Day one
The entry experience differs primarily in cost and technical accessibility. Hola Prime offers a more affordable entry point for standard challenges. For instance, a $100,000 1-Step Prime Challenge costs $579, whereas Upcomers' comparable One Step Thunderbolt costs $1,159, and its Horizon model reaches $2,737.9. Upcomers does offer a "Turbo" option where traders pay 50% upfront and the rest after passing, which lowers the barrier for high-conviction traders.
Regarding platforms, Upcomers provides the most extensive list in the industry, including TradeLocker, MT5, MatchTrader, cTrader, and DX. Hola Prime focuses on the most popular quartet: MT5, cTrader, MatchTrader, and TradeLocker.
A critical "day one" decision involves automation. Hola Prime allows Expert Advisors (EAs) on MT5 if a 10% add-on fee is paid at purchase. In contrast, Upcomers strictly prohibits EAs, bots, or any form of automated entry or management, making it a firm exclusively for manual traders.
The first months
Once funded, the focus shifts to maintaining the account and securing the first payouts. Hola Prime requires a mandatory Stop Loss on all funded accounts; failing to use one is considered a hard breach. Upcomers does not mandate a Stop Loss, offering more flexibility for certain manual strategies.
Risk rules also differ in calculation:
- Hola Prime: Uses a daily loss limit based on the previous day's closing balance, including floating results.
- Upcomers: Employs the Dynamic Risk Shield™ on many accounts, which trails the equity high-water mark. This can be more restrictive as it moves up with your profits in real-time.
Payouts at Upcomers are subject to a progression cap. Your first withdrawal is limited to 1% of the initial balance, the second to 2%, and so on, until the 7th payout. Only from the 8th withdrawal is the cap removed. Hola Prime has no such profit caps, allowing traders to withdraw their full share (80% to 95%) from the start, though they charge a 2.5% processing fee. Upcomers charges $19.90 plus a 2.49% fee for bank transfers.
The first year
For traders looking to build a portfolio, the ability to manage multiple accounts is key. Hola Prime allows merging same-model Pro or Prime accounts if they have no open trades and a combined size that exists in their catalog. Upcomers does not allow merging accounts, although traders can hold multiple accounts up to a total of $1.5 million in initial allocation.
Both firms offer high profit splits. Hola Prime defaults to 80% but allows up to 95% with a monthly cycle and a 20% surcharge. Upcomers offers a standard 90% split, which can be adjusted to 80% or 100% at checkout, with the challenge price adjusting accordingly.
The refund policy also rewards longevity. Hola Prime refunds 100% of the fee with the fourth successful payout. Upcomers offers a more aggressive 200% refund, but only after the third fully approved payout on specific challenge accounts (Ash, Thunderbolt, Phoenix).
The ceiling
The ultimate goal for a professional trader is the scaling plan. Both firms have set a high ceiling of $4,000,000 per user, but the requirements and speed of growth differ:
Hola Prime Scaling Plan:
- Cycle: Every four months from the first trade.
- Requirements: Minimum 10% net profit, two profitable months, two payouts, and a positive balance.
- Growth: Increases are based on the original balance: 25% for the first step, 40% for the second, and 50% from the third onward.
- Limit: Up to $4 million. Allocation limits are separate for the "Prime Circle" elite group.
Upcomers Scaling Plan:
- Cycle: Every four consecutive months.
- Requirements: At least 15% cumulative account growth over the period, at least 2 completed withdrawals, and the final cycle must end in profit.
- Growth: A fixed 35% increase on the simulated initial balance per cycle.
- Limit: Up to $4 million.
Room to grow
The journey with Hola Prime is characterized by lower initial costs and the possibility of using EAs, making it suitable for traders who want to scale via automation and avoid profit caps on early withdrawals. The mandatory stop loss and 4-month scaling cycles provide a structured environment for steady growth.
Upcomers is designed for the high-end manual trader who values platform variety and is willing to accept a "payout jail" (the 1% to 6% caps) in the first months in exchange for a potential 100% profit split and a 200% fee refund. While more expensive to enter, its $1.5 million initial allocation limit (before scaling) is significantly higher than Hola Prime's standard $400,000 cap, allowing faster access to large capital if the trader has the liquidity to pay the higher entry fees.
Frequently asked questions
Which firm is more affordable for a $100,000 account, Hola Prime or Upcomers?
Hola Prime is significantly more affordable. A $100,000 2-Step Prime Challenge costs $569, and the 1-Step version is $579. In contrast, Upcomers charges $999 for its 2-Step Phoenix Classic and $1,159 for its One Step Thunderbolt Classic of the same size.
Which firm allows the use of Expert Advisors (EAs), Hola Prime or Upcomers?
Only Hola Prime allows EAs, provided they are used on the MT5 platform and the trader purchases the "EA Trading" add-on for an additional 10% of the base fee. Upcomers strictly prohibits EAs, bots, or any automated trading tools, including partial automation for stop-loss management.
How do the payout limits compare between Hola Prime and Upcomers?
Hola Prime has no limits on how much profit you can withdraw from your share (80%-95%) from the very first payout. Upcomers, however, imposes a progression cap on most accounts: your first payout is capped at 1% of the initial balance, increasing by 1% each time until it becomes unlimited after the 7th successful withdrawal.
What is the maximum capital a trader can manage through scaling in Hola Prime and Upcomers?
Both firms allow traders to reach a maximum scaled allocation of $4,000,000. However, the paths differ: Hola Prime increases capital by 25% to 50% every four months if the trader achieves a 10% profit, while Upcomers increases the balance by a fixed 35% every four months if the trader achieves 15% cumulative growth.
