/
Login
Breaking
All news
Comparison · Forex

Trading styles allowed at Funded Trading Plus and Orion Funded

Funded Trading Plus offers a wide variety of entry points, from $4 activation challenges to $4,499 instant funding accounts, focusing on a weekly or bi-weekly payout frequency. Orion Funded provides a structured approach with 1, 2, and 3-step evaluations starting from $7, emphasizing a 48-hour payout guarantee and bi-weekly withdrawals. Both firms utilize trailing or static drawdown mechanisms depending on the selected plan, with Funded Trading Plus offering a broader range of platforms including cTrader and DXTrade.

Updated on

Scalping

Scalping is a viable strategy in both firms, though they approach it with different technical conditions.

  • Funded Trading Plus: Allows scalping without specific time restrictions on trades. Traders benefit from platforms like cTrader and DXTrade, which are highly optimized for fast execution. Leverage is set at 1:30 for most accounts and 1:50 for the 2-Step Classic. Commissions are fixed at $7 per lot for Forex and Metals.
  • Orion Funded: Manual scalping is permitted, but the firm strictly prohibits "tick scalping" and High-Frequency Trading (HFT) designed to exploit demo environments. It offers a more competitive commission of $4 per lot and higher leverage (up to 1:100 on Forex), which may appeal to volume-heavy scalpers.

Swing Trading

For traders who hold positions for days or weeks, the rules regarding weekend holding and inactivity are crucial.

  • Funded Trading Plus: Holding positions over the weekend is allowed on 1-Step Express, 2-Step Classic, and Activation accounts. However, it is strictly forbidden on the Instant program, where trades are closed automatically on Fridays at 4:30 PM EST. There is a 30-day inactivity rule requiring at least one trade to keep the account active.
  • Orion Funded: Weekend holding is generally allowed across its programs. It even features a specific "Orion Swing" challenge designed for this style, which also removes news trading restrictions. Like its competitor, it has an inactivity rule, though the specific timeframe for account closure is subject to their current terms.

News Trading

The ability to trade during high-impact economic releases is one of the biggest differentiators between these two firms.

  • Funded Trading Plus: News trading is fully allowed across all programs (Express, Classic, Instant, and Activation). There are no timing restrictions or profit penalties for trading during volatile events.
  • Orion Funded: While allowed during the evaluation phases, it becomes restricted on most funded accounts (Nova, Standard, Select), prohibiting execution 2 minutes before and after high-impact news. Only the Swing challenge is free of these restrictions, while the Zero (Instant) account applies a 50% profit split penalty to trades executed within a 5-minute window of the news.

Automated Trading (EAs)

Both firms allow the use of algorithms, but with different oversight.

  • Funded Trading Plus: EAs, Algos, and Bots are permitted. The firm may request a review of the EA once the trader passes the evaluation. It is important to note that EAs cannot be used for copy trading or hedging across different accounts.
  • Orion Funded: EAs are allowed as long as the strategy is the trader's own. Arbitrage, HFT, and strategies exploiting price delays are prohibited. If the EA is a commercial one used by many traders, it might lead to a breach if the trades are identical to others.

Copy Trading and Hedging

These strategies are often restricted to prevent risk manipulation.

  • Funded Trading Plus: Copy trading is strictly prohibited. Hedging is allowed only within the same account (opening opposing positions on the same instrument). Hedging across multiple accounts is a hard breach.
  • Orion Funded: Copy trading is allowed only between your own Orion accounts. Copying from third-party signals or external services is forbidden. Similar to FTP, hedging is allowed within a single account but prohibited across multiple accounts.

If you trade like this

  • The News Trader: Funded Trading Plus is the clear choice as it has no restrictions across its entire product line, whereas Orion Funded limits most of its funded accounts.
  • The Platform Specialist: Funded Trading Plus offers more flexibility with MT5, DXTrade, MatchTrader, and cTrader, while Orion Funded is limited to MT5 and Match-Trader.
  • The High-Leverage Scalper: Orion Funded provides up to 1:100 leverage and lower commissions ($4 vs $7), making it more cost-effective for high-frequency manual traders.
  • The Multi-Account User: Orion Funded is better suited for this as it officially allows copy trading between your own accounts, a practice forbidden by Funded Trading Plus.

Frequently asked questions

Which firm is cheaper to start an evaluation, Funded Trading Plus or Orion Funded?

Funded Trading Plus is slightly cheaper to start, offering "Activation Accounts" for a $4 entry fee, although a larger activation fee is required after passing (e.g., $179 for a 25K account). Orion Funded starts its "Orion Nova" challenges at $7, with a subsequent activation fee (e.g., $209 for a 25K account).

Does Funded Trading Plus or Orion Funded offer better conditions for news trading?

Funded Trading Plus offers better conditions because it allows news trading without any restrictions across all its programs. In contrast, Orion Funded prohibits trading 2 minutes before and after news on its Standard, Nova, and Select funded accounts, or penalizes profits by 50% on its Zero accounts.

Which firm allows more trading platforms, Funded Trading Plus or Orion Funded?

Funded Trading Plus offers more variety with four platforms: MetaTrader 5, DXTrade, MatchTrader, and cTrader. Orion Funded only provides two options: MetaTrader 5 and Match-Trader.

What is the difference in payout frequency between Funded Trading Plus and Orion Funded?

Funded Trading Plus offers faster access to capital, with withdrawals every 7 to 10 days depending on the plan. Orion Funded requires a 14-day waiting period between payouts, although it provides a 48-hour processing guarantee to ensure timely payments.

Field by field

Funded Trading Plus and Orion Funded, side by side

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

Head to head

60 differences

Headquarters

London, United Kingdom

Building A1, Dubai Digital Park, Dubai Silicon Oasis, Dubai, United Arab Emirates

CEO

Simon Massey

David Viota

Country

United Kingdom

United Arab Emirates

Foundation

2021

2023

Banned Countries
Cuba, North Korea, Syria, Iran, Myanmar, Ukraine (Crimea, Donetsk, Luhansk, Kherson, Zaporizhzhya), Pakistan, Vietnam
United Arab Emirates, Bangladesh, North Korea, Syria, American Samoa, Grenada, Chad, Belize, Antigua and Barbuda, Indonesia, Cape Verde, Tuvalu, Bouvet Island, Burundi, Cook Islands, Eritrea, Vietnam, Comoros, Fiji, Iran, Afghanistan, Cuba, Sudan
Assets
Forex, Commodities, Indices, Crypto
Forex, Indices, Metals, Commodities, Stocks, Crypto
Brokers

Gooey Trade (technology provider)

OGM International LTD

Refund
Yes

Refund available within 14 days if no trades have been placed. Evaluation fee refund also available upon reaching 10% profit on the FT+ Trader simulated live account (not applicable to Master or Prestige programs).

Limited

The fee is refunded with the fourth payout. The statutory 14-day withdrawal right applies only before the first trade is opened.

Platforms
Metatrader 5, DXTrade, MatchTrader, cTrader
MetaTrader 5, Match-Trader
Demo Account
MatchTrader
IDdemo+FTP@fundedtradingplus.comPasswordFTPNewPW2023!F$
DXTrade
IDLogin: 502906PasswordFTPNewPW2023!F$
cTrader
IDdemo@fundedtradingplus.comPasswordFTPNewPW2023!F$
Metatrader 5
ID80512087PasswordOC$rWP7A#cServerOGMInternational
Payout Methods
Crypto, Transfer
Crypto, Wise
Payment Methods
Card, Crypto
Card, Bank Transfer
Payout Frequency
  • 1-Step Express: first withdrawal from day 1, then every 7 days. Minimum $50.
  • 2-Step Classic: first withdrawal 10 days after funded account creation, then every 10 days. Minimum 1% of initial balance.
  • Instant: first withdrawal from day 1, then every 7 days. Minimum $50.
  • Activation Accounts: every 10 trading days. Requires at least 3% simulated profit and 25% payout consistency. Minimum withdrawal $50.

Every 14 days, with no initial waiting period. There must be no open positions when requesting a payout.

Minimum Withdrawal
  • 1-Step Express / Instant: $50
  • 2-Step Classic: 1% of the initial balance
  • Activation Accounts: $50 after reaching the 3% payout-eligibility threshold

$100

Payout Guarantee
No data

48-hour guarantee: if Orion does not process the payout on time, it applies a 100% profit split and refunds the evaluation fee.

Crypto Weekend Trading
No data
Yes
Maximum Withdrawal
No data

No limit

Forex
  • 1-Step Express, Instant and Activation Accounts: 1:30
  • 2-Step Classic: 1:50
30:1 - 100:1
Metals
  • Commodities (metals): 1:30
  • Gold & Silver: 1:20
9:1 - 30:1
Energies
5:1
3.3:1
Indices
20:1
15:1 - 50:1
Crypto
2:1
1:1
Stocks
No data
1:1
Forex
7 / lot
4 / lot
Metals
7 / lot
4 / lot
Energies
7 / lot
4 / lot
Indices
0
0 / lot
Crypto
0
0 / lot
Stocks
No data
0 / lot
Commission-Free Option
No data
No
Swap Free
Yes
Yes

Swap-free accounts are available as a paid option. Terms and availability depend on the selected product.

Account Reset

Available for breached or failed evaluations at a discounted price. Not available for simulated live accounts.

No data
Add-ons
Yes

Profit split upgrade add-ons available at checkout (e.g., start with 90/10 split).

No
Instant
Yes
Yes
One Step
Yes
Yes
Account scaling
Limited
  • 1-Step Express: 10% scaling target
  • 2-Step Classic: 20% scaling target; requires 50% consistency, one successful withdrawal and an account active for at least two months
  • Instant: 10% scaling target
  • Activation Accounts: no scaling plan

Eligible programs can scale up to a $2,500,000 starting balance, with a maximum of $5,000,000 after scaling. Requests are subject to risk review and require no open trades.

Yes

Over a rolling 3-month period: 15% return, at least 2 of 3 profitable months, and 3 payouts. Balance increases by 25%, profit split rises to 90%, and the account can scale up to $4,000,000.

Two Steps
Yes
Yes
Max Drawdown
  • 1-Step Express: 6% relative trailing maximum drawdown; locks at the initial balance
  • 2-Step Classic: 8% static drawdown
  • Instant: 6% relative trailing maximum drawdown; locks at the initial balance
  • Activation Accounts challenge: 6% static maximum drawdown
  • Activation Accounts funded: 6% trailing maximum drawdown; locks at the initial balance

The mechanism depends on the product: static on Standard, Swing, and Select; trailing with a lock on Zero and Nova funded accounts.

Profit Split
  • 1-Step Express, 2-Step Classic and Instant: start at 80%; eligible accounts can scale to 90% at 20% profit and 100% at 30% profit. An optional add-on can start the account at 90%.
  • Activation Accounts: fixed 80% profit split; it does not increase over time.

80% initially. It rises to 90% after meeting the scaling-plan requirements.

Daily Drawdown
  • 1-Step Express: 4%, balance based
  • 2-Step Classic: 4%, balance based
  • Instant: 6%, balance based
  • Activation Accounts challenge: 4%, balance based
  • Activation Accounts funded: 3%, balance based

Calculated on equity and includes open trades, commissions, and swaps. The applicable percentage is shown on each challenge.

Three Steps
No
Yes
Max Allocation
  • 1-Step Express, 2-Step Classic and Instant: scaling up to a $2,500,000 starting balance, with a $5,000,000 maximum after scaling
  • Activation Accounts: maximum $250,000 combined activated capital
400,000
Maximum Accounts

Activation Accounts: up to 10 activations per month and a maximum of 5 activated accounts at the same time, subject to the $250,000 combined limit. There is no limit on challenges purchased or passed.

Maximum combined initial allocation of $400,000.

Merge Accounts
Yes

Only untraded simulated live accounts can be merged. Maximum merged account size is $200,000 (or $100,000 if the program doesn't offer $200K). Not applicable to 2-Step Classic.

No
Maximum Trading Days

No time limit on any program. Accounts must have at least 1 trade (open and close) every 30 days to remain active.

No maximum time limit.

Funded Phase Pricing Model

Activation fee due only after passing, with no payment deadline:

  • 25K: $179
  • 50K: $299
  • 100K: $489
  • 200K: $969
No data
Minimum Profitable Days

No minimum trading days requirement on any program. Account must be active within any 30-day calendar period (at least one trade opened and closed) or it will be hard-breached for inactivity.

No data
Evaluation Phase Pricing Model

Activation Accounts cost $4 to start on every available account size. If the challenge is not passed, no further fee is charged.

No data
Free Trial
No data
No
Minimum Trading Days
No data

Standard, Swing, and Select require 4 minimum trading days per evaluation phase. Zero and Nova have no published minimum.

Expert Advisor (EA)
Yes

EAs, Algos and Bots are allowed. Must not be used for copy trading or hedging across accounts. EAs may be requested for review upon evaluation pass. FT+ does not provide support for third-party EAs.

Yes

EAs are allowed when the strategy is the trader's own and does not breach prohibited practices such as arbitrage, HFT, or exploitation of delays and errors.

Hedging
Limited

Hedging is allowed on the same account (opposing positions on the same instrument). Hedging across multiple accounts is strictly prohibited.

Limited

Hedging within one account is allowed. Hedging positions across multiple accounts to manipulate results is prohibited.

Requires Stop Loss
No
No
Scalping
Yes
Limited

Manual scalping is allowed, but tick scalping, HFT, and strategies exploiting delays or pricing errors are prohibited.

Maximum Risk Limit
Yes
  • Symbol Loss Limit (2-Step Classic): Maximum loss per single symbol per day, based on balance at 16:59 EST. Hard breach rule.
  • Margin utilization review triggers at milestones (evaluation passes, scaling requests, withdrawals). Not a hard limit but triggers manual risk team review.
Limited

Orion may treat excessive exposure, overleveraging, and other risk practices inconsistent with realistic trading as a breach.

Copy Trading
No
Limited

Copying between your own Orion accounts is allowed. Copying signals, third-party accounts, or external services is prohibited.

News Trading
Yes
Limited

During evaluation there is no timing restriction, but using news as a strategy is prohibited. On funded accounts, Nova, Standard, and Select prohibit opening or closing trades 2 minutes before and after high-impact news. Swing has no timing restriction. Zero allows it, but trades executed within 5 minutes before or after receive a 50% profit split.

Inactivity Rule

30 days. At least 1 trade (open and close) required every 30 days. Warning email sent 7 days before breach.

Limited

The account may be closed after prolonged inactivity under Orion's current terms.

Consistency Rule
Limited
  • 1-Step Express: no consistency rule
  • 2-Step Classic: 35% during evaluation and 50% when funded; also applies a 3% Symbol Loss Limit
  • Instant: no consistency rule
  • Activation Accounts challenge: no consistency rule
  • Activation Accounts funded: 25%, checked only when requesting a payout; it does not breach the account
Limited

The 20% Best Day rule applies only to Orion Zero and Orion Nova funded accounts.

Hold Weekend
Limited
  • 1-Step Express: allowed
  • 2-Step Classic: allowed
  • Instant: not allowed; trades are automatically closed at 4:30 PM EST on Friday
  • Activation Accounts: allowed during both challenge and funded phases
Yes
Prohibited Strategies
  • Arbitrage
  • Grid trading
  • Tick scalping
  • Abuse of demo trading conditions
  • Account management / passing services
  • Hedging across multiple accounts
  • Latency arbitrage, reverse arbitrage, and exploitation of prices or delays
  • HFT, tick scalping, and strategies designed to exploit the simulated environment
  • Copy trading from third parties or signal services
  • Hedging across accounts and coordinated opposite trades
  • Account rolling, third-party management, and sharing or reselling accounts
  • Gambling behaviour, overleveraging, and excessive exposure
VPN
No data
Yes
Stacking / Layering (DCA)
No data
Limited

Multiple positions are allowed as part of a legitimate strategy; excessive or coordinated exposure intended to bypass risk rules is prohibited.

Martingale
No data
No
Free newsletter

Pick your firms. Get what matters.

  • Exclusive promotions, updated daily
  • Funded trading industry news
  • Full control: you choose which firms to follow

FreeNo spamOne-click unsubscribe

Community

Join the community

Join us on our mission to become the most influential family in funded trading.

  • trade-ideasTrading ideas from the community
  • giveawaysGiveaways from prop firms
  • respect-leaderboardTop 10 by Respect earned
  • wins-and-lossesFundings, payouts and blown accounts
Join the Discord