. If your limit price would instantly cross the spread and get filled, the order is automatically cancelled. This is the core mechanic. You’re telling the exchange, “I only want this order to sit on the book. If someone wants to trade at my price, fine. But I won’t jump the queue.”
This is fundamentally different from a regular limit order, which will either rest on the book or fill immediately if the price hits the opposite side. The post-only flag prevents that immediate fill. So if you’re trying to buy Bitcoin at $30,000 and the best ask is $30,001, a post-only limit order at $30,000 will sit on the book. But if the best ask suddenly drops to $29,999 and you place a post-only buy at $30,000, it will be cancelled because it would immediately match the $29,999 ask.
2. Set Your Order Type to “Limit” First
You cannot use a post-only order with a market order. Market orders always take liquidity — they execute immediately against the best available price. So the first step is to select “Limit” from the order type dropdown on Bybit’s futures trading interface. Then, check the “Post-Only” box. It’s that simple, but a lot of people forget this step and wonder why the checkbox is grayed out. Bybit’s interface will also display a small label like “Maker” next to the order preview to confirm you’re using post-only mode.
One quick tip: set your limit price at or just behind the current best bid or ask. If you’re buying, place the order at the best bid price. If you’re selling, place it at the best ask. That way, you’re the first in line to get filled when the market moves toward you.
3. Use the Post-Only Order to Save on Fees
This is the biggest reason to use post-only orders. On Bybit’s standard futures fee schedule, the taker fee is 0.06% while the maker fee is just 0.01%. That’s a 5x difference. If you’re trading $10,000 worth of Bitcoin, a taker fee costs you $6, but a maker fee costs only $1. Over the course of a day with several trades, that difference adds up fast. Some high-volume traders even have negative maker fees, meaning Bybit pays them a small rebate for adding liquidity. Check your VIP tier in the Bybit dashboard to see your exact rates. If you’re at a tier where the maker fee is negative, using post-only orders means the exchange is literally paying you to trade.
And here’s the thing: even if you’re a retail trader with standard fees, the 0.05% savings per trade is significant. On a $50,000 position, that’s $25 saved per round trip (entry and exit). Over a month of active trading, you could save hundreds of dollars.
4. Place Orders at the Best Bid or Ask to Maximize Fill Probability
The post-only order only works if you’re adding liquidity. That means your order must sit on the book at a price that doesn’t immediately match. The safest way to do this is to place your limit order at the current best bid (if buying) or best ask (if selling). For example, if the BTC/USDT order book shows a best bid of $30,000 and a best ask of $30,010, you can place a post-only buy limit at $30,000. Your order joins the queue behind any other orders at that price. When someone sells at the market, they’ll hit the best bid, and your order might get filled if you’re first in line.
But you can also place orders slightly behind the best price — say $29,990 — to avoid competing with the front of the queue. This reduces the chance of immediate fill but also reduces the chance of cancellation. It’s a trade-off between fee savings and execution speed.
5. Use Post-Only Orders for Scalping Strategies
Scalpers love post-only orders because they can enter and exit positions while earning maker rebates on both sides. Here’s a typical scalping flow: you see BTC trading in a narrow range between $30,000 and $30,050. You place a post-only buy limit at $30,000. When the price dips, your order fills. Then you place a post-only sell limit at $30,050. If the price bounces, your sell fills. You just made $50 per BTC (minus fees) on both sides as a maker. The spread was just $50, but because you used post-only orders, your total fee cost might be only 0.02% instead of 0.12%.
Now, this strategy doesn’t work in fast-moving, one-directional markets. If BTC is surging from $30,000 to $31,000 in minutes, your post-only buy at $30,000 will never fill because the price is moving away from you. But in range-bound or choppy markets, it’s a solid way to grind out small profits.
6. Check Your Bybit Fee Tier Before Scaling Up
Your fee tier on Bybit depends on your 30-day trading volume and your Bybit token (BIT) holdings. The standard maker fee for the lowest tier is 0.01%, but if you hold 50,000 BIT or have a monthly volume above a certain threshold, your maker fee could drop to 0.00% or even -0.005%. That means you earn a small rebate for each post-only order that gets filled. To check your tier, go to the “Fees” section in your Bybit account settings. If you’re trading significant size — say $100,000+ per month — it’s worth looking into whether holding BIT makes sense for your fee tier.
One more thing: some traders mistakenly think post-only orders are only for large institutional players. That’s not true. Even a retail trader with a $500 account can use post-only orders. The fee savings might be small at that size, but it builds good habits for when you scale up.
7. Apply Post-Only to Stop-Limit Orders for Precision Entries
Bybit allows you to use the post-only flag on limit orders within a stop-limit order. This is useful if you want to enter a position only when the price reaches a certain level, but you also want to be a maker. For example, let’s say ETH is trading at $1,900 and you want to buy if it breaks above $1,950. You set a stop-limit order with a stop price of $1,950 and a limit price of $1,951. If you check the post-only box, the limit order at $1,951 will only be placed on the book after the stop is triggered, and it will only rest on the book if it doesn’t immediately fill. This gives you a chance to enter as a maker at a slightly worse price than the market.
But there’s a catch: in fast-moving breakouts, your post-only limit order might get cancelled because the price jumps past your limit. In that case, you miss the entry. So use this technique when you expect a moderate move, not a violent spike.
8. Be Aware of Cancellation Risks in Volatile Markets
Post-only orders get cancelled more often than you might expect, especially during news events or high-volatility periods. If you place a post-only buy at $30,000 and the market suddenly drops to $29,900, your order at $30,000 is now far above the best bid. It will stay on the book, but it’s unlikely to be filled. But if the market jumps to $30,100 and your order is at $30,000, it will get cancelled instantly because it would cross the spread. This can be frustrating if you’re trying to enter a position and your order keeps getting rejected.
To manage this, you can adjust your limit price dynamically. Some traders use scripts or bots that automatically update their post-only orders to stay at the best bid or ask as the market moves. If you’re trading manually, just be ready to re-enter your order after a cancellation. It’s a minor inconvenience, but the fee savings often make it worth it.
9. Combine Post-Only with Iceberg Orders for Large Positions
If you’re trading a large size — say 10 BTC — placing a single post-only order at the best bid will show your full hand to the market. Other traders might front-run you or manipulate the price. Bybit’s iceberg order feature lets you display only a portion of your total order on the book while keeping the rest hidden. You can combine this with the post-only flag. So you might place an iceberg order with a total quantity of 10 BTC, a visible quantity of 0.5 BTC, and the post-only checkbox selected. As each small piece gets filled, the next piece appears on the book, always as a maker order.
This is a professional-level technique. It minimizes market impact, hides your intentions, and saves on fees. But it requires careful sizing. Make sure your visible quantity is small enough that it doesn’t spook the market, but large enough that it gets filled within a reasonable time.
Risks and Pitfalls to Watch For
Post-only orders are not a magic bullet. Here are three risks to keep in mind. First, missed entries are the most common issue. If you’re trying to buy during a breakout and your post-only order gets cancelled repeatedly, you might end up sitting on the sidelines while the market runs away. This can lead to FOMO and poor decisions later. Second, fee savings are not guaranteed if your order gets cancelled and you have to re-enter as a taker. In volatile markets, you might actually end up paying more in fees because of multiple cancellations. Third, liquidity conditions matter. On thinly traded altcoin pairs, the spread might be wide, and your post-only order might sit unfilled for hours. In that case, you’re better off using a regular limit order or even a market order if the move is urgent.
Always test your post-only strategy on a small position first. And remember: this content is for educational and informational purposes only and does not constitute financial advice. All trading involves risk, and you could lose more than your initial deposit.
The One Thing to Remember
The post-only order is a fee-saving tool, not a trading strategy. It works best when you’re patient, when the market is sideways, and when you’re willing to wait for your price. If you need instant execution, don’t use it. But if you can afford to wait, checking that little box could save you hundreds or even thousands of dollars in fees over the course of a year. Master it, and you’ll trade more efficiently.
Sources & References
- Learn more about fee structures on Bybit’s official fee schedule page
- Read about market maker vs. taker dynamics on Investopedia’s guide to maker-taker fees
- For a deeper look at order types, check out CoinDesk’s explanation of limit orders
- See our guide on Ethereum Classic ETC Perp Strategy With RSI and EMA for more context on perpetual contracts
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