What you are signing up for
In the world of prop trading, an evaluation is an audition where you pay a fee to prove you can manage risk. If you reach the profit target—a specific amount of money you must earn without breaking rules—the firm gives you access to a simulated or live account where you keep most of the gains.
- FTMO Futures uses a monthly subscription model. For a $50,000 account (Growth plan), you pay $119 every month until you pass or cancel.
- forTraders Futures uses a one-time fee for its evaluations. A $25,000 account (Fast plan) costs $139, while a $50,000 account costs $199.
Neither firm offers a free trial, so your first payment is real.
How hard each one is
The biggest hurdle for a beginner is the drawdown, which is the maximum loss allowed before your account is closed.
- FTMO Futures uses an "End-of-day trailing drawdown." This means your loss limit only moves up at the end of the trading day based on your highest closing balance. It stops moving once it reaches your starting balance.
- forTraders Futures also uses trailing drawdown, but the rules vary. In the Fast Pro plan, it is also end-of-day. In the Instant plan, it is a fixed 5% of your equity.
FTMO Pro accounts have a "hard daily loss limit." If you lose $1,000 in one day on a 50K account, the account is terminated instantly. In the Growth plan, this is a "soft limit," meaning they just close your trades and pause you until the next day.
How long it takes
Both firms have removed the maximum time limit, so you can trade as slowly as you need as long as you pay the fee (in FTMO's case).
- FTMO has no fixed minimum trading days. However, you must satisfy a consistency rule, which usually requires trading over several days.
- forTraders requires 5 profitable days for its Fast model and 7 profitable days for its Instant model before you can move forward.
Where beginners fail
Most beginners fail because of the consistency rule. This rule ensures your success isn't just one lucky trade.
- In FTMO, your best trading day cannot represent more than 40% (Growth) or 50% (Pro) of your total profit.
- In forTraders, the limit is also 40% for Fast accounts. If you make too much in one day, you have to keep trading to earn more profit and balance the percentages.
Another trap is the schedule. FTMO does not allow holding positions over the weekend or overnight. All trades must be closed before the market shuts. forTraders is more flexible and allows you to hold positions during the weekend.
What happens if you make it
Once you pass, you receive a "funded" account.
- Profit Split: This is your share of the earnings. FTMO gives you 90%, while forTraders gives you 80%.
- Platforms: FTMO offers industry standards like NinjaTrader, Tradovate, and TradingView. forTraders uses its own proprietary platform, For Traders X.
- Withdrawals: FTMO allows withdrawals on demand once you meet the minimum profitable day requirements. forTraders offers a 48-hour payout guarantee; if they are late, they increase your profit split to 100% for that payout.
If it is your first time
If you are a complete beginner, FTMO Futures is the safer recommendation. Although it requires a monthly subscription, its "Growth" plan has soft daily limits that don't kill your account for a single day's mistake. Additionally, being able to use TradingView or NinjaTrader provides a much more professional learning environment than a proprietary platform.
However, if you cannot trade during the day and need to leave trades open overnight or through the weekend, forTraders is your only real option between these two.
Frequently asked questions
Which firm is cheaper to start a $50,000 evaluation, FTMO or forTraders?
FTMO Futures is cheaper initially, costing $119 for a 50K Growth account, but this is a monthly subscription. forTraders Futures charges a one-time fee of $199 for its 50K Fast account. If you pass in less than a month, FTMO is cheaper; if you take three months, forTraders becomes more economical.
Does FTMO or forTraders offer a higher profit share for the trader?
FTMO Futures offers a higher profit split, allowing traders to keep 90% of the profits they generate. forTraders Futures offers an 80% profit split across all its futures products, although this can increase through their loyalty program or if they fail their 48-hour payout guarantee.
Which firm has stricter consistency rules for beginners, FTMO or forTraders?
For evaluation accounts, they are similar: both FTMO (Growth) and forTraders (Fast) require that your best day is less than 40% of your total profit. However, forTraders is much stricter in its "Instant" model, where the best day cannot exceed 15% of the total profit, making it harder to stay compliant.
Can I use TradingView to trade with both FTMO and forTraders?
No, you can only use TradingView with FTMO Futures through their integration with Tradovate. forTraders Futures requires you to use their proprietary platform called For Traders X, which does not currently support external connections to TradingView or NinjaTrader.
