Skip to content
Risk warning: Trading forex, futures and crypto carries a high risk of loss and is not suitable for every investor. Leverage can work against you as fast as it works for you. Only trade money you can afford to lose.
SafeTrading
Join our Telegram
SafeTrading
  1. Home
  2. Prop firms

Top 8 · Updated

Best Prop Firms in 2026

A prop firm lends you its capital once you pass a trading challenge. We compared firms on the rules that decide whether you get paid: drawdown limits, profit split, payout timing and what the challenge really costs.

We may earn a commission when you join a provider through links on this page. It never changes the ranking. How we make money

Written by SafeTrading Editorial
Research and editing
Fact-checked by SafeTrading Editorial
Updated 5 min read

The 8 best prop firms in 2026

1. FundingTraders

Best overall

4.8
FundingTraders dashboard showing session clocks and market overview
Challenges from
$49 ($5K)
Profit split
Up to 90%
Payouts
Every 14–21 days
ForexIndicesMetalsOilCrypto

A US-registered firm (FT US Inc, Miami Beach) offering four routes to a funded account: Instant Funding, two 2-Step challenges (PRO6 and PRO10) and a 1-Step. Accounts run from $5K to $400K on MetaTrader 5 or TradeLocker, and the firm says more than 53,000 accounts have been funded.

Why it ranks here

  • Four programs, including instant funding
  • 90% split on 1-Step and Instant; 100% as an add-on
  • Fixed drawdown on the 2-Step accounts
  • MT5 and TradeLocker

Watch out for

  • Copying third-party signals is banned in the terms
  • Accounts inactive for 30 days are closed

50% offwith codeTRYFT

Visit FundingTraders

TelegramX

Facts checked Oct 13, 2026 · Trading involves risk

2. FTMO

Best established firm

4.7
Founded
2015
Profit split
80–90%
Payouts
From day 14
MT4MT5cTraderTradingView

FTMO s.r.o., based in the Czech Republic and trading since 2015, runs 1-Step and 2-Step challenges and an Instant Account. The 2-Step asks for 10% then 5%, with a 5% daily and 10% static maximum loss and no time limit, and refunds the fee with your first reward. FTMO says it has paid out more than $650M.

Read our full FTMO review

Why it ranks here

  • 2-Step fee refunded with the first reward
  • No time limit
  • Four platforms, including cTrader
  • Scaling plan up to $2M

Watch out for

  • US residents must sign up through its OANDA-affiliated site
  • 2-Step split starts at 80%
  • 1-Step uses a trailing loss limit and a best-day rule
Visit FTMO (US)

Outside the US: ftmo.comX

Facts checked Oct 13, 2026 · Trading involves risk

3. The5ers

Best for scaling

4.6
Challenges from
$19 ($2.5K)
Profit split
Up to 100%
Running since
2016
MT5

Five Percent Online Ltd, registered in England and Wales and in Israel and running since 2016, offers a 2-Step High Stakes challenge, 1-Step Growth plans and a 3-Step Bootcamp, all on MT5 with no time limit. The split starts at 75–80% and rises to 100% as accounts grow, and the Growth program scales to $4M.

Read our full The5ers review

Why it ranks here

  • Cheapest entry we found: $19 for $2.5K
  • No time limit
  • Scaling up to $4M
  • Split reaches 100% at higher levels

Watch out for

  • MT5 only
  • Copy trading and third-party EAs are banned
  • Accounts expire after 30 days without trading
Visit The5ers

X

Facts checked Oct 13, 2026 · Trading involves risk

4. Topstep

Best for US futures traders

4.5
Combine from
$49/mo ($50K)
Profit split
90%
Running since
2012
Futures

A Chicago futures prop firm (Topstep LLC) that grew out of a trading group founded in 2010. You pay a monthly fee for the Trading Combine until you pass, for example a $3,000 target with a $2,000 end-of-day trailing loss limit on the $50K account, then trade a funded account on its TopstepX platform. US residents are accepted.

Read our full Topstep review

Why it ranks here

  • Longest track record of the US futures firms
  • Keep 90% of profits
  • Loss limit stops trailing after the first payout
  • Instant payouts to US banks via Aeropay

Watch out for

  • Combine rebills monthly until you pass or cancel
  • $149 activation fee on the Standard plan after passing
  • 55% consistency target in the Combine
Visit Topstep

XDiscord

Facts checked Oct 14, 2026 · Trading involves risk

5. FundedNext

Best forex firm open to US traders

4.4
FundedNext
Challenges from
$32.99 ($5K)
Profit split
80%, up to 95%
Running since
2022
ForexIndicesMetalsFutures

A UAE firm (GrowthNext F.Z.E., Ajman Free Zone) launched in 2022 with 1-Step, 2-Step, Lite and Instant accounts, plus a separate futures program. Challenges use static loss limits measured from the starting balance and have no time limit. US residents can buy every Stellar account, but must trade on Match-Trader.

Read our full FundedNext review

Why it ranks here

  • Cheapest challenge on this list
  • Static drawdown on all challenge accounts
  • No time limit
  • Says payouts are processed within 24 hours

Watch out for

  • US traders are limited to Match-Trader, with no EAs
  • Split above 80% needs a paid add-on
  • Its own pages disagree on some Lite rules
Visit FundedNext

TelegramX

Facts checked Oct 14, 2026 · Trading involves risk

6. MyFundedFutures

Best one-time fee

4.3
$50K evaluation
From $153, one time
Profit split
80–90%
Payouts
Daily to bi-weekly
Futures

A US futures firm (MyFunded Futures, LLC) that charges a single fee with no renewals or activation fee. Its Rapid plan pays 90% with daily payouts; Builder and Pro pay 80%. Evaluations run on NinjaTrader, Tradovate, TradingView, Quantower and others, and the US is not on its restricted list.

Read our full MyFundedFutures review

Why it ranks here

  • One-time fee, no monthly rebill
  • No activation fee
  • Daily payouts on the Rapid plan
  • Wide choice of futures platforms

Watch out for

  • Builder and Pro split is 80%
  • Rapid uses an intraday trailing drawdown
  • 50% consistency rule on Builder
Visit MyFundedFutures

X

Facts checked Oct 14, 2026 · Trading involves risk

7. Take Profit Trader

Best for day-one withdrawals

4.1
Profit split
80% PRO · 90% PRO+
Withdrawals
From day one
Platforms
15+
Futures

A Florida futures firm (TakeProfitTrader LLC, Windermere) that lets funded PRO traders withdraw from their first day, paid to US bank accounts through Plaid or by PayPal or Wise. PRO accounts pay 80% and live PRO+ accounts 90% with an end-of-day drawdown.

Why it ranks here

  • Withdrawals from day one on PRO
  • Pays to US banks, PayPal or Wise
  • More than 15 platforms on CQG or Rithmic data

Watch out for

  • $130 one-time fee for the PRO account after passing
  • Withdrawals only above a profit buffer
  • The Test is a monthly subscription until you pass
Visit Take Profit Trader

Facts checked Oct 14, 2026 · Trading involves risk

8. Tradeify

Best end-of-day drawdown

4.0
Profit split
90%
Drawdown
End of day
Fee
One time
Futures

A Boca Raton, Florida futures firm (Tradeify Holdings, Corp.) with Growth, Select and instant-funding Lightning plans. Every plan uses an end-of-day trailing drawdown, you keep 90% of profits, and Select accounts can be paid daily. It trades on Tradovate, WealthCharts and Rithmic.

Why it ranks here

  • End-of-day drawdown, no intraday trailing
  • 90% split
  • Daily payouts on Select

Watch out for

  • 35% consistency rule on some funded accounts
  • Newer than Topstep or MyFundedFutures
Visit Tradeify

X

Facts checked Oct 14, 2026 · Trading involves risk

Prop firm reviews

Full reviews with every rule, fee and payout term checked on each firm's own pages.

How prop firm challenges work

You pay a one-time fee to trade a demo account under the firm's rules. Hit the profit target without breaking a drawdown limit and you get a funded account, where you keep most of the profit you make. Break a rule at any point and the account is closed.

Most firms make most of their money from challenge fees, since most traders fail. That is why the rules, not the headline account size, decide which firm is right for you.

1-step, 2-step or instant funding?

The three models trade cost against difficulty. Figures below are typical across the market.

How it worksTrade-off
2-stepTwo targets, e.g. 8% then 5%Cheapest, most forgiving drawdown, slowest
1-stepOne target, usually 10%Faster, but tighter or trailing drawdown
InstantFunded from day oneMost expensive, lower split, tight limits

The rules that decide whether you get paid

Read these in the terms of service, not the sales page, before you buy.

  • Daily drawdown: the most you can lose in one day, and whether it is measured from balance or equity
  • Maximum drawdown: fixed from the starting balance, or trailing your highest balance
  • Minimum trading days and any time limit
  • Consistency rules that cap how much of your profit can come from one day
  • Bans on news trading, weekend holding, EAs or copying signals

Can you use trading signals on a prop firm account?

Often not. Many firms ban copying third-party signals or trading the same positions as other traders, because it lets one strategy pass many challenges at once. FundingTraders, for example, treats following third-party signals as a hard breach of its terms.

If you follow a signal service, check the firm's terms for “copy trading”, “third-party signals” and “group trading” before you pay for a challenge.

Prop firm red flags

Firms can change rules, delay payouts or close. Be wary of:

  • No named company or registered address in the terms
  • Rules that differ between the website and the terms
  • Payout denials for vague reasons like “gambling behavior”
  • Constant discounts above 70% with no clear list price

How we rank prop firms

Every firm is scored on the same weighted areas, using what it publishes on its own site and channels. Facts are dated when we check them.

  1. 30%Rules Drawdown type and limits, profit targets, minimum days and hidden restrictions.
  2. 25%Payouts Profit split, payout frequency and how reliably traders report being paid.
  3. 20%Cost Challenge fees per account size, refunds and resets.
  4. 15%Trust Who owns the firm, where it is registered and how long it has operated.
  5. 10%Platforms and markets MT5, cTrader and others, and the instruments you can trade.

Frequently asked questions

Are prop firms legit?

Many are, but prop firms are not regulated like brokers, so your protection is the firm's own terms. Check who owns it, where it is registered and whether traders report being paid on time.

What is the easiest prop firm challenge to pass?

Two-step challenges with a fixed (static) maximum drawdown and no time limit are usually the most forgiving, because the loss limit does not move up as your balance grows.

How much does a prop firm challenge cost?

Typically $40 to $100 for a $10K account and $400 to $600 for $100K. Instant funding costs more. Some firms refund the fee with your first payout.

Do prop firms pay out?

Established firms pay on a set schedule, usually every one to four weeks. Read the payout conditions, including minimum amounts and any consistency rules, before you start.

What is a trailing drawdown?

A loss limit that moves up as your account reaches new highs. It is stricter than a fixed drawdown, which stays measured from your starting balance.