How Cheetah Trading Fees Work
Cheetah’s fee, the referred rate, and separate network/priority fees.
Cheetah charges a flat 0.5% platform fee per memecoin trade, or 0.4% for referred users, with a $0.95 USD minimum. That is the only fee Cheetah takes. Solana’s base network fee, the priority fee you configure, and slippage on volatile tokens are separate and go to the network or the market, not to Cheetah.
Key takeaways
- Cheetah’s platform fee is 0.5% per trade, or 0.4% for referred users.
- A $0.95 USD minimum applies, so very small trades pay the floor instead of the percentage.
- The platform fee is the only charge Cheetah takes, everything else goes to the network or the market.
- Solana base network fees and the priority fee you set are separate and market-dependent.
- Slippage is not a fee; it is a market effect you cap with your slippage tolerance.
The Cheetah platform fee
Every memecoin trade has more than one cost, so it helps to separate what Cheetah charges from what the network and market charge. Cheetah’s own fee is a single, flat 0.5% of the trade value per trade, with a small minimum of $0.95 USD so very tiny trades pay the floor rather than the percentage. This is the only fee Cheetah itself takes. New to the platform? Start with getting started with Cheetah.
The referred rate
If you were referred, your platform fee drops to 0.4% instead of 0.5% per trade. The discount applies automatically to your trades once you sign up through a referral, there is nothing extra to toggle.
Separate network and priority fees
Solana base network fee
Solana charges a small base fee per transaction to compensate validators. It is set by the network, typically a tiny fraction of a cent’s worth of SOL, and Cheetah does not add to it or take a cut.
Priority fee
When blockspace is contested, a priority fee acts as a tip that pushes your transaction ahead in the queue so it confirms faster. You configure it in Cheetah: keep it low when the network is quiet, raise it during a hyped launch so your order lands. Because it depends on live network demand, there is no fixed number, it is market-dependent by design.
Slippage is not a fee
Slippage is not something Cheetah charges, it is a market effect. On a thinly traded token your buy or sell can move the price against you, so the fill differs from the quote. Your slippage tolerance is the guardrail: set it too tight and fast-moving trades fail; set it too loose and you risk a worse fill. It is a trade-off you control per order.
A worked example
Say you buy $200 worth of a memecoin. You would pay roughly:
- About $2.00 in Cheetah’s platform fee (0.5% of $200), or $0.95 as a referred user (0.4%), subject to the $0.95 USD minimum.
- A tiny Solana base network fee (a fraction of a cent).
- Whatever priority fee you chose, small when the network is calm, larger during congestion.
- Plus any slippage, which depends entirely on the token’s liquidity and your order size.
The percentage is fixed and transparent; the network and market components move with conditions, which is why they are described as market-dependent rather than a single number. For the plain-language version across any Solana tool, read memecoin trading fees, explained.
Keeping costs down
Two levers matter most. First, the referred rate of 0.4% shaves the platform fee on every trade. Second, remember that fees apply per trade, frequently copying an active wallet or over-trading multiplies the cost, so trade with intent. For the complete picture, see the fees page.
Frequently asked questions
How much does Cheetah charge per trade?
Cheetah charges 0.5% of the trade value per trade, or 0.4% if you were referred, with a $0.95 USD minimum per trade. That is the only fee Cheetah itself takes.
Are there fees beyond Cheetah’s platform fee?
Yes, but they are not Cheetah’s. Solana charges a small base network fee per transaction, you configure an optional priority fee to help orders land quickly, and slippage on volatile tokens affects your fill. These go to the network or are a market effect, separate from Cheetah’s 0.5%.
How do I get the referred fee rate?
Referred users pay 0.4% instead of 0.5% per trade, and the discount applies automatically once you sign up through a referral.
Is slippage a fee Cheetah charges?
No. Slippage is a market effect, the difference between the quoted price and your fill, driven by a token’s liquidity and your order size. You cap it with your slippage tolerance; Cheetah does not collect it.