Does Orkid use Uniswap liquidity?

Yes. Orkid aggregates across Uniswap V2, V3, and V4 pools along with 10+ other venues. You get Uniswap liquidity without the downsides of swapping directly on Uniswap.

Why is Orkid cheaper than swapping on Uniswap directly?

Orkid charges 9 bps flat. On Uniswap, you pay the pool fee (5-100 bps) plus gas plus MEV extraction. The all-in cost of a direct Uniswap swap is almost always higher than 9 bps.

Does Uniswap have MEV protection?

No. Uniswap swaps are broadcast to the public mempool. Sandwich bots can front-run and back-run your trade. Orkid provides MEV detection that Uniswap does not.

Can I use Orkid instead of Uniswap?

Yes. Orkid is a swap aggregator that routes through Uniswap and other DEXs. You get the same liquidity with better execution, lower fees, and no gas required.

← Back to comparisons

Swap execution comparison

Orkid vs Uniswap

TL;DR: The largest decentralized exchange by volume, with V2, V3, and V4 pools. Orkid charges a flat 9 bps fee with gasless execution, MEV protection, and surplus returned to you. Orkid routes through Uniswap pools (V2, V3, and V4) alongside 10+ other venues, finding the best combined route. You get Uniswap liquidity without paying gas, without exposure to MEV, and with surplus returned to you — all at a transparent 9 bps flat fee.

Launch Orkid Swap → See Uniswap 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 Uniswap if

LPs and sophisticated traders who want direct pool access and are willing to manage their own MEV protection and gas.

Decision table

At a glance

Comparison table for Orkid and Uniswap
Category	Orkid	Uniswap
Fee model	9 bps (0.09%) flat	5-100 bps depending on the pool. V3 concentrated liquidity pools can be as low as 1 bp; V2 is flat at 30 bps.
Gas	Gasless via Permit2	User pays network gas on every swap. No gasless option.
MEV protection	Patent-backed MEV detection	None. Swaps are broadcast to the public mempool and are fully visible to sandwich bots.
Surplus return	Returned to user	No. Positive slippage is captured by the pool, not returned to the swapper.
Chains	Base, Ethereum, Unichain	Ethereum, Base, Arbitrum, Optimism, Polygon, BNB, and others.
Custody	Non-custodial	Non-custodial
Best for	Cost-conscious users who want transparent 9 bps, gasless, MEV-protected swaps with surplus returned.	LPs and sophisticated traders who want direct pool access and are willing to manage their own MEV protection and gas.
Not ideal for	Users who need chains Orkid does not support yet (non-EVM, Solana, etc.).	Retail users who want the best all-in price with gasless execution and MEV protection.

Where Uniswap leads

Established platform

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

Deepest liquidity on most major token pairs, especially on Ethereum mainnet
V3 concentrated liquidity gives LPs capital efficiency and can produce tight spreads
V4 introduces hooks for custom pool logic, expanding what is possible
Battle-tested contracts that have processed hundreds of billions in volume
Strong token (UNI) governance and ecosystem

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 Uniswap

LPs and sophisticated traders who want direct pool access and are willing to manage their own MEV protection and gas.

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 Uniswap

No migration needed. Orkid uses Uniswap as one of its liquidity sources. When you swap through Orkid, your trade may route through Uniswap pools — but Orkid handles gas, MEV protection, and surplus return on top.

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 Uniswap alternatives → Explore Swap pillar → All pillars →