Scope of this comparison
FTMO and Fintokei are both partners of this site and two of the most searched prop firms among our readers. This article compares them on specifications: evaluation terms, loss rules, payouts, platforms, and track record.
If your main question is which firm suits residents of Japan (support language, JPY handling, tax context), that angle is covered separately in Fintokei vs FTMO for Japanese traders. This article is the general, country-neutral comparison.
Verdict at a glance
| If you prioritize | Pick |
|---|---|
| Years in operation, published payout record | FTMO |
| Lower profit targets, gradual difficulty | Fintokei |
| Maximum headline split (100%) | Fintokei (SwiftTrader) |
| Long-term account growth up to $2M | FTMO (Scaling Plan) |
| cTrader | FTMO |
| JPY bank payouts | Fintokei |
1. Evaluation plans
FTMO: two evaluation styles
| Item | 2-Step | 1-Step |
|---|---|---|
| Profit target | 10% → 5% | 10% |
| Daily loss limit | 5% | 3% |
| Max loss | 10% | 10% |
| Minimum trading days | 4 per phase | none |
| Special rules | none | Best Day rule |
| Profit split | 80% (90% via Scaling) | 90% |
No time limit on either. Full rule details are in FTMO rules explained.
Fintokei: three plans with different personalities
| Item | ProTrader | SwiftTrader | StartTrader |
|---|---|---|---|
| Steps | 2 | 1 | 3 |
| Profit targets | 8% → 6% | 10% | 2% / 3% / 6% |
| Daily loss limit | 5% | 3% | 5% |
| Max loss | 10% | 6% | 10% |
| Profit split | 80% | 100% | 80% |
| Entry fee (smallest) | from ¥12,500 | from ¥23,800 | from ¥10,000 |
| Time limit | none (1 trade per 30 days) | none | 180 days per step |
StartTrader carries a consistency rule: no single day may exceed 40% of total profit. SwiftTrader’s split has appeared with different figures across official pages at times, so confirm the current terms before buying. Plan details are in Fintokei plans compared.
What the plans tell you
FTMO’s 2-Step (10% → 5%) and Fintokei’s ProTrader (8% → 6%) demand roughly the same total, distributed differently: FTMO front-loads the difficulty, Fintokei smooths it. And Fintokei’s StartTrader — three tiny targets from about ¥10,000 — has no FTMO equivalent at all. If you want a low-cost, low-target on-ramp, only Fintokei offers one. If you want the industry-standard process with a decade of pass/payout data behind it, that is FTMO.
2. Loss rules
| Item | FTMO 2-Step | Fintokei ProTrader |
|---|---|---|
| Daily loss limit | 5% | 5% |
| Max loss | 10% (static) | 10% (static) |
Both count floating losses, both use static drawdown. This category is a draw.
3. Profit split and payouts
| Item | FTMO | Fintokei |
|---|---|---|
| Split | 80% → 90% via Scaling; 90% on 1-Step | 80%; 100% on SwiftTrader |
| First payout | from day 14 | bi-weekly cycle |
| After that | on demand | bi-weekly cycle |
| Processing | a few business days | ~24h review + ~2 business days |
| JPY bank transfer | not directly | yes (min ¥20,000) |
| Fee refund | with first payout (2-Step) | credited with first payout |
Practical walkthroughs: FTMO payout guide and Fintokei payout guide. On-demand timing favors FTMO; JPY payouts and a predictable bi-weekly rhythm favor Fintokei.
4. Account growth
FTMO’s Scaling Plan grows a funded account by 25% every four months when conditions are met, up to $2,000,000, and lifts the split to 90% (see FTMO Scaling Plan explained). Fintokei has no comparable long-horizon program at that ceiling. For traders planning to grow one account for years, this is a clear FTMO win.
5. Platforms
| FTMO | Fintokei | |
|---|---|---|
| MT4 / MT5 | ✓ | ✓ |
| cTrader | ✓ | ✗ |
| DXtrade | ✓ | ✓ |
cTrader users have no choice here: FTMO. MT4/MT5 users will notice no difference.
6. Track record and trust
- FTMO: founded 2015, eleven years in operation, the industry’s largest published cumulative payout record
- Fintokei: launched 2023 by a Czech operator with prop-industry background, built for the Japanese market
On verified history, FTMO is simply a tier above. That is not a mark against Fintokei — roughly three years of clean operation is respectable — but the depth of evidence differs. See FTMO reputation 2026 and Fintokei reputation review.
Where each firm honestly loses
FTMO loses when:
- you want JPY bank payouts
- you want a low-target beginner plan (FTMO starts at 10%)
- you want a split above 90%
Fintokei loses when:
- you weight years of payout evidence heavily
- you trade on cTrader
- you want a scaling program with a multi-million-dollar ceiling
Conclusion
These two firms compete on the same field with different characters: FTMO brings history, platform breadth, and a $2M growth path; Fintokei brings gentler targets, JPY payouts, and a 100% split option. Neither dominates the other across the board, so choose from your trading style and payout needs — and always confirm current terms on the official sites, since specifications change.
Recommended prop firms
The two firms compared in this article:
FTMO — the industry benchmark
Operating since 2015 with the industry’s largest published payout track record. The classic challenge-then-funded model.
Fintokei — Japan-focused, JPY payouts
Fully localized Japanese product with payouts to Japanese bank accounts in JPY, plus low-cost entry plans up to a 100% split option.
→ Fintokei official (coupon code FINTO5KEI for 5% off)