Market vs. Limit Orders: Which Order Type Should You Use?

Trading on StarTrader works like a brokerage account: you buy shares when you believe in a player and sell to lock in gains or cut losses. But how you place that order matters as much as what you buy. The order type you choose controls the price you get, and your tier controls which order types you can use at all.

The three order types

Market order (all tiers)

A market order executes immediately at the current price. You get filled instantly, and the price you see is the price you get. Market orders are the right tool when speed matters more than precision, reacting to news, or trading a high-float player where the price is not jumping around.

Limit order (Pro & Elite)

A limit order lets you set the exact price you are willing to pay or accept. It will not fill unless the market reaches your target. Limit orders are how disciplined traders avoid overpaying: you decide your price in advance instead of chasing the market. The trade-off is that the order may never fill if the price does not come to you.

Maker privileges (Elite only)

Elite members can place resting orders that add liquidity to the market. This gives execution advantages on large positions and in thin, limited-float markets where filling a big order with a market buy would move the price against you.

Daily trade limits and fees

Your tier also sets how often you can trade and what each trade costs:

Choosing the right order

A simple rule of thumb: use a market orderwhen you need to act now and the player's float is large enough that your order won't move the price. Use a limit order when you have a price in mind and the patience to wait for it, especially on volatile, limited-float names where prices swing through your target regularly. If you are an Elite trader building a large position in a thin market, maker privileges let you do it without paying up.

Don't trade blind: watchlists and alerts

Good orders start with good monitoring. Watchlists and price alerts let you track players and get notified when one hits a level worth acting on. Free and Plus users have no watchlists; Pro gets up to 5; Elite gets unlimited watchlists with advanced alert triggers. Pairing alerts with limit orders is the cleanest way to buy at your price without staring at the screen all day.