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Comparison · Forex

Blue Guardian vs Hola Prime at a glance

Updated on

The short answer

Blue Guardian is the cost-effective choice for traders seeking lower entry fees and a unique payout speed guarantee. Hola Prime is a more premium alternative offering higher leverage (1:100) and cTrader, but with stricter risk management rules like mandatory stop losses.

Where they actually differ

  • Price (Determinant): Blue Guardian is significantly cheaper. A $100k 1-step evaluation costs $398 (or $320 for the Nano version), while Hola Prime’s 1-step Prime costs $579.
  • Risk Rules: Hola Prime requires a mandatory Stop Loss on funded accounts and limits risk to 2% per trading "idea". Blue Guardian does not require SLs but enforces a 2-minute minimum holding time to prevent tick scalping.
  • Platforms: Hola Prime offers cTrader, MatchTrader, TradeLocker, and MT5. Blue Guardian provides MatchTrader, TradeLocker, and MT5, but lacks cTrader.
  • Leverage: Hola Prime offers up to 100:1 on its Pro accounts. Blue Guardian caps Forex leverage at 50:1.
  • Payouts: Blue Guardian has a 24-hour processing guarantee; if they miss the window, the trader receives a 100% profit split. Hola Prime offers a 1-hour processing window only after a prior 24-business-hour review.
  • Trading Styles: Using EAs at Hola Prime requires a +10% price surcharge and is limited to MT5. Blue Guardian allows EAs without additional fees across its supported platforms.
  • Trust & History: Blue Guardian (founded 2021) is more established but has its Trustpilot blocked. Hola Prime (founded 2024) is newer but has an active Trustpilot profile with nearly 4,000 reviews.

Where they are basically the same

  • Assets: Both provide access to Forex, Indices, Commodities, and Crypto.
  • Account Types: Both offer 1-step, 2-step, and Instant Funding options.
  • Inactivity: Both firms will breach your account after 30 days of no trading activity.
  • News Trading: Both generally allow news trading on evaluation phases but restrict it on specific funded account types (Instant/Funded).

Pick this one if

Blue Guardian:

  • You want the lowest possible evaluation price.
  • You trade with EAs and don't want to pay extra fees.
  • You value a payout guarantee that rewards you 100% of profits if delayed.

Hola Prime:

  • You strictly trade on cTrader.
  • You need 100:1 leverage for your strategy.
  • You prefer static drawdown (available on their Pro/Prime challenges).

Frequently asked questions

Which firm is cheaper for a $100,000 evaluation, Blue Guardian or Hola Prime?

Blue Guardian is notably cheaper, offering a $100k 1-step evaluation for $398 (or a Nano version for $320). In contrast, Hola Prime’s $100k 1-step Prime challenge is priced at $579, making it one of the more expensive options in the market.

Do Blue Guardian and Hola Prime allow the use of Expert Advisors?

Both allow EAs, but the conditions differ. Blue Guardian permits them freely across its platforms. Hola Prime requires traders to purchase a specific "EA Trading" add-on for an additional 10% of the base fee, and it is only available for use on the MT5 platform.

Which firm offers better leverage for Forex trading, Blue Guardian or Hola Prime?

Hola Prime offers superior leverage of up to 100:1 on its Pro accounts. Blue Guardian provides a maximum of 50:1 for Forex across all its account types. For metals and indices, both firms generally align between 10:1 and 20:1 depending on the account stage.

What are the main differences in payout speed between Blue Guardian and Hola Prime?

Blue Guardian offers a processing guarantee within 24 business hours; if they fail to meet this, the trader receives 100% of the profits (the firm takes 0%). Hola Prime reviews requests within 24 business hours and, once approved, aims to process the payment within a one-hour window.

Field by field

Blue Guardian and Hola Prime, side by side

Rules, plans, platforms, leverage, commissions and payouts of both, with the option to see only what differs.

Head to head

61 differences

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Headquarters

Algaroud Center, 2nd Floor, Office 101-05, Dubai, UAE

L1, Shaw House, 201 Wan Po Road, Tseung Kwan O

CEO

Sean Bainton

Somesh Kapuria

Country

United Arab Emirates

Hong Kong

Foundation

2021

2024

Banned Countries
Afghanistan, Cuba, Mongolia, Senegal, Albania, Democratic Republic of Congo, Montenegro, South Africa, Algeria, Ecuador, Nicaragua, Hong Kong, Angola, Ethiopia, Namibia, Haiti, Bahamas, Ghana, Nigeria, Tanzania, Barbados, Iceland, North Korea, Trinidad and Tobago, Belarus, Indonesia, Pakistan, Tunisia, Bosnia & Herzegovina, Iran, Philippines, Turkey, Botswana, Iraq, Panama, Uganda, Bulgaria, Jamaica, Papua New Guinea, Ukraine, Burma (Myanmar), Kosovo, Qatar, Vietnam, Burundi, Kenya, Russia, Venezuela, Burkina Faso, Laos, Romania, Yemen, Cambodia, Lebanon, Serbia, Zimbabwe, Central African Republic, Liberia, Slovenia, Cameroon, Libya, Somalia, China, Macedonia, South Sudan, Côte d'Ivoire, Mali, Sudan, Crimea, Mozambique, Sri Lanka, Croatia, Mauritius, Syria
Afghanistan, Belarus, Burundi, Central African Republic, China, Cuba, North Korea, Democratic Republic of Congo, Eritrea, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Haiti, India, Iran, Iraq, Laos, Libya, Mali, Moldova, Myanmar, Nicaragua, Oman, Pakistan, Russia, Somalia, Syria, Tunisia, Ukraine, Vietnam, Yemen, Zimbabwe
Assets
Forex, Indices, Commodities, Crypto
Forex, Indices, Commodities, Crypto
Brokers

Liquidity Provider

Hola Prime Markets
Refund
No
Yes

Pro and Prime: 100% of the fee paid is refunded with the fourth successful payout from the same account, not available on Direct. Cancellation refunds must be requested within 14 days without any trading activity.

Platforms
Metatrader 5, TradeLocker, MatchTrader
Metatrader 5, cTrader, MatchTrader, TradeLocker
Demo Account
MatchTrader
ID-PasswordWuG"FFzv4+2z
TradeLocker
ID-Passwordj%Purqe58eDzServerBLUEG
Metatrader 5
ID71034PasswordTest@123ServerHolaprime-Server1
MatchTrader
ID458795Passwordj8U^$T3R2
Payout Methods
Transfer, Crypto
Crypto, Transfer, Rise
Payment Methods
Card, Crypto, ApplePay, GooglePay
Card, Crypto
Payout Frequency
  • 1 Step Nano: up to weekly
  • 2 Step Nano: bi-weekly
  • Other products: 14 days

Pro and Prime: on-demand, biweekly or monthly cycle selected at purchase; it cannot be changed later. Direct: every 14 days from the first trade in the cycle. After a payout, a new trade starts the next cycle.

Payout Guarantee

Payouts processed within 24 business hours (Mon 9 AM – Fri 5 PM Dubai time). If they miss this window you automatically receive a 100% profit split on that payout (no Blue Guardian cut). Delays caused by compliance checks, risk reviews or pending KYC do not qualify.

Processing within one hour of an eligible request, following a prior review of up to 24 business hours. Business days only; additional verification or incomplete details may cause delays.

Maximum Withdrawal

2 Step Nano: 2% of the initial balance per payout ($500 on $25K, $1,000 on $50K, $2,000 on $100K and $4,000 on $200K).

No data
Minimum Withdrawal

$100 in crypto, $500 via Rise (bank transfer). On 1 Step Standard and Instant accounts, once you reach 6% profit and the trailing drawdown locks at breakeven, a 1% buffer must remain in the account.

Bank wire or crypto: USD 50. Rise: USD 500. Thresholds apply to the trader share, excluding the firm share.

Payout Fee
No data

2.5% per payout. Minimum fee: USD 25 for bank wire or Rise; USD 5 for crypto.

Forex
50:1

Pro: 100:1. Prime and Direct: 50:1. Exotic pairs: Pro 10:1; Prime and Direct 5:1.

Metals
  • Evaluation: 20:1
  • Funded: 10:1

Pro: 20:1. Prime and Direct: 10:1.

Energies
  • Evaluation: 20:1
  • Funded: 10:1

Commodities: Pro 5:1; Prime and Direct 2:1.

Indices
  • Evaluation: 20:1
  • Funded: 10:1

Pro: 20:1. Prime: 10:1. Direct: 5:1.

Crypto
4:1

Pro: 2:1. Prime and Direct: 1:1.

Forex
5 / lot
3 / lot
Metals
5 / lot
1.5 / lot - 3 / lot
Energies
5 / lot
1.5 / lot
Indices
0
0 / lot
Crypto
0
0 / lot
Swap Free
No
Yes

Optional at purchase for all Forex accounts; pricing is listed under Add-ons.

Account Reset
No

After a hard breach a new evaluation or account can be purchased.

Add-ons
Yes
Yes

Swap-free: +10% of the base fee before discounts. EA Trading: +10%, MT5 only and unavailable on Direct. cTrader: USD 20 fixed surcharge where available. Alternative payout cycles have different configurator prices; the table shows the base option.

Instant
Yes
Yes

Direct Account provides funded access without an evaluation phase.

One Step
Yes
Yes

1-Step Prime Challenge.

Account scaling
Yes
Yes

Four-month cycles from the first trade: at least 10% net profit, two profitable months, two payouts and a positive balance. Manual request required. Increases based on the original balance: 25% first, 40% second and 50% from the third, up to USD 4 million per user. Loss limits are recalculated on the scaled balance. Unavailable during PCP.

Two Steps
Yes
Yes

Available as 2-Step Pro Challenge and 2-Step Prime Challenge.

Max Drawdown
  • Instant, Guardian X, 1 Step Standard, 1 Step Nano, 2 Step Pro, Crypto: Trailing
  • 1 Step Pro, 2 Step Standard, 2 Step Classic, 2 Step Nano, 3 Step: Static

Pro and Prime: static floor based on the initial balance, also monitored against floating equity. Direct: trails the highest end-of-day balance, only moves upward and locks at the starting balance after the full drawdown distance is earned. A payout does not lower that floor.

Profit Split
  • Existing 1, 2 and 3 Step programs: 85%
  • 1 Step Nano and 2 Step Nano: up to 100%
  • Instant: 80%
  • Instant Starter: 90%
  • With add-on: 90%

The table shows the base biweekly 80% option. Pro and Prime also offer on-demand 80% and monthly 95% with an advertised 20% surcharge; Direct offers a separately priced biweekly 90% variant. The cycle is selected at purchase and cannot be changed later.

Free Trial
No
No
Daily Drawdown

Based on highest value between balance and equity

Calculated from the previous day closing balance and includes realized and floating results. Resets at 17:00 EST as stated by Hola Prime. Breaching it is a hard breach.

Three Steps
Yes
No
Max Allocation
400,000

Standard combined allocation across sim funded and Direct accounts: USD 400,000 per trader or strategy. USD 90,000 cap for Nigeria, Malaysia, Indonesia, Cambodia, Israel, Thailand, Botswana, Mongolia, Kazakhstan, Jamaica and Mozambique. Combined Forex and Futures: USD 800,000. Prime Circle and scaling have separate conditions.

Merge Accounts
Yes

Same-type funded accounts can be merged up to $400,000 ($200,000 cap on Instant). Cross-merging different types (e.g. 2 Step Standard with 2 Step Pro) is NOT allowed. Both accounts must be at break-even (no profit, no loss) at merge time. Beyond the merge cap, the Scaling Plan can take total allocation up to $2,000,000. Guardian X and Instant accounts are NOT eligible for scaling.

Limited

Only same-model Pro or Prime sim funded accounts, with no open trades or active cycle and a combined balance matching an available size. Unavailable for evaluations, Direct or PCP. Allocation limits and promotional-account exclusions apply.

Maximum Trading Days

No limit

No evaluation deadline, subject to the inactivity rule.

Minimum Trading Days

1 Step Nano: no minimum during the evaluation; 5 days when funded.

Pro: two days per phase. Prime 1-Step: two days. Prime 2-Step: three days per phase. Direct: no minimum. A day counts when at least one trade is opened.

Monthly Competition
Yes
No
Minimum Profitable Days
  • Instant, 2 Step Standard, Guardian X: 5 days with 0.5% profit or more
  • 1 Step, 2 Step Classic, 3 Step, Crypto: 3 days with 0.5% profit or more
  • 2 Step Classic: 4 days with 0.5% profit or more

Pro and Prime: three profitable days per biweekly cycle or seven per monthly cycle. Each day requires at least 0.5% net of the initial balance, measured using the lower of closing balance and equity minus the previous closing balance. On-demand uses consistency and minimum-profit requirements. Direct has no profitable-day minimum.

Profit After Breach
No data

A hard breach forfeits profits and pending payouts. Forex daily-loss-only exception: profits may still be paid if every trade had a stop loss and no trade exceeded 1% of the initial balance in profit or loss.

Maximum Accounts
No data

Evaluations: unlimited purchases. Sim funded and Direct: up to four 50K accounts, two 100K accounts or one 200K account, within the total allocation limit. 100K and 200K accounts cannot be active together. Direct: at most two active accounts.

Points Reward Program
No data

Prime Circle: five lifetime Forex payouts, with no consecutive-payout or minimum-amount requirement. Only master payouts count when copying. Automatic eligibility subject to compliance, Platinum support, one pre-trading platform switch and allocation growth: USD 25,000 per three unique payouts of at least 1.5%, up to USD 1 million. The geographic USD 90,000 cap remains.

Position size scaling
No data
Limited

Pro sim funded: maximum open exposure of 10 lots on 25K, 20 on 50K, 40 on 100K and 80 on 200K; no cap on 5K and 10K. From the second scaling, each step adds 10% of the original cap. Prime and Direct: no explicit lot cap, subject to idea risk. First violation: closure, deduction and requested reactivation; second: 30% split and termination.

Expert Advisor (EA)
Yes
Limited

MT5 only with the purchased EA Trading add-on; unavailable on Direct, cTrader, MatchTrader and TradeLocker. Strategy declaration and distinct settings required; identical strategies may be grouped for allocation. Analytical tools may not automatically execute or modify orders.

VPN
Yes
Limited

IP must match the registered country, including KYC and payments. No geographic circumvention. VPS permitted only for trade-taking EAs with a dedicated static IP; manual VPS trading is prohibited. No MT5 access from US IP addresses.

Hedging
Limited

Hedging is allowed within a single account. Hedging across multiple accounts (yours or others') is NOT allowed.

Limited

Hedging within a single account is allowed. Hedging across multiple accounts (offsetting buy/sell positions on the same instrument) is prohibited.

Requires Stop Loss
No
Limited

Required on sim funded and Direct accounts. There is no fixed three-minute deadline; it must be placed before closing. A trade without a stop loss is treated as unlimited risk and can cause account closure.

Scalping
Limited

Minimum holding time of 2 minutes. Trades closed in under 2 minutes are flagged as tick scalping and count as a rule violation, whether closed manually or by automated systems. Average trade duration should stay above 1–2 minutes. Scalping itself is allowed as long as you stay above the 2-minute floor.

Yes
Stacking / Layering (DCA)
Yes
Limited

Multiple entries are combined as one idea for risk limits. DCA, averaging down and systematically increasing losing exposure are prohibited.

Martingale
Yes
No
Maximum Risk Limit
No
Yes

Sim funded and Direct: at most 2% of the initial balance per idea, not per ticket. Risk is combined across overlapping positions and same-asset, same-direction re-entries within ten minutes, including chains. Not applicable during evaluation. PCP: 1% per idea and at most 30% aggregate margin.

Copy Trading
Limited

Manual copy trading is allowed ONLY between accounts legally owned by the same person (e.g. between your own Evaluation and Funded accounts, or between your Blue Guardian account and external accounts in your name). NOT allowed:

  • Copying trades from other traders' accounts.
  • Third-party copiers that involve accounts not legally yours.
  • Having a third party manage your trades.

Instant Funding users may also use third-party copiers, provided all accounts belong to the same user.

Limited

Only own Hola Prime accounts. Challenge to challenge: unlimited. Sim funded: one master and one copier. Challenge to sim funded: only one receiving funded account; sim funded to challenges: unlimited. Copying from other prop firms is prohibited. Applies to accounts purchased on or after 15 September 2026.

News Trading
Limited

News trading is allowed on Challenge, Guardian X and Instant Starter.

It is NOT allowed on Instant Standard and Funded accounts. On those, do not open or close trades within 5 minutes before or 5 minutes after a red folder (high-impact) release. Profits made during that window or significantly influenced by the news will be removed, even without an account violation. Same 5-minute window applies around FOMC speeches, statements and news events on Funded accounts.

Note: Instant Standard accounts purchased after November 13, 2025 cannot do news trading at all.

Limited

Prime and all evaluations: allowed. Pro sim funded and Direct: no opening or closing affected instruments from five minutes before to five minutes after high-impact news, including SL, TP and pending orders. Previously opened positions may be held. Pro: offending profit removed; Direct: account closure. PCP also restricts Prime news trading.

Inactivity Rule

30 days

Yes

Hard breach after 30 consecutive calendar days without opening a trade, in evaluation and sim funded. Closing trades, changing SL/TP or placing pending orders does not count as activity.

Consistency Rule
Yes

Consistency rule applies to: 1 Step Nano evaluation and funded (50%), 2 Step Nano funded (50%), 2 Step Pro funded (25%), Guardian X and Instant Standard funded (20%), Instant Starter funded (15%), $300K and $400K Instant funded (15%).

Does NOT apply to: 2 Step Nano evaluation, 1 Step Standard, 1 Step Pro, 2 Step Standard, 2 Step Classic, 3 Step funded accounts, nor to any other challenge phase.

Calculation: a single trading day cannot equal or exceed the threshold of total profits in the payout cycle. If exceeded, the payout button is blocked until the highest day drops below the threshold. Violating it does NOT terminate the account.

Limited

No consistency target to pass Pro or Prime. On-demand sim funded: best day at most 40% of cycle profit and total profit of at least 2% of the initial balance. Direct: best day at most 20%. A partial payout resets the calculation; retained profit does not replace new-cycle profit. PCP may impose additional conditions on high-risk traders.

Hold Weekend
Yes
Limited

Prime and Pro evaluations: allowed. Pro sim funded: close before 15:45 EST Friday; automatic closure and suspension until Monday. Direct: same deadline, but a hard breach and termination.

Prohibited Strategies
  • Platform or data freezing exploits (using a Demo Server error).
  • Use of delayed data feed or trading on delayed charts.
  • Tick scalping (trades closed under 2 minutes), high-frequency trading, arbitrage bots.
  • Reverse arbitrage, latency arbitrage, hedge arbitrage and any emulators.
  • Hedging between accounts (within one account is fine).
  • Password changes (the password sent by email is the only one accepted).
  • Gambling: any trading where margin usage exceeds 80% on running trades.
  • Shared devices, VPS or accounts: each trader must use only their personal device. Shared usage across accounts results in payout disqualification, suspension or termination.
  • Bypassing copy-trading or signal-trading rules using VPN/VPS.
  • Account inactivity: at least 1 trade every 30 days (otherwise breach).

HFT and tick scalping; arbitrage or exploitation of errors and liquidity; grid, martingale and DCA; unsupported one-sided bets, overexposure and account rolling; third-party accounts, devices, management or signals; cross-account hedging; material changes in strategy, assets or risk after passing; hyperactivity and unauthorized automation. MT5: at most 100 simultaneous orders and 1,000 positions or modifications daily. Sanctions may include profit adjustments, restrictions, PCP or termination.

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