Day one
The experience begins with the barrier to entry: price and platform accessibility. FTMO prices its challenges in EUR, with a $100,000 2-step challenge costing €540 (often discounted to €439). SFX Funded operates in USD, offering a $100,000 1-Step Pro account for $699 or a $120,000 Ascend (2-step) account for $499.
FTMO leads significantly in technical infrastructure, offering MetaTrader 4, MetaTrader 5, cTrader, DXTrade, and TradingView. SFX Funded is more limited, providing only MatchTrader and MetaTrader 5.
Regarding rules from the first trade:
- FTMO: Profit targets are 10% for Phase 1 and 5% for Phase 2 (2-step). There are no time limits.
- SFX Funded: Offers multiple paths. The "Rapid" challenge has a low 3% profit target, while the "1-Step Pro" requires 9%. They also offer "Instant Funding," allowing you to skip the evaluation entirely for a higher upfront fee.
The first months
Once funded, the focus shifts to maintaining the account and receiving the first rewards.
The risk management models differ fundamentally:
- Risk Rules: FTMO uses a static maximum drawdown (10% on 2-step accounts), which is generally more trader-friendly as it doesn't move up with profits. SFX Funded uses a trailing drawdown for most programs (4% to 6%), which follows your highest balance, though their "Ascend" program offers an 8% static drawdown.
- Consistency: SFX Funded implements the "SFX Stability Index" (SSI), a consistency rule that limits how much a single trade or day can contribute to your payout (ranging from 15% to 25% depending on the plan). FTMO has no consistency rules for its 2-step accounts, though its 1-step account has a 50% "Best Day" rule.
- Payouts: FTMO pays every 14 days. SFX Funded offers "Early Payouts" after just 3 days but at a reduced 40% profit split; otherwise, you must meet the minimum trading days (7 to 10 days) and SSI requirements for a standard 85% split.
The first year
For a trader staying profitable for a year, the scaling plan and account management become the most important factors.
FTMO Scaling Plan:
- Requirements: 4-month cycles with at least 10% total net profit and 2 processed rewards.
- Benefit: Balance increases by 25% every 4 months.
- Profit Split: Increases to 90% once scaling begins.
- Max Allocation: Up to $2,000,000.
- Account Merging: Allowed for funded accounts.
SFX Funded Scaling Plan:
- Requirements: Reviewed every 3 months. Requires profitability in 2 of the 3 months and at least 10% cumulative profit.
- Benefit: Balance increases by 25% of the initial amount.
- Profit Split: Can reach up to 100%.
- Max Allocation: Up to $3,200,000.
- Account Merging: Allowed up to a combined capital of $500,000 (excluding Instant accounts).
The ceiling
The ultimate "ceiling" for a trader differs in nature between these two firms. SFX Funded offers a higher raw capital cap of $3.2 million and the theoretical possibility of a 100% profit split. However, it is a much younger firm (founded in 2024) with a blocked Trustpilot profile, which presents a different risk profile for large capital management.
FTMO offers a $2 million cap but adds a unique professional bridge: the "Quantlane" program. Traders who reach the "Supreme Level" can be evaluated for a traditional prop trading job at Quantlane in Prague, including a 2-year contract, a fixed salary, and institutional trading conditions. FTMO also provides a "Prime Status" for consistent traders, offering a dedicated support agent and a $400,000 challenge product.
Room to grow
FTMO is designed for the professional career trader who values platform variety and static drawdown. Its path leads toward institutional trading. SFX Funded is designed for the aggressive trader who wants to scale capital quickly to a higher limit or skip evaluations via instant funding, provided they can navigate trailing drawdowns and consistency indexes.
Frequently asked questions
Which firm is cheaper to start a $100,000 account, FTMO or SFX Funded?
SFX Funded is generally cheaper for 2-step evaluations, offering a $120,000 account for $499 USD. FTMO’s $100,000 2-step challenge costs €540 (approx. $585 USD), although frequent discounts can bring it down to €439 (approx. $475 USD). However, SFX Funded charges $699 USD for its 1-step evaluation, while FTMO offers its 1-step $100,000 challenge for €499 (approx. $540 USD).
Does FTMO or SFX Funded have more restrictive drawdown rules?
SFX Funded is more restrictive for most traders because it uses a trailing drawdown (4% to 6%) on its Rapid, 1-Step Pro, and Instant accounts, which "locks in" profits and reduces your room for error as the account grows. FTMO uses a static drawdown (10% on 2-step, 10% on 1-step), which is calculated based on the initial balance and does not move upward, providing more flexibility for swing trading or large drawdowns after profits.
Can I hold trades over the weekend on both FTMO and SFX Funded?
Yes, but with different conditions. SFX Funded allows weekend holding across its programs without specific restrictions. FTMO allows weekend holding on all "Swing" account types without restrictions, but if you trade on a "Standard" account, you are required to close all positions before the market closes on Friday or before market breaks longer than two hours.
Which firm offers a higher maximum capital limit, FTMO or SFX Funded?
SFX Funded offers a higher total ceiling of $3,200,000 through its scaling program. FTMO caps its scaling at $2,000,000. Additionally, SFX Funded allows for a profit split of up to 100% as you scale, whereas FTMO caps its profit split at 90% once the trader enters the scaling program.
