Prop-firm fees are at risk, most participants do not reach a payout, and simulated funding does not necessarily represent live firm capital. This review is informational, not financial advice.
FTMO Overview
FTMO Screenshots
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FTMO Pros and Cons
Pros
- Fee refunded in full at your first payout
- Free trial, repeatable, before you pay
- Static 10% max loss on the 2-step route
- No time limit on any evaluation
- Ten years trading and 48,676 reviews
Cons
- Among the priciest evaluations anywhere
- 1-step floor rises, reset only by a payout
- 1-step fee is not refundable
- No weekend holding on Standard accounts
- FTMO US is not an OANDA brokerage account
FTMO Discount Code
FTMO does not issue discount codes, so any site offering one is not working from the firm’s own checkout. Instead, FTMO builds a standing price break into the account ladder.
The $100,000 two-step account carries a Best Value badge and costs €439 against a struck-through €540, a 19% saving. It is the only reduced tier. The $100,000 account therefore costs only €94 more than the $50,000 one while carrying double the capital. A trader weighing capital per euro spent should take the larger account if the extra €94 fits.
How the FTMO Challenge Works
The path is to buy, pass, get funded and get paid, but FTMO offers an unusual step before any of it. Its free trial is effectively a full FTMO demo on MT4, MT5 or cTrader, and you can take as many as you need. Almost nobody else in the category lets you test the rulebook before paying. For a firm this expensive, the trial cuts the risk of buying the wrong route.
You then choose between two routes that share a name and very little else.
The 2-Step FTMO Challenge
The 2-Step route runs through Challenge and Verification before reaching a funded account. The first phase asks for 10% profit and the second for 5%, while the loss limits stay the same throughout. The fee comes back in full alongside your first payout.
The 1-Step FTMO Challenge
The 1-Step route has one phase, a 10% target and a 90% split from the first payout without requiring scaling. It looks like the simpler option and is the harder one. Its daily loss limit tightens from 5% to 3%. The maximum loss stops being static, and a 50% consistency rule appears that the two-step route does not have.
The 1-step card also carries a Best Day Rule at 50%, which the 2-step route does not.
FTMO challenge phases compared
Profit targets, daily-loss limits, total drawdown and minimum-day requirements across FTMO’s active account routes.
2-Step FTMO Challenge
| Phase | Profit target | Daily loss | Maximum drawdown | Minimum days | Time limit | Consistency rule |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ChallengeNote 1 | 10% | 5% | 10% | 4 | None | None |
| VerificationNote 2 | 5% | 5% | 10% | 4 | None | None |
| FTMO AccountNote 3 | — | 5% | 10% | 4 | None | None |
- No time limit. The floor is static and measured from the initial balance, so on a $200,000 account it sits at $180,000 for the life of the account — grow to $260,000 and it is still $180,000. Profit buys room. The daily limit resets at 00:00 CE(S)T off the closed balance at that moment, so a position held through the reset that turns against you counts against the new day’s allowance and can breach a limit set before the loss existed. Leverage is 1:100 on Standard accounts and 1:30 on Swing.
- Half the first phase’s target with identical loss limits and no time limit. Leverage is 1:100 on Standard accounts and 1:30 on Swing.
- The evaluation fee is refunded in full alongside the first payout. The first payout window opens 14 days after the first funded trade, then requests run on demand. There is no consistency rule on this route at any stage. Leverage is 1:100 on Standard accounts and 1:30 on Swing.
100% of the evaluation fee is refunded alongside the first payout from the funded account. · Starts at 80/20 and reaches 90/10 through scaling, which adds 25% to the balance after four months of active trading given 10% profit, two payouts taken and the account in profit at scale-up. Repeating reaches $2,000,000.
1-Step FTMO Challenge
| Phase | Profit target | Daily loss | Maximum drawdown | Minimum days | Time limit | Consistency rule |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Single PhaseNote 1 | 10% | 3% | 10% | — | None | 50% Total Profit |
| FTMO AccountNote 2 | — | 3% | 10% | — | None | 50% Total Profit |
- Looks simpler than the 2-step route and is materially harder. The daily limit tightens from 5% to 3%, the floor stops being static, and a Best Day Rule appears that the 2-step route does not carry. The floor recalculates at midnight CE(S)T against the higher of initial capital or best closing balance: on a $200,000 account it starts at $180,000, stays there through a dip to $195,000, then moves to $185,000 once a day closes at $205,000, and never comes back down. Only withdrawing a payout resets it, returning it to 90% of initial capital. No minimum trading days are stated and there is no time limit. Leverage is 1:100 on Standard accounts and 1:30 on Swing.
- Pays 90% from the first payout with no scaling required. The fee is not refunded on this route at any point. The rising floor and the Best Day Rule both carry over unchanged from the evaluation. Leverage is 1:100 on Standard accounts and 1:30 on Swing.
Pays 90/10 from the first payout with no scaling required, which is the main advantage this route holds over the 2-step. The fee is explicitly non-refundable.
FTMO in the United States
FTMO US is available through a separate arrangement with OANDA. FTMO’s own disclosure says FTMO US customers do not become OANDA customers and do not receive the regulatory protections that apply to OANDA brokerage accounts. The service remains a simulated prop-trading product, and pricing and account structure differ from the global offering.
FTMO Challenge Rules and Restrictions
The Drawdown Explained
FTMO runs two completely different maximum-loss models. Choosing the wrong route for your style is the most expensive mistake available here.
On the 2-step route, a $200,000 account has a $180,000 floor for the life of the account. Grow it to $260,000 and the floor remains $180,000. Profit buys you room.
The 1-step route recalculates at midnight CE(S)T against the higher of your initial capital or best closing balance. Take the same $200,000 account. On day one, the floor is $180,000. If the account dips to $195,000, the floor stays at $180,000 because the initial capital remains the higher figure. Close a day at $205,000 and the floor moves to $185,000 without coming back down. Every new closing high permanently tightens the room beneath you. Only withdrawing a payout resets the floor, returning it to 90% of the initial capital.
How FTMO’s one-step loss floor tightens
A $200,000 example showing how the end-of-day trailing floor follows new closing highs.
Illustrative FTMO one-step scenario using the verified 10% end-of-day trailing limit.
The daily limit has a separate trap for swing traders. It resets at 00:00 CE(S)T from the closed balance at that moment. An open position that turns against you after midnight counts against the new day’s allowance. A trade held through the reset can therefore breach a limit set before the loss existed.
Consistency Rule
The 2-step route has no consistency rule. The 1-step route has a Best Day Rule set at 50%, so no single trading day may account for more than half of your total profit.
In practice, the rule forces you to spread gains across several trading days. One outsized day does not fail the account, but it holds up progress until enough other profitable days dilute it. The 1-step route works against traders who make their month in one or two moves.
News and Weekend Trading
Your account type determines these rules, making them the clearest reason to consider Swing before you buy.
| Account type | News trading | Overnight | Weekend | Leverage |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Standard | No orders within 2 minutes either side of high-impact releases | Permitted | Not permitted | 1:100 |
| Swing | Unrestricted | Permitted | Permitted | 1:30 |
Swing’s cost is leverage. It removes the news window and permits weekend holding, but costs two thirds of your leverage.
Prohibited Strategies
Expert advisors and automated tools are allowed when they are yours. FTMO refuses commercially sold EAs that run identical trades across thousands of accounts. It also refuses high-frequency trading, latency arbitrage and tick scalping.
A hard breach of either loss limit closes the account immediately. No reset is available at any price, so continuing means buying a new evaluation at full cost.
Restricted Countries
FTMO does not serve every market and does not disclose its position as a single list. US residents use FTMO US under a separate OANDA arrangement. FTMO states that this does not create an OANDA customer relationship or provide OANDA brokerage protections. Traders elsewhere should confirm their jurisdiction before paying because the firm’s stated reach of 140+ countries says who it serves, never who it turns away.
| Rule | Limit | Consequence | Applies To |
|---|---|---|---|
| Best Day Rule | 50% | The 1-step route only, and the 2-step route has no consistency rule at all. No single trading day may account for more than half of total profit. It does not fail the account, it holds up progress until enough other profitable days dilute the share. Traders who make their month in one or two moves will find this route works against how they trade. | Program Dependent |
| News trading window | 2 Minutes either side of a high-impact release. | Standard accounts only. No orders may be placed within 2 minutes either side of a high-impact release, and a breach puts the account under review. Swing accounts carry no news restriction. | All Stages |
| Currency conversion charge | 0.7% | No breach. Profits and losses realised on instruments denominated in a currency other than the account base carry a 0.7% conversion charge. Trading GBP/USD often enough on a USD account makes a visible dent in what is kept. | All Stages |
| Minimum trading days | 4 trading days | Four separate days carrying at least one position, on the 2-step route at every stage including funded. The phase simply does not complete until they are met. The 1-step route states none and uses the Best Day Rule instead. | Program Dependent |
Prohibited Strategies
- Commercially sold expert advisors running identical trades across thousands of accounts
- High-frequency trading
- Latency arbitrage
- Tick scalping
Restricted Countries
- Afghanistan
- Antigua and Barbuda
- Belarus
- Belize
- Bhutan
- Burundi
- Cabo Verde
- Central African Republic
- Chad
- Comoros
- Cuba
- Djibouti
- Dominica
- Equatorial Guinea
- Eritrea
- Eswatini
- Fiji
- Gabon
- Gambia
- Grenada
- Guinea
- Guinea-Bissau
- Indonesia
- Iran
- Iraq
- Kazakhstan
- Kiribati
- Kyrgyzstan
- Lesotho
- Liberia
- Malawi
- Mali
- Marshall Islands
- Mauritania
- Micronesia
- Myanmar
- Nauru
- Niger
- North Korea
- Papua New Guinea
- Republic of the Congo
- Russia
- Saint Kitts and Nevis
- Saint Lucia
- Saint Vincent and the Grenadines
- Samoa
- San Marino
- Sao Tome and Principe
- Seychelles
- Sierra Leone
- Solomon Islands
- Somalia
- South Sudan
- Sudan
- Suriname
- Syria
- Tajikistan
- Timor-Leste
- Tonga
- Turkmenistan
- Tuvalu
- Uzbekistan
- Vanuatu
- Vatican City
- Venezuela
- Anguilla
- Antarctica
- Bouvet Island
- Cook Islands
- Niue
- Saint Barthélemy
- Tokelau
- Western Sahara
Marketing vs. Contract
Marketing language is checked against the terms that govern the selected program.
FTMO Pricing and Account Sizes
FTMO is expensive and does not pretend otherwise. The fee buys a refund that cheaper firms do not offer and a free trial before you commit. Afterwards, there are no data fees, platform fees, monthly subscriptions or activation fees on passing.
Accounts are available in seven currencies, but every evaluation is priced in euros.
The discounted $100,000 tier distorts the ladder in the buyer’s favor. At €439, it is cheaper than the one-step account of the same size and only €94 above the $50,000 two-step. It is the best value on the page by a distance.
A breached account has no reset option and must be replaced at full price. On a $200,000 two-step account, that means another €1,080.
FTMO account sizes and fees
Published evaluation fees by account route and balance, before any temporary promotion.
| Account balance | 2-Step FTMO Challenge Refund note 1 | 1-Step FTMO Challenge |
|---|---|---|
| $10,000 | EUR 89 One-time | EUR 79 One-time |
| $25,000 | EUR 250 One-time | EUR 199 One-time |
| $50,000 | EUR 345 One-time | EUR 319 One-time |
| $100,000 | EUR 540 One-time | EUR 499 One-time |
| $200,000 | EUR 1,080 One-time | EUR 999 One-time |
- 100% of the evaluation fee is refunded alongside the first payout from the funded account.
FTMO refunds the two-step evaluation fee with the first funded payout. The one-step fee is non-refundable.
FTMO Payouts and Profit Split
Payout Terms
The first payout window opens 14 days after your first trade on a funded account. Later requests are available on demand, which is unusually flexible. Approved payouts are processed within 24 to 48 hours.
FTMO payout terms
Profit split, first-payout timing, processing terms and supported withdrawal routes.
- Scaling adds 25% to the balance after four months of active trading, provided 10% profit is made, two payouts are taken and the account is in profit at the point of scale-up: 90%
- Ceiling — $2,000,000 by repeating the scale-up: 90%
Transfer limits depend on the route. Bank wire, Visa Direct and Mastercard Send are capped at $20,000 per payout, while Skrill is capped at $3,000. FTMO states a $20 minimum for bank wire and a $50 minimum for cryptocurrency, but does not state a card or Skrill minimum or a cryptocurrency maximum.
Verified Payout Evidence
On Aug. 10, 2026, FTMO’s paid Trustpilot profile showed 4.8 from 48,676 reviews, while individual reviews reported some payouts arriving within hours. FTMO’s own site cited both $650 million-plus and $500 million-plus in rewards on the same page, and both 4.5 million-plus and 3.5 million-plus customers. Those contradictory company totals should be treated as approximate rather than independently verified.
FTMO has more public payout reports than anyone here, yet the evidence does not independently prove its totals. The firm also publishes two figures for its customer count and two for its total paid on the same page. Treat any single number from FTMO as approximate.
Scaling Plan
The 2-step route starts at an 80/20 split and reaches 90/10 through scaling. The 1-step route pays 90/10 from the first payout without requiring scaling, which is its main advantage.
Scaling raises the account balance by 25% after four months of active trading, provided you have made 10% profit and taken two payouts. The account must also be in profit at the point of scale-up. Repeating the process takes an account to a $2,000,000 ceiling.
Platforms and Trading Conditions
FTMO supports three standard platforms: MetaTrader 4, MetaTrader 5 and cTrader. There is no FTMO-only platform to learn and no platform fee.
FTMO says orders run through its own systems instead of a rebadged broker, using its own pricing built from several sources. In practice, that means tight spreads and low slippage in normal conditions, which is what a firm charging these prices ought to deliver.
No competitor matches FTMO’s account analytics. Its dashboard breaks down performance by instrument and session, as well as hold time, in real time. It is more useful for improving than anything else in the category ships.
Leverage is 1:100 on Standard accounts and 1:30 on Swing. All market data is included at no cost, on every platform.
Is FTMO Legit and Safe?
FTMO is legitimate as far as the available evidence goes and has the longest track record in the category. It has operated since 2015 and publishes its rules in more detail than any competitor. Its Trustpilot rating was 4.8 across 48,676 reviews on Aug. 10, 2026.
Being unregulated is normal for prop firms, and FTMO is straightforward about why. The capital is simulated, so the activity sits outside the regulatory perimeter that would apply to a broker. That describes the business model rather than a loophole and applies equally to every firm on this page.
Two factors temper that 4.8 rating. The profile is paid, and FTMO asks customers to leave reviews, so the score is built from reviews it requested. More pointedly, FTMO has not replied to a single negative review, while a competitor at the same tier answers 96% of theirs.
The US operation deserves separate attention. FTMO US uses a separate arrangement with OANDA, but FTMO’s disclosure says customers do not become OANDA brokerage customers and do not receive OANDA’s regulatory protections. The account remains a simulated prop-trading service.
FTMO company and legal details
Operating history, legal entity, disclosed locations and the status of FTMO’s services.
FTMO Alternatives
Most comparisons stop at the fee. The firms here separate further along, in the split ladder and how long it takes to climb, the allocation ceiling, whether scaling has published tiers or is decided case by case, and what the funded trader agreement adds that the sales page never mentions.
Traders comparing FTMO against the rest of the field usually shortlist the firms ranked here.
The contract governing a funded account is usually signed after you pass, so the terms arrive once the fee is already spent. Ask to see it beforehand. A firm that sends a copy on request is easier to plan around than one that will not.
Final Verdict
FTMO has sold the same evaluation longer than almost anyone still trading, and mostly it earns the standing that gives it. Ten years of operation, rules published in more detail than any competitor, a repeatable free trial, and a fee refunded in full when you reach your first payout. The catch is price — it is among the dearest entries anywhere — and a single-phase route that looks simpler and is a good deal harder, with a floor that only ever rises and a consistency rule the two-phase route does not have.
Scales to $2,000,000 · MT4, MT5 and cTrader all supported · Rules published in full detail
Prop-firm fees are at risk, most participants do not reach a payout, and simulated funding does not necessarily represent live firm capital. This review is informational, not financial advice.
Disclaimer: CryptoSlate may receive a commission when you click links on our site and make a purchase or complete an action with a third party. This does not influence our editorial independence, reviews, or ratings, and we always aim to provide accurate, transparent information to our readers.
Scoring methodology
The overall score is calculated from seven fixed categories whose weights remain consistent across prop-firm reviews.
| Category | Weight | Assessment | Score |
|---|---|---|---|
| Payout Reliability and Evidence | 25% | Ten years, 48,676 reviews at 4.8 and 24–48h on-demand payouts. Capped below full marks because evidence is claimed, solicited and totals conflict. | 8.5 out of 10 |
| Rules Fairness and Transparency | 20% | Best-documented rules, static main-route drawdown, no time limit and free trial. Marked down for the rising 1-step floor, restrictions and no reset. | 7.5 out of 10 |
| Cost and Value | 15% | Among the highest entry fees; the 1-step fee is non-refundable. The 2-step refund, free trial and lack of secondary fees partly offset the cost. | 7.0 out of 10 |
| Trading Conditions | 15% | MT4, MT5 and cTrader, in-house liquidity, tight spreads, free data and the category's best analytics. Swing freedom comes with reduced 1:30 leverage. | 8.0 out of 10 |
| Profit Split and Scaling | 10% | 1-step pays 90% from the first payout. The 2-step publishes a clear path from 80% to 90% and scales to $2M. | 8.5 out of 10 |
| Firm Transparency and Stability | 10% | Ten-year history, named founders, Czech base and public rules. Marked down for conflicting customer counts and payout totals on the same page. | 7.5 out of 10 |
| Support and Reputation | 5% | Support spans 20 languages and the category's largest review base. Score is held down because FTMO had not replied to negative reviews. | 7.0 out of 10 |
| Weighted total | 7.8 out of 10 | ||
CryptoSlate applies these weights site-wide and publishes how we arrive at each rating in full. Scores come from our testing and research instead of the firm’s marketing. Discounts never move a score.
FAQ
FTMO FAQs
Is FTMO legit?
FTMO has operated since 2015, holds a 4.8 Trustpilot rating from 48,676 reviews and publishes its rules in full. It is unregulated, which is normal for prop firms because the capital is simulated. FTMO US uses an OANDA arrangement, but customers do not become OANDA brokerage customers or receive OANDA regulatory protections.
Do I get my FTMO fee back?
The 2-step route refunds 100% of the fee alongside your first payout from the funded account. The 1-step fee is explicitly non-refundable. Failing either route results in no refund.
Does FTMO use a trailing drawdown?
FTMO uses trailing drawdown on the 1-step route. The 10% maximum loss is measured from your highest midnight balance, rises with every new closing high and never falls back. Only withdrawing a payout resets it. The 2-step route is static at 10% of your initial balance.
What is the FTMO Best Day Rule?
A 50% consistency requirement on the 1-step route only. No single trading day may account for more than half your total profit. It does not fail the account, it delays progress until other profitable days bring the share down.
Can I hold positions over the weekend?
Weekend holding is available only on a Swing account. Standard accounts can hold overnight but must be flat for the weekend and cannot trade within two minutes either side of high-impact news. Swing removes both restrictions and reduces leverage from 1:100 to 1:30 in exchange.
Is there an FTMO free trial?
FTMO offers as many free trials as you need. The trial runs on MT4, MT5 or cTrader and lets you test the rules before paying, which is rare in this category and worth using given the price.
How long do FTMO payouts take?
The first payout window opens 14 days after your first funded trade. Later requests are available on demand, and approved payouts are processed within 24 to 48 hours.
Does FTMO accept US traders?
FTMO accepts US traders through FTMO US under a separate arrangement with OANDA. FTMO states that users do not become OANDA customers and do not receive OANDA brokerage protections. Pricing and account structure differ from the global offering.
