Prop firm spreads compared
For scalpers and high-frequency strategies, the spread is the difference between a passing and a failing month. Here's how reviewed firms stack up on typical spreads and execution.
| Firm | Type | Typical spread | Main platform |
|---|---|---|---|
| Funding Pipes | Forex / CFD | From 0.0 pips (raw) | MT5, cTrader, Match-Trader, TradeLocker |
| FTMO | Forex / CFD | From 0.0 pips | MT4, MT5, cTrader, DXtrade |
| Topstep | Futures | Raw CME pricing + commission | TopstepX, NinjaTrader, Tradovate, TradingView, T4, Quantower |
| FundedNext | Forex / CFD | From 0.0 pips | MT4, MT5, cTrader, Match-Trader |
| Apex Trader Funding | Futures | Raw CME pricing + commission | NinjaTrader, Tradovate, TradingView, Rithmic, Quantower |
| The Funded Trader | Forex / CFD | 1, 2 & 3-steps | MT4, MT5, DXtrade, TradeLocker |
| Alpha Futures | Futures | Raw CME pricing + commission | NinjaTrader, Tradovate, TradingView, Rithmic |
| The5ers | Forex / CFD | From 0.1 pips | MT4, MT5, cTrader, TradeLocker |
| FXIFY | Forex / CFD | From 0.1 pips | MT4, MT5, cTrader, TradeLocker |
| MyFundedFutures | Futures | Raw CME pricing + commission | NinjaTrader, Tradovate, TradingView, Rithmic |
| E8 Markets | Forex / CFD | From 0.1 pips | MT5, TradeLocker, ThinkMarkets |
| FunderPro | Forex / CFD | From 0.1 pips | MT4, MT5, cTrader, TradeLocker |
| TakeProfit Trader | Futures | Raw CME pricing + commission | NinjaTrader, Tradovate, TradingView, Rithmic |
| Alpha Capital Group | Forex / CFD | From 0.1 pips | MT4, MT5, cTrader, TradeLocker |
| Earn2Trade | Futures | Raw CME pricing + commission | NinjaTrader, Tradovate, TradingView, Rithmic |
| Blue Guardian | Forex / CFD | From 0.1 pips | MT5, Match-Trader, DXtrade |
| Goat Funded Trader | Forex / CFD | From 0.1 pips | MT4, MT5, cTrader, TradeLocker |
| Instant Funding | Forex / CFD | From 0.1 pips | MT4, MT5, cTrader, TradeLocker |
| City Traders Imperium | Forex / CFD | From 0.1 pips | MT4, MT5, cTrader, TradeLocker |
| Tradeify | Futures | Raw CME pricing + commission | NinjaTrader, Tradovate, TradingView, Rithmic |
| BrightFunded | Forex / CFD | From 0.1 pips | MT4, MT5, cTrader, TradeLocker |
| MyFundedFX | Forex / CFD | From 0.1 pips | MT4, MT5, cTrader, TradeLocker |
| Funded Trading Plus | Forex / CFD | From 0.1 pips | MT4, MT5, cTrader, TradeLocker |
| Hola Prime | Forex / CFD | From 0.1 pips | MT4, MT5, cTrader, TradeLocker |
| Elite Trader Funding | Futures | Raw CME pricing + commission | NinjaTrader, Tradovate, TradingView, Rithmic |
| Maven Trading | Forex / CFD | From 0.1 pips | MT4, MT5, cTrader, TradeLocker |
| Audacity Capital | Forex / CFD | From 0.1 pips | MT4, MT5, cTrader, TradeLocker |
| Breakout | Forex / CFD | From 0.1 pips | MT4, MT5, cTrader, TradeLocker |
| Bulenox | Futures | Raw CME pricing + commission | NinjaTrader, Tradovate, TradingView, Rithmic |
| Funded Futures Network | Futures | Raw CME pricing + commission | NinjaTrader, Tradovate, TradingView, Rithmic |
| Lark Funding | Forex / CFD | From 0.1 pips | MT4, MT5, cTrader, TradeLocker |
| The Trading Pit | Forex / CFD | From 0.1 pips | MT4, MT5, cTrader, TradeLocker |
| Leeloo Trading | Futures | Raw CME pricing + commission | NinjaTrader, Tradovate, TradingView, Rithmic |
| UProfit | Futures | Raw CME pricing + commission | NinjaTrader, Tradovate, TradingView, Rithmic |
| Aqua Funded | Forex / CFD | From 0.1 pips | MT4, MT5, cTrader, TradeLocker |
| Finotive Funding | Futures | From 0.1 pips | MT4, MT5, cTrader, TradeLocker |
| TopOne Trader | Futures | Raw CME pricing + commission | NinjaTrader, Tradovate, TradingView, Rithmic |
| TickTick Trader | Futures | Raw CME pricing + commission | NinjaTrader, Tradovate, TradingView, Rithmic |
| Quant Tekel | Forex / CFD | From 0.1 pips | MT4, MT5, cTrader, TradeLocker |
| Lucid Trading | Futures | Raw CME pricing + commission | NinjaTrader, Tradovate, TradingView, Rithmic |
| GlowNode | Forex / CFD | From 0.1 pips | MT4, MT5, cTrader, TradeLocker |
| Legends Trading | Futures | Raw CME pricing + commission | NinjaTrader, Tradovate, TradingView, Rithmic |
Spreads are indicative and vary by instrument, session, liquidity and account type. Always verify live spreads in a demo before committing. Futures firms price on raw exchange data plus commission rather than a dealing spread.
Why spreads matter more than the headline split
Traders obsess over a 90% vs 100% profit split, then ignore spreads that quietly cost them far more. If you place 20 trades a day, an extra 0.3 pips per trade dwarfs the split difference over a month. The cost shows up in two places: the spread (the gap between bid and ask) and any commission on raw-spread accounts.
Spread vs commission accounts
Many firms offer a "raw" account with near-zero spreads but a per-lot commission, alongside a "standard" account with wider spreads and no commission. For active strategies the raw + commission model is usually cheaper overall; for low-frequency swing trading the difference is negligible. Futures firms (Topstep, Apex, Alpha Futures) work differently again — you trade real exchange prices and pay commission per contract.
How to test a firm's real spreads
Don't trust the marketing number. Open the firm's demo, watch your actual pairs during the sessions you trade (London, New York), and note the spread around news. A firm that shows 0.0 pips at midday but balloons to 3 pips at the open isn't a 0.0-pip firm for a news trader.