- Genuinely free: no fee, no card, no ID check at signup.
- One phase, profit target cut from 10% to 5%; on the 2-Step version minimum trading days drop from 4 to 2.
- Each trial account runs 14 days; you can then create another. One active trial at a time, sizes up to $200,000.
- Passing gets you information, not funding — an FTMO Account still requires the paid Challenge.
Most prop firms make you pay before you find out whether their rules suit you. FTMO lets you find out first. The Free Trial is a shortened version of the Challenge running in the same environment with the same tools — and knowing exactly what it does and does not include will save you a wasted entry fee.
The short answer
| Question | Answer |
|---|---|
| Is it actually free? | Yes — no fee, and no payment details requested |
| What do I need to start? | A registered FTMO account and an email address |
| How long does it last? | 14 days per trial account, then you can create a new one |
| How many can I take? | No stated cap in total; one active trial at a time |
| How large an account? | Up to $200,000 |
| What is the target? | 5% profit, one phase |
| Does passing fund me? | No — funding requires passing the paid Challenge |
Everything below expands on these, with the official wording behind each.
What the Free Trial is
Officially, it exists so new clients can familiarise themselves with the trading environment and tools, and assess their trading approach before starting the FTMO Challenge (1-Step or 2-Step). FTMO describes it as a preparatory experience, not a qualification step. It is a practice product, not a shortcut to funding.
The rules
The Free Trial takes the Trading Objectives of the paid Challenge and adjusts a small number of them. Everything not listed as adjusted stays the same, including the loss limits.
Free Trial based on the 2-Step Challenge:
| Item | Free Trial | Paid 2-Step, Phase 1 |
|---|---|---|
| Phases | 1 | 2 |
| Profit target | +5% | +10% |
| Max daily loss | 5% | 5% |
| Max loss | 10% (static) | 10% (static) |
| Minimum trading days | 2 | 4 |
| Price | Free | Paid, varies by size |
Free Trial based on the 1-Step Challenge:
| Item | Free Trial | Paid 1-Step |
|---|---|---|
| Profit target | +5% | +10% |
| Max daily loss | 3% | 3% |
| Max loss | 10% (trailing) | 10% (trailing) |
Note the difference between the two: the 1-Step route runs a tighter 3% daily loss limit and a trailing maximum loss that recalculates daily, plus a best-day rule capping your single best day at 50% of your total profit from positive days. If you are trying the trial to see which product suits you, that is the comparison that matters — not the target, which is 5% either way.
How long it runs, and how many you get
This is the point most summaries get wrong. FTMO’s front page advertises the Free Trial as “as many Free Trials as you need” with “no time limit”, which reads as though a single trial account never expires. The Free Trial page is more specific: each demo account runs for 14 days, after which you can create a new one.
The two statements reconcile like this — there is no limit on how many trials you take over time, but any individual trial account has a 14-day life. FTMO also allows only one trial at a time, and notes you can delete an active one to start another. Plan your test around a two-week window rather than assuming an open-ended account.
The one thing to be clear about
Passing a Free Trial does not grant a funded account. FTMO states this outright: Free Trials do not grant any eligibility to automatically secure an FTMO Account, and passing a trial does not guarantee you will pass the real Challenge. Whatever happens in the trial, funding requires passing the paid evaluation.
What tools you get
The trial includes most of FTMO’s proprietary applications:
- Account MetriX, the dashboard where pass and fail are tracked
- Statistical Application
- Trading Journal
- A shortened version of Account Analysis
Since the paid evaluation is managed through these same tools, learning them in advance is genuinely useful.
How to start
- Register a free account at FTMO.
- Select the Free Trial, an account size, and a platform — MT4, MT5 and cTrader are the platforms named on the official Free Trial page.
- Trade once your login credentials arrive.
No payment details are needed at any point. Identity verification is not part of the trial either: FTMO’s KYC step becomes available after you pass a paid Challenge and your results are reviewed.
Using it properly
Treated as a demo account, the trial is a toy. Treated as a dress rehearsal inside a 14-day window, it directly improves your odds:
- Calibrate against the daily loss limit. The daily loss rule is widely cited as the most common reason traders fail FTMO. Trade your normal size for a few days and watch how close floating drawdown takes you to the line — 5% on the 2-Step route, 3% on the 1-Step.
- Verify the environment. Spreads, execution and server time (GMT+2 with DST on MetaTrader) match what you will face in the paid evaluation.
- Run your strategy under the rules. The 5% target is half the real one, but it answers the question that matters: can you compound gains without breaching a limit? If you cannot pass the trial repeatably, you are not ready to pay for the Challenge.
For evaluation strategy itself, see 10 tips to pass a prop challenge and risk management for the evaluation.
Bottom line
The Free Trial is one of the more honest free offerings in the industry: full environment, real tools, zero cost — and zero funding. Use it as a gate. Only buy the Challenge once you can pass the trial repeatably within its 14 days. That single habit protects your entry fee better than any discount code. Terms change occasionally, so confirm current conditions on the official site before you start.
Want funding without any evaluation? The5%ers offers instant funding — see The5%ers official (coupon code HZZS4 for a discount).