What you are signing up for
An evaluation is a trial period where you trade on a demo account. Your goal is to reach a profit target, which is a specific percentage of gain you must achieve without breaking any risk rules.
- E8 Markets offers accounts starting at $5,000 for $48. Most of their plans are one-step, meaning you only need to pass one evaluation phase to get funded.
- Fintokei offers a $5,000 account for $44 (SwiftTrader). They have options for one, two, or even three phases.
In both firms, if you pass, you receive a "funded" account. You don't get the capital to withdraw, but you do keep a percentage of the gains you generate.
How hard each one is
The biggest hurdle for any beginner is the drawdown. This is the maximum amount you are allowed to lose before your account is closed.
E8 Markets uses more complex drawdown types. In their "One" accounts, they use a dynamic drawdown of 4%. This means the loss limit follows your highest closed balance. In their "Signature" accounts, they use a trailing drawdown, which also moves upward as you make profits. This can be tricky because your "safety cushion" disappears as you win.
Fintokei is generally friendlier for beginners regarding risk. They use a static drawdown. This means your loss limit is fixed at a specific number and does not move upward even if you make profits. For example, in the ProTrader plan, you have a 10% maximum drawdown that stays put.
How long it takes
Time is a factor that often pressures new traders into making mistakes.
- E8 Markets has no maximum trading days. You can take months or years to reach your goal. They also have no minimum trading days, so you could technically pass in one day.
- Fintokei offers a similar "no limit" approach on their ProTrader accounts. However, their StartTrader plan has a 180-day limit, and SwiftTrader has a 60-day limit. They require at least 3 days of trading to pass.
Both firms offer a free trial. This is a demo account with no cost where you can practice the rules before spending real money. It is highly recommended for your first time.
Where beginners fail
Beginners often fail because of consistency rules. These rules prevent you from "gambling" by making all your target profit in a single lucky trade.
E8 Markets requires that no single day accounts for more than 40% of your total profit in the "One" plan (35% in Signature). If you have one huge day, you will have to keep trading until that day represents a smaller portion of your total gain.
Fintokei has a similar 40% rule but only on their StartTrader account. On other accounts, they monitor your behavior and might apply restrictions if they see "gambling" patterns, but they are less rigid with automated disqualifications for this specific reason.
Another trap is the "hard breach." If you touch the daily loss limit (daily drawdown), your account is usually closed instantly. E8 Markets Signature is unique because it offers a "soft breach": if you hit the limit, the account is just paused until the next day, giving you a second chance.
What happens if you make it
If you pass, you start receiving payouts, which are your shares of the profits.
E8 Markets is very fast. Their Pro plan allows for daily payouts. Most of their plans offer an 80% profit split, which can be upgraded to 100% at checkout. They do not charge fees for withdrawing your money.
Fintokei pays every 14 days. Their profit split ranges from 80% to 90%. A disadvantage for beginners is that they charge fees for crypto withdrawals (up to 2.5% plus a fixed fee), whereas bank transfers are usually better.
Both firms use modern platforms. E8 Markets offers MatchTrader and cTrader, while Fintokei stands out by offering TradingView, which is the most popular and intuitive tool for beginners to analyze charts.
If it is your first time
If you are looking for the simplest path, Fintokei is a better choice for a first attempt. Their static drawdown is much easier to understand and manage than the trailing or dynamic versions at E8 Markets. Additionally, being able to trade directly on TradingView makes the learning curve much smoother.
E8 Markets is excellent if you already have a strategy and want to get paid as quickly as possible (even daily), but their moving loss limits require more advanced trade management that might frustrate a newcomer.
Frequently asked questions
Which firm is cheaper to start an evaluation, E8 Markets or Fintokei?
Fintokei is slightly cheaper for the smallest accounts. Their $5,000 SwiftTrader account costs $44, while the equivalent $5,000 "One" account at E8 Markets costs $48. Both are very competitive prices for the industry entry level.
Does E8 Markets or Fintokei have a better drawdown rule for beginners?
Fintokei is better because it uses a static drawdown, meaning your loss limit stays fixed at the initial calculation. E8 Markets uses dynamic or trailing drawdowns in most plans, which move up as you earn profit, making it harder to manage your risk as the account grows.
Which firm allows you to withdraw your earnings faster, E8 Markets or Fintokei?
E8 Markets is faster. In their "Pro" plan, you can request payouts daily. In their other plans, payouts are on demand. Fintokei, on the other hand, has a fixed payout frequency of 14 days, meaning you must wait two weeks between each withdrawal.
Which firm is better for using TradingView, E8 Markets or Fintokei?
Fintokei is the clear winner here as they offer TradingView as a native platform to execute trades. E8 Markets focuses on platforms like MatchTrader, cTrader, and MetaTrader 5. For a beginner already used to analyzing charts on TradingView, Fintokei provides a much more integrated experience.
