MOST PROP FIRMS ARE MARKETING COMPANIES. WE LOOKED FOR THE ONE THAT PAYS.
A funded account is only worth having if the payout actually arrives. That makes prop-firm selection almost entirely a question of solvency, payout record and rule fairness, not profit-split percentages on a landing page. We scored eleven firms and only one cleared every bar.
FTMO
The oldest and largest firm in the sector, funding traders since 2015, with more than $500M paid in rewards, 4.8 out of 5 across roughly 48,000 Trustpilot reviews, a challenge fee returned in full with your first payout, and no regulatory action against it. In December 2025 it acquired OANDA, which puts regulated brokerage licences across eight jurisdictions inside the same group.
- SINCE 2015 LONGEST RECORD IN THE SECTOR
- $500M+ PAID IN TRADER REWARDS
- 4.8★ 48,676 TRUSTPILOT REVIEWS
- 20% OFF CHALLENGE FEE FOR TCS MEMBERS
WHAT YOU GET WITH THEM
- −20%
CHALLENGE FEE
Through this page. Roughly €108 on a $100K evaluation.
- 100%
FEE RETURNED
Refunded in full with your first payout.
- 14 days
FREE TRIAL, NO CARD
Simplified challenge on simulated capital.
- 90%
PROFIT SPLIT, UP TO
From 80%, scaling toward a $2M cap.
- $500M+
PAID TO TRADERS
Bi-weekly, 1-2 days to land, on-time rate above 99%.
- 4
PLATFORMS
MT4, MT5, cTrader and DXtrade, good enough for order-flow work.
HOW WE SCORED IT
- 35%
PAYOUT RECORD
Published totals, third-party review volume, and payout cadence. A firm that cannot show this has not earned the benefit of the doubt.
- 25%
SOLVENCY & STRUCTURE
Company age, jurisdiction, whether a regulated brokerage sits in the group, and how the firm survived the 2024-25 sector shakeout.
- 20%
RULE FAIRNESS
Drawdown method, consistency rules, and whether the terms are written to be passed or written to be failed.
- 10%
COST TO TRY
Challenge fee, refund policy, and whether a free trial exists before you pay.
- 10%
PLATFORM & DATA
MT4, MT5, cTrader and DXtrade support, and whether the feed is good enough for order-flow work.
THE COMPARISON
| FIRM | FOUNDED | PAYOUT PROOF | SPLIT | FEE REFUND | VERDICT |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| FTMO | 2015 | $500M+ · 48,676 reviews | Up to 90% | Yes, first payout | SELECTED |
| FIRM B | 2021 | Self-reported only | Up to 90% | Partial | Rejected |
| FIRM C | 2022 | None published | 95% headline | No | Rejected |
| EIGHT OTHERS | 2021-2023 | None or unverifiable | 80-100% headline | No | Rejected |
WHAT CHANGED OUR SCORE
A prop challenge is a paid evaluation in a simulated environment. You are not trading real capital during the challenge, the fee is at risk if you break a rule, and most people who buy one do not reach a payout. What we like about FTMO is that it is the firm least likely to hide that: the rules are published in plain terms, the drawdown method is stated up front, the free trial lets you test them before paying, and the fee comes back when you succeed. FTMO also publishes two different totals for rewards paid on its own site, so treat any single figure as approximate rather than audited. Read the drawdown and consistency rules before you buy anything. We earn a commission when you use our link, and the 20% discount applies either way.
WHAT GOT FIRMS REJECTED
NO PAYOUT EVIDENCE AT ALL
Eight of eleven firms published no verifiable payout data. In a sector where several firms collapsed owing traders money, that is the whole question.
RULES WRITTEN TO BE FAILED
Three used intraday drawdown measured on unrealised equity plus a consistency rule tight enough that a single good day disqualifies you.
HEADLINE SPLITS AS A DISTRACTION
The two highest advertised splits we found, 95% and 100%, both sat at firms founded after 2021 with no audit and no payout record.
The prop sector consolidates fast. We re-check payout evidence every quarter and will move if the evidence moves.
The method is public because we are paid.
We take a commission from the partners we selected. That is exactly why the axes, the weights, the table and the rejections are published in full, and why the paragraph above exists.
Educational market analysis, not investment advice. Trading involves substantial risk of loss and is not suitable for everyone.