RANKED · 2026
Best Prop Trading Firms · 2026
Last updated July 8, 2026 (firm data checked August 5, 2026) · How we rate · Shutdown tracker · Deals & codes
How we rank
Most “best prop firm” lists rank by affiliate payout. We don’t. We rank on three axes that actually correlate with payout safety:
- Operating record — long-running firms are less likely to disappear with your money.
- Payout history — continuous, public proofs of payouts (not one-off screenshots).
- Regulatory standing — no major enforcement actions from CFTC, OSC, FCA, BaFin, ASIC, etc.
* Use the ranking as a starting point. Read each firm’s strengths and watch-outs before committing.
Picks by use case
- Best for beginners
- The5%ers (low-cost step-up plans to learn gradually) / FTMO (free trial to test the rules before paying) → Best prop firms for beginners
- For international traders
- FTMO (multilingual site and support, including Japanese) / Fintokei (fully localised for the Japanese market) → Prop firms with local-currency payouts
- On a small budget
- FundingPips (evaluations from $19, among the lowest in the industry) / City Traders Imperium (1-step $2,500 plan from $29, Trustpilot 4.2) → Cheapest prop firm evaluations
- Fast payouts
- FTMO (first payout at 14 days, on-demand after that) / Fintokei (payout reviews in roughly 24 hours) → Prop firms with the fastest payouts
- Futures-focused
- Topstep (the oldest futures prop firm, operating since 2012) / Apex Trader Funding (short payout cycles and multiple accounts) → Best futures prop firms
How to choose a prop firm
- Operating record — the longer a firm has been paying traders, the lower the odds it vanishes overnight.
- Payout history — look for continuous, public payout records, not one-off screenshots.
- Regulation and registration — a verifiable corporate entity and no enforcement actions from major regulators.
- Rule transparency — drawdown math and prohibited practices spelled out in the terms, not discovered at payout time.
- Support and language — being able to read the terms and reach support in a language you fully understand matters when disputes arise.
The full scoring is documented in our methodology. Firms that collapsed or froze payouts are recorded in the shutdown tracker.
- No. 01
- Profit split
- 2-Step 80% (90% via Scaling Plan or Premium Programme); 1-Step 90%
- Max funding
- Up to $400,000 across 1-Step and 2-Step combined ($2,000,000 with scaling)
- Challenge fee
- 2-Step €89–€1,080; 1-Step €79–€999 (FTMO quotes fees in EUR; as of 2026-07-31)
Strengths- Longest-running prop firm in its class (since 2015)
- Extensive, third-party-corroborated payout proofs
- Multilingual support including Japanese
- No. 02
- Profit split
- Tiered (50/50 in the buffer zone, 80/20 above $4,000, 90/10 once funded live)
- Max funding
- Up to $150,000 (funded account)
- Challenge fee
- From about $62.5 / month (with discount applied; 50K Intraday Quick Pay example)
Strengths- Futures-only specialist, strong on the US CME market
- Day-one withdrawals supported (minimum $250)
- Rated "Excellent" on Trustpilot (4.6/5)
- No. 03
- Profit split
- 100% (current accounts; capped, max 6 payouts)
- Max funding
- Up to $300,000 (multiple accounts allowed)
- Challenge fee
- From $137 / month (monthly or one-time plans)
Strengths- Futures-focused, strong US market coverage
- Monthly and one-time pricing options
- Multi-account allowed for diversified risk
- No. 04
- Profit split
- 90/10 (accounts predating Jan 12, 2026 keep 100% of first $10,000)
- Max funding
- Up to $150,000 (Funded Account)
- Challenge fee
- $49 – $149 / month (subscription)
Strengths- One of the oldest prop firms in the industry (since 2012)
- Chicago-based, strong on CME-listed futures
- Subscription model makes re-attempts easier
- No. 05
- Profit split
- 80%
- Max funding
- Up to $400,000 (after scaling)
- Challenge fee
- From $130 / month (subscription)
Strengths- Long operating record (since 2016)
- Robust education program (Trader Career Path)
- Strong CME futures coverage
- No. 06
- Profit split
- Up to 80%
- Max funding
- Up to $400,000 (combined across all accounts)
- Challenge fee
- $50 – $577 (published examples)
Strengths- Evaluation models to choose from, spanning 1 to 3 steps
- Flexible bi-weekly plus on-demand payouts (processed within 2 business days)
- Affordable evaluation fees from $50 (Alpha One $5K)
- No. 07
- Profit split
- PRO 80/20 (trader keeps 80%) / PRO+ 90/10
- Max funding
- Up to $150,000 (Test account size)
- Challenge fee
- $150 – $360 / month (Test subscription)
Strengths- One-step evaluation (6% target, 5 minimum trading days) keeps it simple
- Payouts available daily from day one, no fixed window
- PRO+ unlocks on performance with no extra purchase fee
- No. 08
- Profit split
- 80%–90% (depends on plan)
- Max funding
- Up to $200,000 (with scaling)
- Challenge fee
- $59 – $1,099
Strengths- Multiple evaluation models (Evaluation / Express / 1-Step)
- Lower fees than the long-running incumbents
- High visibility and frequent public payout proofs
- No. 09
- Profit split
- Up to 90% (80–100% reported depending on plan)
- Max funding
- Up to $400,000 per account (up to $4,000,000 with scaling)
- Challenge fee
- From $39 (Lightning from $59; $400K accounts up to $2,950)
Strengths- Backed by a Broker — partnered with FXPIG
- On-demand first payout, $50 minimum withdrawal, zero withdrawal fees
- 1/2/3 Phase plans refund 100% of the challenge fee with the first payout
- No. 10
- Profit split
- 75% (per the official rules page; some pages state 80%)
- Max funding
- Up to $10,000,000 (scaling)
- Challenge fee
- From £199 ($100K 1-Step Evaluation)
Strengths- 100% refund of the evaluation fee for traders who pass the (demo) Evaluation
- Every account size can scale up to $10M
- Transparency, with company registration verifiable at UK Companies House
- No. 11
- Profit split
- 90% on simulated-funded accounts (100% on the first $15,000) / 80% on live (Elite)
- Max funding
- Up to $150,000 per account, and up to 5 accounts at once for a combined maximum of $750,000
- Challenge fee
- One-time purchase from $99 to $796 (varies by account size and plan)
Strengths- Futures-only specialist covering the US CME market (ES/NQ/CL/GC, etc.)
- Simulated accounts pay 100% of profit on the first $15,000
- Offers an instant-funding plan with no evaluation (Lightning Funded)
- No. 12
- Profit split
- 80%–95%
- Max funding
- Up to $500,000 (with scaling)
- Challenge fee
- $19 – $579
Strengths- Among the cheapest entry fees in the industry (from $19)
- Among the fastest payout cycles (5 days)
- Multiple evaluation models (1-Step / 2-Step / 3-Step)
- No. 13
- Profit split
- 80%–95% (varies by payout cycle)
- Max funding
- $300,000 (demo capital scales up to $4M)
- Challenge fee
- From $48 (2-Step)
Strengths- 1-hour payout guarantee (site-reported average of 33 minutes 48 seconds)
- High 95% profit split on the monthly cycle
- MT4/MT5 offered through a Mauritius FSC-licensed entity
- No. 14
- Profit split
- 50%–70%
- Max funding
- Up to $260,000 (after scaling)
- Challenge fee
- $97–$497
Strengths- Rare US-equities-focused prop firm
- Sister brand to The5%ers — shared operator background
- Rules optimized for stock traders
- No. 15
- Profit split
- 70%–100% (varies by program)
- Max funding
- Up to $4,000,000 (after scaling)
- Challenge fee
- $29–$3,200 (depends on account size, as of 2026-07-30)
Strengths- Among the longer-running prop firms (since 2018)
- Self-funded and Instant Funding options
- Swing-trading-friendly rule set
- No. 16
- Profit split
- 80% (up to 95% with conditions)
- Max funding
- Up to $400,000
- Challenge fee
- $33–$998 (depends on account size)
Strengths- Lower entry fees
- High scaling ceiling
- US-based, plenty of public information
- No. 17
- Profit split
- 90% (after conditions)
- Max funding
- Up to $150,000
- Challenge fee
- $80–$385 / month
Strengths- US futures focus
- Subscription flexibility
- Higher profit split (90%)
- No. 18
- Profit split
- 80%–100% (varies by program)
- Max funding
- Up to $2,500,000 (after scaling)
- Challenge fee
- $50–$1,500 (depends on plan)
Strengths- UK-based, plenty of public information
- Evaluation and Instant Funding programs
- High scaling ceiling
- No. 19
- Profit split
- 50%–75%
- Max funding
- Up to £480,000
- Challenge fee
- Varies by program / training
Strengths- One of the longest-running prop firms (since 2012)
- UK / FCA-adjacent regulatory environment
- Combined evaluation + mentorship programs
- No. 20
- Profit split
- 80%–90%
- Max funding
- Up to $400,000 (after scaling)
- Challenge fee
- $50 to mid-$500s
Strengths- UK-based transparency
- Both one-phase and two-phase models
- Relatively simple rule set
- No. 21
- Profit split
- ProTrader 80%; SwiftTrader 90% (100% shown on the top Diamond tier); StartTrader 50–100%. Loyalty Program ranks lift the rate toward 100%
- Max funding
- JPY 50,000,000 initial maximum on the JP ProTrader page; $400,000 on the top USD ProTrader tier
- Challenge fee
- From $44 ($5,000 StartTrader or SwiftTrader); JP site starts at JPY 9,800 (as of 2026-07-31)
Strengths- Native Japanese site and support
- Built specifically for the Japan market
- Account currency can be JPY, USD, EUR or CZK
- No. 22
- Profit split
- 80% (up to 90% with add-on)
- Max funding
- Up to $1,500,000 (with scaling)
- Challenge fee
- From $35.10 (during seasonal sales)
Strengths- Rare direct TradingView integration
- Backed by ThinkMarkets, a regulated broker
- Industry-low entry fees (from $35.10)
- No. 23
- Profit split
- 80%
- Max funding
- Up to JPY 60,000,000 (about $400,000), as a per-person cap across all accounts held at once
- Challenge fee
- Varies by plan ($177-$2,999 / ¥26,999-¥449,999)
Strengths- One of the few prop firms designed for Japan-resident traders
- cTrader-only focus, strong on depth-of-market and discretionary trading
- Expected to support JPY-denominated accounts and domestic bank transfers
- No. 24
- Profit split
- High Stakes 80%–100% by balance; Hyper Growth starts at 75% and scales to 100%
- Max funding
- The firm's own pages disagree — the homepage says up to $4,000,000, the High Stakes page says scaling up to $500,000. Confirm before relying on either
- Challenge fee
- $19–$545 on High Stakes (New $19–$491, Classic $22–$545, as of 2026-07-31)
Strengths- Long operating record (since 2016)
- 1-step, 2-step and 3-step tracks under one operator
- Entry from $19 on the $2,500 High Stakes account
- No. 25
- Profit split
- 80% (50% on One Phase and Instant Funding), up to 90% with add-on
- Max funding
- Up to $500,000 per account
- Challenge fee
- Two Phase listed from $118.80 ($15k) to $2,748.90 ($500k)
Strengths- Risk thresholds published down to the formulas (OREF)
- Payout requests every 7 days, processed "within 1 day"
- Japanese-language site and JPY-denominated accounts
- No. 26
- Profit split
- 80% (90% via milestone or paid add-on)
- Max funding
- Up to $300,000 (up to $1.28M with scaling)
- Challenge fee
- From $44 ($5,000 One-Phase)
Strengths- On-demand payouts on challenge accounts (minimum $25)
- No time limits and static drawdown based on initial balance
- Wide range of account sizes from $625 up to $300K
- No. 27
- Profit split
- 80% (up to 95% with conditions)
- Max funding
- Up to $200,000 (over $1M after scaling)
- Challenge fee
- $99 to mid-$1,500s
Strengths- DXtrade in-house infrastructure quality
- Both evaluation and instant funding programs
- UK/UAE base with public information
- No. 28
- Profit split
- 80%–95% (varies by plan)
- Max funding
- Up to $400,000
- Challenge fee
- $50–$998
Strengths- Lower entry fees
- Short 7-day payout cycle
- Multiple plan tiers
- No. 29
- No. 30
- No. 31
Frequently asked questions
- What is a prop trading firm?
- A prop firm charges traders an evaluation fee, and traders who pass the evaluation receive a simulated funded account and a share of the profits they generate. You never risk your own capital in the market, but the fee itself is non-refundable at most firms if you fail — that fee income is the core of the business model.
- Which prop firm is the best overall?
- In our rating, FTMO ranks first: it has operated since 2015 and has the longest public payout record in the industry. That said, the best choice depends on your use case — FundingPips for the lowest entry cost, Topstep for futures, Fintokei for Japanese-language support. See the use-case picks near the top of this page.
- Are prop firms legal and safe?
- Buying an evaluation from an overseas prop firm is generally not prohibited in most jurisdictions, but most firms are unregulated offshore companies offering simulated trading, so there is no investor-protection framework behind them. Several firms have shut down or halted payouts. Check our shutdown tracker before committing, and only spend what you can afford to lose.
- How much does it cost to start?
- The cheapest evaluations start at $19 (FundingPips), with most mainstream firms in the $50–150 range. FTMO starts at $89 but refunds the fee with your first payout if you pass. Futures subscription firms such as Topstep start around $49 per month. If a price looks far below market, check the payout conditions for the catch.
- How did you build this ranking?
- We rank by operating record, payout history, and regulatory standing — not by affiliate commission. The full scoring is documented on our methodology page, and every data point in our firm dataset cites a primary source. Firms that shut down are recorded in the shutdown tracker rather than silently removed.
Guides by country
Eligibility, regulation, and payout rails differ by where you live. We keep a dedicated guide for each market: USA · Canada · UK · Germany · Australia · India · Singapore · Malaysia · Philippines · Indonesia · Vietnam · Brazil · UAE · South Africa · Nigeria · Pakistan
Important notes
This ranking reflects publicly available information at the time of writing. Evaluation terms, fees, profit splits, and policies may change without notice. Always read each firm’s current terms and conditions before committing. Proprietary trading is highly speculative; you may lose your evaluation fee.