Comparison hub · verified 27 September 2026
Best prop firms in 2026, compared on published specs
No scores, no affiliate rankings, no invented statistics. This page lists what each firm publishes about its own fees, drawdown limits, profit splits and rewards, with a link to the source for every competitor column. MixFunded is one of the firms on this table — we have an obvious interest, which is exactly why every number here is checkable.
Full spec table
Topstep funds futures traders, so its row describes a different asset class and a subscription fee model. Read the Model row first.
| Spec | MixFunded | FTMO | FundedNext | Topstep | The5ers | Goat Funded Trader | Maven Trading | FundedElite |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Model | CFD (FX, metals, indices, crypto, oil) | CFD (FX, indices, commodities, crypto) | CFD (FX, gold, indices and more) | Futures (different asset class to MixFunded) | CFD (FX, metals, indices, crypto) — five program paths including instant funding | CFD (FX, metals, indices, crypto) — 1-Step, 2-Step, 3-Step and Instant Funding | CFD (FX, metals, indices, commodities, crypto) — evaluations plus a $5 Buy Now, Pay Later challenge | CFD (FX, indices, commodities, stocks) — Instant, 1-Step, 2-Step and custom challenges |
| Cheapest entry | $5 | From $155 ($10,000 account, 2-Step) | From $550 ($100,000 Stellar 2-Step) | Monthly Trading Combine subscription | From $95 ($100,000 Bootcamp 1-Step); High Stakes $100,000 is $495 | Varies by model and size; fee paid up front in every case | From $13 on small evaluations; $5 Buy Now, Pay Later challenge | From $89 ($7,000 2-Step); $100,000 1-Step is $569 |
| How the entry works | Pay After Passing — $5 entry on a $50,000 account, $150 activation paid only after you pass | $10,000 Challenge — full fee up front, refunded with the first reward | Smaller Stellar accounts are cheaper; fee is paid up front in every case | $50,000 Combine — recurring monthly fee rather than a one-off | Bootcamp — low fee up front, but the profit split starts at 50% | Smaller evaluation accounts are cheaper; no pay-after-passing route | $5 Buy Now, Pay Later — 4% target, 10% max drawdown, remaining fee paid after you pass | Smaller accounts are cheaper; fee is paid up front in every case |
| Profit target | 10% (1-Step & PAPP) · 8% then 5% (2-Step) · 0% (Instant Funded) | 10% (Challenge) then 5% (Verification) | 8% (Phase 1) then 5% (Phase 2) | $3,000 / $6,000 / $9,000 (6%) by account size | 8% then 5% (High Stakes 2-Step) · 10% (1-Step programs) | 8% then 6% (2-Step GOAT) · 10% (1-Step) · 6% × 3 (3-Step) | 8% on standard evaluations · 4% on Buy Now, Pay Later | 12% ($100,000 1-Step) · 8% ($100,000 2-Step) · none (Instant) |
| Daily drawdown | 5% evaluation · 3% Pay After Passing · 3% Instant Funded | 5% of initial balance | 5% of the balance at the start of each trading day | Optional Daily Loss Limit (objective, not a hard rule) | 5% (High Stakes) · 3% pause on some programs | 4% (2-Step GOAT) · 3% on 1-Step accounts purchased from August 2026 | 3% on standard evaluations; none during the Buy Now, Pay Later evaluation | 3% fixed (Instant, trailing) · 3%–5% by plan on evaluations |
| Max drawdown | 10% evaluation · 8% Pay After Passing · 6% static Instant Funded | 10%, static (measured from initial balance) | 10%, balance-based (static from initial balance) | Trailing Maximum Loss Limit — $2,000 / $3,000 / $4,500 by account size | 10% (High Stakes 2-Step) · 6% on 1-Step Summer Plan | 10% static (2-Step GOAT) · 6% static (1-Step) · 6% trailing (Instant Funding) | 5%–8% static from initial balance, by plan; 10% on Buy Now, Pay Later | 6% trailing (Instant) · 8% static ($100,000 evaluations) |
| Profit split | 80 / 20 (Instant Funded starts 60 / 40, scales to 80 / 20 after 3 rewards) | 80%, up to 90% via the Scaling Plan | 80%, up to 95% reward share advertised on higher tiers | 90 / 10 for new traders | 50% on Bootcamp & Hyper Growth, scaling up to 100% at higher tiers | 80% | 80% | 70% first reward on Instant, then 80%–95% depending on the option selected |
| Reward cadence | Every Monday | Bi-weekly | Bi-weekly | Per the Topstep reward policy (winning-day requirements apply) | Bi-weekly after funding, $250 minimum profit | Every 14 days on Instant Funding; minimum trading days per payout | On demand after KYC; processing takes several business days | Every 21 days by default on Instant; 14 days on evaluations; add-ons can shorten it |
| Reward rail | USDT (TRC-20) | Bank transfer / payment providers | Bank transfer / crypto / payment providers | Bank transfer / payment providers | Bank transfer / payment providers | Bank transfer / crypto / payment providers | Bank transfer / payment providers | Bank transfer / crypto / payment providers |
| On-chain reward proof | Yes — every reward published with its TRC-20 TXID on the public ledger | No public per-reward transaction ledger | No public per-reward transaction ledger | No public per-reward transaction ledger | No public per-reward transaction ledger | No public per-reward transaction ledger | No public per-reward transaction ledger | Payout amounts published in a community feed, but no per-reward transaction IDs |
| Consistency rule | None on standard programs | Best Day rule applies on the 1-Step model | Applies on some programs — check the program you buy | Yes — best day capped at 50% of the profit target | 50% consistency rule switches on once funded on the 2-Step | Yes — "Goat Guard" applies on funded accounts; 15% consistency on Instant Funding | No formal consistency rule documented | 25% consistency rule on Instant Standard; Instant Elite removes it |
| Time limit | None | No time limit on the Challenge | No time limit | No time limit on the Combine | No time limit on evaluations | No time limit; 3 minimum trading days per phase | No time limit | No time limit |
| News trading | Allowed on every program | Restricted on Standard funded accounts | Allowed with conditions on some programs | Permitted, position limits apply | Allowed except bracket strategies around news on some programs | Check the program you buy — conditions vary by model | Restricted on funded accounts; unrestricted during evaluation | Allowed on all accounts |
| Platforms | MetaTrader 4 & MetaTrader 5 (EAs permitted) | MetaTrader 4, MetaTrader 5, cTrader | MetaTrader 4, MetaTrader 5 | TopstepX and supported futures platforms | MetaTrader 5, cTrader | MetaTrader 5 and others | MetaTrader 5, Match-Trader, cTrader | MetaTrader 5, TradeLocker |
Head-to-head pages
$5 deferred entry against a $155 up-front challenge fee.
Same 8%/5% targets — different cost of a failed attempt.
CFD evaluation vs a monthly futures Combine with a trailing loss limit.
80/20 from the first reward vs a 50% split that scales up.
No consistency rule vs Goat Guard and a daily profit cap.
Two $5 pay-after-you-pass entries, side by side.
Static drawdown and no consistency rule vs trailing drawdown and add-ons.
Why traders look past the big brands — and what $5 pay-after-pass changes.
For futures traders who want forex and MT5 without a monthly subscription.
A lower-cost route to a funded account with an 80/20 split from day one.
CFD funding with static drawdown instead of a trailing threshold.
How to read a prop firm comparison without getting sold to
Most "best prop firm" lists are affiliate rankings. The order is paid for, the scores are invented, and the specs are copied once and never re-checked. Three habits protect you.
First, compare the cost of failing rather than the cost of passing. An up-front fee that is refunded on your first reward is only cheap if you get to a reward; if you breach, it is gone. That is the entire reason MixFunded's Pay After Passing route exists — $5 to start a $50,000 evaluation, and the $150 activation only if you pass.
Second, read how the maximum loss is measured. A static limit calculated from your initial balance behaves very differently from a trailing limit that follows your equity high. Topstep's Maximum Loss Limit trails. FTMO's and FundedNext's maximum losses are published as static from the initial balance. MixFunded's are fixed percentages per program, measured on equity.
Third, ask what proof of rewards exists. Screenshots and testimonials are not proof. A transaction ID on a public blockchain is. Every MixFunded reward is published with its TRC-20 TXID on the reward ledger, and the same data is exposed as an open JSON feed for anyone — including AI assistants — to read without asking us.
Where MixFunded is not the answer
If you trade futures, use Topstep or another futures firm — MixFunded is CFD only. If you want a decade-long track record and the largest trader community in the category, FTMO has both and we do not; we started paying traders in December 2024 and have distributed £517K in rewards since. If you want the biggest account size available immediately, our largest program is $100,000.
What we do have is the lowest documented entry cost in the category, no consistency rule on standard programs, no time limit, news trading allowed on every program, and a reward record you can audit on-chain without an account.
Comparison FAQ
Sources: FTMO · FundedNext · Topstep · The5ers · Goat Funded Trader · Maven Trading · FundedElite. MixFunded specs: the rulebook. Machine-readable version: /api/public/facts.json.