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Comparison · Futures

FTMO Futures vs Funded Futures Family at a glance

Updated on

FTMO Futures View profile No discount right now

The short answer

FTMO Futures is the choice for algorithmic traders and those seeking a simple, end-of-day drawdown structure. Funded Futures Family (FFF) is designed for manual traders who want instant funding (S2F) or the ability to hold positions overnight.

Where they actually differ

  • Styles (EAs & Duration): FTMO allows EAs and algorithmic trading. FFF strictly prohibits bots/EAs and mandates that at least 50% of profits must come from trades held longer than 20 seconds (no micro-scalping).
  • Price & Access: FTMO only offers evaluation accounts. FFF provides "Straight To Funded" (S2F) plans that bypass the evaluation phase for a higher upfront fee.
  • Risk (Drawdown type): FTMO uses an EOD trailing drawdown that locks at the initial balance. FFF offers a complex variety of drawdowns depending on the plan: EOD, Intraday, and End-of-Position (EoP) in their Professional Stage.
  • Risk (Overnight): FFF allows holding positions overnight (closing daily at 4:15 PM EST). FTMO requires all positions to be closed before the market session ends.
  • Payouts (Caps & Minimums): FTMO has a very low minimum withdrawal of $20 and allows on-demand payouts, but strictly caps the maximum amount per payout ($2,500 to $8,000 depending on plan). FFF has higher minimums ($250-$500) and specific payout windows (every 3 to 7 days).
  • Platforms: Both offer NinjaTrader, Tradovate, and TradingView, but FFF adds WealthCharts to their roster.

Where they are basically the same

  • Price: Evaluation fees for standard 50K accounts are competitive in both firms (around $119-$125).
  • Risk Rules: Both prohibit weekend holding and enforce a 2% CME price limit rule.
  • Payouts: Both offer a 90% profit split on simulated funded accounts.
  • Platforms: Both rely primarily on the Tradovate/NinjaTrader ecosystem.
  • Styles: Both allow news trading.

Pick this one if

FTMO Futures

  • You use EAs or automated trading strategies.
  • You want to withdraw small amounts frequently (min $20).
  • You prefer a simple EOD drawdown that stops trailing at the starting balance.

Funded Futures Family

  • You want to skip the evaluation and go "Straight To Funded".
  • You need to hold positions past the daily market close (overnight).
  • You are a manual trader who targets large payouts without the strict dollar caps found in FTMO.

Frequently asked questions

Which firm is better for automated trading, FTMO Futures or FFF?

FTMO Futures is the only choice for automation as they explicitly allow EAs and algorithmic trading. Funded Futures Family prohibits all bots and algorithmic strategies, and further restricts fast manual trading with their 20-second minimum trade duration rule.

Does FTMO Futures or Funded Futures Family offer a cheaper path to a 50K account?

For a standard evaluation, they are nearly identical: FTMO Growth 50K costs $119, while FFF Velocity 50K is $125. However, FFF offers a "Straight To Funded" (S2F) 50K account for $469, which is more expensive but allows you to skip the evaluation phase entirely, a feature FTMO does not provide.

Who has the more restrictive withdrawal policy, FTMO Futures or FFF?

It depends on your goal. FTMO is more restrictive on the maximum amount (capping a 50K Pro account at $5,000 per payout), but has a very accessible $20 minimum. FFF has higher minimums ($250-$500) and requires a specific "buffer" to be maintained in the account, but their Professional Stage eventually allows uncapped withdrawals.

Can I hold positions overnight on FTMO Futures or Funded Futures Family?

You can only hold overnight on Funded Futures Family, provided you close before 4:15 PM EST and reopen at 6:00 PM EST. FTMO Futures strictly prohibits holding any positions or resting orders after the market close. Neither firm allows holding positions over the weekend.

Field by field

FTMO Futures and Funded Futures Family, side by side

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

Head to head

43 differences

No active discount right now.

Headquarters

Praga 1, Calle Purkynova 2121/3, 110 00, Czech Republic

28780 Single Oak Dr, 325, Temecula, California 92590, US

CEO

Otakar Suffner

Manuel Meraz

Country

Czech Republic

United States

Foundation

2015

2024

Banned Countries
Afghanistan, Albania, Angola, Anguilla, Antarctica, Antigua and Barbuda, Australia, Barbados, Belarus, Belize, Bhutan, Bouvet Island, Burkina Faso, Burundi, Cape Verde, Central African Republic, Chad, China, Christmas Island, Cocos (Keeling) Islands, Comoros, Congo (Republic), Cook Islands, Côte d’Ivoire, Cuba, Djibouti, Dominica, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Eswatini, Falkland Islands, Fiji, Gabon, Gambia, Ghana, Grenada, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Guyana, Heard and McDonald Islands, Holy See (Vatican City State), Indonesia, Iran, Iraq, Jordan, Kazakhstan, Kenya, Kiribati, Kosovo, Kyrgyzstan, Laos, Lesotho, Liberia, Libya, Malawi, Mali, Marshall Islands, Mauritania, Mayotte, Micronesia, Monaco, Montserrat, Myanmar, Namibia, Nauru, Niger, Niue, North Korea, Papua New Guinea, Russian Federation, Rwanda, Saint Barthélemy, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Samoa, San Marino, Sao Tome and Principe, Seychelles, Sierra Leone, Solomon Islands, Somalia, South Georgia and South Sandwich Islands, South Sudan, Sri Lanka, Sudan, Suriname, Svalbard and Jan Mayen, Syria, Tajikistan, Timor-Leste, Togo, Tokelau, Tonga, Tunisia, Turkmenistan, Tuvalu, Ukraine, Uzbekistan, Vanuatu, Venezuela, Vietnam, Western Sahara, Yemen, United States — Arkansas, United States — Delaware, United States — Louisiana, United States — Montana, United States — South Carolina
Afghanistan, Central African Republic, Congo (Brazzaville), Cuba, Democratic People's Republic of Korea (North Korea), Democratic Republic of the Congo, Guinea, Guam, Haiti, Iran, Iraq, Libya, Mali, Puerto Rico, Russian Federation, Somalia, South Sudan, Sudan, Syria, Ukraine, United States Virgin Islands, Venezuela, Yemen, Ethiopia, Mauritius, Mongolia, Montenegro, Papua New Guinea, Sri Lanka, Trinidad and Tobago, Tunisia, Uganda, Vietnam, Zimbabwe
Assets
Commodities, Indices, Crypto, Forex
Indices, Commodities
Brokers
Tradovate
Tradovate, Rithmic, NinjaTrader
Platforms
NinjaTrader, Tradovate, Tradingview
Tradovate, NinjaTrader, Tradingview, WealthCharts
Payout Methods
Wise, Revolut, Visa Direct, Mastercard Send
Transfer, Crypto, Rise
Live Account
Limited

A small group of consistently profitable traders may be invited to a Live Funded Account at FTMO's discretion. It cannot be requested and additional country restrictions apply.

Yes

Professional Stage accounts use real capital. Pro environment runs on Tradovate; Live Market Execution environment runs on Rithmic.

Payment Methods
Card, ApplePay, GooglePay, PayPal, Revolut, Skrill, Crypto, Transfer
Card, Crypto, PayPal
Payout Frequency

On demand once the qualifying-day requirements for the current payout cycle are met.

Simulated Funded Accounts

  • Prime: Every 3 trading days
  • Classic: Every 7 trading days
  • Premier / Elite: Every 5 trading days
  • Velocity Standard: Every 3 trading days
  • Velocity Daily Payout Add-On: Daily (1x per day)
  • Straight To Funded (S2F): Every 7 trading days
  • S2F Accelerate: Eligible for payout after 5 trading days
  • Base Plan: Daily (1x per trading day)

Professional Stage Accounts

  • Daily withdrawal requests permitted.

Lab Plans

  • Lab Sniper 25K: daily payouts once eligible.
  • Lab Accelerate 25K: 5 qualifying days per payout.
  • Lab Payday 50K: 7 qualifying days per payout.
Maximum Withdrawal

Growth — per payout

  • $50K: up to 50% of available profit, capped at $2,500
  • $100K: up to 50% of available profit, capped at $3,000
  • $150K: up to 50% of available profit, capped at $4,000

Pro — per payout

  • $50K: up to 100% of available profit, capped at $5,000
  • $100K: up to 100% of available profit, capped at $6,000
  • $150K: up to 100% of available profit, capped at $8,000

Simulated Funded Accounts: Max Payout Per Request

  • Prime: Payout 1 ($1,000-$3,500), Payout 2+ ($1,500-$4,000)
  • Classic: Payout 1 ($1,750-$3,000), Payout 2+ ($2,000-$6,000)
  • Premier / Elite: Payout 1 ($1,750-$3,000), Payout 2+ ($2,000-$6,500)
  • Velocity Standard: $750-$3,250 per request
  • Velocity Daily Payout Add-On: $600-$2,500 per request
  • S2F: Payout 1 ($1,000-$3,000), Payout 2+ ($1,000-$3,500)
  • S2F Accelerate $50K: Payout 1 ($1,250), Payout 2 ($1,250), Payout 3+ ($1,500)
  • Base Plan: $1,000 per request

Professional Stage Accounts

  • No maximum withdrawal amount, limited only by available profits above the required buffer.

Lab Plans

  • Sniper 25K: payouts 1-2 up to $500 each; payout 3 onward up to $1,000 each.
  • Accelerate 25K: up to $500 per payout.
  • Payday 50K: payouts 1-2 up to $1,000 each; payout 3 onward up to $1,250 each.
Minimum Withdrawal

$20

  • Base Plan: $500.
  • Other plans: $250.
Other Payout Requirements

At least 50% of every requested payout must come from new profit generated during the current payout cycle. US clients must submit Form W-9 and proof of ownership of an eligible US bank account before their first payout.

Base Plan

  • No qualifying trading days required
  • Keep at least $4,000 after withdrawal
  • Earn at least $1 in new net profit between payouts

Lab Plans

  • Sniper 25K: $2,500 profit required between payouts.
  • Payday 50K: $3,000 profit required between payouts.
Commission
No data

Commission depends on the trading platform used

  • NinjaTrader: standard NinjaTrader/CME exchange and clearing fees apply. Check NinjaTrader's commission schedule for exact rates per contract.
  • Tradovate: standard Tradovate platform and exchange fees apply. See Tradovate's pricing page for per-contract rates.
  • TradingView (via Tradovate): fees are determined by the connected broker (Tradovate). Refer to Tradovate for exact rates.
  • WealthCharts: standard exchange and clearing fees apply. Verify with WealthCharts for specific per-contract pricing.
Account Reset

Evaluation accounts can be reset to their original conditions without changing the monthly billing date. There is no limit on purchased resets.

Evaluation Accounts

  • Unlimited resets at discounted fees. Fees vary by plan and account size.

Simulated Funded Accounts

  • Maximum of 3 resets per funded account.
    Lab Straight to Funded accounts cannot be reset.
Add-ons
No
Yes

Daily Payout Add-On available for Velocity Plan: enables daily payout requests (1x per day) with no consistency rule and no minimum trading day requirement.
Velocity EOD Drawdown Add-On: evaluation only. Fees: 25K $30; 50K $50; 100K $80; 150K $110. Funded drawdown remains intraday.

Instant
No
Yes
One Step
Yes
Yes
Account scaling
No
Yes

Scaling plan applies to Simulated Funded and Professional Stage accounts. In Sim Funded, position size increases with realized profit (end-of-day). In Professional Stage, scaling is decided case-by-case by the Live Desk based on EOD realized results.
Lab Sniper 25K and Accelerate 25K have fixed position limits and no scaling plan. Lab Payday 50K has a scaling plan.

Max Drawdown

End-of-day trailing drawdown based on the highest closing balance. It can only move upward and locks permanently once it reaches the initial account balance.

Evaluation Phase

  • Prime / Classic / Premier EOD: End-of-Day trailing drawdown based on realized gains.
  • Elite / Premier Intraday: Intraday trailing drawdown based on unrealized gains.
  • S2F Standard: End-of-Day drawdown.
  • S2F Accelerate: Intraday trailing drawdown with no ceiling.
  • Velocity: Intraday trailing drawdown; optional EOD drawdown during evaluation.
  • Base Plan: $2,000 End-of-Day trailing drawdown based on the highest End-of-Day balance.

Simulated Funded Phase

  • Velocity: Intraday trailing drawdown, including accounts with the evaluation EOD Add-On.
  • End-of-Day drawdown on all plans except Velocity, S2F Accelerate and Base Plan. Except for Lab Sniper 25K, once an End-of-Day account reaches the buffer zone (e.g., $52,000 for $50K account), the drawdown becomes static at the initial balance.
  • S2F Accelerate: Intraday trailing drawdown with no ceiling.
  • Base Plan: $2,000 intraday trailing drawdown that locks once the account reaches $2,000 in profit.

Professional Stage

  • End-of-Position (EoP) drawdown: adjusts only when a position is closed in profit. Drawdown locks at a static threshold once fully recovered (e.g., $50,100 for $50K account).

Lab Plans, Straight to Funded

  • Sniper 25K: EOD trailing drawdown that never locks.
  • Accelerate 25K: intraday trailing drawdown that never locks.
  • Payday 50K: EOD trailing drawdown locks at the initial balance once the EOD balance reaches the initial balance plus the maximum drawdown.
Profit Split

90%

Simulated Funded Accounts

  • 90% trader / 10% firm

Professional Stage Accounts

  • 80% trader / 20% firm
Free Trial
No
No
Daily Drawdown
  • Growth Evaluation: none
  • Growth Sim-Funded: soft limit of $1,000 / $2,000 / $3,000 on 50K / 100K / 150K; positions close and trading pauses until the next day
  • Pro Evaluation and Sim-Funded: hard limit of $1,000 / $1,500 / $2,000 on 50K / 100K / 150K; breach terminates the account

Evaluation & Simulated Funded Accounts

  • Except for Lab Payday 50K, no explicit daily loss limit (DLL) during evaluation or simulated funded phase. However, the 2% CME price limit rule applies.

Professional Stage Accounts

  • Daily Loss Limit (DLL) applies and is tied to the current scaling tier.

Lab Plans

  • Sniper 25K and Accelerate 25K: no daily loss limit.
  • Payday 50K: a daily loss limit applies; exceeding it is a hard breach. The amount is shown in the challenge catalogue.
Max Allocation
450,000

Up to 4 Simm Funded Accounts

Mandatory buffer
Limited

Growth allows withdrawing up to 50% of available profit per cycle, leaving the remainder in the account. Pro allows up to 100%, subject to its payout cap.

Limited

Classic / Premier / Elite / S2F Standard / Velocity: Buffer Required

  • A buffer must be maintained at all times. The account balance cannot drop below the buffer level after withdrawal. The buffer equals the drawdown level + $100.

Base Plan

  • Keep at least $4,000 in the account after every payout.

Premier Plus (accounts purchased after 4/7/26)

  • No buffer requirement. Net profit rule applies: account must have at least $1 more than the balance requested previously.

Lab Accelerate 25K

  • $1,100 payout buffer; only profits above this buffer can be requested.
Maximum Accounts

Unlimited concurrent Evaluations. Maximum 3 concurrent Sim-Funded Accounts across Growth and Pro.

No data
Merge Accounts
No
No
Maximum Trading Days

Unlimited while the monthly subscription remains active.

No time limit. Traders can take as long as needed to meet the profit target.

Minimum Trading Days

No fixed minimum. The Evaluation must satisfy its consistency rule, which can require multiple trading days.

  • Classic Evaluation: Minimum 2 trading days to pass.
  • Prime: Minimum 1 trading day to pass. Standard and Max differ only in position limits and price.
  • Premier: Choose a 1-Day Pass or 2-Day Pass at checkout. The selected minimum applies to the evaluation.
  • Elite: Minimum 1 trading day to pass.
  • Velocity: Minimum 3 trading days to pass; no minimum with the Daily Payout Add-On.
  • Funded payouts: 7 qualifying trading days ($200+ profit) for Classic / Premier / Elite / S2F Standard. 3 qualifying days for Prime. 5 qualifying days for Premier Plus accounts purchased after April 7, 2026.
  • Lab Sniper 25K, Accelerate 25K and Payday 50K bypass evaluation. Their funded payout day requirements are listed under minimum profitable days.
Funded Phase Pricing Model

No activation fee and no recurring charge on Sim-Funded or Live Funded Accounts.

No subscription fee on funded accounts. No activation fee on Prime, Premier, and Velocity. Classic and Base Plan have an activation fee.
Lab Sniper 25K, Accelerate 25K and Payday 50K use a one-time purchase fee with no activation or recurring funded fee.

Minimum Profitable Days

Growth payout eligibility

  • $50K: 4 days with at least $150 closed profit per day
  • $100K: 4 days with at least $250 closed profit per day
  • $150K: 4 days with at least $300 closed profit per day

Pro payout eligibility

  • $50K: 5 days with at least $200 closed profit per day
  • $100K: 5 days with at least $300 closed profit per day
  • $150K: 5 days with at least $500 closed profit per day

Payout Requirements (Simulated Funded)

  • Except for plans without a qualifying-day requirement, each payout cycle requires a minimum number of qualifying trading days with at least $200 realized profit per day.
  • Classic / Premier / Elite / S2F Standard: 7 qualifying days per payout.
  • Prime: 3 qualifying days per payout.
  • Premier Plus (after 4/7/26): 5 qualifying days per payout.
  • Velocity: 3 qualifying days per payout, each with at least $200 profit; no qualifying-day minimum with the Daily Payout Add-On.
  • S2F Accelerate 50K: 5 qualifying days per payout, each with at least $200 profit.

Professional Stage

  • A Qualified Trading Day is defined as a day with at least $200 in realized profit, used to determine withdrawal stage eligibility.

Lab Plans

  • Sniper 25K: no qualifying-day minimum; payout profit requirements still apply.
  • Accelerate 25K: 5 qualifying days per payout, each with at least $200 profit.
  • Payday 50K: 7 qualifying days per payout, each with at least $200 profit.
Position size scaling
Yes

Sim-Funded Accounts start with 2, 4 or 6 mini contracts on the 50K, 100K and 150K sizes. The limit scales with end-of-day profit up to 5, 10 or 15 minis respectively. Ten micros count as one mini.

Yes

Scaling applies to Simulated Funded and S2F Standard accounts based on end-of-day realized profit. Position size increases progressively as profit thresholds are met. S2F Accelerate does not use a scaling plan.

Premier Plus Simulated Funded

  • Accounts purchased before September 9, 2026 use the legacy scaling plan, with maximums of 3 minis / 30 micros on 25K, 5 / 50 on 50K, 10 / 100 on 100K and 15 / 150 on 150K.
  • Accounts purchased from September 9, 2026 have fixed maximums of 2 minis / 20 micros on 25K, 4 / 40 on 50K, 6 / 60 on 100K and 10 / 100 on 150K.

Base Plan Simulated Funded

  • Position size changes with the account balance after trades are closed. $1,000 allows 1 mini / 10 micros, $2,000 allows 2 / 20 and $4,000 allows 4 / 40, up to 15 minis / 150 micros.

Lab Plans

  • Sniper 25K and Accelerate 25K: no position size scaling.
  • Payday 50K: position size scaling applies.
Evaluation Phase Pricing Model

Monthly subscription. Market data is included and there is no activation fee. After a hard breach, the trader can buy a reset or wait for the next renewal to receive a fresh Evaluation.

Monthly subscription for Prime, Premier (Intraday and EOD), Velocity, and Classic. Base Plan uses a one-time evaluation fee. Straight To Funded (S2F) uses a one-time fee and bypasses evaluation.

Expert Advisor (EA)
Yes

Algorithmic trading and EAs are allowed, but manipulative automation, high-frequency strategies and latency arbitrage are prohibited. Third-party EAs can cause duplicated-strategy issues.

No
VPN
Yes

VPN and VPS use is allowed if the trader remains the sole controller of the account and does not reside in a restricted country.

Yes

VPNs and VPSs are allowed for trading activities on the trading platform. They must not be used to access or log in to the FFF account dashboard. Use is at the trader's own discretion and risk.

Hedging
Limited

Opposing positions may be used within one account. Hedging or offsetting directional risk across different accounts, providers or people is prohibited.

No
Requires Stop Loss
No
No
Scalping
Yes

Scalping is allowed when it reflects legitimate market trading. High-frequency and latency-arbitrage strategies are prohibited.

Yes
Maximum Risk Limit
Limited

No fixed percentage is published, but overleveraging, one-sided bets and materially inconsistent position sizing can lead to account action or termination.

No
Copy Trading
Limited

Copying between accounts owned by the same trader is allowed. Copying signals or decisions from another trader or third party is prohibited.

No
News Trading
Yes
Yes
Inactivity Rule

Sim-Funded Accounts receive a warning after 30 consecutive inactive days and close after a further 30 inactive days. Live Funded Accounts have no inactivity rule.

At least 1 trade per week (Monday-Friday) lasting minimum 10 seconds is required per account. Accounts idle for 2 consecutive weeks are marked inactive and automatically closed without restoration.

Consistency Rule
Limited
  • Growth Evaluation: the best day cannot exceed 40% of total profit
  • Pro Evaluation: the best day cannot exceed 50% of total profit
  • Sim-Funded: no consistency rule
Limited

Classic Evaluation

  • 50% consistency rule applies: no more than 50% of the total profit target can be achieved in a single day.

Base Plan

  • Evaluation: 40% consistency rule.
  • Simulated Funded: no consistency rule.

Simulated Funded Accounts (Classic / Premier / Elite / S2F / Velocity: before 4/7/26)

  • Payouts 1-3: 40% maximum per trading day
  • Payouts 4-5: 45% maximum per trading day
  • Payouts 6+: 50% maximum per trading day

S2F

  • Standard: 25% daily consistency applies.
  • Accelerate 50K: 25% lifetime consistency applies.

Prime Simulated Funded

  • 40% consistency per payout cycle; resets after a payout.

Premier Plus Simulated Funded

  • Accounts purchased before September 9, 2026: no consistency rule.
  • Accounts purchased from September 9, 2026: 40% consistency rule.
  • Promotional giveaway accounts: 40% consistency rule.

Professional Stage

  • No consistency rule.

Lab Plans

  • Sniper 25K: no consistency rule.
  • Accelerate 25K: 25% consistency requirement.
  • Payday 50K: 40% consistency requirement.

Velocity

  • Evaluation and Simulated Funded: 40% lifetime consistency. No consistency rule with the Daily Payout Add-On.

Premier+ Evaluation

  • No consistency rule on FastPass or Standard evaluations.
Hold Weekend
No
No
Prohibited Strategies

Exploiting platform or data-feed errors; relying on drawdown protection as the sole exit; offsetting risk across accounts; copying third-party trades; manipulative automation, HFT or latency arbitrage; opening positions within 2% of a CME price limit; holding positions or resting orders after market close; overleveraging, account rolling, spoofing, layering, wash trading or other behaviour that cannot be replicated in a live futures market.

  • Bots / algorithmic trading
  • Hedging
  • Trading within 2% of CME price limits
  • Straddles / strangles exploiting news volatility
  • Excessive Dollar Cost Averaging (DCA) into losing positions
  • Micro-scalping: over 50% of trades and over 50% of profits must come from positions held longer than 20 seconds
  • Unauthorized group trading / signal services
Overnight positions
No
Yes

Overnight trading is allowed. All positions must be closed by 4:15 PM EST daily (automatic close if not closed manually). Trading resumes at 6:00 PM EST. Weekend trading is not permitted; all positions must be closed before Friday 4:15 PM EST.

Stacking / Layering (DCA)
No data
No
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