What you are signing up for
A prop firm evaluation is a test where you trade with simulated money to prove you can follow risk rules. If you pass, the firm allows you to trade a "funded" account and keep a share of the profits.
BrightFunded Futures offers two main paths: BrightPlus and BrightCore. You pay a one-time fee that ranges from $120 for a $25,000 account to $460 for a $150,000 account.
FTMO Futures uses a different model based on a monthly subscription. You pay every month to keep the account active until you pass the evaluation. Their prices range from $119 for a $50,000 account to $269 for a $150,000 account.
How hard each one is
Both firms use a "profit target," which is the specific amount of money you must earn to pass the test. For both, this is generally around 6% of the account size.
The biggest hurdle is the "drawdown," which is the maximum loss your account is allowed to hit before you are disqualified.
- BrightFunded Futures uses "trailing drawdown." This means your loss limit moves up as your account balance grows. In the BrightPlus plan, this happens in real-time (intraday), which is harder because it counts your profits even before you close a trade.
- FTMO Futures uses "End-of-Day (EOD) trailing drawdown." Your loss limit only updates based on your balance at the end of the trading day. This is generally more forgiving for beginners because it ignores price swings during the session.
How long it takes
There is no maximum time limit to pass either evaluation. You can take as many months as you need, provided you don't break a rule.
- At FTMO, you must keep paying the monthly subscription until you finish.
- At BrightFunded, you pay once and can trade indefinitely, as long as you open at least one trade every 30 days to avoid the "inactivity rule" (a penalty for not using the account).
Where beginners fail
Most beginners fail because of the "consistency rule." This rule ensures you didn't just get lucky on one single trade.
- At BrightFunded, no single trading session can represent more than 40% (Core) or 50% (Plus) of your total profit. They also have a "minimum trade duration" rule: 50% of your profits must come from trades held for longer than 15 seconds.
- At FTMO, the consistency rule is similar: your best day cannot exceed 40% (Growth) or 50% (Pro) of your total profit.
What happens if you make it
Once you pass, you move to a "Sim-Funded" phase where you can start withdrawing money.
- FTMO offers a 90% "profit split," meaning you keep $90 for every $100 earned.
- BrightFunded offers an 80% split. However, their BrightPlus plan requires a "mandatory buffer." This is a minimum amount of profit you must keep in the account before you are allowed to withdraw anything.
Both firms provide the same industry-standard platforms: NinjaTrader, Tradovate, and TradingView. These are the software interfaces you will use to see charts and place orders.
If it is your first time
FTMO Futures is likely the better choice for a first attempt. Their "End-of-Day" drawdown is much safer for a beginner than the "intraday" trailing drawdown found in BrightFunded’s cheaper plans. Additionally, FTMO offers a higher 90% profit split and their monthly fee for a $100,000 account ($169) is significantly cheaper than BrightFunded's one-time fee for the same size ($280-$340). Just remember to cancel the subscription once you pass.
Frequently asked questions
Which is cheaper for a $100,000 account, BrightFunded Futures or FTMO Futures?
FTMO Futures is cheaper for a $100,000 account, costing $169 per month for the Growth plan or $199 for the Pro plan. BrightFunded Futures charges a one-time fee of $280 for its BrightPlus plan or $340 for its BrightCore plan for the same account size.
Does BrightFunded Futures or FTMO Futures have a more beginner-friendly drawdown rule?
FTMO Futures is more beginner-friendly because it uses an End-of-Day trailing drawdown, which only updates your loss limit at the close of the day. BrightFunded Futures uses an intraday trailing drawdown on its BrightPlus plan, which tracks your profit in real-time and is much easier to accidentally break during a volatile trade.
Who offers a higher share of profits, BrightFunded Futures or FTMO Futures?
FTMO Futures offers a higher profit split of 90% for the trader. BrightFunded Futures offers an 80% profit split by default, although they allow you to increase this to 100% if you pay an extra 20% surcharge when you first buy the challenge.
Which firm, BrightFunded Futures or FTMO Futures, has more restrictive trading rules?
BrightFunded Futures is more restrictive because it includes a "minimum trade duration" rule, requiring that at least 50% of your profits come from trades held for more than 15 seconds. FTMO Futures allows scalping (very fast trading) without a specific time-duration penalty, as long as the strategy is not considered manipulative or high-frequency.
