Compare prop firms side by side

How to compare prop firms

A prop firm comparison is only useful if you compare the things that actually decide whether you pass, get paid, and stay funded — not just the headline profit split everyone markets. The split tells you your share of profit; it says nothing about whether you'll ever reach a payout. Two firms advertising "up to 100%" can behave completely differently once you read the drawdown type, the daily loss measurement and the consistency rule.

What makes one prop firm better than another?

In our experience reviewing dozens of firms, the difference between a great firm and a frustrating one comes down to five things, which is exactly how we weight our scores: payout reliability (do they pay, on time, every time?), pricing and value, rules and fairness, profit split, and platform and support. Payout reliability dominates because a generous split is worthless if withdrawals are slow or buried in conditions. A "cheaper" firm that quietly slows payouts is the most expensive mistake a funded trader can make.

Key factors to consider before buying a challenge

• Drawdown type — a static drawdown is far more forgiving than an intraday trailing one. This single factor changes difficulty more than account size does.
• Daily loss limit — and whether it's measured from the day's open or your peak equity (peak is stricter).
• Payout speed & schedule — daily, every five days, or bi-weekly, plus how long until your first withdrawal.
• Spreads and commission — for active strategies these quietly cost more than a 90% vs 100% split difference.
• Strategy fit — weekend holding, EA/automation policy and news-trading rules must match how you actually trade.

Who should use this comparison

If you're choosing your first firm, start with the category winners above and our beginner's guide. If you already trade a specific style, jump to trading styles to see which firms fit, then bring your two or three finalists back here to settle it on the details. Either way, pair this with the firm's full review and the current discount codes before you buy.

Price, rules and payout — the quick verdict

On price, the cheapest entry today is around $28 (Finotive Funding), but value depends on reset cost and rules. On rules, forgiving static-drawdown firms like FTMO suit newer traders, while trailing-drawdown futures firms reward discipline. On payouts, Topstep is among the fastest. There is no single "best" — only the best for your style, which is the whole point of comparing.