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Swap execution comparison

Orkid vs CoW Swap

TL;DR: Batch auction DEX aggregator with coincidence of wants matching and MEV protection. Orkid charges a flat 9 bps fee with gasless execution, MEV protection, and surplus returned to you. Orkid executes instantly at a quoted 9 bps. CoW Swap makes you wait for a batch auction with an opaque cost. Both are gasless and MEV-protected, but Orkid gives you speed, transparency, and guaranteed surplus return — CoW Swap gives you none of those.

Launch Orkid Swap → See CoW Swap alternatives →
// QUICK FIT CHECK

Choose Orkid if

you want transparent 9 bps fees, gasless swaps, MEV protection, and surplus returned to you on Base, Ethereum, or Unichain.

Choose CoW Swap if

Traders who value MEV protection above speed and are willing to wait for batch settlement.

Decision table

At a glance

Comparison table for Orkid and CoW Swap
Category OrkidCoW Swap
Fee model 9 bps (0.09%) flat0 bps protocol fee. Revenue comes from the batch auction spread and coincidence of wants matching.
Gas Gasless via Permit2Gasless for users. Solvers pay gas and submit batch settlements.
MEV protection Patent-backed MEV detectionStrong. Batch auctions are settled off-chain by competing solvers, so individual orders are never visible in the mempool.
Surplus return Returned to userPartial. CoW Swap returns surplus from coincidence of wants matching, but solver profits are embedded in the batch.
Chains Base, Ethereum, UnichainEthereum, Gnosis Chain, Arbitrum, Base.
Custody Non-custodialNon-custodial
Best for Cost-conscious users who want transparent 9 bps, gasless, MEV-protected swaps with surplus returned.Traders who value MEV protection above speed and are willing to wait for batch settlement.
Not ideal for Users who need chains Orkid does not support yet (non-EVM, Solana, etc.).Users who want instant execution, transparent pricing, and surplus guaranteed back.

Where CoW Swap leads

Established platform

CoW Swap has its own strengths. Here is where it performs well:

  • Batch auction model provides excellent MEV protection — orders are never in the mempool
  • Coincidence of wants matching can produce better prices than any single DEX route
  • Gasless for users — solvers handle all gas costs
  • No explicit protocol fee — the cost is embedded in the batch settlement
  • Competitive solver market drives optimization

Where Orkid leads

Transparent execution and surplus return

Orkid is built around a simple promise: 9 bps flat, gasless, MEV-protected, surplus returned. No hidden fees, no auction spreads, no gas tokens required.

  • 9 bps flat fee — transparent and competitive. On a $10,000 swap, that is $9.
  • Gasless via Permit2 — sign a message, Orkid handles the transaction. No ETH needed for gas.
  • Patent-backed MEV detection engine — protects against sandwich attacks and front-running.
  • Surplus returned to you — if the route produces positive slippage, you get it back.
  • Routes across 11+ DEX venues and RFQ sources on Base, Ethereum, and Unichain.

Best fit

Who should choose CoW Swap

  • Traders who value MEV protection above speed and are willing to wait for batch settlement.

Best fit

Who should choose Orkid

  • Anyone swapping on Base, Ethereum, or Unichain who wants the lowest transparent fee with gasless execution and MEV protection.
  • Users tired of opaque fees, auction spreads, and paying gas on top of swap fees.
  • Traders who want surplus returned to them, not kept by the protocol.
// SWITCHING PATH

Migration view

Switching from CoW Swap

If you are used to CoW Swap gasless signing, Orkid uses a similar Permit2 flow. The main difference is speed and transparency: Orkid quotes a price and executes immediately, while CoW Swap waits for the next batch and the cost is hidden in the settlement.

Next step

Try Orkid for your next swap

See the difference transparent pricing makes. Swap on Orkid with 9 bps flat, gasless execution, and MEV protection.

Launch Orkid Swap → See CoW Swap alternatives → Explore Swap pillar → All pillars →
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