Best Prop Firm 2026: FTMO vs Topstep vs FundedNext
Prop firms let you trade with the firm's capital instead of your own, in exchange for a share of the profits. Here's how the three most established names actually compare.
Last checked: September 2026
Quick comparison
| Firm | Best for | Profit split | Standout feature |
|---|---|---|---|
| FTMO | Forex, indices & CFD traders | 80%, up to 90% on Scaling Plan | Evaluation fee refunded on first payout |
| Topstep | CME futures traders (ES, NQ, CL, GC) | 90% after first $10K, then 100% | 13 years of uninterrupted payouts, longest track record in the industry |
| FundedNext | Flexible evaluation preferences | Up to 90%, two distinct evaluation tracks | Choice of evaluation style to match your trading pace |
FTMO — best for forex and CFD traders
Founded in Prague in 2015, FTMO built its reputation on a decade of reliable payouts and full transparency, it publishes quarterly trader statistics including pass rates by account size, giving it the highest public transparency score among major prop firms. Its two-phase evaluation uses a static drawdown (10% max loss from your initial balance, 5% daily), meaning the buffer never shrinks even after a profitable week. If you pass on your first attempt, FTMO refunds your evaluation fee with your first profit split, effectively making a successful pass free. Funded accounts start at up to $200,000, with the Scaling Plan pushing your split to 90% and growing your account by 25% every four months after four consecutive profitable cycles.
Topstep — best for futures traders
Founded in Chicago in 2012, Topstep has the longest uninterrupted track record in the prop firm industry, over 13 years of consistent payouts and more than 14,000 funded traders. Unlike FTMO, Topstep focuses exclusively on CME-regulated futures (ES, NQ, CL, GC, and other CME contracts), traded through NinjaTrader, Tradovate, TradingView, or over a dozen other supported platforms. Its subscription model charges $49-$165 per month depending on account size rather than a one-time fee, which is cheaper if you pass quickly but adds up if your evaluation stretches over several months. Topstep also offers a direct path to a live funded account, something FTMO doesn't provide, and pays 90% on your first $10,000 in profits, then 100% beyond that.
FundedNext — best for flexible evaluation preferences
FundedNext offers two distinct evaluation tracks, giving traders more flexibility in how they prove profitability compared to firms with a single rigid path. It covers forex pairs, major stock indices, commodities, select crypto, and US stock CFDs through MT4, MT5, and DXtrade, with profit splits reaching up to 90% and automated payout triggers that contribute to a greater than 99% on-time payout rate.
A note on Exness
You may see Exness mentioned alongside prop firms in other comparisons, worth clarifying that Exness is a regular forex broker, not a prop firm. It doesn't offer funded evaluation challenges itself, traders sometimes use Exness as the broker backend for a separate prop firm's funded account, but Exness itself doesn't fund traders or share in trading profits the way FTMO or Topstep do.
Which one should you pick?
Our take
Trade forex, indices, or CFDs: FTMO, for the refundable fee and static drawdown.
Trade CME futures (ES, NQ, CL, GC): Topstep, for the longest track record and direct-to-live-funding option.
Want evaluation flexibility: FundedNext, for the choice between evaluation tracks.
Frequently asked questions
What is a prop trading firm?
A firm that provides capital to independent traders in exchange for a share of profits, typically after the trader passes a paid evaluation proving profitability under strict risk rules.
Which is best: FTMO, Topstep, or FundedNext?
FTMO suits forex/CFD traders, Topstep is built for CME futures traders, and FundedNext offers flexible evaluation paths for forex-focused traders.