Prop firms whose payouts run weekly, daily or on demand after the first withdrawal, with each program's first-payout rule, ongoing frequency, split at that frequency and methods, plus the buffers, caps and consistency checks that apply.
Short answer: the prop firm model is a legitimate business, and many firms do pay traders. But "legit" is a question about a specific firm, not the industry. The model also makes most of its money from traders who do not pass, so you should understand how it works before you pay a fee. This guide explains the business model in neutral terms, sets out what firms themselves publish about pass and payout rates, and gives a red-flags checklist you can run on any firm, with examples from the 21 firms FundedTime reviews.
FundedTime has a commercial partnership with Clarity Traders. It appears below only where our review data applies to it, on the same terms as every other firm.
How prop firms make money
A retail prop firm sells access to an evaluation. You pay a fee, trade a set of rules, and if you pass you get a funded account and a share of the profit you make on it. The revenue and costs fall into a few buckets.
Evaluation fees
This is the main product. Forex and CFD firms usually charge a one-time fee per attempt; FTMO, FundedNext and FundingPips, for example, sell one-time evaluations with no monthly charge. Many futures firms bill monthly until you pass or cancel: Topstep, TradeDay and Earn2Trade use monthly subscriptions. Some add an activation fee when you pass (Topstep's Standard path charges $149 per Express Funded Account), and most sell resets. A few refund the fee once you are paid: FTMO refunds the 2-Step fee with the first reward, and FundedNext refunds the Stellar 2-Step fee with the first reward. Refunds are paid to traders who pass and get paid, not to those who fail.
Simulated accounts
Most funded accounts at retail prop firms are simulated. Our reviews say so explicitly for FTMO, FundedNext, The5ers, Topstep's Express Funded Account, Take Profit Trader's PRO account and My Funded Futures' sim funded accounts, among others. Your trades do not reach a real market. The firm watches your simulated profit and pays you a share of it as a reward or payout from its own funds.
Some firms move consistent traders to live capital. Topstep calls up selected traders to a Live Funded Account; Take Profit Trader offers live PRO+ accounts after review; My Funded Futures runs live accounts via Blue Row Capital; Alpha Futures reviews traders for live programs after $40,000 in payable balance or five payout cycles.
Payouts are a cost the firm controls with rules
Because the firm pays rewards from its own money, its rules do two jobs: they test your risk control, and they limit how much the firm pays out. Payout caps, buffers, consistency checks and minimum profitable days are common. None of that is a sign of fraud on its own, but it means the payout rules matter as much as the evaluation rules. Our explainer on how prop firm payouts work covers the mechanics, and what is a prop firm covers the basics.
What firms publish about pass and payout rates
Only some firms publish their own outcomes. Where they do, the figures show what the business model implies: most buyers do not pass, and only a minority of funded traders are paid.
| Firm | What the firm discloses (as reported in our review) | Period |
|---|---|---|
| TradeDay | A 36% evaluation pass rate | January to June 2026 |
| Take Profit Trader | 16.86% of Tests were passed | 2024 |
| Tradeify | 17.2% of evaluations were completed, 28.5% of funded traders received a payout and 3.0% were moved to live accounts | August 2025 to July 2026 |
| My Funded Futures | About 20% of participants completed an evaluation, 39.2% of funded participants earned at least one payout and 4.2% were promoted to a live account | Not stated in our review |
| Topstep | 33.3% of funded participants received a payout, and 0.71% of XFA traders were called up to a live account | 2025 |
Three cautions when reading these. First, they are the firms' own figures, not audited by FundedTime. Second, they measure different things: "Tests passed" counts attempts, "participants" counts people, and a trader who buys five attempts and passes one shows up differently in each. Third, they are not comparable across firms with different rules, sizes and periods. What they do agree on is direction: at every firm here that publishes a pass or completion figure, a majority of evaluations are not passed, and fewer than half of funded traders in these figures received a payout.
The other 16 firms we review do not publish comparable figures in the pages we checked. That is not evidence of anything bad, but a firm that publishes outcomes is giving you more information than one that does not.
Is the model a scam?
Not by design. A firm that sells evaluations, writes its rules clearly, applies them consistently and pays traders who follow them is providing a real service: a capped-risk way to trade a larger account and get paid for it. The trader's maximum loss is the fee. The problems arise at the edges: rules that are vague enough to be applied after the fact, payout terms that are not published, frequent changes, or a firm that cannot be identified if something goes wrong. Those are the things to check.
Red flags checklist
Run each firm through these checks before you buy. One flag is a reason to read more carefully; several together are a reason to walk away.
1. Can you identify the company?
Look for a named legal entity, a registration number or registered address, and a country. Many firms publish this: FTMO operates through FTMO s.r.o. in Prague; Alpha Capital Group Limited is registered in England and Wales (number 13719951); Alpha Futures Limited is registered in England and Wales (number 15655643); FT+ is run by FTP London Limited (13719292); The5ers is run by Five Percent Online Ltd in London; FundedNext is operated by GrowthNext F.Z.E. in the UAE; Topstep LLC, Tradeday LLC and TakeProfitTrader LLC give US addresses; Clarity Traders names Clarity Traders LLC with a Dover, Delaware address.
Where we could not confirm an entity, our reviews say so. Goat Funded Trader does not name its legal entity on the pages we read, and we could not verify Lucid Trading's legal entity or headquarters. Neither statement means the firm is unsafe; it means you have less to go on, so do your own checks.
2. Are the rules written down, complete and consistent?
Every rule that can end your account or reduce a payout should be on the firm's site before you pay: daily loss, maximum loss and its type, consistency, news, holding, EAs and copy trading, inactivity, and payout conditions. Then check that the firm's own pages agree with each other. In our reviews:
- My Funded Futures' rule tables on different official pages disagree, which our review flags as a risk of disputes if you rely on the wrong one.
- Topstep's pages show different No Activation Fee prices; Alpha Futures' pages disagree on the Zero 50K price; Tradeify's Select page shows a 150K daily payout cap that conflicts with its payout article.
- Bulenox's master account pages list "Withdrawal Rules" as a heading without displaying the content, and its news FAQ showed no answer when we checked.
- We could not verify Apex Trader Funding's current payout rules on its official site; the official homepage appeared to show legacy terms.
Inconsistencies often come from fast product changes rather than bad intent, but they are a practical risk. Screenshot the rules that apply to the exact product you buy, on the day you buy it.
3. Do the rules change often, and how?
Change is normal; the question is whether it is dated and applied only to new purchases. FTMO's October 2026 consistency change applies to 1-Step orders created on or after 12 October 2026, with older orders on the legacy rule. FundingPips changed several rules in 2026, and existing accounts sometimes keep older rules. Our Earn2Trade review notes that its 2026 rule changes are not applied retroactively. Our prop firm rule changes tracker lists dated changes across all 21 firms. A firm that changes rules on accounts already bought, without notice, is a red flag.
4. Is there evidence of payouts?
Look for published payout terms (split, minimum, caps, frequency, methods and processing time), published outcome statistics like those above, and a pattern of independent reports of being paid. Marketing totals ("paid out $X") are weak evidence on their own; our Topstep review notes its own pages show different paid-out figures. Payout methods also matter: a firm that pays only in one cryptocurrency, as Clarity Traders does with USDT on ERC-20, suits fewer traders than one with bank options. See our payout guides for each firm's terms.
5. What does Trustpilot show, and what is its status?
Check three things on the firm's Trustpilot profile: the score, the number and recency of reviews, and whether Trustpilot has flagged the profile. When we checked in November 2026, Trustpilot was withholding the rating for seven firms we review, with the notice that the company's rating is unavailable due to a breach of its guidelines, and in each case it said it had removed a number of fake reviews:
- Alpha Capital Group
- Blue Guardian
- Clarity Traders
- E8 Markets
- Funded Trading Plus
- Goat Funded Trader
- Maven Trading
A withheld rating is a statement by Trustpilot about its own guidelines, not a finding that a firm does not pay. But it does mean the star rating you might see quoted elsewhere is not current, and the remaining reviews should be read with more care. For firms with a live score, look past the average. Topstep's 3.7 from 15,022 reviews, with 19% one-star, tells you something different from My Funded Futures' 4.9 from 22,691 reviews with 2% one-star. Read the one-star reviews for patterns: in our reviews, common complaint themes include denied payouts tied to specific rules, account closures after device or IP checks, and disputes over how drawdown was calculated. Also note whether the firm replies; Trustpilot showed TradeDay replying to 86% of negative reviews and Topstep to about 5%.
6. Are the costs clear?
You should be able to see the price, whether it is one-time or monthly, any activation fee, the reset price and whether any part is refundable, before checkout. Where a firm publishes only "from" prices or a dynamic table, our reviews say so; FTMO, for example, publishes only starting prices in euros in a readable form. Estimate the full cost of several attempts with the challenge cost calculator. Check prop firms with refundable fees if a refund matters to you.
7. Does anything pressure you to buy now?
Discounts are standard in this industry, and many firms run near-permanent promotions. That is not a red flag in itself. Pressure is: countdown timers on prices that never change, refusals to answer rule questions before purchase, or support that will not put an answer in writing. Ask any unclear rule by email or ticket before you buy, and keep the reply.
A quick legitimacy scorecard
| Check | Lower risk | Higher risk |
|---|---|---|
| Company | Named entity, registration number or address | No entity named on the site |
| Rules | Complete, consistent across pages, dated changes | Missing sections, conflicting pages, retroactive changes |
| Payout terms | Split, caps, frequency, methods and timing published | Payout rules not displayed or "available on request" |
| Payout evidence | Published outcome statistics, consistent independent reports | Marketing totals only |
| Trustpilot | Live score, large and recent review base, replies to complaints | Rating withheld, small or old review base, no replies |
| Costs | Full price list, reset and refund terms | Only "from" prices, unclear add-ons |
How FundedTime verifies firms
Every review on FundedTime is built from the firm's own official pages: product and pricing pages, rule pages, help-center articles, payout policies and terms where we can read them. We then read the firm's Trustpilot profile directly for the score, review count, star distribution and any notices. Each review ends with a "How we verified this review" section listing what we read, the month we checked (November 2026 for the current set) and what we could not verify.
Where an official page does not state something, we say "not published" or "we could not verify" rather than fill the gap. Where we rely on a third-party source, such as a change tracker, we label it as third-party and keep it out of price tables. Each firm's data carries a status: of the 21 firms, our data is marked verified for 11, partially verified for 9 and under review for one (Apex Trader Funding). Scores follow our published methodology, and our disclosure page explains how we are paid, including partnerships. No firm can pay to change its score.
We do not test payouts by trading every firm ourselves, and we cannot audit a firm's finances. Our reviews tell you what a firm says, what we could and could not confirm, and what traders report. That is a starting point for your own checks, not a guarantee.
Before you buy: a five-minute routine
- Find the legal entity and address on the firm's site.
- Read the rules for the exact product, including payout rules, and screenshot them.
- Open the Trustpilot profile: check the status, the score, the one-star themes and whether the firm replies.
- Check our review for anything we could not verify, and our rule changes tracker for recent changes.
- Decide the most you will spend on attempts, and treat it as money you may lose.
Compare firms side by side in the comparison tool and read all prop firm reviews. If you are choosing your first firm, see how to choose a prop firm.
Figures and Trustpilot data are from FundedTime's reviews, checked November 2026. Firms' own statistics are reported as the firms state them and have not been audited by FundedTime. Nothing here is legal or financial advice.
Sources: TradeDay: tradeday.com, trustpilot.com/review/tradeday.com; Take Profit Trader: takeprofittrader.com, trustpilot.com/review/takeprofittrader.com; Tradeify: tradeify.co, trustpilot.com/review/tradeify.co; My Funded Futures: myfundedfutures.com, trustpilot.com/review/myfundedfutures.com; Topstep: topstep.com/topstep-prop, trustpilot.com/review/topstep.com; Funded Trading Plus: fundedtradingplus.com; Trustpilot profiles: alphacapitalgroup.uk, blueguardian.com, claritytraders.com, e8markets.com, goatfundedtrader.com, maventrading.com.
FAQ
Are prop firms a scam?
The model is not a scam by design: firms sell evaluations and pay traders who pass and follow the rules. Whether a specific firm is trustworthy depends on its company details, rule clarity, payout terms and track record, so check each firm individually.
How do prop firms make money?
Mainly from evaluation fees, plus monthly subscriptions, activation fees and resets at some firms. Most funded accounts are simulated, and the firm pays rewards from its own funds, using payout rules such as caps, buffers and consistency checks to control that cost.
What percentage of traders pass prop firm challenges?
Only a few firms publish figures. TradeDay discloses a 36% evaluation pass rate for January to June 2026, Take Profit Trader says 16.86% of Tests were passed in 2024, and Tradeify reports 17.2% of evaluations completed from August 2025 to July 2026. The figures are not directly comparable.
What does it mean if Trustpilot withholds a prop firm's rating?
Trustpilot shows that the company's rating is unavailable due to a breach of its guidelines, and in the cases we checked it also said it had removed fake reviews. It is not a finding that a firm does not pay, but it means quoted star ratings are not current.
How does FundedTime check whether a prop firm is legit?
We build each review from the firm's official pages and help center, read its Trustpilot profile directly, mark what we could and could not verify, and date every check. Scores follow our published methodology, and firms cannot pay to change them.
Educational content only, not financial advice. Trading involves substantial risk of loss. Prop firm rules change often; check the firm's official terms. Some links may be affiliate links; see our disclosure.
Keep learning
See the Trading Academy.
Nine prop firms whose evaluations have no time limit to pass, with the programs it applies to, minimum days, drawdown type, inactivity rules and FundedTime scores, plus the pros and cons of no-deadline challenges.
A neutral look at the prop firm business model: evaluation fees, simulated accounts and payouts, what firms disclose about pass and payout rates, and a red-flags checklist you can run on any firm.
10
Read →FundingPips vs Maven Trading: two low-cost forex prop firms compared on 2-step prices, drawdown, EA and news rules, refunds and payout cycles.
The5ers vs Maven Trading: 2-step forex challenges compared on targets, daily and maximum loss, EA policies, fee refunds and payout timing.
A step-by-step plan for passing a prop firm challenge: choose rules that fit your strategy, size risk from the daily and maximum loss limits, pace the target, and know what to do in week one and after a losing day.
11
Read →Earn2Trade vs TradeDay: two monthly futures evaluations compared on price, daily loss limits, news rules, payout timing and their 50% split thresholds.
Bulenox vs Apex Trader Funding: one-time prices, a choice of trailing or EOD drawdown and payout terms compared. Most Apex figures are third-party and unverified.
Alpha Futures vs My Funded Futures: monthly vs one-time pricing, EOD drawdown, consistency rules, bot policies and payouts compared with a 50K example.
Topstep vs TradeDay: two monthly futures evaluations compared on fees, drawdown, news rules and payout splits, with a worked 50K example.
How E8 Markets pays out on E8 One and E8 Signature: on-demand timing, best-day rules, Signature caps and buffers, methods, and what we could not verify.
When you can request your first FundingPips reward, how the weekly, bi-weekly and on-demand cycles change your split, and the methods and minimums.
Goat Funded Trader vs FundedNext: 2 Step GOAT against Stellar 2-Step on daily loss, payout caps and fees, refunds, platforms and US access.
Alpha Capital Group vs FTMO: Alpha Pro against the FTMO 2-Step on daily loss, static drawdown, refunds, weekend rules, payouts and US access.
FTMO vs E8 Markets: FTMO's 1-Step and 2-Step against E8 One and E8 Signature on drawdown, payouts and US access, with unverified E8 figures labelled.
The5ers vs FundingPips: High Stakes against 2 Step Standard on targets, profitable days, payout caps and cycles, refunds, platforms and scores.
FundingPips vs FundedNext: two low-cost 2-step firms compared on price, daily loss measurement, refunds, payout cycles, leverage and platforms.
FTMO vs FundingPips compared: 2-step rules, daily loss maths on $100k, payout cycles, refunds, platforms and FundedTime scores.
What we found re-checking 21 prop firms in November 2026: promo codes, new rule changes, Trustpilot ratings withheld and official pages we could not verify.
Every dated prop firm rule, fee and product change we found re-checking 21 firms in November 2026, newest first, with who it affects and whether it is official.
Apex Trader Funding payouts: what third parties report about the first payout, caps, split and methods, and what we could not verify on Apex's site.
Lucid Trading vs My Funded Futures: LucidFlex against MFFU's Builder and Rapid plans on drawdown, consistency, payout caps and splits.
Bulenox vs My Funded Futures: one-time prices, drawdown choice, daily loss limits and payout terms compared, with a worked 100K example.
Take Profit Trader vs Apex Trader Funding: day-one daily payouts against Apex's reported rules, buffers, drawdown and fees compared.
Lucid Trading vs Apex Trader Funding: LucidFlex's no-buffer funded account against Apex's reported rules, with a worked 100K example.
Tradeify vs Topstep: one-time fee vs monthly subscription, EOD drawdown on both, payout caps and methods, with a worked 150K example.
Apex Trader Funding vs Tradeify: intraday or EOD drawdown, payout paths, pricing and what we could verify on each firm's official site.
Intermediate
How to recover from a drawdown on a funded accountA step-by-step plan to recover from a drawdown on a prop firm funded account without breaching: cut size, rebuild buffer, and avoid the revenge-trading trap.
Clarity Traders vs FundedNext: two-phase evaluations with the same 8% and 5% targets, but different drawdowns, minimum days, news rules, payout splits and methods. Includes a worked $100,000 example.
Clarity Traders vs FTMO: low entry prices, no minimum days and USDT payouts against a long track record, a static 2-Step drawdown and fiat payout methods. Includes a worked $100,000 example.
Advanced
Managing a funded account after your first payoutHow a withdrawal changes your drawdown room, how to plan the next payout cycle and how to keep risk steady after your first prop firm payout.
Advanced
Why traders fail prop firm challenges, and how to avoid itThe common ways prop firm challenges go wrong, from oversizing and daily-limit breaches to trailing drawdown and consistency rules, with a fix for each.
Intermediate
How news trading rules work at prop firmsThe common types of prop firm news rule, from blackout windows to profit adjustments, with worked examples and a checklist for reading the terms.
Intermediate
Risk of ruin: why small position sizes keep you fundedWhat risk of ruin means on a prop firm account, with a worked example and table showing how smaller risk per trade cuts the odds of a fatal losing streak.
Beginner
Futures basics for prop traders: ticks, points and contract sizesHow futures ticks, points and tick values work, with CME contract specs for ES, MES, NQ, MNQ, CL and GC and worked prop firm sizing examples.
Beginner
One-step vs two-step vs instant funding: which challenge type?How two-step, one-step and instant funding accounts differ on targets, drawdown, cost and risk, with a worked $100,000 example.
Every prop firm promo code we verified on November 3, 2026, with code, offer, terms and source, grouped into forex and futures firms.
Bulenox vs TradeDay: one-time fees with a 30-day window, or a cheap monthly subscription with a one-day first payout. Drawdown choices, payout terms and a worked 50K cost example.
Apex Trader Funding vs My Funded Futures: intraday or EOD drawdown at both, but MFFU's plans are documented on its official site while most current Apex terms come from third parties.
Earn2Trade vs Topstep: two monthly-subscription futures firms with EOD drawdown, but very different daily limits, consistency rules and payout splits. Includes a worked 50K payout example.
My Funded Futures vs Take Profit Trader: two firms built around frequent payouts. One-time vs monthly pricing, buffers, intraday vs EOD drawdown and a worked 50K withdrawal example.
Topstep vs Alpha Futures: two monthly-billed futures firms with EOD drawdown that locks at the starting balance. Activation fees, payout caps, bot rules and a worked 50K payout example.
Maven Trading vs FTMO: a $440 $100,000 2-Step against FTMO's established 2-Step. Targets, daily loss measurement, EA rules, payout caps and a worked example with open profit at the daily reset.
FundedNext vs The5ers: published USD prices and flexible reward cycles against unlimited scaling toward a 100% split. Targets, minimum days, news, EA rules and a worked $100,000 example.
Prop firms whose stated first payout can come within 7 days or sooner, ranked by FundedTime score, with each firm's exact first-payout condition.
Prop firms with a 100% or 95% maximum profit split, and exactly how each one gets there, plus the 90% firms that pay it from the first payout. From our November 2026 reviews.
Which prop firms refund the challenge fee, how much and at which payout: eight firms ranked by FundedTime score, with each refund rule from our November 2026 reviews.
Prop firms that offer a one-step challenge, ranked by FundedTime score, with each firm's 1-Step target, daily limit and drawdown where verified.
Prop firms that list an instant funding program, ranked by FundedTime score, with the instant-account rules we could verify for each.
Futures prop firms that support NinjaTrader or Tradovate, ranked by FundedTime score, with the data feed, platform notes and key rules for each, from our November 2026 reviews.
Prop firms that support TradingView, ranked by FundedTime score: how each firm connects it, US access and the drawdown you trade under, from our November 2026 reviews.
Prop firms that offer cTrader, ranked by FundedTime score, with US access, EA support on cTrader and the key rules for each, from our November 2026 reviews.
Prop firms whose verified platform list includes MT5, ranked by FundedTime score, with split, drawdown type and US platform notes.
Beginner-friendly prop firms chosen by transparent data criteria: refundable fee, static drawdown and verified rules, ranked by FundedTime score.
Advanced
Trading journal: what to track to pass and stay fundedWhat to log in a prop firm trading journal, from R multiples and rule checks to daily drawdown room, plus the metrics that predict passing.
Advanced
Scaling plans and managing multiple funded accountsHow prop firm scaling plans generally work, how to scale risk safely, when to withdraw and how to manage several funded accounts without stacking risk.
Intermediate
Building a trading plan for a prop firm challengeHow to write a one-page trading plan built around prop firm rules: personal loss limits, risk per trade, setups, pacing and losing-streak rules.
Beginner
Prop firm glossary: 30 terms explainedPlain-English definitions of 30 prop firm terms, from trailing and EOD drawdown to consistency rules, payout buffers and scaling plans.
Prop firms with a concrete listed price in our verified data, ranked by FundedTime score, with each firm's price, pricing model and extra fees.
Which prop firms allow expert advisors and trading bots, and on what terms: 13 firms ranked by FundedTime score, with each EA rule as our November 2026 reviews state it.
Prop firms that allow news trading on at least one stage, ranked by FundedTime score, with the evaluation and funded news rule for each, from our November 2026 reviews.
Futures prop firms with end-of-day drawdown, ranked by FundedTime score, showing which stages are EOD, the 50K drawdown and where it stops trailing, from our November 2026 reviews.
Prop firms that accept US traders, split into futures and forex and ranked by FundedTime score, with the platform limits and payout rails each one applies, from our November 2026 reviews.
Alpha Futures vs Take Profit Trader: EOD drawdown and capped payouts up to four times a month, or daily withdrawals above a buffer at 80%. Pricing, rules and a worked 50K payout example.
Topstep vs Apex Trader Funding: Topstep's published Combine rules against Apex's mostly third-party reported terms, with a worked 50K example of intraday vs EOD drawdown.
Topstep vs My Funded Futures: monthly subscription plus activation fee, or one-time pricing with three payout rhythms. Drawdown, daily limits, payouts and a worked 50K example.
FTMO vs FundedNext: two refundable 2-Step challenges with static drawdown, compared on targets, minimum days, leverage, news rules and payout options, with a worked $100,000 example.
FTMO vs The5ers: near-identical 10% and 5% two-step rules, but different fee refunds, early payout caps, news rules and scaling plans. Includes a worked $100,000 first-payout example.
Tradeify pays 90% from the first payout, with a daily Select path (buffer and daily caps), a five-winning-day Flex path and Growth and Lightning rules. Several figures conflict.
Earn2Trade pays weekly on Wednesdays after five qualifying profitable days, at 50% below a size threshold and 80% at or above it, with Rise, Deel, Bayzat or crypto fees.
LucidFlex pays any day once you have five qualifying profit days in the cycle, up to 50% of profit per request with fixed caps, at 90/10, with no buffer and up to five payouts before going live.
Bulenox lists its master-account withdrawal rules only as headings. Third-party reports say 100% of the first $10,000 and 90% after, same-day processing and bank, PayPal or Wise.
TradeDay Quick Pay lets you request after one trading day with no buffer, at 50/50 until more than $4,000 profit remains, then 80/20. Fast Pass needs five profitable days, with caps.
Take Profit Trader PRO accounts can withdraw daily from day one once above a buffer equal to the drawdown, at 80% with no maximum; PRO+ pays 90% with no buffer.
Alpha Futures qualified accounts can request after every five $200 winning days, up to four times a month, taking 50% of profit per request at 90%, with caps up to $15,000 on Advanced.
My Funded Futures pays daily at 90% on Rapid, every 48 hours at 80% on Builder (capped per cycle) and every 14 days at 80% on Pro, via Riseworks or Plaid/ACH.
Funded Trading Plus pays Express and Instant accounts from day 1 once in profit, then every 7 days; Classic after 10 days, then every 10. Splits start at 80% and reach 90%.
Goat Funded Trader pays most models every 14 days at 80%, with the first two rewards capped, a $3,000 daily profit cap, a 3% fee and a fee refund on the fourth payout.
Clarity Traders pays after 7 funded trading days and an ID check, then every 14 days (7 with Express Payouts), at 70%, 80% and then 90%, in USDT only.
Blue Guardian pays the first payout 14 days after your first funded trade (7 with an add-on), at 85% on funded evaluation accounts, with a 3% processing fee and a fee refund on the fourth payout.
Alpha Capital Group offers bi-weekly payouts from 14 days after your first funded trade, or on-demand payouts with a 40% best-day rule, at 80% (90% on Alpha Direct).
Maven Trading pays Standard and Omo accounts 10 business days after the first funded trade, then every 10 business days, at 80% (90% with add-on), with a $10,000 early cap.
FundedNext Stellar 2-Step pays the first reward 21 days after funded activation, then every 14 days at 80% (90% after scale-up), with on-demand and add-on options and a fee refund.
The5ers High Stakes pays the first funded payout after 14 days with $150+ profit, then every two weeks, starting at an 80% split that scales toward 100%, with a 70% fee refund.
A practical 10-point checklist for comparing prop firms before you pay for a challenge, with worked cost examples and real rules from FTMO, Topstep, FundedNext and others.
Forex/CFD and futures prop firms differ in pricing, drawdown, platforms, holding rules and payouts. Here is a side-by-side comparison and how to decide which suits you.
Topstep XFA payouts have no fixed schedule: qualify after five $150 winning days or three traded days, withdraw up to 50% of the balance per request at 90%, with caps by size.
FTMO pays the first reward from day 14 after your first funded trade, at 80% on 2-Step (90% with scaling) and 90% on 1-Step and Instant, with a 2-Step fee refund.
Everything that decides when and how much a prop firm pays you: profit split, eligibility rules, caps, buffers, fee refunds and payout methods, with worked examples.
Advanced
How to pass consistency rules without breaking your strategyConsistency rules cap how much of your profit can come from one day. Here is how they are calculated, which firms use them where, and how to plan around them.
Intermediate
Static vs trailing drawdown: how to trade eachStatic, end-of-day trailing and intraday trailing drawdown compared on the same trades, with where trailing floors lock at real firms and how to trade each model.
Intermediate
Position sizing for prop firm challengesHow to size every trade so a normal losing streak can never break your daily or max loss limit, with forex and futures formulas, worked examples and firm caps.
Beginner
Prop firm drawdown explained: daily loss vs max lossDaily loss limits and maximum drawdown end more prop firm challenges than anything else. Learn how each rule is measured, when it resets and how to stay inside it.
Beginner
What is a prop firm? How funded trading challenges workA plain-English guide to prop firms: how evaluations work, what the rules mean, how funded accounts pay out, and the risks to understand before you buy a challenge.