The Best Prop Firms at a Glance
Prices and rules checked against each firm's own pages.
| Firm | Market | Evaluation Models | From | Profit Split | Max Drawdown |
|---|
| FTMO | Forex / CFD | 1-Step · 2-Step · Instant | €79 | 80–90% | 10% |
| FundedNext | Forex / CFD · Futures | 1-Step · 2-Step · Lite · Instant | $29.99 | 70–95% | 6–10% |
| The5ers | Forex / CFD | 1-Step · 2-Step · 3-Step | $19 | 50–100% | 5–10% |
| FundingPips | Forex / CFD | 1-Step · 2-Step · Instant (Zero) | $29 | 60–100% | 5–12% |
| Topstep | Futures | Subscription (Trading Combine) | $49/mo | 90% | Trailing (end-of-day) |
| Apex Trader Funding | Futures | EOD · Intraday (one-time fee) | $167 | 100% of approved payouts* | Trailing |
*Under the Apex EOD Performance Account terms (checked October 2026). Payout terms change — always confirm the current terms on the firm's site before buying.
FTMO
THE BENCHMARK1-Step, 2-Step and Instant models, splits up to 90%, and payouts from day 14 — the rules most other firms are measured against.
Models & Prices1-Step from €79 (10K) up to €999 (200K); 2-Step from €89 (10K) — the 100K is €540, shown at €439 on promotion when we checked; Instant Account from €169 (5K) to €2,999 (100K).
RulesProfit target 10% (1-Step) or 10% + 5% (2-Step); daily loss limit 3–5% depending on model; maximum drawdown 10%.
Profit Split90% on 1-Step and Instant; 80% starting on 2-Step, rising through the Scaling Plan.
PayoutsRequest from day 14, then on demand; minimum $20 by bank/card or $50 by crypto.
Good to KnowNews-trading restrictions apply on funded Standard accounts, not during evaluation; EAs and algos are officially supported.
FundedNext
THE FLEXIBLE ALL-ROUNDERFour CFD models plus a futures arm, frequent payout cycles, and a profit split that scales to 90% (95% with a paid add-on). The widest menu on this page.
Models & PricesStellar 1-Step from $49.99 (promo; list $65.99) (6K) with the 100K at $569.99; Stellar 2-Step 100K at $549.99; Lite 100K at $399.99; Instant from $49.99 (promo; list $59.99) (2K) to $599.99 (20K).
RulesProfit targets 10% (1-Step), 8% + 5% (2-Step), 8% + 4% (Lite); maximum drawdown 6–10% depending on model; the Instant model trails at 6%.
Profit Split80% standard, rising to 90% after scale-up; Instant starts at 70% and rises to 80%.
Good to KnowNews trading is allowed, though only 40% of news-period profit counts across all CFD plans (2-Step, 1-Step, Lite and Instant); EAs are allowed except for US clients.
FuturesThe Flex model offers a 50K account at $74.99 (promo; list $141.99) with a 95% funded profit share and a $250 minimum withdrawal.
The5ers
THE SCALING SPECIALISTBuilt for traders who think long-term: profit splits climb to 100% as your account scales, and High Stakes has the cheapest serious entry price on this page.
Models & PricesHyper Growth (1-Step) $260–$850 for 5K–20K; Pro Growth (1-Step) from $52; High Stakes (2-Step) from $19 (2.5K), with the 100K at $405–$455 depending on rule variant; Bootcamp (3-Step) entry from $22 plus a funded-stage fee.
RulesProfit targets 10% (Growth) or 10% + 5% / 8% + 5% (High Stakes, NEW vs Classic rules); maximum loss 5–10% by programme; daily limits 3–5%.
Profit SplitStarts at 75–80% and scales up to 100%.
PayoutsFirst payout 14 days after activation, then every 14 days; minimum withdrawal $500 on the $100K plan; payout requests open after at least $150 in profits.
NoteThe5ers prices were checked during one of their promotions — confirm the live price at checkout.
FundingPips
THE BUDGET PICK — READ THE FINE PRINTEntries from $29 and mostly static drawdown — but read the fine print, because EAs are limited to risk-manager use and news trading is restricted once funded.
Models & Prices2 Step Pro from $29 (5K) with the 100K at $466; 2 Step Flex 100K at $555; 1 Step Flex 100K at $666; Zero (instant) from $60 (5K) to $888 (200K).
RulesDrawdown is mostly static (Zero trails at 5%) (range 5–12% by model; 12% is the 2 Step Flex maximum); profit splits range from 80% to 100% depending on model and payout cycle.
Good to KnowThird-party EAs may only be used as risk managers, and news trading is restricted on funded accounts.
Transparency NoteFundingPips' own Terms and Conditions (6%) and Help Center (8%) disagree on the 2 Step Flex Phase-2 profit target. We flag the disagreement rather than pick one — check it before you buy.
Topstep
THE FUTURES SUBSCRIPTION MODELA futures programme with a subscription model. Compare recurring fees, activation costs and loss-limit rules before choosing a path.
Model & PricesThe Trading Combine costs $49 / $99 / $199 per month for 50K / 100K / 150K accounts on the Standard path, plus a one-off $149 activation fee when you pass; the No Activation Fee path costs $95 / $149 / $229 per month instead.
RulesProfit targets of $3,000 / $6,000 / $9,000 by account size, with a 55% consistency target; the Maximum Loss Limit trails end-of-day at $2,000 / $3,000 / $4,500; a daily loss limit is optional.
Profit Split90%.
PayoutsMinimum payout $125, with per-request caps.
Good to KnowAlgos are allowed with conditions; there is no blanket news ban, but holding maximum size into major news releases is prohibited.
Apex Trader Funding
ONE FEE, DEEP DISCOUNTS, STRICT AUTOMATION BANApex has moved to a one-time evaluation fee instead of a subscription, discounts aggressively — and takes the strictest stance on automation in this comparison: algos are prohibited.
Models & Prices (list, one-time)Intraday Trail Standard from $167 (25K) to $1,190 (150K); EOD Trail Standard from $490 (25K) to $2,190 (150K); No Activation Fee variants cost more upfront. When we checked, a 90%-off promotion was running — Apex discounts heavily and often, confirm the current price and terms directly.
RulesProfit targets from $1,500 to $9,000 by account size; trailing drawdown from $1,000 to $4,000 (EOD is calculated on the close, Intraday in real time); EOD evaluations have soft daily loss limits that pause trading rather than fail the account.
PayoutsEOD Performance Accounts pay 100% of approved payouts*, up to weekly, with a $500 minimum and a maximum of 6 payouts per account.
Good to KnowNews trading is allowed, but strategies built around gambling on news are banned; automation and algos are prohibited.
How to Choose a Prop Firm
Three checks that matter more than any headline offer.
Match the drawdown to your strategyA trailing drawdown (Apex, Topstep, FundedNext Instant) punishes giving back open profit; a static drawdown (most FTMO, The5ers and FundingPips accounts) is easier to plan around. Check both the drawdown calculation and the profit target against your strategy.
Compare the real price, not the headline priceA monthly subscription (Topstep), a one-time fee (most firms) and an entry fee plus a funded-stage fee (The5ers Bootcamp) are not directly comparable. Add up everything you pay until your first payout, including activation fees.
Check payouts before profit splitsA 100% split with a high minimum and a slow cycle can be worth less than 80% paid on demand. The minimum payout and the payout frequency decide how fast you actually see money.
More lists
Narrow the comparison by market, funding model or budget.
Head-to-head comparisons
FTMO compared directly with the other firms on this page.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the cheapest way to get funded?
The lowest entry prices in this comparison are The5ers High Stakes (from $19) and FundingPips 2 Step Pro (from $29). Small accounts have tight absolute drawdowns, though — choose an account only after comparing its loss limits, total fees and rules with your strategy.
Which prop firm pays out the fastest?
FTMO allows a reward request from day 14 and then on demand; FundedNext cycles vary by model (1-Step every 5 business days; 2-Step 21 days then 14; Lite every 10 days; Instant on demand); The5ers runs roughly 14-day cycles. In futures, Apex EOD accounts can pay up to weekly, with a $500 minimum.
Forex or futures — which is better?
They are different products run by different firms. Forex and CFD firms offer more account sizes and instant-funding options; futures firms such as Topstep and Apex trade exchange-listed contracts. Choose by what you already trade, not by the marketing.
Are prop firm challenges worth it?
Whether a challenge suits you depends on your experience, trading strategy and ability to follow its rules. We do not have verified first-attempt pass-rate data. Treat the fee as the price of a structured test — with a chance of a funded account — never as an investment, and never spend money you cannot afford to lose.
How does PropDealHub make money?
Some links on this site may earn us a commission at no extra cost to you. Commissions never change a firm's placement on this page. See our affiliate disclosure.
Sources, Method & Disclosure
Read next: our research methodology — how we check sources and label offers. We have not issued numerical firm scores.
Affiliate relationship: Some links on this page may earn PropDealHub a commission at no extra cost to you — it never changes a firm's placement or data here. Read affiliate disclosure ↗
Rules and prices can change — always re-confirm the final price and terms at checkout before paying.
