Key numbers at a glance
Winning value in champagne. Bars normalised to the larger value per row.
Min trading days
FTMO scores 2.6 higher under TVSM-PF/2.0.2.
Payout split
Max funded
Payout cap
Drawdown model
Min trading days
Challenge fee
Fee refundable
News trading
Platforms
Payout schedule
| Specification | FTMO 80/100 Strong | The Trading Pit 77/100 Strong |
|---|---|---|
| Payout split | 80% standard (90% after scaling plan) | 80% (scales with milestones) |
| Max funded | $200,000 | $160,000 (standard); higher via scaling |
| Payout cap | None | None |
| Drawdown model | Static (max 10% from initial balance) | Static (Prime) or trailing (Classic) by account type; trailing locks at starting balance |
| Min trading days | 4 | 3 |
| Challenge fee | EUR 155–1,080 | ~$450–$550 for $100K (competitive) |
| Fee refundable | Yes — refunded with first payout | Yes — refunded with first payout |
| News trading | Restricted — 2-minute window before/after named events on funded account (evaluation: unrestricted) | Restricted on funded accounts during named events (evaluation: unrestricted) |
| Platforms | MT4, MT5, cTrader, DXtrade | MT4, MT5, cTrader, ATAS, Quantower, Rithmic, Bookmap (9 platforms across CFDs + DMA futures) |
| Payout schedule | On demand (min 14 days after first trade) | On demand; 1–3 business day processing |
| Visit FTMO | Research only |
Verify regulator standing
Cross-check both firms against NFA BASIC, FCA Register, CFTC, and the CME Group rulebook before funding any account. FTMO: trader.ftmo.com.
Dimension by dimension: who wins where
Computed live from the per-variable evidence behind each firm's TVSM-PF score — FTMO takes 3 of 6 dimensions at current scores. Every variable links to a primary source on the firm pages.
Effectively even. Both run an 80% split with no payout cap, so processing speed decides it: The Trading Pit clears payouts in 1–3 business days, where FTMO requires a minimum 14 days after the first trade before a withdrawal.
The Trading Pit wins. Both are static-drawdown with no consistency rule. The Trading Pit’s 8% static (with a balance-based daily limit) reads slightly cleaner than FTMO’s equity-based daily limit, where open P&L counts against you and a 2-minute window brackets named news events.
The Trading Pit wins. A narrow edge to The Trading Pit over the trailing window; both firms have kept their core terms broadly stable.
FTMO wins. FTMO’s clearest win: the longest operating record in forex prop and the category’s most-established counterparty, against The Trading Pit’s shorter (but solid) history.
FTMO wins. Scored to FTMO on execution maturity across four battle-tested platforms (MT4/MT5/cTrader/DXtrade). The Trading Pit offers far more breadth — nine platforms including ATAS, Rithmic and Bookmap — which is the better fit for multi-asset traders even though the execution-quality score favours FTMO.
FTMO wins. Comparable refundable fees; FTMO’s established scaling plan (+25% balance every four months on 10% profit) edges the value score.
Rule by rule, in each firm's own terms
Verbatim from our verified spec database — the conditions are the product, so nothing here is flattened to a yes/no. Where a rule has tiers or conditions, you are reading them.
| Rule | FTMO | The Trading Pit |
|---|---|---|
| Drawdown model | Static (max 10% from initial balance) | Static (Prime) or trailing (Classic) by account type; trailing locks at starting balance |
| Max drawdown | 10% static from initial balance | 8% static from initial balance |
| Daily loss limit | 5% (equity-based, open P&L counts) | 5% balance-based |
| Payout split | 80% standard (90% after scaling plan) | 80% (scales with milestones) |
| Payout cap | None | None |
| Payout schedule | On demand (min 14 days after first trade) | On demand; 1–3 business day processing |
| Min trading days | 4 | 3 |
| Consistency rule | No formal consistency rule on standard accounts | No formal consistency rule documented |
| News trading | Restricted — 2-minute window before/after named events on funded account (evaluation: unrestricted) | Restricted on funded accounts during named events (evaluation: unrestricted) |
| Weekend holds | Standard account: must close before weekend. Swing Account: exempt. | Restricted on standard accounts |
| Evaluation cost | EUR 155–1,080 | ~$450–$550 for $100K (competitive) |
| Fee refundable | Yes — refunded with first payout | Yes — refunded with first payout |
| Platforms | MT4, MT5, cTrader, DXtrade | MT4, MT5, cTrader, ATAS, Quantower, Rithmic, Bookmap (9 platforms across CFDs + DMA futures) |
| Max funded | $200,000 | $160,000 (standard); higher via scaling |
| Scaling | +25% balance every 4 months. Requires 10% net profit over 4 months + 2 payouts. Max $2,000,000. Split upgrades to 90% on qualification. | Scale to $5M on the futures program via profit milestones |
Verified June 2026 (FTMO) · June 2026 (The Trading Pit). Source extracts for every scored variable are on the firm pages.
The verdict, by trader type
A comparison that ends in “it depends” is not a verdict. Picks below are per trading style — find yours.
Forex two-step purist
FTMO
The longest track record in forex prop, a clean 10% static drawdown and a fee refunded with the first payout. FTMO runs on MT4, MT5, cTrader, DXtrade. If your edge is FX/CFD swing and intraday, this is the proven choice.
Futures or multi-asset trader
The Trading Pit
No contest — FTMO is forex/CFD only. The Trading Pit runs MT4, MT5, cTrader, ATAS, Quantower, Rithmic, Bookmap (9 platforms across CFDs + DMA futures), covering futures via ATAS, Rithmic and Bookmap, and scales further (Scale to $5M on the futures program via profit milestones).
Fastest payout
The Trading Pit
The Trading Pit: On demand; 1–3 business day processing. FTMO: On demand (min 14 days after first trade). If cashing out quickly matters, The Trading Pit’s within-week processing wins.
Scaling to a large account
The Trading Pit
Scale to $5M on the futures program via profit milestones dwarfs FTMO’s +25% balance every 4 months. Requires 10% net profit over 4 months + 2 payouts. Max $2,000,000. Split upgrades to 90% on qualification. (max $200,000). For a path to seven figures, The Trading Pit’s futures program is the lane.
FTMO vs The Trading Pit — the questions traders actually search
Is FTMO or The Trading Pit better in 2026?
Closely fought — both sit in the Strong band under TVSM-PF and split the six scored dimensions 3-3. FTMO wins on track record, platform execution and cost/value; The Trading Pit wins on payout terms, rule clarity and rules stability. The deciding factor is what you trade: FTMO is forex/CFD, The Trading Pit spans nine platforms including futures. Live scores and per-variable evidence are on each firm page.
Which is cheaper — FTMO or The Trading Pit?
Comparable, and both refund the fee with your first payout. FTMO: EUR 155–1,080. The Trading Pit: ~$450–$550 for $100K (competitive). Refundable: FTMO — Yes — refunded with first payout; The Trading Pit — Yes — refunded with first payout.
What is the difference between FTMO and The Trading Pit drawdown rules?
Both are static-drawdown firms with no consistency rule. FTMO: Static (max 10% from initial balance), daily 5% (equity-based, open P&L counts). The Trading Pit: Static (Prime) or trailing (Classic) by account type; trailing locks at starting balance, daily 5% balance-based. FTMO's daily limit is equity-based (open P&L counts); The Trading Pit's is balance-based.
Which pays out faster — FTMO or The Trading Pit?
The Trading Pit. FTMO: On demand (min 14 days after first trade). The Trading Pit: On demand; 1–3 business day processing. Splits are comparable: FTMO 80% standard (90% after scaling plan); The Trading Pit 80% (scales with milestones). Neither caps payouts.
Which supports futures — FTMO or The Trading Pit?
The Trading Pit. Platforms — FTMO: MT4, MT5, cTrader, DXtrade (forex/CFD). The Trading Pit: MT4, MT5, cTrader, ATAS, Quantower, Rithmic, Bookmap (9 platforms across CFDs + DMA futures) — nine platforms including ATAS, Rithmic and Bookmap for futures. If you trade futures, FTMO is not the firm.
Which scales to a bigger account — FTMO or The Trading Pit?
The Trading Pit, by a wide margin on futures. FTMO: +25% balance every 4 months. Requires 10% net profit over 4 months + 2 payouts. Max $2,000,000. Split upgrades to 90% on qualification. (max $200,000). The Trading Pit: Scale to $5M on the futures program via profit milestones.
Full breakdowns with per-variable sources: FTMO review · The Trading Pit review