15 min readPolymarket Builder Earnings Guide: How Much Can You Make in 2025?
The Polymarket Builders Program has distributed $2.5M+ in grants and rewards, with top builders like Betmoar generating $50M+ in volume. This guide breaks down exactly how builder earnings work, estimated revenue calculations, and how to maximize your income as a Polymarket builder.
How Builder Earnings Work
Unlike traditional affiliate programs with fixed percentages, Polymarket's builder revenue model is volume-based with weekly USDC distributions. Here's how the system works:
Revenue Model Overview
- Volume Attribution: Every trade through your app is tagged with your builder code on-chain
- Weekly Distribution: USDC rewards distributed every midnight UTC based on trading volume
- Leaderboard Competition: Higher volume = higher share of the reward pool
- Grant Programs: $2.5M+ in grants ranging from $100 to $75,000 per project
- Gas Subsidy: Polymarket covers all Polygon gas fees for builder transactions
Key Insight
Polymarket doesn't publicly disclose exact revenue share percentages. The weekly reward pool size and distribution formula are not public, making exact calculations speculative.
Top Builder Earnings Data
Based on publicly available data from the builder leaderboard and announcements:
| Builder | Weekly Volume | Market Share | Known Earnings |
|---|---|---|---|
| Betmoar | $14.5M | 70%+ | $50M+ cumulative volume |
| PolyTraderPro | $3.39M | ~17% | Not disclosed |
| Stand.trade | $2.55M | ~12% | Not disclosed |
| Based Prediction | $2.44M | ~12% | $1M ARR confirmed |
| Polycule | $1.45M | ~7% | $560K Alliance DAO funding |
Based Prediction: The Only Public Earnings Figure
Based Prediction is the only builder to publicly disclose earnings: $1M ARR (Annual Recurring Revenue). This provides a crucial data point for estimating the revenue-to-volume ratio:
- Annual Revenue: $1,000,000
- Monthly Revenue: ~$83,000
- Weekly Volume: ~$2.44M (current)
- Monthly Volume: ~$10M (estimated)
- Implied Rate: 0.83% of volume as revenue
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Builder Earnings Calculator
Based on available data, here are estimated earnings at different volume levels. These calculations use a speculative 0.5-1% revenue rate:
Conservative Estimate (0.5% of Volume)
| Monthly Volume | Monthly Earnings | Annual Earnings |
|---|---|---|
| $500K | $2,500 | $30,000 |
| $1M | $5,000 | $60,000 |
| $5M | $25,000 | $300,000 |
| $10M | $50,000 | $600,000 |
| $50M | $250,000 | $3,000,000 |
Aggressive Estimate (1% of Volume)
| Monthly Volume | Monthly Earnings | Annual Earnings |
|---|---|---|
| $500K | $5,000 | $60,000 |
| $1M | $10,000 | $120,000 |
| $5M | $50,000 | $600,000 |
| $10M | $100,000 | $1,200,000 |
| $50M | $500,000 | $6,000,000 |
Important Disclaimer
These estimates are speculative. Actual earnings depend on undisclosed reward pool sizes, competitive leaderboard rankings, and program changes. Based Prediction's $1M ARR suggests the 0.83% rate is realistic, but this could include other revenue sources.
Revenue Sources for Builders
Builders can earn from multiple streams beyond the weekly USDC rewards:
1. Weekly Volume-Based Rewards (Primary)
- USDC distributed proportionally to your share of total builder volume
- Distributed automatically at midnight UTC weekly
- Rate estimated at 0.5-1% of volume
2. One-Time Grants ($100-$75,000)
- Microgrants: $40K+ distributed for smaller projects
- Major Grants: Up to $75,000 for high-impact projects
- Application-Based: Discretionary based on project quality
3. Builder-Imposed Fees (0.5-2%)
- Builders can charge their own fees on top of Polymarket's 0% fees
- Risk: Reduces competitiveness vs official frontend
- Most successful builders don't charge fees to maximize volume
4. Token Launches
- Some builders launch tokens (e.g., Polycule's PCULE→PMX)
- Token revenue used for buybacks, rewards, development
- Higher risk but potentially higher reward
5. VC Funding
- Based Prediction: First Telegram bot to secure VC funding from Alliance DAO
- Polycule: $560K from Alliance DAO
- Strong volume metrics attract investor interest
Comparison: Polymarket vs Sportsbook Affiliates
How does Polymarket's builder model compare to traditional sportsbook affiliate programs?
| Factor | Polymarket Builders | Sportsbook Affiliates |
|---|---|---|
| Revenue Share | ~0.5-1% of volume (estimated) | 20-50% of net revenue |
| Model Type | Build products, earn from usage | Refer users, earn from losses |
| Barrier to Entry | High (must build working product) | Low (just promote) |
| Skill Required | Technical (API, frontend dev) | Marketing |
| Additional Benefits | Gas-free transactions, infrastructure | None |
| Payment Basis | Trading volume through your app | Net revenue from referred users |
Sportsbook Affiliate Benchmarks
- Bet365: 30% net revenue, 45-day cookie
- FanDuel: 20-40% RevShare or $25-35 CPA + 35% lifetime
- DraftKings: 40% first 30 days, 25% ongoing
- Betsson: Up to 45% RevShare, no negative carryover
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How to Maximize Builder Earnings
1. Focus on Mobile-First Products
Telegram bots dominate the leaderboard. Betmoar's Discord integration reaches 40+ servers with 53K+ users. Mobile-first products consistently outperform desktop tools.
2. Don't Charge User Fees
The most successful builders (Betmoar, Stand.trade) charge $0 fees. Polymarket's international platform already has 0% fees—adding your own reduces competitiveness. Focus on volume over per-trade revenue.
3. Differentiate Your Product
The builder ecosystem is competitive. Successful products solve specific problems:
- Betmoar: Professional trading terminal + Discord community
- Stand.trade: Copy trading and social features
- PolyTraderPro: Advanced analytics and research tools
- Polycule: Non-custodial Telegram bot with DeFi integration
4. Leverage Existing Communities
Builders with existing communities scale faster. Betmoar's 40+ Discord server integrations drove rapid adoption. Consider where your target users already gather.
5. Iterate Based on User Feedback
Launch quickly, iterate based on usage data. The builder leaderboard provides real-time feedback on what works. Features that drive volume should be prioritized.
Getting Started: From Zero to Builder
Step 1: Build Your MVP
- Use the Polymarket API to build a working prototype
- Focus on a specific use case (trading bot, analytics, alerts)
- Test with small amounts on mainnet
Step 2: Apply at builders.polymarket.com
- Submit project name, description, website URL
- Include X handle and Telegram for communication
- Approval typically takes 1-2 weeks
Step 3: Integrate Builder Code
- Receive unique builder code and API keys
- Add builderCode field to all order payloads
- Use official SDKs for proper signature handling
Step 4: Drive Volume
- Launch to your community
- Monitor leaderboard rankings at builders.polymarket.com
- Iterate based on user behavior and volume metrics
Market Opportunity: 10x Growth Potential
The builder ecosystem is still early stage with massive upside:
- Current Penetration: Builders = 2.5-3% of total Polymarket volume
- Hyperliquid Benchmark: Their builders reached 40% penetration (briefly 50%)
- Growth Potential: 10-15x if Polymarket follows similar trajectory
- Weekly Builder Volume: ~$20M across 20+ builders
- Single-Day Record: $11M ATH across all builders
Opportunity
If builder volume grows from 2.5% to 25% of total Polymarket volume, and Polymarket maintains $1B+ monthly volume, the builder ecosystem could support 10x the current earnings potential.
Key Takeaways
- Estimated Earnings: 0.5-1% of trading volume as revenue
- Based Prediction Benchmark: $1M ARR on ~$10M monthly volume
- Top Builder: Betmoar with $50M+ cumulative, 70% market share
- Growth Potential: 10x upside vs current 2.5% penetration
- Success Factors: Mobile-first, no fees, differentiated product
- Timeline: Apply at builders.polymarket.com, 1-2 week approval
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Frequently Asked Questions
Based Prediction publicly disclosed $1M ARR on ~$10M monthly volume. Betmoar leads with $50M+ cumulative volume and 70% market share. Estimated rate: 0.5-1% of trading volume as revenue.
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