Time limits
Freedom in time is restricted in different ways by both firms, pressuring the trader either to wait or to rush.
- Atlas Funded: You are not free to pass an evaluation instantly; you are forced to trade for at least 3 days per phase in the 1, 2, and 3-step programs. On funded accounts, you are restricted by a 5-day minimum trading requirement per cycle (3 days for Pro and Access), preventing you from taking a single trade and waiting for the payout.
- FundingPips: While most models have no maximum deadline, the Labs 247 accounts limit your freedom to 6 months for the evaluation and another 6 months for the Master account. In terms of speed, the 2-step Standard model restricts you with a 3-day minimum, and the 2-step Flex requires 1 day, limiting the possibility of a "one-shot" pass.
- Inactivity: Both firms limit your freedom to step away from the markets. You cannot leave your account idle for more than 30 days; doing so results in a hard breach and the loss of the account.
Weekends and news
The ability to trade whenever you want is heavily restricted by specific windows and additional costs.
- Atlas Funded: You are restricted during high-impact news on funded accounts. You cannot keep profits from trades opened or closed within 5 minutes of the event. Furthermore, your trading style is limited by the "Atlas Protector," which closes your positions and cuts your profit split to 50% if your floating loss reaches 2% of the initial balance.
- FundingPips: Your freedom to hold positions over the weekend is restricted by a paywall. In most models, you are not allowed to hold over the weekend unless you pay a "Swing" add-on at purchase. In the Zero model, weekend holding is a hard breach. Regarding news, the Master accounts have a 5-minute restricted window where profits are deducted, and in the Zero model, any activity during news is a hard breach.
Where you can trade from
Geography and privacy are significant barriers depending on the firm you choose.
- Atlas Funded: Your freedom to use a VPN is limited; you cannot use it to conceal your identity or location. You are restricted from trading from locations inconsistent with your registration unless you provide advance notice.
- FundingPips: This firm imposes strict geographic restrictions. You are not allowed to trade if you are a resident of the United States, United Arab Emirates, Iran, Israel, or Vietnam. This completely blocks access to traders from these jurisdictions.
What the platform limits
Technical and strategic freedom is constrained by software choices and execution rules.
- Atlas Funded: You are restricted to MetaTrader 5, TradeLocker, and MatchTrader; you cannot use cTrader. Your trading style is limited by a "no-scalping" rule on funded accounts: you are not allowed to keep profits from trades held for less than 3 minutes. Additionally, you are prohibited from using Martingale, stacking positions, or hedging across different accounts.
- FundingPips: Strategic freedom is severely limited regarding Expert Advisors (EAs). You are not allowed to use third-party EAs unless they are strictly risk managers; full automation is only permitted if you own the code. You are also restricted by a maximum lot limit (e.g., 40 lots for $100k+ accounts), and using cTrader is restricted by a 20% price surcharge.
What the rules cost you
The price of the challenge is the ultimate limit on how many attempts your capital can survive.
- Atlas Funded: Your risk freedom is limited by a drawdown that can be as tight as 4% (Instant Zero) or 7% (1-Step). Payouts are restricted by a 14-day waiting period (28 days for Access), and the "Access" model requires an additional activation fee after passing the evaluation, limiting your initial liquidity.
- FundingPips: The 100% profit split is restricted to the Monthly cycle, which forces you to wait longer for your money. If you want faster payouts (Weekly), your split is restricted to 60%. Your risk margin is also limited in the Labs 247 model, where you only have a 4% total drawdown and a 2% daily limit.
Restrictions that add up
The combined weight of these rules creates a high-pressure environment. At FundingPips, the prohibition of US/UAE residents, combined with the extra cost for cTrader and the mandatory "Swing" add-on to avoid closing trades on Fridays, creates a financial barrier before you even place a trade. At Atlas Funded, the 3-minute minimum hold rule combined with the news trading profit deductions on funded accounts effectively disables most intraday strategies, forcing a specific type of slow execution that may not fit every trader's edge.
Frequently asked questions
Which firm is more restrictive for US-based traders, Atlas Funded or FundingPips?
FundingPips is completely restrictive for US residents, as it includes the United States on its list of banned countries. Atlas Funded does not list the US as a banned country in its structured data, making it the only viable option between the two for traders in that jurisdiction.
Which firm limits your platform choice more, Atlas Funded or FundingPips?
Atlas Funded is more restrictive because it does not offer cTrader at all, limiting you to MT5, TradeLocker, or MatchTrader. FundingPips offers cTrader, although it limits your freedom to use it by imposing a 20% surcharge on the challenge price.
Between Atlas Funded and FundingPips, which has a stricter news trading rule?
FundingPips is stricter in its Zero model, where trading news is a hard breach (account closure). In other models, both firms are similar: Atlas Funded deducts profits from trades opened/closed within a 5-minute window of high-impact news, and FundingPips does the same on Master accounts unless the trade was opened 5+ hours prior.
Which firm is cheaper to start a $5,000 challenge, Atlas Funded or FundingPips?
FundingPips is cheaper for a standard evaluation, with its 2-Step Standard $5k account priced at $34 and the 2-Step Pro at $29. Atlas Funded's cheapest $5k options are the 3-Step at $34 or the 2-Step at $43. However, Atlas Funded offers an "Access" account for $5, though this is limited by a mandatory activation fee of $52 after passing.





















