The rules are the product
Every prop firm advertises a big number. What separates them is what happens after you pay: which rules exist, whether they were written down before you broke one, and whether the split you were shown is the split you get. Here is ours against the three models that dominate the industry.
FFUNDED against the three industry models
We do not name competitors. The three columns are the business models the industry runs on, so you can hold any firm you are considering against them, including us.
Rule by rule
| FFUNDEDWhat we publish | Competitor AThe classic two-phase evaluation | Competitor BThe aggressive instant-funding model | Competitor CThe low-cost, high-volume model | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Profit split as advertised | 85% on every plan, stated as a number | Commonly advertised as "up to 90%" | Commonly "up to 100%" on a promo tier | Commonly 80% at the base tier |
| What the split actually starts at | 85%, the same figure on the pricing page | Often a lower starting tier than the headline | Often the headline needs a paid upgrade | Often 80% until you scale |
| Route to a higher split | 90% as a checkout upgrade, 95% ceiling across four scaling milestones | Usually discretionary | Usually promotional and time-limited | Usually tied to a long tenure |
| Time limit to pass | Indefinite | Commonly 30 days per phase | Commonly none | Commonly 60 days total |
| Minimum trading days | None. Minimum profitable days apply and are published per plan | Commonly 5–10 calendar days | Commonly none | Commonly 5 days |
| Maximum daily loss | 3%–4%, published per plan | Commonly 5% | Commonly 3–4% on instant tiers | Commonly 5% |
| Maximum drawdown | 6%–10%, published per plan | Commonly 10% | Commonly 6% | Commonly 8–10% |
| Is the drawdown static or trailing? | Stated per plan, on the plan card, before you pay | Often only in the terms | Often trailing without the word appearing in the ad | Often only in the terms |
| Joining fee refundable | In full with your first payout on every evaluation plan (from $23) | Commonly refunded with the first payout | Commonly not refundable | Commonly refunded with the first payout |
| Hidden consistency rule | No. Trade consistency is published, with the band shown in your dashboard as you trade | Often applied at payout review | Often applied at payout review | Often applied at payout review |
| News trading in the evaluation | Allowed on every evaluation plan | Commonly restricted around high-impact releases | Commonly restricted | Commonly restricted |
| News trading once funded | Allowed on 3-Step. Restricted on the other plans, and the restriction is stated per plan | Commonly restricted | Commonly restricted | Commonly restricted |
| Holding over the weekend | Yes, free, on every plan | Often a paid add-on | Often prohibited | Often a paid add-on |
| Holding overnight | Yes. Swap-free is the optional add-on, the holding itself is not gated | Commonly allowed | Often prohibited on instant tiers | Commonly allowed |
| Expert Advisors and automation | Allowed. High-frequency and latency abuse are the published exceptions | Commonly allowed with exceptions | Often prohibited | Commonly allowed with exceptions |
| Copy trading | Allowed between your own accounts | Commonly restricted to own accounts | Often prohibited | Commonly allowed |
| Maximum allocation | $600K across accounts | Commonly $300K–$2M | Commonly $200K | Commonly $600K–$1.5M |
| First payout | 14 days, or 7 days with the payout upgrade | Commonly 14–30 days | Commonly on demand | Commonly 30 days |
| Payout cycle after that | Instant Payouts on Instant, up to weekly on evaluations | Commonly every 14 days | Commonly on demand | Commonly monthly |
| Rule breach told to you | The dashboard names the exact rule you broke, at the moment it breaks | Often an email saying the account is closed | Often an email saying the account is closed | Often an email saying the account is closed |
| Warnings before a breach | Yes. Risk-monitoring rules run a published warning ladder before any breach | Commonly none | Commonly none | Commonly one warning |
| Rules readable before you pay | Every figure above is on the pricing and compare pages | Commonly split across terms documents | Commonly split across terms documents | Commonly split across terms documents |
About the competitor columns. They describe common industry practice for each business model, not any specific firm, and no firm is named anywhere on this page. Terms differ between providers and change often, so treat these columns as a checklist to take to whichever firm you are comparing, and read their current terms yourself. Everything in the FFUNDED column is published on our pricing and compare pages and applies as written.
Five things that decide whether you actually get paid
None of these appear in an advertisement. All five decide whether a passing account turns into money in your bank.
Whether the drawdown trails
A trailing drawdown follows your equity up, so a good day permanently raises the floor you can be closed at. A static one does not. The two behave nothing alike on the same 8% number, which is why we state the type on every plan card rather than in a terms document.
Whether a consistency rule exists
A consistency rule applied only at payout review can void a legitimately passed account for one oversized winner. Ours is published with a stated band, and your dashboard shows where you sit against it while you trade.
What the split starts at
"Up to" is a ceiling, not an offer. We publish 85% because that is what you are paid on day one, with 90% as an upgrade and 95% as the scaling ceiling.
Whether the clock is running
A 30-day phase turns a risk decision into a deadline decision, and deadline decisions are what break accounts. Our maximum trading period is indefinite.
What happens the moment you breach
Most firms send an email saying the account is closed. Our dashboard names the exact rule, at the moment it breaks, and risk-monitoring rules run a published warning ladder before any breach.
Whether the fee comes back
On every evaluation plan the joining fee is returned in full with your first payout, on fees from $23. Instant skips the evaluation, so its fee is not refundable and the plan card says so.
What we deliberately do not do
The absence of a rule is worth as much as the presence of a good one.
No hidden consistency rule
Every rule that can close or void your account is published before you pay. There is no rule that surfaces for the first time at payout review.
No countdown
No plan has a maximum trading period. You are never forced into a trade because a phase expires on Friday.
No "up to" on the split
Pricing states 85%, the figure you are actually paid. The 95% ceiling belongs to the scaling story and is never used as a price claim.
No weekend-holding fee
Holding through the weekend is free on every plan. The optional add-on is swap-free, which is a different thing and is priced as one.
No silent breach
You are told which rule broke, and when, in the dashboard. Risk-monitoring rules warn you on a published ladder first.
No real capital claim
All trading is on simulated accounts, and we say so plainly. The payouts are real money based on simulated performance.
Check the claims yourself
Every price
Every joining fee, every account size, add-on rates and the checkout total.
See pricing →Every plan, side by side
All five plans across targets, drawdown, leverage and payout cycle.
Compare plans →Every rule in full
The complete rule book, written in plain English.
Read the rules →How scaling works
The size ladder and the split ladder that reaches the 95% ceiling.
See scaling →Read the rules, then decide
Everything on this page is published before you pay. That is the whole argument.