Kalshi is the best prediction market app for most people in the US. It has the most markets, the best-rated app and free withdrawals. Crypto.com (and its OG.com app) is the pick if you want to start with $1 and get your money out fast, while Polymarket suits PayPal and Venmo users. We checked every fee, limit and state rule below against each app's own pages.
"No sports" means the app works there but its sports contracts are switched off. Apps change this often, so check the app before you deposit.
How prediction markets work
A prediction market lets you buy a contract on whether something will happen: will the Chiefs win,
will the Fed cut rates, will it rain in New York on Saturday. Each contract pays $1 if the answer
is yes and nothing if it’s no, and its price moves between 1¢ and 99¢ as people trade.
The price is the market’s guess at the odds. If a “Yes” contract costs 40¢, traders think there’s
about a 40% chance. Say you buy 50 contracts at 40¢ for $20. If the event happens, you get $50, a
$30 profit before fees. If it doesn’t, you lose the $20. You don’t have to wait for the result,
either. If the price climbs to 60¢ before the game ends, you can sell and take $10 profit.
Unlike a sportsbook, the app isn’t the other side of your trade. You’re buying from and selling to
other traders, often including professional market makers, and the app makes its money from fees. That’s also why these apps are regulated as
financial exchanges by the CFTC rather than as betting sites by the states.
How we picked these apps
We score every app out of 5 on six things: regulation, fees, markets, the app itself, deposits and
withdrawals, and offers and support. The overall score is a plain average, and every review shows
the breakdown. Read how we rate apps for what earns a high or low score.
All four apps on this page trade on CFTC-regulated exchanges. We don’t list offshore sites that
tell US users they can’t sign up, and none of the apps here pay us to be included.
What to look at before you sign up
Fees. All four apps use a formula that charges the most when a contract is priced at 50¢. On a
$100 trade at that price, Polymarket charges $3.48 and Kalshi and Crypto.com $3.50. Robinhood
charges $5.00 in commission, plus the exchange’s own fee. If you trade often, that gap adds up.
Your state. Several states are fighting these apps over sports contracts. Robinhood restricts
Maryland, Nevada and Michigan, and Kalshi’s sports contracts are off in Nevada, Washington and
Michigan.
Kalshi and Polymarket don’t publish full state lists, so check the app before you deposit. See
are prediction markets legal? for where things stand.
How you’ll pay. Kalshi and Crypto.com charge for some card deposits and take $10 to start,
although Crypto.com’s OG.com app accepts $1 by bank transfer. Polymarket and Crypto.com both take
PayPal and Venmo. If getting your money back quickly matters, Kalshi’s debit card withdrawals and
OG’s instant bank withdrawals are the fastest.
Offers. Prediction market offers are small compared to sportsbook bonuses and they change
often. Polymarket US gives $25 for a $10 deposit through some sign-up links, OG.com has an in-app
welcome offer, and Kalshi and Robinhood have no sign-up offer for prediction markets on their
websites right now.
Frequently asked questions
What is the best prediction market app?
Kalshi scores highest in our ratings at 4.4 out of 5, thanks to the widest choice of markets, a 4.8-rated iPhone app and free withdrawals. Crypto.com is close behind at 4.2, with $1 deposits and instant withdrawals.
Are prediction market apps legal in the US?
The four apps we rate all run through exchanges regulated by the CFTC, the federal regulator for futures. Some states dispute that when it comes to sports contracts, and a few have blocked them, so availability depends on where you live. Our guide on whether prediction markets are legal explains the details.
How do prediction market apps make money?
Mostly from trading fees. Kalshi, Polymarket US and Crypto.com charge a fee based on the contract price that's highest at 50¢, and Robinhood adds its own commission on top of the exchange fee. The app isn't the other side of your trade. You're trading with other people, including professional market makers who quote prices all day.
What's the cheapest prediction market app?
On a $100 trade at 50¢, Polymarket US charges $3.48, Kalshi and Crypto.com $3.50, and Robinhood $5.00 plus the exchange fee. If you place an order and wait for someone to fill it, Kalshi charges nothing on most markets and Polymarket pays you a rebate.
How old do you have to be to use a prediction market app?
18 on all four apps we rate, although Kalshi and Polymarket ask for the age of majority in your state, which is higher than 18 in a few states.