Prop Firm Comparisons

A prop firm comparison puts two proprietary trading firms side by side on the terms that decide whether you pass and get paid: profit target, drawdown type and size, minimum trading days, consistency rules, profit split, payout schedule, fees, platforms and restricted strategies. JoinProp publishes head-to-head comparisons across futures and forex/CFD firms.

Each firm is scored out of 10 across 9 weighted categories: payout reliability (20%), fee structure, drawdown rules and profit split (15% each), evaluation terms and trading rules (10% each), and support, scaling plan and track record (5% each). The same criteria are applied to both firms in every comparison, and the full methodology is published on JoinProp.

Start with the drawdown rules, because a breach can fail the account: check whether the limit is static or trailing and whether it is measured at end of day or in real time. Then compare the profit target, minimum trading days, consistency rules, payout frequency and conditions, total cost including resets, supported platforms, and restrictions on news trading, weekend holds and expert advisors.

Not on price alone. A cheaper evaluation can come with a tighter drawdown, stricter consistency rules, a lower profit split or slower payouts, which can cost more than the fee difference. Compare the full rulebook, including reset fees and activation fees, before you buy.

Futures programs use exchange-listed contracts such as the E-mini S&P 500, usually through NinjaTrader, Tradovate or Rithmic, and commonly use a one-step evaluation with a trailing or end-of-day drawdown. Forex and CFD programs use currency pairs, indices and metals on platforms such as MT4, MT5, cTrader or DXtrade, and often use one-step or two-step challenges with daily and maximum loss limits. Evaluations and initial funded stages may be simulated; live trading is separate. Brands can offer both CFD and Futures programs under different terms.

A static drawdown is a fixed loss limit based on your starting balance, so it never moves. A trailing drawdown follows your highest balance (either in real time or at end of day), so open profits you give back can still breach it. Compare the amount and enforcement as well as the type: an end-of-day floor may still be breached intraday on unrealised losses.

Yes. JoinProp scores firms on published editorial criteria such as payouts, fees, rules, transparency, platform quality, support and track record, and applies the same criteria to every firm in a comparison.

Each comparison shows its own last-updated date. Prop firms change prices, rules and payout terms often, so always confirm the current terms on the firm's official website before you buy a challenge.

Use the Find a Comparison tool at the top of this page to check an available pairing. If a matchup is not listed yet, open each firm's JoinProp review and compare the same criteria: drawdown, profit target, payout terms, fees and platforms.