Overview
FTMO, founded in Prague in 2015, grew from a small Czech startup into the reference point for retail prop trading. Its model is unchanged in spirit: prove your skill on a simulated account, then trade the firm's capital and keep up to 90% of the profits.
The company runs a Free Trial, a discounted two-step challenge and a faster one-step route, with a documented scaling program for traders who stay consistent.
Key Features
- Free Trial plus two-step and one-step evaluation routes
- Up to 90% profit split with a stage-based scaling plan
- MT4, MT5 and cTrader from a single account
- On-demand payouts after the first reward milestone
- Instruments across FX, indices, commodities and crypto CFDs
Pricing & Accounts
Pricing scales with account size and platform choice; the two-step challenge is the cheapest route and the one-step costs more. Free Trial attempts are limited but cost nothing - use them to learn the daily loss rules before paying.
Who Is It For?
Traders with a tested strategy and disciplined lot sizing who want a large, established firm behind them. It is less ideal if you need instant capital - that takes the one-step or a paid challenge first.
Pros
- Longest track record among large retail prop firms
- Three platforms including cTrader
- Free Trial de-risks the first attempt
- Clear, published rulebook
Cons
- Consistency rules punish uneven sizing
- Daily loss limits follow server time
- Popularity means support response times vary
Our Verdict
FTMO remains our top pick for serious evaluation traders: the rulebook is strict but transparent, and the platform choice is unmatched at this scale.
Visit FTMO →Frequently Asked Questions
Is FTMO legitimate?
FTMO has paid traders since 2015 and publishes its rules; always check the latest payout terms on the official site before purchasing a challenge.
How long does the FTMO challenge take?
There is no minimum trading-day requirement on most plans beyond a few sessions, so the timeline depends on how quickly you hit the profit target without breaching the loss limits.
What is the FTMO profit split?
Accounts start with an 80% split and can reach 90% through the scaling program, paid on demand once the first reward threshold is reached.