FTMO is the most established and widely recognised prop trading firm, operating since 2015 with over $200 million paid to traders worldwide. It offers a two-phase evaluation with an 80% default profit split (rising to 90% via scaling), accounts up to $200,000, and a 4.8/5 Trustpilot rating from 40,000+ reviews. If you've heard of one prop firm, it's probably FTMO.
TL;DR: FTMO is the benchmark every other prop firm is measured against. Ten years of consistent payouts, strict but fair rules, and the highest Trustpilot review volume in the industry. The 5% daily loss / 10% max loss rules are tight, the $400K scaling cap feels restrictive compared to newer firms, and the pricing isn't the cheapest. But for reliability and trust, nothing beats FTMO. Best for traders who prioritise safety and a proven track record over maximum features.
How FTMO Works
FTMO runs a two-phase evaluation called the FTMO Challenge and Verification:
Phase 1, the FTMO Challenge: Hit a 10% profit target within 30 calendar days while respecting 5% daily loss and 10% max loss limits. You need a minimum of 4 trading days. If you don't hit the target but haven't breached drawdown rules, you can get a free retry.
Phase 2, the Verification: Hit a 5% profit target within 60 calendar days under the same risk rules. Again, minimum 4 trading days. This phase confirms your Challenge performance wasn't a fluke.
Pass both phases, and you receive an FTMO-funded account with real capital behind your trades. The firm refunds your challenge fee with your first profit split, so a successful trader effectively pays nothing for the evaluation.
FTMO is based in Prague, Czech Republic. The company is registered as FTMO s.r.o. and its leadership, corporate structure, and financial history are publicly documented. This level of transparency is rare in the prop trading industry, where many competitors operate from jurisdictions with minimal disclosure requirements.
The firm has processed over 40,000 Trustpilot reviews with a 4.8/5 average rating. To put that in context, the next-closest competitor in review volume is FundingPips at around 46,000 reviews (4.5/5). No other firm approaches FTMO's combination of volume and rating.
Account Types & Pricing
FTMO offers five account sizes with straightforward pricing:
| Account Size | Challenge Fee | Profit Target (Challenge) | Profit Target (Verification) | Daily Loss | Max Loss |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| $10,000 | €89 | $1,000 (10%) | $500 (5%) | $500 (5%) | $1,000 (10%) |
| $25,000 | €250 | $2,500 (10%) | $1,250 (5%) | $1,250 (5%) | $2,500 (10%) |
| $50,000 | €345 | $5,000 (10%) | $2,500 (5%) | $2,500 (5%) | $5,000 (10%) |
| $100,000 | €540 | $10,000 (10%) | $5,000 (5%) | $5,000 (5%) | $10,000 (10%) |
| $200,000 | €1,080 | $20,000 (10%) | $10,000 (5%) | $10,000 (5%) | $20,000 (10%) |
FTMO isn't the cheapest option. The €540 fee for a $100K account is higher than FundingPips ($449 for comparable) and significantly more than budget options like Blueberry Funded ($25-$449). But every fee gets refunded with your first profit split, and FTMO's reliability means you're paying for certainty.
The $10K and $25K accounts have higher relative fees (0.89% and 1.00% of account size) compared to the larger accounts (0.54% for $200K). If you're testing FTMO for the first time, the $10K at €89 keeps your initial risk low while you learn the process.
FTMO also offers an aggressive "Swing" account variant with wider leverage rules and the ability to hold positions over weekends. Check their website for current Swing account availability and pricing.
Trading Rules & Conditions
The rules are straightforward and, critically, stay the same from evaluation through funded trading. This consistency is one of FTMO's biggest advantages. Some competitors (notably FundingPips) change rules between evaluation and funded stages, catching traders off guard.
Risk management rules:
- Daily loss limit: 5% of initial balance. If your $100K account loses $5,000 in a single day (including floating losses), the account breaches.
- Maximum loss: 10% of initial balance. If your account drops to $90,000 from the starting $100,000, it's over.
- Minimum trading days: 4 days per phase. No maximum.
- Time limits: 30 days for the Challenge, 60 days for Verification.
What you can trade:
- Forex pairs (majors, minors, exotics)
- Indices (US, European, Asian)
- Commodities (gold, silver, oil, etc.)
- Cryptocurrencies (BTC, ETH, and others)
- Stocks (selected)
Leverage: Up to 1:100 on forex, lower on other instruments depending on volatility.
News trading: Fully permitted. No restrictions around economic releases. This is a significant advantage over firms that restrict trading around NFP, FOMC, or CPI releases.
Weekend holding: Permitted on standard accounts. Swing accounts are specifically designed for multi-day holds.
Expert Advisors/Automated Trading: Permitted, provided the EA doesn't exploit the simulated environment in ways that wouldn't work on a live account (like latency arbitrage).
The 5%/10% risk rules are the industry standard because FTMO established them. Nearly every competitor uses some variation of these numbers. They're tight enough to filter out reckless traders but achievable for anyone with proper risk management. A 1% risk per trade approach gives you 50 consecutive losing trades before hitting the maximum drawdown. That's enough room for any reasonable strategy.
Payout Structure & Methods
Profit split: 80% to the trader by default. This increases to 90% through the Scaling Plan.
Scaling Plan requirements: Achieve at least 10% net profit over four consecutive months. You don't need to be profitable every single month, just 10% net over the four-month period. When you hit this milestone:
- Your account balance increases by 25%
- Your profit split rises to 90%
Each subsequent milestone adds another 25% to your account, eventually capping at $400,000. The $400K cap is FTMO's biggest limitation in 2026. Newer firms like The 5%ers scale to $4M, and City Traders Imperium matches that. FTUK goes even higher at $4.8M. If you're a consistently profitable trader who generates $5,000-$10,000/month, FTMO's ceiling becomes restrictive within the first year.
Payout cycle: Every 14 days (bi-weekly). You choose your payout date during onboarding.
Processing time: Approximately 8 hours after requesting a payout. This is fast by industry standards. Some traders report same-day deposits.
Payout methods: Bank transfer, Skrill, and cryptocurrency. No PayPal, which some traders find inconvenient.
Fee refund: Your challenge fee is refunded with your first profit split. So if you paid €540 for a $100K account and your first payout is $3,000 (80% of $3,750 profit), you receive $3,000 + €540 refund.
No withdrawal fees: FTMO does not charge for payouts.
Platform & Tools
FTMO supports four trading platforms:
- MetaTrader 4 (MT4): The classic. Millions of indicators, EAs, and custom tools available. Preferred by many retail traders.
- MetaTrader 5 (MT5): The upgrade with better backtesting, more timeframes, and depth of market functionality.
- cTrader: Professional-grade platform with superior charting, faster execution, and a more modern interface. Popular with algorithmic traders.
- DXTrade: A browser-based alternative for traders who want platform-agnostic access.
Four platforms is the broadest selection among major prop firms. Most competitors offer only MT5 or MT5 plus one alternative. The cTrader option is particularly valuable for traders running automated strategies, as cTrader's execution model is considered superior to MetaTrader's for this purpose.
FTMO also provides its own performance analytics dashboard. This includes detailed trade statistics, risk analysis tools, equity curve visualisation, and a trading journal. These tools are genuinely useful for identifying patterns in your trading and are included for free with every account.
The Account MetriX tool within the dashboard shows real-time compliance with all rules, so you always know exactly how much room you have before hitting daily loss or max drawdown limits. No guessing.
What We Like
- 10+ years of operation with $200M+ in verified payouts makes FTMO the safest choice
- 4.8/5 Trustpilot from 40,000+ reviews is the highest combination of rating and volume
- Four trading platforms including cTrader for algo traders
- Fee refund with first payout makes successful evaluations free
- 8-hour payout processing is fast and reliable
- Rules don't change between evaluation and funded stages
- Performance analytics dashboard adds genuine value
- News trading and EAs fully permitted with no restrictions
What Could Be Better
- $400K maximum scaling is restrictive for high-performing traders. The 5%ers and CTI scale to $4M.
- Pricing is above average compared to newer budget firms. €540 for $100K vs $29-$449 at competitors.
- Two-phase evaluation takes longer than one-step alternatives at firms like Alpha Futures or Apex Trader Funding
- No instant funding option for traders who want to skip evaluations entirely
- 90% maximum profit split while competitors like The 5%ers and CTI offer paths to 100%
- No free evaluation retries unless you didn't breach drawdown rules (some firms offer this)
FTMO vs Competitors
Against The 5%ers: FTMO has a better starting profit split (80% vs 50%) but a lower scaling ceiling ($400K vs $4M). FTMO has more platform options. Both have similar trust levels. See our FTMO vs The 5%ers comparison.
Against FundingPips: FTMO costs more but has consistent rules (FundingPips changes rules between eval and funded). FTMO processes payouts faster (8 hours vs Tuesday-only processing). See our FTMO vs FundingPips comparison.
Against E8 Funding: FTMO has a longer track record and no consistency rule (E8 enforces 35%). E8 offers multi-asset coverage including futures and crypto. See our FTMO vs E8 Funding comparison.
For futures traders, FTMO is not the right choice. Look at Topstep, My Funded Futures, or Apex Trader Funding in our best futures prop firms ranking.
Is FTMO Legit?
FTMO is the most proven prop firm in existence. This isn't a close call.
- 10+ years of continuous operation since 2015
- $200M+ in documented payouts to traders globally
- 40,000+ verified Trustpilot reviews at 4.8/5
- Prague-based with transparent corporate registration
- Named leadership with public profiles
- Consistent payout processing with no major payout controversies
If any prop firm is legit, it's FTMO. The firm has survived market crashes, regulatory changes, and intense competition while consistently paying traders. The only firms with comparable longevity in futures prop trading are Topstep (2012) and OneUp Trader (2016).
Discount Codes & Offers
FTMO occasionally offers 10-20% discount codes through promotional campaigns, partnerships, and seasonal events. These aren't as frequent as the near-weekly sales at firms like Apex Trader Funding, but they do appear. Check FTMO's website and social media for current availability.
Given that the fee is refunded with your first payout, the discount saves you upfront cash flow but doesn't change the long-term economics for successful traders.
Final Verdict
Rating: 4.5/5
FTMO earns its reputation. A decade of reliable payouts, fair rules, professional platform support, and transparent operations make it the safest choice in prop trading. The analytics dashboard and four-platform support add genuine value beyond just providing capital.
The scaling cap ($400K) and pricing are the only things preventing a perfect score. For traders who will outgrow $400K, The 5%ers or City Traders Imperium offer better long-term ceilings. For budget-conscious traders, FundingPips or Blueberry Funded get you started for less.
But if you're asking "which prop firm should I start with?" the answer is FTMO. No other firm combines trust, features, and reliability at this level.
FAQ
Is FTMO legit?
Yes. Operating since 2015 with $200M+ in payouts, 40,000+ Trustpilot reviews (4.8/5), and transparent Czech Republic operations. The most proven prop firm in the industry.
How much does FTMO cost?
From €89 ($10K account) to €1,080 ($200K account). The fee is refunded with your first profit split, making successful evaluations effectively free.
What is FTMO's profit split?
80% by default, rising to 90% through the Scaling Plan after achieving 10% net profit over four consecutive months.
Can I use FTMO in the US?
Yes, FTMO accepts US-based traders for all account types and sizes.
How fast are FTMO payouts?
Bi-weekly cycle with approximately 8-hour processing time after request. No withdrawal fees.
What platforms does FTMO support?
MetaTrader 4, MetaTrader 5, cTrader, and DXTrade. The broadest selection among major prop firms.
Disclaimer: This review is for informational purposes only and does not constitute financial advice. Trading involves risk of loss.