Entry price
The cost to start depends heavily on the capital you wish to manage. For professional-sized accounts, Funding Traders is more aggressive: its $100,000 2-Step Pro6 account costs $419, whereas the equivalent 2-Step Prime at Hola Prime is $569. If we look at 1-Step evaluations for $100,000, Funding Traders charges $539 compared to $579 at Hola Prime.
However, Hola Prime wins on the "low-cost" end for beginners. It offers a $2,000 2-Step account for just $9, a price point Funding Traders does not compete with, as their smallest account is $5,000 for $39. For instant funding (no evaluation), Funding Traders offers a $50,000 account for $479, while Hola Prime's Direct account of the same size costs $689.
What you pay while trading
Operating costs are not limited to the initial fee. Both firms charge a commission of $3 per lot on Forex. At Hola Prime, if you want to use EAs, you must pay a 10% surcharge on the base price, and using the cTrader platform adds a fixed $20 cost. Funding Traders does not charge extra for its platforms (MT5 and TradeLocker), but it does offer a "Swap-free & Zero Commission" add-on that removes the $3 commission in exchange for an upfront payment.
Execution costs also vary by style. Funding Traders allows news trading in the challenge phase without restrictions, but in the funded phase, it limits news profits to 30% of the total. Hola Prime allows news trading on its Prime accounts but strictly prohibits it on Pro and Direct accounts; violating this on a Direct account leads to immediate termination, which is the ultimate trading cost: losing the account.
What mistakes cost you
In prop trading, the cost of a mistake is the loss of the account and the initial fee. Funding Traders offers more flexible drawdown: its 2-Step accounts have a static drawdown of 6% or 10%, meaning the "floor" doesn't move up as you make profits. Hola Prime also uses static drawdown for Pro/Prime, but its Direct accounts use a trailing drawdown that locks at the starting balance, making it harder to keep the account as you grow.
Funding Traders offers a unique "Revive" feature for Phase 1 of the 2-Step Pro challenge. If you breach a rule while in profit, you can pay a fee (Base price + % of profit achieved) to continue instead of starting over. At Hola Prime, any hard breach (like hitting the daily loss limit) results in total loss with no recovery option other than buying a new account at full price.
What it costs to get paid
This is where the economic difference becomes most visible. Funding Traders does not charge fees for processing payouts. In contrast, Hola Prime charges a 2.5% fee on every payout, with a minimum of $25 for bank transfers and $5 for crypto.
The "Refund" or reimbursement of the initial fee also has a different cost in time. Funding Traders returns your money with the 1st payout (2-Step) or 2nd payout (1-Step). Hola Prime requires you to reach the 4th successful payout to get your fee back. Furthermore, Funding Traders offers an add-on to receive a 150% refund, a feature that allows you to turn the entry cost into a profit from the very first withdrawal.
Where each one hides its cost
Funding Traders hides its costs in a menu of optional add-ons. If you want to trade without minimum days, hold through news (on Instant), or increase your profit split to 100%, you must pay surcharges ranging from 15% to 30% of the base price. Without these, the rules are more restrictive.
Hola Prime hides its cost in its "Performance Control Program" (PCP) and strict strategy rules. If the risk team flags your trading as "high risk," they can move you to a PCP where your profit split is slashed to 30% until you prove consistency. Additionally, the requirement for a Stop Loss on all trades at Hola Prime means that a single forgotten SL can cost you the entire account, whereas Funding Traders does not mandate a Stop Loss.
Cheapest for whom
Funding Traders is the cheapest option for the experienced trader who wants to recover their investment quickly (1st payout) and prefers a static drawdown that doesn't "eat" their profit buffer.
Hola Prime is the cheapest option for the absolute beginner who only has $9 to $14 to spend and wants to practice in a live environment with micro-accounts, provided they are willing to accept higher withdrawal fees and a much slower refund process.
Frequently asked questions
Which firm is cheaper for a $100,000 2-step evaluation, Funding Traders or Hola Prime?
Funding Traders is significantly cheaper, offering its $100,000 2-Step Pro6 account for $419. In comparison, the $100,000 2-Step Prime account at Hola Prime costs $569, representing a price difference of $150 for the same amount of starting capital.
Which firm has lower withdrawal fees, Funding Traders or Hola Prime?
Funding Traders is better in this regard as it charges $0 in payout processing fees. Hola Prime deducts a 2.5% fee from every withdrawal, with minimum charges of $25 for Rise or bank transfers and $5 for crypto, which reduces the net profit the trader actually receives.
Does Funding Traders or Hola Prime refund the sign-up fee faster?
Funding Traders refunds the fee much faster, returning it with the 1st payout on 2-Step accounts or the 2nd on 1-Step accounts. Hola Prime requires the trader to reach their 4th successful payout before they are eligible for a 100% refund of the evaluation fee.
Which firm is more expensive for EA users, Funding Traders or Hola Prime?
Hola Prime is more expensive because it adds a 10% surcharge to the account price if you want to use EAs, and limits their use to the MT5 platform. Funding Traders allows EAs and bots focused on risk management or personally developed strategies without an extra purchase fee on both available platforms.
