A maker order rests on the book and adds liquidity; a taker order crosses the spread and removes it. Most venues charge takers more than makers — sometimes makers pay nothing — so the maker/taker choice is a real cost lever.
On a venue with a zero maker fee (like Kraken at volume), resting an order rather than crossing can save the whole taker fee plus the half-spread. Across a large order, that adds up to real basis points.
A resting order only fills when someone trades against it — often just as the price moves against you. On a venue with a positive maker fee, that adverse selection can eat the saving. The decision is venue- and moment-specific.
EnsoTrade prices a large order against live order books across venues — which venues to use, what size each piece should be, and whether to rest an order or cross the spread. It is independent measurement, not execution: your own desk or execution partner keeps placing the orders on its own accounts, and we never touch custody, keys or funds. Before a window we price it at your real clip size on the venues you can use; after a window we score the fill with full workings. We quote no price or saving until you give your real clip size and fee stack — then the number is yours to check.
Price an order before you trade and score the fill after, on live multi-venue order books. We never touch custody, keys or orders — the independence is the point.
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