Short answer: A post-only order on Bybit Futures is a limit order that guarantees you add liquidity to the order book — it will be canceled if it would execute immediately as a taker order, helping you avoid taker fees.
Post-only orders are a staple for serious futures traders who want to reduce trading costs and improve their execution strategy. Bybit, one of the largest crypto derivatives exchanges, offers this order type across its USDT perpetual and inverse futures markets. Understanding exactly how to set it up, when to use it, and what pitfalls to avoid can save you a significant amount in fees over time.
Key Takeaways
- Post-only orders on Bybit ensure you always add liquidity to the order book, which means you pay the maker fee (often 0.01% or lower) instead of the taker fee (typically 0.055% or higher).
- To place a post-only order, select “Limit” as the order type, then toggle the “Post Only” option in the order entry panel — the order will only fill if it does not immediately match an existing order.
- If your limit price is too aggressive (i.e., it could instantly match the best bid or ask), Bybit automatically cancels the order and shows a “Cancelled (Post Only)” message, so you must adjust your price.
What Exactly Is a Post-Only Order on Bybit?
A post-only order is a specific type of limit order that guarantees you will always be a “maker” in the market, never a “taker.” On Bybit, when you place a standard limit order, it can either add liquidity to the order book (if it doesn’t immediately match) or take liquidity (if it matches an existing order instantly). The post-only flag overrides this behavior.
If your limit order would execute immediately at the current market price — meaning it would cross the spread and take liquidity — Bybit cancels the order entirely. You get a “Cancelled (Post Only)” notification in your order history. This forces you to place your order at a price that sits passively on the book until someone else fills it.
This mechanism is critical for traders who want to capture the maker rebate or simply avoid the higher taker fee. Bybit’s fee structure for USDT perpetual futures typically charges 0.055% for takers and 0.01% for makers, though VIP tiers can lower these numbers. Over hundreds of trades, the difference adds up fast.
How to Place a Post-Only Order on Bybit: Step-by-Step
Setting up a post-only order on Bybit is straightforward, but you need to know exactly where to find the toggle. Here’s the process for both the web platform and mobile app.
First, log into your Bybit account and navigate to the Derivatives or Futures trading interface. Select your preferred contract — for example, BTCUSDT perpetual. In the order entry panel on the left side, choose “Limit” from the dropdown menu. Below the price and quantity fields, you’ll see a row of options marked “Reduce Only,” “Post Only,” and “Hidden.” Click the “Post Only” checkbox so it turns blue or green, indicating it’s active.
Now enter your limit price. If you set a price that is equal to or better than the current best bid (for a sell order) or best ask (for a buy order), your order will likely be canceled because it would execute immediately. To avoid this, set your price slightly worse than the current market — for a buy, place it below the best bid; for a sell, place it above the best ask. For example, if BTC is trading at $60,000 with a best bid of $59,990, a post-only buy at $59,985 would sit on the book as a maker order. Click “Buy/Long” or “Sell/Short” to submit.
You’ll see the order appear in your open orders tab with a “Post Only” label. If it gets canceled, the system will show a red “Cancelled (Post Only)” message and explain why. Adjust your price further from the market and try again.
Why Would You Use a Post-Only Order Instead of a Regular Limit Order?
The primary reason is fee savings. On Bybit, maker fees are typically 0.01% while taker fees are 0.055% for standard users. That’s a 5.5x difference. If you’re a high-volume trader executing 100 trades a day with an average size of 10,000 USDT, using post-only orders could save you roughly $45 per day in fees — or over $1,300 per month.
But there’s another advantage: execution quality. When you place a post-only order, you’re adding liquidity to the book, which means you’re providing a price that other traders can hit. This often leads to better fills because you’re not chasing the market. You’re essentially becoming the market maker, capturing the spread rather than paying it.
Some traders also use post-only orders to avoid slippage on large orders. By placing a passive order at a specific price, you can accumulate a position without moving the market against yourself. This is especially useful in volatile conditions where a market order could get filled at multiple price levels.
That said, post-only orders aren’t suitable for every situation. If you need immediate execution — say, to exit a losing position quickly — a market order or a regular limit order that takes liquidity is the better choice. Post-only orders are a strategic tool, not a universal solution.
What Happens If Your Post-Only Order Gets Cancelled?
This is one of the most common frustrations for new users. You place what you think is a passive limit order, hit submit, and see “Cancelled (Post Only)” in your order history. It’s not a glitch — it’s the system working as designed.
The cancellation occurs because your limit price was too close to the current market price. For example, if the best bid for ETH is $3,300 and you place a post-only buy at $3,300, that order would instantly match the existing bid, making you a taker. Bybit cancels it to enforce the post-only rule.
To fix this, you need to move your price further away from the market. The exact distance depends on the spread. In a liquid market like BTCUSDT, the spread might be just $0.50 to $1.00, so you only need to move your price a few ticks. In less liquid altcoin futures, the spread could be $10 or more, requiring a larger adjustment.
Some traders use the “Order Book” panel to see the current depth. Look at the highest bid and lowest ask, then place your post-only order at a price that doesn’t match either. A good rule of thumb is to set your price at least one tick below the best bid for buys, or one tick above the best ask for sells. If you’re still getting cancellations, widen the gap.
Post-Only vs. Reduce Only: What’s the Difference?
Bybit offers several order flags, and “Post Only” and “Reduce Only” are two of the most commonly confused. They serve entirely different purposes and can even be used together.
Reduce Only is a risk management feature that ensures your order only closes an existing position — it will never open a new one. For example, if you’re long 1 BTC and place a reduce-only sell order, it will only execute if it reduces your long position. If your long is already closed, the order is canceled. This prevents accidental re-entries.
Post Only, as we’ve covered, ensures you’re always a maker. You can combine both flags on a single order. For instance, you might want to place a post-only, reduce-only limit order to close a position while paying the maker fee. This is a common strategy for scaling out of positions in a fee-efficient way.
Just remember: Post Only controls fee structure, while Reduce Only controls position management. They’re independent tools, and using both together can optimize your trading workflow.
What Most People Get Wrong
A big misconception is that post-only orders guarantee a fill. They don’t. In fact, they do the opposite — they only fill if someone else chooses to hit your price. If the market moves away from your order, it may never get filled. This is a key risk. Traders who rely on post-only orders for entries often miss fast-moving breakouts because their orders sit unfilled.
Another mistake is thinking post-only orders are only for large institutional traders. In reality, any retail trader can benefit from them. Even if you’re trading with just $500, saving 0.045% per trade on fees adds up over time. Plus, many retail traders don’t realize that Bybit’s maker rebate can actually pay you a small amount for providing liquidity, depending on your VIP level.
Finally, some users confuse post-only orders with “iceberg” or “hidden” orders. Those are different. Hidden orders conceal your order size from the order book, while post-only just controls fee liability. You can use them together, but they’re not the same thing.
Key Risks and Pitfalls
The most obvious risk with post-only orders is missed execution. If you’re trading a fast-moving market and rely on a post-only order for your entry, you might watch the price run away from you while your order sits unfilled. This can lead to FOMO and poor decision-making, like chasing the price with a taker order at a worse price.
There’s also the risk of partial fills. A post-only order can be filled in multiple chunks as different takers hit your price. This can complicate position management, especially if you’re using leverage. For example, a 10x leveraged post-only buy might get filled in 3 separate pieces over 30 seconds, each at slightly different prices. Your average entry price may be less predictable than with a single market order.
Another pitfall is forgetting to toggle the post-only flag off when you need quick execution. Imagine you’re in a losing trade and need to exit fast. If you accidentally leave post-only enabled, your order might get canceled because it would take liquidity, leaving you stuck in a losing position. Always double-check your order flags before submitting, especially in high-stress situations.
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. Use post-only orders as part of a broader risk-managed strategy.
Our Take
From our research and analysis, we believe post-only orders are one of the most underutilized tools in retail crypto futures trading. The fee savings alone make them worth learning, especially for traders who place frequent limit orders. Bybit’s implementation is clean and user-friendly, though the cancellation behavior can frustrate newcomers.
We recommend incorporating post-only orders into your routine if you trade on lower timeframes or use limit order strategies like range trading, grid bots, or mean reversion. For scalpers who need instant fills, market orders or regular limit orders are still appropriate. But for anyone who can afford to wait for a fill, post-only orders offer a clear edge in cost efficiency.
Start small. Practice with a few post-only orders on a liquid pair like BTCUSDT or ETHUSDT until you get a feel for the price placement. Track your fee savings over a week — you might be surprised at the difference. And remember, no single order type is perfect. Combine post-only with other tools like stop-losses and take-profit orders for a complete trading approach.
Sources & References
- Bybit Help Center: Order Types Explained
- Investopedia: Maker-Taker Fee Model
- CoinDesk: How Limit Orders Work in Crypto
- Learn more about What the Volume Data Actually Tells You to build a strong foundation.
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