Best Prop Trading Firms
By JoinProp’s Expert Score, the highest rated prop firm in 2026 is The Trading Pit at 9.2, ahead of FTMO and Funded Trading Plus on 9.1. Those scores come from the same review pages linked below, and this page ranks strictly by them. No firm is placed higher because it pays more.
The score is not the whole answer, though. Every firm on this page sells a simulated account, and the number that decides whether you keep your profit is almost never the headline split. It is the drawdown type and the payout gate. A flat 80% with a static floor pays more traders than a marketed 100% sitting behind a trailing drawdown and a consistency rule. That is why the ranking below leads with the catch on each firm rather than the marketing line.
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- Liechtenstein-registered (real Impressum, named directors); unregulated; contract language is German
- A flat 80% split, with no add-on to buy and no upsell at checkout
- Static on most CFD sizes; Futures and Stocks trail end-of-day
- The inactivity clock starts the day you BUY, not the day you first trade
- A 1% fee is deducted from every payout; the fee rebate now lands on your 3rd payout
★★★★★
More details +The Trading Pit
The Trading Pit is a Liechtenstein-registered firm running CFD Prime, Futures Prime and a Stocks Challenge on a flat 80% split. Two changes on 29 April 2026 reshaped the deal: the fee rebate moved from your 1st payout to your 3rd, and the drawdown on the largest accounts switched from static to trailing. The rule that ends most accounts here is not a drawdown at all - it is the inactivity clock, which starts the day you buy, not the day you first trade.PROS:
- Flat 80% split on CFD Prime and Futures Prime, with no add-on to buy
- One-time fee, not a subscription (futures market data is billed separately)
- Static drawdown on most CFD account sizes
- Weekend and overnight holding permitted on all CFD accounts
- Wide platform choice: cTrader, MT4/MT5, NinjaTrader, Tradovate, Quantower, Sierra Chart
- Payouts processed within 24 hours on business days
- Minimum payout $100 on CFD accounts
- Resets and extensions available at a discount rather than a full rebuy
CONS:
- The fee rebate now lands on your 3RD payout, not your 1st (accounts bought from 29 April 2026)
- On 29 April 2026 the max drawdown on the largest CFD accounts switched from static to trailing
- A 1% fee is deducted from every payout
- The inactivity clock starts the day you buy - 21 days without a trade breaches the account
- Hitting the daily drawdown closes the account permanently; it is not a pause
- The firm publishes three different payout requirements across three of its own pages
- The best-known firm in the sector; simulated capital; unregulated
- 2-Step max drawdown is STATIC - a genuine fixed floor
- The 2-Step fee is refunded 100% with your first payout; the 1-Step never is
- The 1-Step carries a Best Day rule that nothing warns you about
- Includes the June 2026 payout report
★★★★★
More details +FTMO
FTMO (FTMO s.r.o., Prague) is the sector's most established simulated-funding firm, running a 2-Step and a newer 1-Step challenge. The most important fact is one almost every review gets backwards: the 2-Step fee is refunded 100% with your first payout, while the 1-Step fee is NON-REFUNDABLE. The 1-Step's lower sticker price (€499 vs €540 on a $100K) therefore makes it the more expensive route to funded, permanently. The 2-Step uses a STATIC 10% drawdown; the 1-Step uses an end-of-day TRAILING drawdown, a 3% daily loss, a 50% Best Day Rule that silently blocks payouts, no Scaling Plan — and it resets your entire drawdown buffer every time you withdraw. FTMO charges no withdrawal commission, has no consistency rules on the 2-Step, and scales to $2,000,000. There is no reset product: failing means buying again at full price.PROS:
- 2-Step challenge fee is refunded 100% with your first payout — one of the only genuine full refunds in the industry
- 2-Step max drawdown is STATIC (10%) — the floor never moves
- No consistency rules on the 2-Step beyond the stated objectives
- No withdrawal commission at all — FTMO charges nothing to pay you
- Scaling Plan: +25% capital every 4 months up to $2,000,000 (2-Step), performance-gated and free
- Minimum payout just $20 by bank wire
- No time limit on either challenge; MT4, MT5 and cTrader all supported
- Swing accounts have no news or weekend-holding restrictions
CONS:
- The 1-Step fee is NON-REFUNDABLE — it looks cheaper than the 2-Step but is permanently the more expensive route to funded
- The 1-Step uses an END-OF-DAY TRAILING drawdown (the 2-Step is static) and a tighter 3% daily loss
- The 1-Step's 50% Best Day Rule silently blocks your pass or payout — it is not a breach, so nothing warns you
- On the 1-Step, every payout RESETS your trailing drawdown back to 90% of initial capital — you lose your entire buffer
- The Scaling Plan is 2-Step ONLY — the 1-Step has none
- There is NO reset product — failing means repurchasing the challenge at full price
- UK-registered (Acello Ltd); states plainly it is NOT FCA regulated
- Acquired by Instant Funding in May 2026; the CEO has since stepped down
- Static 8% on the 2-Step Classic; Instant and 1-Step Express both TRAIL
- A 3% loss on any single symbol terminates the 2-Step account outright
- The fee rebate was abolished in February 2026 - no refund on any current product
★★★★★
More details +fundedtradingplus
Funded Trading Plus sells three programmes - Instant Funding, 1-Step Express and 2-Step Classic - on MT5 and Match-Trader, with an 80% base split. Two things reshaped the firm in 2026: the entire product line was replaced in February, taking the fee rebate with it, and the company was acquired by Instant Funding in May. It is UK-registered and says plainly that it is not FCA regulated. The 2-Step carries a 3% single-symbol loss limit that terminates the account outright.PROS:
- Instant Funding and 1-Step Express allow payouts from day one, once in profit
- 7-day payout cycle on Instant and 1-Step Express (10 days on 2-Step)
- $50 minimum payout on Instant and 1-Step Express
- EAs, algos and bots are permitted on all programmes
- Static 8% drawdown on the 2-Step Classic
- Swap-free across all programmes; no monthly fees
- UK-registered operating company (Acello Ltd, no. 12696083)
- No minimum trading days and no time limit
CONS:
- The fee rebate was abolished in February 2026 - there is now NO refund on any programme on sale
- 2-Step Classic: a 3% loss on any single symbol terminates the account outright
- 2-Step Classic consistency rule - one strong day can block a pass even if you hit the target
- Instant Funding and 1-Step Express both use a TRAILING drawdown; payouts do not lower the high-water mark
- Weekend holding is not allowed on Instant Funding
- The firm markets a split of up to 100%, but no rule document supports more than 90%
- US futures firm running the Trading Combine on simulated capital
- The 100%-of-first-$10,000 perk closed to new accounts on 12 January 2026
- Maximum Loss Limit trails on end-of-day balance but breaches intraday on unrealised P&L
- The consistency target does not fail you - it raises what you must earn to withdraw
- Monthly subscription for the Combine
★★★★★
More details +Topstep
Topstep is a Chicago-based futures prop firm running a single evaluation product, the Trading Combine, in three sizes ($50K/$100K/$150K). The split is a flat 90/10 with no upgrade to buy — but the headline "100% of your first $10,000" perk CLOSED to new accounts on 12 January 2026 and is now grandfathered only. The rule that decides most accounts is the Maximum Loss Limit: it trails on your END-OF-DAY balance, but it breaches INTRADAY on unrealised P&L, so you can be liquidated by an open drawdown you never actually realise — and after your first payout it is forced to $0, leaving your balance as your entire buffer. Express Funded accounts are simulated; Topstep's own 2025 data shows 16.8% pass the Combine and just 0.71% reach a real Live account. Minimum payout $125, five winning days of $150+, no subscription once funded.PROS:
- Flat 90/10 profit split — no paid upgrade and no tier to chase
- No time limit on the Trading Combine, and only 2 minimum trading days
- The Daily Loss Limit is optional in the Combine — hitting it locks you out for the day, it does not fail you
- No monthly subscription once you are funded
- Low 125 USD minimum payout; Aeropay and Wise carry no Topstep fee
- Publishes its own pass rates — disclosure almost no competitor offers
- TopstepX, NinjaTrader and Tradovate all supported
CONS:
- The 100%-of-first-10,000 USD perk closed to new accounts on 12 January 2026 — grandfathered only
- The Maximum Loss Limit trails on end-of-day balance but breaches intraday on unrealised P&L
- After your first payout the MLL is forced to zero — your remaining balance is your entire loss buffer
- The 50% Consistency Target does not fail you, it silently raises your profit target
- Express Funded accounts are simulated; only 0.71% of funded traders reached a Live account in 2025
- FTUK is NOT a UK firm - no UK entity; operates across four jurisdictions
- The profit split contradicts itself three ways across the firm’s own pages
- Simulated capital; no stop-loss requirement; scaling to a claimed $6.4m
- A "trading day" only counts if you made at least 0.5% profit that day
- "Account Protector", sold as a safety feature, can terminate the account
★★★★★
More details +FTUK
FTUK is not a UK firm. Despite the name, it holds no FCA authorisation and has no UK company — and it names FOUR different jurisdictions across its own website: FTUK LLC (Wyoming), FTUK Inc. (Texas), Nexdata-Solutions B.V. (Netherlands, Dutch governing law) and FTUK Markets Ltd (Saint Lucia). Two different governing laws apply to two different products on one site. The rule that decides most accounts is buried in a general FAQ: FTUK defines a 'trading day' as a 24-hour period in which at least 0.5% profit is made. That silently converts every minimum-trading-days requirement — including the 10-day first-payout gate — into a minimum PROFITABLE-days requirement. You can trade for 30 days, be up 6%, and have zero qualifying days. The profit split is also contradictory: the scaling page says it starts at 50%, the FAQ says 60%, and the homepage markets 'up to 80%'.PROS:
- Flex costs just 9 USD upfront — you pay the real fee only on passing
- No time limits on the evaluations
- Scaling runs to 3.2 million USD (6.4 million with a paid upgrade)
- Instant Funding available with no evaluation phase
- One-time fees, with no monthly subscription
- Trustpilot 4.0 from 735 reviews, with no enforcement banner
CONS:
- There is no UK entity. FTUK names four different jurisdictions across its own site and holds no FCA authorisation
- A "trading day" is secretly defined as a day with at least 0.5% profit — so every minimum-trading-days rule is really a minimum profitable-days rule
- Account Protector: a −2% floating loss auto-closes trades and counts as a violation. Two triggers = automatic termination on Flex and Instant
- Payouts can be reduced to 0–50% at FTUK’s sole discretion
- CFD prop firm trading simulated capital; unregulated
- 80%, 90% or 100% split - a paid choice at checkout, not a performance tier
- E8 Zero: no daily drawdown at all and a 3% STATIC maximum. E8 Pro: 8% static, no consistency rule
- your first payout permanently raises the loss level to your initial balance
- E8’s own example shows a $104,000 account requesting $4,000 and breaching instantly
★★★★★
More details +E8 Markets
E8 Markets (E8 Funding LLC, Dallas + E8 Markets Ltd, Saint Lucia) runs three single-phase products: E8 Zero, E8 One and E8 Pro. Two things dominate. First, the profit split is a PAID CHOICE at checkout — in E8's own words, 'select 80%, 90%, or 100% at checkout. Higher splits cost more upfront,' and the choice is permanent. Second, and more dangerous: on E8 Zero and E8 Pro your first payout permanently raises the loss level to your initial balance. E8's own worked example shows a $104,000 account requesting a $4,000 payout, dropping to $100,000, and BREACHING immediately. Withdrawing your own profit can destroy the account that produced it. E8 Zero also deactivates permanently after 5 payouts, capping lifetime earnings between $15,000 and $35,000 depending on account size. There is no fee refund of any kind.PROS:
- E8 Zero: no daily drawdown at all, and a 3% STATIC max drawdown
- E8 Pro: 8% STATIC drawdown with no consistency rule
- Single-phase evaluations across the whole range — no second phase to grind
- Resets available at a 10% discount (within 7 days of failing)
- Publishes a pass rate (17.7%) — though the window is now over two years stale
- Unregulated and says so plainly; no false regulatory claim
- Choice of drawdown model and split at checkout
CONS:
- THE PAYOUT TRAP: on E8 Zero and E8 Pro, your first payout permanently raises the loss level to your initial balance — E8's own example shows a $104,000 account requesting $4,000 and BREACHING instantly at $100,000
- The 80/90/100% profit split is a PAID CHOICE at checkout — higher splits cost more upfront and are locked for the life of the account
- E8 Zero DEACTIVATES after 5 payouts — capped at $15k ($50K acct) to $35k ($500K acct) lifetime
- E8 Pro's '80% split' is really 40% of profits — only half your profit is ever made requestable
- E8 One's max drawdown TRAILS (4-14%) and breaches on intraday equity
- CFD prop firm trading simulated capital; unregulated
- Split scales to 100% - free and performance-gated, never a paid add-on
- STATIC drawdown across every CFD programme; the floor never trails
- A 3.5% commission is deducted from every cash withdrawal, on all methods
- The 0.5% profitable-day rule is the real gate to getting paid
★★★★★
More details +The5ers
The5ers (Five Percent Online Ltd, a UK company — but contracted under Israeli law with exclusive jurisdiction in Tel Aviv) runs four CFD programmes: Bootcamp, Hyper Growth, Pro Growth and High Stakes. Its real strengths are genuine: drawdown is STATIC on every CFD programme, the split scales to 100% for free rather than as a paid add-on, and High Stakes offers 1:100 leverage. But two things are widely misreported. First, a 3.5% commission is taken from EVERY cash withdrawal — Rise, crypto and bank transfer alike; the only 0% route is non-convertible Hub Credit. Second, the celebrated ~70% fee refund is High Stakes only, is paid as account equity rather than cash, and is itself subject to that 3.5% on the way out. The rule that decides most accounts is the 0.5% profitable-day definition: on a $100K you need $500 of closed profit in a day to qualify, and an open losing position at midnight wipes the day out entirely.PROS:
- Drawdown is STATIC across every CFD programme — the floor never trails you
- The split scales to 100% and it is free and performance-gated, never a paid add-on
- High Stakes runs 1:100 leverage — double most competitors
- A genuine ~70% fee refund exists on High Stakes
- No time limit on any evaluation; one-time fee, no recurring charges
- Forex commission 4 USD per lot round turn; no commission on indices
- MT5, cTrader and TradingView (US traders) supported
CONS:
- A 3.5% commission is deducted from every cash withdrawal — Rise, crypto and bank transfer
- The 0.5% profitable-day rule is the real gate, and an open losing position at midnight destroys the day
- The 70% refund is High Stakes only, paid as equity, and the Terms separately call the fee non-refundable
- The consistency-rule percentage is not disclosed before purchase
- The5ers Futures uses a never-locking trailing drawdown — a trap for CFD traders crossing over
- Real UK company (Companies House 13719951); NOT FCA regulated, and no FCA warning exists
- A flat 80% split on every plan - there is no 90% tier at any price
- Static on Alpha Pro, Swing and Three; Alpha One trails a high-water mark
- The 2-minute rule: 50% of profits must come from trades held over two minutes
- $100 minimum payout; the fee is not refundable - all sales are final
★★★★★
More details +Alpha Capital
Alpha Capital Group is a UK-registered prop firm running four evaluation paths - Alpha One, Alpha Pro, Alpha Swing and Alpha Three - on MT5, cTrader, DX Trade and TradeLocker. The split is a flat 80% on every plan, and scaling raises your balance rather than your share. Every plan uses a static drawdown except Alpha One, which trails. The fee is non-refundable, and the rule that ends most accounts here is not a drawdown at all - it is the 2-minute average trade duration test.PROS:
- Static drawdown on Alpha Pro, Alpha Swing and Alpha Three
- Hedging and stacking permitted; overnight and weekend holds allowed in all evaluation phases
- Four platforms: MetaTrader 5, cTrader, DX Trade and TradeLocker
- No time limit and no account expiry on any evaluation
- On-demand payouts available once the account is 2% in profit
- Payouts processed within 2 business days via Rise, Wise or bank transfer
- Scaling to a cumulative $2m in allocated balance
- A 0.25% bonus of initial account size on your 4th payout
CONS:
- The fee is non-refundable: "All sales are final and no refund will be issued"
- The split is a flat 80% - there is no 90% tier at any price, and scaling does not raise it
- The 2-minute rule: at least 50% of profits must come from trades held over 2 minutes, or profits are removed
- Alpha One trails on a high-water mark, and once locked, withdrawing all profit closes the account
- The Risk Management Group can cut your leverage to 1:30 and halve your lot caps at the firm's discretion
- UK-registered but not FCA regulated; the group's only licence sits with a Seychelles sister broker
- Crypto-first prop firm; the Swiss operator states it is NOT authorised or licensed in Switzerland
- Base split 80%; the 90% is a paid add-on (+20%), and weekly payouts are a separate paid add-on
- Static 10% on the 2-Phase; the 1-Phase is 6% TRAILING
- Simulated profit capped at $10,000 per day AND per trade, per user - the excess is deducted
- Default payout cycle is 15 traded days or every 30 calendar days; includes the June 2026 payout report
★★★★★
More details +Crypto Fund Trader
Crypto Fund Trader is a crypto-first prop firm running 1-Phase, 2-Phase, Instant and Break evaluations on simulated capital up to $300,000, across MetaTrader 5, Match-Trader and Bybit. The base split is 80%, and the default payout cycle is 15 traded days or every 30 calendar days - weekly payouts and the 90% split are both paid add-ons. Simulated profit is hard-capped at $10,000 per day and per trade, with the excess deducted, which is the rule most crypto traders here meet first.PROS:
- Account sizes from $5,000 up to $300,000 in simulated capital
- 80% base profit split on the funded stage
- Crypto-native: 556 crypto instruments, routed to Bybit's real matching engine
- Four routes: 1-Phase, 2-Phase, Instant and the newer Break model
- No time limit on any evaluation phase
- MetaTrader 5, Match-Trader and Bybit all supported
- News trading, overnight and weekend holding all permitted
- Payouts in USDT, BTC or ETH as well as bank transfer
CONS:
- Simulated profit capped at $10,000 per day AND per trade, per user - the excess is deducted and open trades force-closed
- The 90% split is a paid add-on (+20% of the fee); the base is 80%
- Weekly payouts are also a paid add-on (+20%); the default is 15 traded days or every 30 calendar days
- T&C 14.2 reserves the right not to pay despite the trader hitting the target - the only stated remedy is a refund of fees
- The 1-Phase drawdown is 6% TRAILING, not the 10% static floor of the 2-Phase
- The operator states it is not authorised or licensed in Switzerland; all accounts are demo
- Futures-only prop firm across 6+ asset classes; simulated capital
- There is NO daily drawdown - the best thing about the product
- A $10,000 lifetime ceiling takes your profit, and prior withdrawals count toward it
- Rebuilt as "TradeDay 2.0" - the terms changed with the relaunch
- Unusually transparent about its own numbers
★★★★★
More details +TradeDay
TradeDay (TradeDay LLC - an ILLINOIS company, not a UK one) is a futures-only prop firm trading simulated capital, rebuilt as TradeDay 2.0. Its best feature is genuine: there is no daily drawdown at all. The constraint to understand before you buy is the $10,000 lifetime ceiling, which takes your profit once you reach it - and prior withdrawals count toward it. The firm is unusually transparent about its own numbers, which we credit in the review.PROS:
- Split reaches 90% in Funded Live (Quick Pay starts at 50/50 until $4,000 net profit)
- Day One Payouts - withdrawals available from day one of funded trading, no consistency requirement
- One-step evaluation with no time limits
- Specializes in futures trading across 6+ asset classes
- Trailing drawdown freezes at starting balance (trader-friendly)
- Choice of three drawdown types at signup: Intraday TMD, End-of-Day TMD, or Static
- Trade up to 6 simultaneous accounts
- Reset $99 mid-cycle, or free at next monthly subscription renewal
- Strong educational resources and mentorship program
- 4.6/5 Trustpilot rating from 1,354+ reviews (April 2026)
CONS:
- Futures-only firm - not suitable for forex or stock spot traders
- Weekend holding strictly prohibited
- News trading not allowed
- Single-step evaluation only - no public phased structure
- Minimum 5 trading days required in evaluation
- US futures prop firm (Austin, Texas); unregulated; all funded accounts are simulated
- 100% profit split - there is no split at all on current accounts
- Choose your drawdown: EOD Trail (once daily) or Intraday Trail (real-time on peak equity)
- Evaluations expire in 30 days with NO resets; a funded account closes after 6 payouts
- $500 minimum payout; 5 qualifying days per payout; nothing is refundable
★★★★★
More details +Apex Trader
Apex Trader Funding replaced its entire product line on 1 March 2026. Everything on sale now is a one-time fee with no rebill, a 100% profit split and no consistency rule in the evaluation. The old model - monthly subscription, 90/10 split, the 30% negative P&L rule and the 5:1 risk-reward rule - is now Legacy and cannot be bought. Most reviews of Apex, including our previous one, still describe the old product.PROS:
- 100% profit split on all current simulated funded accounts - no split at all
- One-time fee, no rebill and no monthly charge on the funded account
- No consistency rule in the evaluation; no MAE rule; no 5:1 risk-reward rule
- No minimum trading days - you can pass in a single day
- News trading permitted for a normal strategy
- An EOD account option, so you can avoid intraday trailing entirely
- NinjaTrader licence and real-time data included
- Trustpilot 4.3 from over 20,000 reviews, with no consumer alert
CONS:
- Evaluations now expire after 30 days and there are NO RESETS - a failed eval must be repurchased
- A 50% consistency rule applies on the funded account and gates the payout button
- Only 6 payouts per funded account, then it closes and you must qualify again
- The safety net must now be maintained for the LIFE of the account, not just the first three payouts
- Contract limits are roughly halved when you move to the funded account
- Holding a position through the market close forfeits the account and all balances
- Malta-contracted, unregulated; publishes its own pass rate of 7.35% in the site footer
- Base split 80%; 90% is a paid add-on. Pro-Daily pays just 60%
- Static on One Phase, Classic and Pro; Instant TRAILS despite a "No Trailing Drawdown" homepage badge
- Clause 11.9 lets FunderPro decline to fund you after you pass, with no refund
- $100 minimum payout, including the first; the Funded Trader Agreement is not published
★★★★★
More details +FunderPro
FunderPro sells four evaluations - One Phase, Classic, Pro and Instant - on MetaTrader 5, cTrader and TradeLocker, with an 80% base split and a $100 minimum payout. It is unusually candid in one respect: it publishes its own pass rate, 7.35%, in the site footer. It is less candid in others. The homepage advertises "No Trailing Drawdown" while the binding Instant terms specify a trailing one, and the contract that governs your payouts is not published anywhere.PROS:
- Publishes its own pass rate (7.35%) in the site footer - almost no firm does this
- Static drawdown on the One Phase, Classic and Pro evaluations
- Three platforms: MetaTrader 5, cTrader and TradeLocker
- Pro-Daily allows on-demand payouts any time the account is 1% in profit
- Rewards typically paid within 24 hours; 8-hour average processing
- News trading unrestricted during the evaluation phase
- 14-day refund window if the account is completely unused
- Malta-registered contracting entity with Maltese governing law
CONS:
- The homepage advertises "No Trailing Drawdown", but the Instant terms (6.1) specify a trailing drawdown
- The 90% split is a paid checkout add-on; the standard rate is 80%
- Clause 11.9 lets FunderPro decline to fund you AFTER you pass, with no refund of the fee
- The Funded Trader Agreement, which governs your payouts, is not published - you cannot read it before buying
- The homepage says "Your EAs Allowed", but clause 13.10 forbids EAs that replicate trades and 13.11 requires you to own the source code
- Consistency rules of 40% (One Phase) and 45% (Pro), calculated on unrealised equity
Best prop firm for each need
- Highest rated overall: The Trading Pit (9.2), a flat 80% split with no add-on to buy
- Genuine full fee refund: FTMO (9.1), the 2 Step fee comes back in full with your first payout
- Static drawdown, no daily loss limit: E8 Markets (9), E8 Zero has a 3% static maximum and no daily drawdown at all
- Free route to a 100% split: The 5%ers (9), performance gated, never a paid add on
- Futures, lowest entry cost: Apex Trader Funding (8.8), a 100% split with no share taken at all
- Futures, no daily drawdown: TradeDay (8.9) and Topstep (9)
- Crypto and multi asset: Crypto Fund Trader (8.9), real crypto instruments and crypto payouts
- Swing and position trading: Alpha Capital Group (8.9), a real UK company, static on most plans
- Algorithmic trading: Funded Trading Plus (9.1), static 8% on the 2 Step Classic
- Highest advertised scaling: FTUK (9), a claimed ceiling of $6,400,000
- Daily payouts: FunderPro (8.9), and it publishes its own 7.35% pass rate
Quick answer: start with The Trading Pit, FTMO, Funded Trading Plus and compare the rest of the ranked list below before buying.
What the Expert Score measures
Each firm is scored out of 10 across fees, drawdown rules, profit split, scaling, payout reliability, platform quality and support. The scoring is done from the firm’s own rule documents and checkout, from published payout data where a firm releases it, and from trader reports. It is done independently of the firms, and a firm cannot buy a position on this page.
The two rules that decide whether you get paid
First, is the drawdown static or trailing? A static maximum is a fixed floor that never moves. A trailing maximum follows your equity upward, so a good week tightens the room you have to lose. Worse, some firms reset the floor when you withdraw. E8 Markets publishes its own example of this: a $104,000 account requests $4,000 and breaches immediately at $100,000. Funded Trading Plus works the same way on Instant and 1 Step Express, where payouts do not lower the high water mark.
Second, what stands between passing and being paid? Consistency rules, minimum trading days, inactivity clocks and profit caps all sit here. Topstep’s consistency target does not fail you, it raises the amount you must earn before you can withdraw. FTUK only counts a day as a trading day if you made at least 0.5% profit on it, so losing and flat days do not advance you. The Trading Pit starts its 21 day inactivity clock the day you buy, not the day you first trade. Crypto Fund Trader caps simulated profit at $10,000 per day and per trade, deducting the excess.
What a challenge actually costs
Entry level fees on this page run from $47 at Apex Trader Funding and $49 at Topstep up to several hundred dollars for the largest accounts. The fee is not the real cost, because most traders need more than one attempt. Only FTMO offers a genuine full refund, on the 2 Step, paid with your first payout. Funded Trading Plus abolished its rebate in February 2026 and now refunds nothing on any product. Alpha Capital states plainly that all sales are final. The Trading Pit moved its rebate from the first payout to the third in April 2026.
All figures below are an August 2026 snapshot taken from each firm’s own documentation, and prop firm terms change often. Confirm current terms on the firm’s review page before you buy.
The 12 firms at a glance
| Firm | Score | Split | Drawdown on the main product | Entry fee |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| The Trading Pit | 9.2 | Flat 80% | Static on most CFD sizes | $99 |
| FTMO | 9.1 | Up to 90% | Static on the 2 Step | EUR 79 |
| Funded Trading Plus | 9.1 | 80%, 90% at +20% | Static on 2 Step Classic | $99 |
| FTUK | 9 | Up to 80% forex | No stop loss requirement | $9 Flex, $99 standard |
| Topstep | 9 | Flat 90/10 | Trails end of day | $49 |
| E8 Markets | 9 | 80, 90 or 100% paid | Static, no daily on Zero | $366 |
| The 5%ers | 9 | Scales to 100% free | Static on every CFD plan | See firm page |
| FunderPro | 8.9 | 80%, 90% paid | Static on One Phase, Classic, Pro | $69 |
| TradeDay | 8.9 | Up to 90% | No daily drawdown at all | See firm page |
| Alpha Capital Group | 8.9 | Flat 80% | Static on Pro, Swing, Three | $97 |
| Crypto Fund Trader | 8.9 | 80%, 90% paid | Static 10% on 2 Phase | $120 |
| Apex Trader Funding | 8.8 | 100% | Your choice, EOD or intraday | $47 |
Entry fee is the cheapest advertised account, not the one most traders buy. Splits shown are the base rate, since several firms sell the higher tier as a paid add on rather than awarding it on performance. Where a cell reads see firm page, the firm does not publish a single comparable figure.
The 12 best prop trading firms in 2026, ranked by Expert Score
Ranked strictly by JoinProp’s Expert Score. Where two firms share a score they keep their previous relative order. Each entry gives what the firm does well first, then the rule most likely to cost you money.
- The Trading Pit (9.2) A Liechtenstein registered firm with a real Impressum and named directors, selling CFD, futures and stocks challenges. A flat 80% split with no add on to buy and no upsell at checkout, which is rare. Static drawdown on most CFD sizes. The catch: The inactivity clock starts the day you buy, not the day you first trade, and 21 days without a trade closes the account. A 1% fee is taken from every payout, and since April 2026 the fee rebate arrives on your third payout rather than your first. The binding contract language is German.
- FTMO (9.1) The best known firm in the sector. The 2 Step maximum drawdown is genuinely static, a fixed floor that never moves, and the split runs up to 90%. The 2 Step fee is refunded in full with your first payout, one of the only real full refunds in this market. The catch: The 1 Step is the trap. Its fee is never refunded, so the cheaper looking option costs more, and it carries a Best Day rule that nothing warns you about. Almost everyone should take the 2 Step.
- Funded Trading Plus (9.1) A UK registered firm, Acello Ltd, acquired by Instant Funding in May 2026. The 2 Step Classic carries a static 8% drawdown. Base split is 80%, rising to 90% at 20% profit or through a paid add on. The catch: The marketed 100% split is not supported by any rule document. On the 2 Step, a 3% loss on a single symbol ends the account even with drawdown left. Instant and 1 Step Express both trail, and payouts do not lower the high water mark. The rebate was abolished in February 2026.
- FTUK (9) No time limits on the evaluations, no stop loss requirement, and scaling advertised to $3,200,000, or $6,400,000 with a paid upgrade. The Flex product costs $9 up front and charges the real fee only when you pass. The catch: It is not a UK firm despite the name, and there is no UK entity. The split contradicts itself across three of the firm’s own pages. A trading day only counts if you made at least 0.5% profit, so losing and flat days do not count toward your minimum.
- Topstep (9) A US futures firm running the Trading Combine, with a flat 90/10 split, no paid upgrade and no tier to chase. No time limit on the Combine and only two minimum trading days. The catch: The Maximum Loss Limit trails on end of day balance but breaches intraday on unrealised profit and loss, so an open trade can fail you before you close it. The consistency target does not fail you, it raises what you must earn before withdrawing. The 100% of the first $10,000 perk closed to new accounts in January 2026.
- E8 Markets (9) Single phase evaluations across the range. E8 Zero has no daily drawdown at all and a 3% static maximum. E8 Pro is 8% static with no consistency rule. The catch: The payout trap. On E8 Zero and E8 Pro your first payout permanently raises the loss level to your initial balance. E8’s own example shows a $104,000 account requesting $4,000 and breaching instantly at $100,000. The 80, 90 or 100% split is a paid choice at checkout, not a reward.
- The 5%ers (9) Drawdown is static across every CFD programme, so the floor never trails you. The split scales to 100%, performance gated and free, never a paid add on. One of the better structures in this market. The catch: A 3.5% commission is deducted from every cash withdrawal, on Rise, crypto and bank transfer alike, so withdraw in larger amounts. The 0.5% profitable day rule is the real gate, and an open losing position at midnight destroys the day. The 70% refund applies to High Stakes only.
- FunderPro (8.9) Contracts through a Malta company and publishes its own pass rate, 7.35%, in the footer of every page, which almost no firm does. Static drawdown on One Phase, Classic and Pro. Payouts processed in one to three days. The catch: Clause 11.9 lets FunderPro decline to fund you after you have passed, with no refund, and the Funded Trader Agreement that governs payouts is not published. The 90% split is a paid add on and Pro Daily pays 60%, a dropdown at checkout rather than a warning. Instant trails despite a homepage badge reading no trailing drawdown.
- TradeDay (8.9) A US futures firm, rebuilt as TradeDay 2.0, and unusually transparent about its own numbers. There is no daily drawdown at all, which is the single best thing about the product. One step evaluation with no time limits, and withdrawals from day one with no consistency requirement. The catch: A $10,000 lifetime ceiling takes your profit, and prior withdrawals count toward it. The split reaches 90% in Funded Live, but Quick Pay starts at 50/50 until $4,000 of net profit.
- Alpha Capital Group (8.9) A genuine UK company, Companies House 13719951, with a flat 80% split on every plan and static drawdown on Alpha Pro, Swing and Three. Trustpilot 4.7 from more than 20,000 reviews. The catch: The 2 minute rule. At least 50% of profits must come from trades held longer than two minutes, or profits are removed and the balance reset, which effectively excludes scalpers. The discretionary Risk Management Group can halve your lot sizes. Fees are not refundable, all sales are final. Alpha One trails a high water mark.
- Crypto Fund Trader (8.9) A crypto first firm with real crypto instruments and crypto payouts, run by a Swiss company. Static 10% drawdown on the 2 Phase. Base split 80%. The catch: Simulated profit is capped at $10,000 per day and per trade, per user, with the excess deducted and open trades force closed. Clause 14.2 reserves the right not to pay even if you hit the target. The 1 Phase is 6% trailing, so the shorter route is the tighter one. The 90% split and weekly payouts are each paid add ons.
- Apex Trader Funding (8.8) One of the largest futures firms in the world, based in Austin, Texas. The split is 100%, with no share taken at all on current accounts, which is close to unique. You choose between an end of day trailing drawdown and an intraday one, and the end of day option is the gentler. The catch: Evaluations expire in 30 days with no resets, and a funded account closes after six payouts. A 50% consistency rule can block the payout button after one strong day. There is a $59 to $159 activation fee when you pass, and nothing is refundable.
How to read this ranking
A high score is not a recommendation to buy
The Trading Pit tops this page at 9.2 because its split is clean and its CFD drawdown is static on most sizes. It is still the wrong firm for a trader who cannot guarantee a trade every three weeks, because the inactivity clock starts at purchase. Apex Trader Funding sits last at 8.8 and still pays a 100% split, which is better than anything above it. Read the catch line, not the position.
Static beats trailing more often than a bigger split does
Six firms here run a static maximum drawdown on at least their main product: The Trading Pit, FTMO on the 2 Step, Funded Trading Plus on the 2 Step Classic, E8 Markets, The 5%ers across every CFD programme, and Alpha Capital on Pro, Swing and Three. A static floor is worth more than the difference between an 80% and a 90% split for most traders, because it is the rule that ends accounts.
Check what happens to the floor when you withdraw
This is the single most expensive detail on this page and the least advertised. On E8 Zero and E8 Pro your first payout permanently raises the loss level to your starting balance. On Funded Trading Plus Instant and 1 Step Express, payouts do not lower the high water mark, so every withdrawal tightens your buffer. Firms that do not do this, including FTMO on the 2 Step and The 5%ers, are meaningfully safer to withdraw from.
Free scaling to 100% is rarer than the marketing suggests
The 5%ers scales to 100% on performance alone. Apex Trader Funding pays 100% outright. Everywhere else the top number is bought: E8 prices the split tier at checkout, FunderPro sells 90% as an add on, Crypto Fund Trader sells both the 90% and weekly payouts as separate add ons, and Funded Trading Plus markets a 100% that no rule document supports.
Frequently asked questions
What is the best prop trading firm in 2026?
By JoinProp’s Expert Score, The Trading Pit ranks highest at 9.2, followed by FTMO and Funded Trading Plus on 9.1. The Trading Pit earns it with a flat 80% split that carries no add on and static drawdown on most CFD sizes. The best firm for you still depends on your market and how often you trade.
What is the best prop firm for beginners?
Beginners should prioritise a static drawdown and a refundable fee over a large split. FTMO on the 2 Step is the clearest choice, because the floor is fixed and the fee comes back in full with your first payout. The 5%ers and Alpha Capital are also forgiving, both static on their main programmes.
What is the best prop firm for futures?
Apex Trader Funding pays a 100% split and charges $47 to start. TradeDay has no daily drawdown at all and pays from day one. Topstep offers a flat 90/10 with no tier to chase. Apex expires evaluations in 30 days with no resets, TradeDay caps lifetime profit at $10,000, and Topstep breaches intraday on unrealised profit and loss, so choose on which limit you can live with.
How much does a prop firm challenge cost?
Entry level accounts start at $47 with Apex Trader Funding and $49 with Topstep, with most firms running from about $99 to several hundred dollars for larger accounts. Budget for more than one attempt. Only FTMO refunds the fee in full, on the 2 Step.
How are these firms ranked?
JoinProp scores each firm out of 10 on fees, drawdown rules, profit split, scaling, payout reliability, platform quality and support, working from the firm’s own rule documents and checkout, published payout data where it exists, and trader reports. Position on this page follows the score and nothing else. Firms cannot pay for placement.
How this list was built
JoinProp’s methodology compares prop firms across rules, payouts, pricing, platform access, transparency, support, restrictions and track record. No firm can buy its editorial position.
