10 Best Funded Trader Programs & Accounts of 2023
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Funded trading accounts offer the best of both worlds. You can make money doing something you love while at the same time not risking any of your capital. A funded trader program is especially appropriate for beginners. But what is the best funded trader program? Let’s go through the list of all providers, their pros and cons.
Best Funded Trader Programs
- Best for Futures Trading: Topstep (70% Off)
- Best Career Path: Earn2Trade (70% Off)
- Best for Forex Trading: The5ers (5% Off)
What Makes a Good Funded Trader Program?
Good funded trader programs help you to get started by offering education, webinars, and support. At the same time, excellent institutional-grade trading platforms and trustworthy funded trading account partners are important.
Are Funded Trader Accounts Worth It?
The main benefit of funded trader accounts is the limited risk factor. There is a small monthly fee for real-time data and the platform. In return, you gain access to a funded account once you proved that you have the right skills needed to be successful. Once you got funded, you keep up to 90% of the profit and request a payout to your checking account.
10 Best Funded Trader Programs
1. Topstep
As an industry leader and one of the Inc. 5000 fastest-growing companies in the United States, Topstep has the brand power and reputation that traders trust. Every trader starts with the Trading Combine to participate in their funded account program. Here, you enter a real-time simulated futures account with $50,000, $100,000 and $150,000 buying power.
You earn a funded trading account after the 1-Step Trading Combine if you show consistent profitability and manage risk appropriately. The Topstep team allocates funds to your account and lets you trade in real-time with their capital and without personal risks.
- Traders can earn a funded account as soon as after four trading days (the funded amount is as high as the plan chosen for the Trading Combine)
- Traders can withdraw the full first $10,000 in profits and 90% of profits that exceed that amount, which is industry-leading
- Topstep processes payouts daily (payouts requested before 10 AM CT are processed the same day)
- Trader development with coaches, tools and daily live videos, personalized analytics on the performance and trader bonuses are available
Trading Platforms
The supported trading platforms range from TSTrader, TradingView and NinjaTrader to Sierra Chart, MultiCharts, R|Trader Pro, and many more.
Credibility Check
Topstep has the longest history of funded trader programs and was founded in 2012. They disclose the official company name and address on the website: Topstep, LLC, 130 South Jefferson Suite 200, Chicago, Illinois 60661, USA. You can reach them via phone (888 407-1611) and use the contact form within the online help center. Topstep’s Trustpilot score is 4.7/5 based on 1,724 reviews.
Costs
The Topstep pricing starts at $165 per month for the $50k account. The 100k account costs $325 per month, and the $150k account costs $375. The price can be reduced by 70% with the discount offer below. A 14-day free trial is also available.
Payments
Payments to Topstep via credit card, debit card and PayPal. Payout of profits via Deel, which supports bank transfer, PayPal, Payoneer, Revolut, Wise, Binance, Coinbase, and Deel Card).
Best Offers
- Topstep 70% Discount (Automatic discount on all account sizes upon checkout.)
- Topstep Free Trial (Test the Topstep futures trading platform for 14 days for free.)
For a detailed look at the entire service, check out our complete TopstepTrader review.
2. Earn2Trade
Earn2Trade offers two different funded trading programs, the Gauntlet Mini and the brand new Trader Career Path.
The Gauntlet Mini is a program similar to Topstep Futures. Traders pay a monthly fee and trade according to the rules. Trading lessons, webinars, and access to Journalytix are included in the monthly price. After completion, traders receive an offer for a funded trading account.
The newest program offered by Earn2Trade is the Trader Career Path. Here, traders start with a virtual capital account and get funded with a real-money account once they make it through the Evaluation. The unique angle here is that traders can scale their trading careers and manage accounts worth up to $400,000 without paying a monthly subscription fee after the Evaluation.
All funded programs come with an 80%/20% profit split, where traders can withdraw 80% of their profits from the funded account.
Trading Platforms
About 20 trading platforms can be used. The most popular ones are NinjaTrader and Finamark, R|Trader and Overcharts, but also Agena Trader, MultiCharts and many more platforms are supported.
Credibility Check
Earn2Trade was founded in 2016, and the company Earn2Trade LLC has a registered office at 30 N Gould St. STE 4000, Sheridan, WY 82801, USA. You can reach out to them via email at support@earn2trade.com. Earn2Trade’s rating score at Trustpilot is 4.7/5 based on 1,573 reviews.
Costs
The Earn2Trade Trader Career Path with $25k starting capital costs $150 per month, and with $50k starting capital $190 per month. The Gauntlet Mini program comes with four different account sizes (50k for $170, 100k for $315, $150k for $350 and the $200k account for $550 per month). There are no free trials for the Earn2Trade accounts, but discounts of 70% are available below.
Payments
Payments to Earn2Trade via credit card, debit card and PayPal. Payout of profits via Deel, which supports bank transfer, PayPal, Payoneer, Revolut, Wise, Binance, Coinbase, and Deel Card).
Best Offers
You find all details and a platform walk-through in the comprehensive Earn2Trade review.
3. The5ers
The5ers go an entirely different route than the other programs mentioned before by offering instantly funded trading accounts for forex trading.
Typically, you have to go through a so-called Trading combine, Audition or Evaluation phase.
With The5ers Hyper Growth Program, you can trade live from day one and get paid from the first target, where the available account sizes with instant funding range from $5K to $20K accounts. There is no time limit to archive the goal, no daily loss rule, and you increase your account size with every 10% profit made (up to $4 million accounts).
The fees might appear high relative to the account sizes first, but with an instantly funded account, you get a profit share right from the first day of trading, bonuses on top of the payouts, and you can use a leverage of 1:30 in those accounts.
For those looking for a multi-step process where trading starts with a challenge to prove skills before getting funded, The5ers provides their 2-step High Stakes and 3-step Bootcamp Program, where you pay a low entry fee and the rest upon success.
Tradeable securities in all accounts are all forex majors like EUR/USD, USD/CHF and major crossings like AUD/CAD and GBP/JPY.
Trading Platform
MetaTrader 5
Credibility Check
The5ers was founded in 2016. They fully disclose their headquarters in 14 Haroshet st, Raanana, Israel and office address in Enstar House, 168, Praed Street, London, United Kingdom, W2 1RH. You can contact them via telephone (929 955-5595) and email (help@the5ers.com). Currently, 1,154 ratings on Trustpilot score the The5ers with 4.8/5 on average.
Costs
The The5ers Hyper Growth Program (instant funding) comes with three account sizes ($5k account for $260, $10k account for $450, $20k account for $850). The High Stakes Program (2-step evaluation) comes with four account sizes ($5k for $39, $20k for $165, $60k for $300, and $100k for $495. In addition, the Bootcamp Program (3-step evaluation) is available as a $100k account for $95 and a $250k account for $225. A discount is available below.
Payments
Payments to The5ers via credit card, debit card and bank wire. Payouts of profits from The5ers via Deel.
Best Offer
- The5ers Accounts 5% Off (discount automatically applied)
Please check my newly written The5ers review for more insights and detailed analysis.
4. Trade The Pool
Trade The Pool fills the gap left by all previous programs despite high demand from traders by finally offering funded trader programs for stock trading.
With Trade The Pool, you can trade more than 12,000 U.S.-listed stocks (including penny stocks) and exchange-traded funds and decide to either day trade or swing trade.
To start, choose the Mini Buying Power, Super BP, Extra BP, or Ultimate BP trading program. Next, you must pass the evaluation phase to get funded in the third step.
The buying power, profit target and profit split depend on the chosen program. An innovative approach is that all programs include a free TraderSync trading journal license. In addition, the Super Buying Power program and above include a free Trade Ideas, TrendSpider or Bookmap subscription when trading the evaluation account.
Trading Platform
Trader Evolution platform with market depth, scanners, super dom, scalper tool, hotkey trading and commissions of $0.005-$0.0075 per traded share.
Credibility Check
Trade The Pool is a division of The5ers, a company founded in 2016 with their headquarters at 14 Haroshet st, Raanana, Israel and its office address in Enstar House, 168, Praed Street, London, United Kingdom, W2 1RH. You can contact them via telephone (US 1-331-444 0024) and email (help@tradethepool.com). Currently, 30 review ratings are posted on Trustpilot, with 4.3/5 on average.
Costs
The Trade The Pool fees are all one-time fees without monthly recurring costs. There are four account sizes available. The Mini Buying Power account with 20k exposure costs $97, the Super Buying Power (80k exposure) $300, Extra Buying Power ($160k exposure) $475 and the Ultimate Buying Power account with $260k exposure costs $1,240. A discount is available below.
Payments
Payments to Trade The Pool via credit card, debit card and bank wire. Payouts of profits from Trade The Pool via Deel.
Best Offer
- Trade The Pool Accounts 5% Off (discount automatically applied)
5. SurgeTrader
SurgeTrader is a prop trading firm specializing in forex trading with its headquarters in Florida, United States. At SurgeTrader, you go through a 1-step only process to qualify for a real-money funded trading account:
- Enter the SurgeTrader audition for the desired account size you want to manage once funded.
- Once you reach the 10% profit target, you receive the login credentials for the fully funded account.
- There is no time limit. The profit target is 10%. The daily loss limit is 5%, and the trailing drawdown is 6%.
The standard profit split is 75%:25%. That means the trader can withdraw 75% of the profits from the funded account. In addition, the profit split can be increased to 90%:10% for an additional fee.
Trading Platforms
The two most popular forex trading platforms, MetaTrader 4 and MetaTrader 5, are available for trading with SurgeTrader.
Credibility Check
SurgeTrader was founded in 2021, and the company discloses its address on the website. It is 405 5th Ave South in Naples, Florida, 34102. The toll-free phone number is (001) 866-998-0883, and the direct line is (001) 239-944-5317. Additionally, you can contact SurgeTrader via email at info@surgetrader.com and live chat on their website. The Trustpilot score is currently at 4.6/5, with 605 reviews given.
Costs
The SurgeTrader audition fee is a one-time fee, and six different account sizes are available. The 25k account costs $250 one-time, 50k is $400, 100k is $700, $250k is $1,800, $500k is $3,500, and the $1 million account costs $6,500. A 10% discount is available below.
Payments
Payments to SurgeTrader are possible via credit cards, debit cards, PayPal, crypto and direct wire. Payout of profits via Deel, which supports bank transfer, PayPal, Payoneer, Revolut, Wise, Binance, Coinbase, and Deel Card).
6. FTMO
FTMO is a prop trading firm specializing in forex trading with its headquarters in Prague, Czech Republic.
At FTMO, you go through a 3-step process to qualify for a funded trading account.
- First, you enter the FTMO Challenge, where you have to reach the defined profit goals within 30 days.
- Then you enter the 60-day Verification process, where you have to prove that you can repeat the FTMO Challenge success.
- Once you make it through the 2-step evaluation process with the FTMO Challenge and Verification, you receive an offer from FTMO to trade their capital on accounts ranging from $10,000 up to $400,000.
The standard Profit Split is 80:20, where the trader keeps 80% of profits ready to withdraw.
You can trade 44 currency pairs and 10 of the most popular cryptocurrencies. In addition, some cash indices, commodities and stock CFDs are also available for trading.
Trading Platforms
The three most popular forex trading platforms, MetaTrader 4, MetaTrader 5 or cTrader, are available. However, due to regulations, cTrader is not available for U.S. residents.
Credibility Check
The company discloses its address on the website: FTMO Evaluation Global s.r.o., Opletalova 1417/25 in 110 00 Prague, Czech Republic, including their registration ID and VAT. The rating on Trustpilot is currently 4.9/5, with 5,313 ratings.
Costs
Traders pay the fee once per FTMO Challenge. While the currency of the funded account can be USD, GBP, EUR, CZK, CAD AUD and CHF, the challenge fee is only charged in Euro. The participation fee starts at 155 EUR for the 10k account. The 25k costs 250 EUR, the 50k 345 EUR, 100k 540 EUR, and 200k 1,080 EUR.
So, compared to Topstep and Earn2Trade, it’s more than double the amount you pay for the 50k account size.
Payments
Payments to FTMO via credit card, debit card, bank wire, crypto, Google Pay and Skrill. Payout of profits via regular bank account wire, Skrill and crypto.
For insights into the entire challenge, evaluation process, account and costs, see our FTMO review.
7. OneUp Trader
Whether if you are just starting or a seasoned professional, OneUp Trader offers funded accounts where you can showcase your skills and make some money along the way.
There are two steps to get started:
- Get evaluated
- Get funded
The evaluation process begins with OneUp’s Trading Evaluation program. Next, the team puts you through a real-time day trading simulator where you can trade, track, measure and showcase your abilities.
Once you pass the evaluation, you get introduced to OneUp’s funding partners. Once you start trading, the first $8,000 in profits are yours to keep, and after that, you take home 80% of all winnings.
What are some other benefits?
- Choose funding options from $25,000 up to $250,000
- Advanced analytics and data that help you become more successful
- Discuss, collaborate and share ideas with One-up Trader’s community members
Trading Platforms
The list of supported platforms includes Ninjatrader, R|Trader, Agena Trader, Photon, eSignal and more.
Credibility Check
Unfortunately, OneUp Trader does not disclose any information about the company and their address and contact data on the website. Also, there is no information available on what company will fund your account and how many traders got funded so far. Oneup Trader has 679 reviews on Trustpilot with an average score of 4.7.
Costs
The smallest account with the 50% profit split costs $105 per month. It goes all the way up to $650 per month for the 80% profit split in the $250,000 account.
Payments
Payments to OneUp Trader via credit card. Payouts can be processed via wire and cryptocurrency. The minimum transfer amount is $1,000.
8. Apex Trader Funding
Apex Trader Funding is a community of traders founded by Darrell Martin in 2008. Today, the community has grown to over 30k members in more than 150 countries.
Apex Trader Funding allows people to trade futures contracts 23 hours a day without daily drawdowns. Still, there is a permanent trailing threshold calculated from the highest account balance. Once the account value falls below the threshold, the participant fails the competition.
Traders must first go through an evaluation for a minimum of 10 trading days. Once passed, they make it to the paid performance account, where traders keep the first $10,000 in profits, then 90% of profits.
The smallest account is the 25k account with $25,000 starting capital, a profit goal of $1,500 in step 1 of the evaluation and a trailing threshold of $1,500.
Trading Platforms
Apex Trader Funding recommends NinjaTrader and the data feed from Rithmic RTrader Pro. WealthCharts, Bookmap, Finamark and other vendors are also supported.
Credibility Check
The company discloses the contact information of Apex Trader Funding Inc. in 2028 E. Ben White Blvd Ste 240-9873, Austin, TX 78741. You can reach them via support@apextraderfunding.com and chat. The rating on Trustpilot is currently 4.8/5, with 3,572 ratings, while there are also multiple 1-star reviews every month with various complaints.
Costs
During the evaluation process, the funded accounts cost between $147 and $657 per month, depending on the chosen starting capital. An evaluation reset costs $80. The monthly fee for the accounts, once funded, is $85.
Payments
Payments to Apex Trader Funding via credit card. Payouts are available via Deel.
9. The Funded Trader
The Funded Trader was founded by Blake Olson, Angelo Ciaramello and Nick D’Arcangelo – the founders of Forex League and VVS Academy. The service is relatively new and has grown in popularity fast, with an active appearance on YouTube and various Social Media channels.
The offering is multi-folded, and it might be too complex for beginners to make the proper selection. It is possible to select a Standard Challenge or Rapid Challenge with a Swing Trading Account or Regular Account.
In addition, it is possible, to begin with the Royal Challenge.
All three challenge types come with different account sizes ranging from $25,000 to $400,000. The profit split ranges between 80% and 90%. Also, every challenge consists of 3 steps, phase 1 – the evaluation stage, phase 2 – the verification stage, and then phase 3 the funded trader status.
Trading Platforms
Funded accounts can be traded through Eightcap MetaTrader 4, and MetaTrader 5 and the standard commission fee is $5 per standard lot (Forex, Metals, Indices and Crypto CFDs).
Credibility Check
The company discloses the contact information of The Funded Trader LLC at 14001 W HWY 29, Suite 102, Liberty Hill, Texas 78642, United States. You can reach them via support@thefundedtraderprogram.com, chat in 4 languages and via phone. The rating on Trustpilot is currently 4.5/5, with 9,375 ratings. At the same time, there are many 1-star reviews every month with various complaints.
Costs
The Standard Challenge starts at $189 for the 25k account and goes as high as $1,898 for the 400k account.
Payments
Payments to The Funded Trader via credit card and ERC 20 crypto network. Payouts are available via cryptocurrency (BTC, ETH, LTC, USDC) and Deel.
10. FundedNext
FundedNext is a young brand founded in March 2022, operated under Incenteco Trading Ltd and GrowthNext – F.Z.C. The brand has grown fast and currently supports customers in 193 countries.
Three different funded programs are offered to ensure that every trader finds the right one to join – Stellar, Evaluation and Express.
The account sizes in the Stellar, Evaluation and Express forex funded account programs range from $6k to $200k.
The profit split ranges from 80%-90% in the Stellar and Evaluation accounts, and 60%-90% with the Express program.
Trading Platforms
FundedNext offers two trading platforms – MetaTrader 4 and MetaTrader 5.
Credibility Check
The company discloses the contact information with an address in Office no. 7, AI Robotics HUB, C1 Building, AFZ, Ajman, UAE. You can reach them via support@fundednext.com and chat. The rating on Trustpilot is currently 4.7/5, with 6,558 ratings.
Costs
The registration fee for the Stellar accounts, Evaluation program and Express accounts range from $49 to $999.
Payouts
Payments to FundedNext via credit card, debit card, crypto and bank transfer. Payouts are available via Perfect Money, cryptocurrency (USDT, Tether) and Deel.
Funded Trader Program Summary
There’s no doubt funded trader programs have plenty of benefits. Many providers offer exceptional service and can be a great addition to your trading toolkit. Whether it’s access to advanced software or the idea of using someone else’s money to trade, funded accounts offer a risk-free way to compete against the best.
More importantly, the knowledge you obtain is invaluable. Considering their own money is at stake, providers will do everything in their power to ensure you succeed. They don’t want you draining their bankroll.
So what this means for you is:
- greater guidance,
- mentorship and
- coaching compared to other services.
As well, when competing in the arena, you’re surrounded by other advanced traders. This will help you increase your skill-set and have you climbing up the ladder in no time.
When deciding between the options above, you really can’t go wrong with most of them.
TopstepTrader is the market leader, with over 5,000 funded accounts per month and $14,157,715 funded trader payouts since 2020. Earn2Trade, Maverick Trading, Fidelcrest, The5ers and City Traders Imperium officially disclose their company address, contact info, and pricing on their website, which is positive.
OneUp Trader does not disclose any company details, and Try Day Trading hides their pricing of up to $22,595 participation fee and $10,000 violation fee in their policies and procedures page, so both could do better. Other companies like Tradenet meanwhile stopped offering funded trading accounts.
If you are looking purely for a funded trader account, TopstepTrader and Earn2Trade are the best choices. However, Maverick Trading is an interesting choice for people with the intention to work for an investment firm managing immense account sizes.
If you consider joining an expensive funded trader programs, consider reading the detailed reviews first.
Now it is up to you.
Top Offers
If you are looking for a funded trader account with an excellent price-performance ratio, you may focus on the top two:
- TopstepTrader (Futures Trading) TopstepTrader Free Trial or 70% off (Automatic discount on all account sizes upon checkout)
- Earn2Trade (Futures Trading) Earn2Trade 70% Off the Trader Career Path, 70% Discount on all other funded account sizes (discount applied automatically).
- The5ers (Forex Trading) The5ers 5% Off (discount applied automatically).
Comparison
Tradeable Assets and Profit Share
| Funded Trader Program | Tradeable Assets | Profit Share |
|---|---|---|
| Topstep Futures | Futures | 90%-100% |
| Earn2Trade | Futures | 80% |
| The5ers | Forex | 50%-100% |
| Trade The Pool | Stocks | 50%-80% |
| SurgeTrader | Forex, Crypto | 75%-90% |
| FTMO | Forex, Crypto | 80%-90% |
| OneUp Trader | Futures | 50%-80% |
| Apex Trader Funding | Futures | 90%-100% |
| The Funded Trader | Indices, Forex, Metals, Crypto | 80%-90% |
| FundedNext | Forex | 60%-90% |
Free Trial and Discounts
| Funded Trader Program | Free Trial | Discount |
|---|---|---|
| Topstep Futures | Yes | 70% |
| Earn2Trade | ✘ | 70% |
| The5ers | ✘ | 5% Off |
| Trade The Pool | Yes | 5% Off |
| SurgeTrader | ✘ | ✘ |
| FTMO | Yes | ✘ |
| OneUp Trader | ✘ | ✘ |
| Apex Trader Funding | ✘ | ✘ |
| The Funded Trader | ✘ | ✘ |
| FundedNext | ✘ | ✘ |
Costs Comparison and Headquarters
| Prop Firm | Costs for the $50,000 Account | Headquarters |
|---|---|---|
| Topstep | $49/m (70% discount) | United States |
| Earn2Trade (Gauntlet Mini) | $51/m (70% discount) | United States |
| Earn2Trade (Trader Career Path) | $57/m (70% discount) | United States |
| The5ers ($60k high stakes) | $300 | Israel |
| Trade The Pool ($80K account) | $300 | Israel |
| SurgeTrader | $400 | United States |
| FTMO (Normal Risk) | €345 | Czech Republic |
| OneUp Trader | $150/m | Not disclosed |
| Apex Trader Funding | $167/m | Not disclosed |
| The Funded Trader (Standard) | $315 | United States |
| FundedNext | $299 | United Arab Emirates |
Payment Methods and Withdrawal Methods
| Funded Trading Account | Payment Methods | Withdrawal Methods |
|---|---|---|
| Topstep | Credit card, debit card, PayPal | Bank transfer, PayPal, Payoneer, Revolut, Wise, Binance, and Coinbase via Deel. |
| Earn2Trade | Credit card, debit card, PayPal | Bank transfer, PayPal, Payoneer, Revolut, Wise, Binance and Coinbase via Deel. |
| The5ers | Credit card, debit card, bank wire | Deel |
| Trade The Pool | Credit card, debit card, bank wire | Deel |
| SurgeTrader | Credit card, debit card, PayPal, Coinbase Commerce | Bank transfer, PayPal, Payoneer, Revolut, Wise, Binance and Coinbase via Deel. |
| FTMO | Credit card, debit card, bank wire, crypto, Google Pay, Skrill | Bank wire, Skrill and crypto |
| OneUp Trader | Credit card | Bank wire, crypto |
| Apex Trader Funding | Credit card | Deel |
| The Funded Trader | Credit card, ERC 20 crypto network | Deel |
| FundedNext | Credit card, debit card, bank transfer, crypto | Perfect Money, crypto, Deel |
See Also: Best Prop Trading Firms
FAQ
What is the best funded trader program?
Topstep offers the best funded trader program for a low price and with a free trial available. Future contracts are tradable at Topstep, and the revenue share is favorable with 90%-100%. They have been funding traders for 10 years, paid out $7,950,854 since 2020, with an average payout processing time of 7 hours.
How much do funded traders make?
Funded traders can make unlimited profits as long as they trade according to the rules defined by their funded trading account provider. Of course, the bigger the tradeable account size, the higher the potential profits.
Can I become a funded trader?
Most companies require traders to prove their abilities during an evaluation phase. Those who succeed by reaching the profit target are liable for funded trading accounts. Some companies also offer immediate funded accounts in exchange for higher participation fees.
What is funded trading?
Funded trading enables traders to make money by trading other firms capital without putting their own trading account at risk. However, long-term success requires a high level of skills and knowledge about the financial markets.
How do funded trading accounts work?
Funded trading accounts are associated with a two-step process. First new traders prove that they can make money trading over a more extended period. Second, once the evaluation phase passed by, the trader receives full access to a funded trading account and receives a revenue share of up to 100% of profits made.
