is uponly a gmx alternative?

only in the loosest sense. gmx is a conventional perp dex with an lp-backed pool. uponly is a one-tap arcade routed through avantis on base. they share the word "perps" and very little else structurally.

which has lower fees, uponly or gmx?

gmx charges open, close, and borrow fees that accrue while a position is held. uponly charges zero to open, zero on losing trades, and a small variable fee only on net winnings. on losing trades, uponly is structurally cheaper.

why does uponly let me use 500x but gmx does not?

gmx is calibrated for an lp-backed model where the pool absorbs trader pnl, so the leverage cap reflects systemic-risk management. uponly is designed for small, entertainment-sized rips, so the ceiling is much higher by design.

can i pick which asset i trade on uponly the way i can on gmx?

no. uponly randomizes the pair and side at the moment you tap rip. if asset selection is core to your workflow, gmx is the right tool. uponly is one-tap on purpose.

is gmx safer than uponly?

both are non-custodial. gmx has more years in production with its lp-backed model. uponly settles via avantis on base and never custodies funds against open positions. evaluate safety per the contracts and chain involved.

can i use uponly from my phone?

yes. uponly is built mobile-first as a pwa. install it from safari on iphone and it lives on your home screen. gmx is usable on mobile but the workflow is designed around a desktop interface.

uponly vs gmx: which perp dex is better for degens?

the uponly vs gmx question shows up a lot, mostly from traders trying to figure out which perp dex actually matches how they want to trade. gmx is one of the most established on-chain perp venues in defi, with a multi-asset lp model and a fairly conventional trading interface. uponly is a one-tap, mobile-first arcade that defaults to 75x to 500x leverage on avantis on base. they live in the same broad category and target very different audiences.

we built uponly, so this comparison is not pretending to be neutral. it is structural. where gmx is the better tool for the kind of trader it targets, we will say so. where uponly is built differently on purpose, we will say why.

how each one works

gmx settles trades against a pooled lp on arbitrum and avalanche. the pool (glp / gm) is a basket of assets held by passive depositors who earn a share of trading fees in exchange for taking the other side of trader pnl. swaps and perps share the same liquidity layer. it is a structurally coherent design that has been in production for years.

uponly is not an exchange or an lp protocol. it is a one-tap interface that routes execution to avantis on base. you set collateral, you set leverage, you tap rip. the platform opens a random pair at a random side at the on-chain mark. there is no internal counterparty inside uponly, no netting, no house. when you lose, the platform earns zero. when you win, we take a small variable cut. more on the build story in uponly was built in one night.

lp-backed vs avantis-routed

these are two different architectural choices. gmx asks passive lps to absorb trader pnl in exchange for fees. uponly does not maintain its own liquidity pool — execution is delegated to avantis, which has its own settlement model. the consequence: gmx scales liquidity through lp deposits, uponly scales by riding the underlying avantis venue.

fees

gmx charges trading fees on opens, closes, and borrow rates that accrue while a position is held. the fee structure is designed to pay the lps who are taking the other side of trades. it is industry-standard for the model.

uponly inverts the fee design:

zero fee at entry. the platform takes nothing when you open.
zero fee on a losing trade. when you get rekt, uponly earns nothing.
a small variable fee only on net winnings, gated on positive pnl.
no borrow rate added by uponly on top of underlying funding.

this is structural, not promotional. uponly literally cannot make money from a losing trader because the platform fee is conditioned on positive pnl. for the long-form version of why we built the model this way, see why uponly charges no fees on losses.

leverage

gmx supports leverage on majors at levels calibrated for the lp model. the cap is set conservatively because the pool absorbs trader pnl, so the venue manages cascading-liquidation risk on behalf of the lps. it is the right call for that design.

uponly defaults to 75x to 500x. the product personality is "max leverage by default." that is not because more leverage is better — it is because the use case is small, entertainment-sized rips, not large directional exposure. if you want the math on this, max leverage trading 101 walks through how notional and liquidation buffers actually work.

user experience

gmx has a more conventional perp interface. asset picker, charts, order forms, position management. it is built for traders who want to evaluate the chart before clicking the button. there is a learning curve, which is appropriate for the depth of the product.

uponly has one screen and one button:

fund your in-app smart wallet on base.
pick collateral size.
pick leverage between 75x and 500x.
tap rip — the platform opens a random pair on a random side at the on-chain mark.
close when you feel like it.

the asset is randomized. the side is randomized. you do not pick what you trade. the ux is intentionally subtractive — every decision removed is one fewer reason to sit on your hands. that design is the entire point of the arcade.

mobile first vs desktop conventional

gmx is usable on mobile but the interface is designed around a desktop trading workflow. uponly is built mobile-first as a pwa — install it from safari on iphone and it sits on your home screen like a native app. that delta matters because the moment of "i want to rip something" usually happens on a phone, not a trading desk.

side-by-side at a glance

matching model: gmx settles against an lp basket. uponly routes execution to avantis on base.
fee model: gmx charges open, close, and borrow fees. uponly only charges on net winnings.
leverage: gmx is calibrated for an lp-backed model. uponly defaults to 75x to 500x.
asset selection: gmx lets you pick. uponly randomizes the pair and side on every rip.
chain: gmx lives on arbitrum and avalanche. uponly is on base.
ux target: gmx targets a more conventional trader audience. uponly is one-tap, mobile-first.
creator program: gmx has standard referrals. uponly pays 50 percent of fees from referred traders, forever — see the uponly affiliate program.
shipping cadence: gmx ships major versioned releases. uponly ships a new arcade game every week.

best for

gmx targets a more conventional trader audience: people who want to evaluate a chart, pick a pair, choose a side, and manage a position with deliberate sizing. it is one of several established on-chain options for that workflow.

uponly is built for a different audience. one-tap rips, max-leverage-by-default, mobile pwa install, and a fee structure that does not extract anything on losing trades. it is also the natural home for creators with crypto-adjacent audiences — meme pages, streamers, telegram groups — because the 50 percent revenue share is the only growth engine we run.

who should not use uponly

if you want to pick the asset, study the chart, and size a position you plan to hold for days, uponly is the wrong product. the arcade frame is intentional. it is designed for the impulse, not the thesis. that is a feature for the audience it targets and a bug for everyone else.

the honest verdict (and a CTA)

gmx and uponly address different use cases. gmx is for conventional perp trading against an lp-backed pool. uponly is for one-tap, max-leverage rips with no house and no fees on losses. both can live in your stack. if you want to feel the arcade version on a real on-chain perp, try uponly. perps at 75x to 500x are extremely high-risk entertainment — bring money you can lose without flinching, never rent money.