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Axiom vs Photon
Photon is the terminal Axiom is most often measured against, because they look alike and charge alike: 1% on the SOL value of every buy and sell. The choice comes down to what surrounds that fee. Axiom pays SOL cashback that lowers the net rate to 0.75% at volume and takes 10% off for referred accounts, and it bundles trackers, perps and staking into one login. Photon is the leaner, longer-established option.
Side by side
| Axiom | Photon | |
|---|---|---|
| Base fee | 1% per buy and sell | 1% of the SOL amount per buy and sell |
| Fee reductions | Cashback tiers to 0.75% net; 10% referral discount | Not documented in the material we checked |
| Token discovery | Pulse (3 columns, 14 filters), Explore, Trending, Watchlist | Discover and Trending views with filters |
| Trackers | Wallet tracker, Tweet Monitor, Trader Scan, bundle checker | Wallet tracking; fewer built-in research tools |
| Sniping | Migration buy and sell built in | Migration sniping available |
| Perps | Hyperliquid, up to 50x | No |
| Yield | Validator staking, axiSOL, Marginfi | No |
| Custody | Non-custodial via Turnkey, exportable phrase | Non-custodial, exportable keys |
| Company | Y Combinator W25, named founders | Established terminal; corporate details less public |
Axiom figures are from docs.axiom.trade. Photon's fee is from its own documentation; its feature set is from the live product and may have changed.
Fees
At the headline rate there is nothing to choose. Over time, Axiom's seven-tier cashback ladder returns 0.05% to 0.25% of trade value in SOL, and an account created through a referral pays 10% less from day one. For a trader doing $50,000 a month, that is roughly $50 a month from the discount alone before cashback. Photon's documented fee is a flat 1%. The Axiom fees page works through the numbers.
Tools
Both terminals cover the core loop: find a launch, buy fast, sell fast. Axiom adds more around it. The wallet tracker draws buys on your chart, the Tweet Monitor replaces a paid alert service, Trader Scan shows every holder's PnL and hold time, and the bundle checker uses stricter rules than launch-only flags. If you currently pay for any of those separately, Axiom's fee buys more.
Beyond spot
Photon is a spot terminal. Axiom adds Hyperliquid perps at up to 50x and three yield options. Whether that matters depends on whether you want those things in the same account as your memecoin wallet; some traders deliberately keep them apart.
Verdict
Choose Axiom if
- You trade enough for cashback and the referral discount to add up
- You want trackers, perps and staking under one login
- You value a company with public founders and docs
Choose Photon if
- You already know its interface and trade small volume
- You want a spot-only terminal with nothing else attached
- You prefer the longer track record
Moving over is low-friction either way: both are non-custodial, so you export keys from one and import or fund the other. New Axiom accounts created through referral code THANKS start with the 10% discount.
Axiom vs Photon FAQ
Is Axiom cheaper than Photon?
Both charge 1%. Axiom's cashback and referral discount can take its net rate to as low as 0.675% in theory; Photon's documented rate is flat.
Can I move from Photon to Axiom?
Yes. Export your Photon wallet keys, import them into a standard wallet, and send SOL to your Axiom wallet, or import the phrase where supported.
Which is faster?
Both execute on Solana with user-set priority fees. Speed depends on your settings and the network more than on the terminal.
Sources: Axiom Fees, Referral Program and feature pages on docs.axiom.trade; Photon fee documentation. Read 5 November 2026.