Skip to main content

Alpha Capital Group vs IQ Capital: Head-to-Head Comparison (2026)

Key Differences
Split 80% vs 90% Price $50 vs $36

Verdict: Who Wins?

Alpha Capital Group 3 wins
3 - 3
IQ Capital 3 wins
Overall Rating 8.2 vs 0.0 Decisive
Starting Price $36 vs $50 Decisive
Profit Split 90% vs 80% Decisive
Safety Grade A+ vs Decisive
Trust Score 46.6/100 vs 24.4/100 Decisive
Challenge Variety 23 vs 17 options Clear

Best For:

Budget-conscious traders IQ Capital
Maximum profit potential IQ Capital
Trust & reputation IQ Capital
Fast payouts Alpha Capital Group

Visual Comparison

Alpha Capital Group IQ Capital

Head-to-Head Comparison

Alpha Capital Group Metric IQ Capital
8.2/10 PFM Score -
- TrustPilot 4.7/5 (412)
A+ Safety Grade -
24.4 F Trust Score 46.6 D
80% Profit Split 90%
Applies to ALL plans (not just Alpha One): Alpha Pro 10% tier = 5% daily, Alpha Pro 8% tier = 4% daily, Alpha Pro 6% tier = 3% daily, Alpha Swing = 5% daily, Alpha One = 4% daily, Alpha Three = 4% daily (calculated on the initial account balance). Daily Drawdown No daily loss limit on Crypto and CFD plans; Futures Daily-Loss-Limit plans carry $1,000 ($50K) or $1,500 ($100K)
Bi-weekly Payout Frequency Every 10 days
$50 Starting Price $36
Proprietary Technology White-Label
DXTrade, cTrader, MT5, TradeLocker Platforms MT5, Quantower, Atas, Volumetrica, DeepCharts
No Direct Path to Funded No
United Kingdom Country Saint Lucia
Nov 2021 Established -
23 options Challenge Options 17 options

Price Comparison by Account Size

Cheapest challenge price at each account size (where both firms offer the same size)

Account Size Alpha Capital Group IQ Capital Savings
$50K $247 $36 Save $211
$100K $397 $60 Save $337
$200K $697 $200 Save $497

Alpha Capital Group vs IQ Capital: Detailed Analysis

Alpha Capital Group and IQ Capital are both CFD firms.

Pricing

In terms of pricing, IQ Capital is more affordable with challenges starting at $36, which is $14 less than Alpha Capital Group's starting price of $50. Alpha Capital Group offers 23 challenge options, while IQ Capital offers 17.

Account Sizes

On account sizing, Alpha Capital Group offers account sizes from $5 to $200 across 6 funding tiers, while IQ Capital offers account sizes from $50 to $200 across 3 funding tiers. Picking the right tier matters because both the entry cost and the maximum capital you can scale to are tied to the account size you start with.

Trading Platforms

For trading platforms, Alpha Capital Group supports DXTrade, cTrader, MT5 and TradeLocker, while IQ Capital runs on MT5, Quantower, Atas, Volumetrica and DeepCharts. If you already trade on a specific platform, this can be the deciding factor between the two.

Profit Split & Payouts

Alpha Capital Group offers 80% profit split, while IQ Capital offers 90%. Alpha Capital Group pays out Bi-weekly, and IQ Capital pays out Every 10 days.

Risk & Drawdown Rules

Risk rules are a key difference for funded traders: Alpha Capital Group lists its daily drawdown as "Applies to ALL plans (not just Alpha One): Alpha Pro 10% tier = 5% daily, Alpha Pro 8% tier = 4% daily, Alpha Pro 6% tier = 3% daily, Alpha Swing = 5% daily, Alpha One = 4% daily, Alpha Three = 4% daily (calculated on the initial account balance).", while IQ Capital lists "No daily loss limit on Crypto and CFD plans; Futures Daily-Loss-Limit plans carry $1,000 ($50K) or $1,500 ($100K)". Always confirm the drawdown type before buying, since a trailing rule behaves very differently from a static end-of-day one.

Payout Methods

When it comes to getting paid, Alpha Capital Group supports withdrawals via Rise, Wise and Wire Transfer, while IQ Capital pays out through Crypto, Bank Wire and USDC.

Trust & Safety

For trust and reputation, IQ Capital has 4.7/5 with 412 reviews.

Who Should Choose Which

So who should pick which? Alpha Capital Group is the stronger choice for fast payouts, while IQ Capital is the better fit for budget-conscious traders, maximum profit potential and trust & reputation.

This is a close matchup with Alpha Capital Group winning 3 and IQ Capital winning 3 of the categories we compared. The right choice depends on what matters most to you as a trader.

Pros & Cons

Alpha Capital Group
Pros
80% profit split with a 4th-withdrawal performance-fee bonus. Two payout methods: Bi-Weekly (every 14 days, $100 min) or On-Demand (request anytime once the consistency and 2% profit thresholds are met). Hedging and stacking allowed within one account. Risk-management EAs permitted on MT5. Weekend/overnight holding allowed on Swing, One and Three plans and during Pro evaluation phases.
Cons
Weekend holding triggers a soft breach (profit removal) on Pro funded (Qualified Analyst) accounts. EAs limited to risk-management tools only - no fully automated strategies, HFT or latency arbitrage (immediate account closure). Cross-account hedging and group trading with identical EAs are prohibited. On-demand payouts require passing the 40% Best Day consistency rule plus a minimum 2% gross profit.
IQ Capital
Pros
Flat 90% profit split from the first dollar with no threshold or tiers; single-phase evaluation with no minimum trading days; soft-breach system closes the offending trade instead of the account (two soft breaches before a hard breach); crypto, CFD and futures under one firm; no minimum payout size.
Cons
Trailing end-of-day drawdown on both the evaluation and the funded account; a hard 30% consistency rule on funded accounts (40% on Rapid); recurring monthly management fee per funded account; futures accounts are intraday only with no hedging; evaluation fees are non-refundable; the site's own pages disagree on the operating jurisdiction (Saint Lucia in the imprint, UAE in the FAQ).

Active Deals & Promo Codes

Alpha Capital Group
20% OFF 20% off all Alpha Capital Group evaluations. Verified live on alphacapitalgroup.com 2026-05-25 — homepage hero copy: "20% Off All Evaluations" with "CODE ALPHA20".
30% OFF 30% off On-Demand Alpha Pro plans. Verified via ACG email 2026-06-01 ([email protected]).
30% OFF 30% off Alpha One plans. Verified via ACG email 2026-06-01 ([email protected]).
30% OFF 30% off Alpha Pro 6% plans. Verified via ACG email 2026-06-01 ([email protected]).
$10K Alpha One accounts for flat $40 entry. Verified via ACG email 2026-06-01 ([email protected]).
15% OFF 15% off ACG June competition entries. Verified via [email protected] email 2026-05-30 (ACG site Cloudflare-blocked, email is primary source).
40% OFF 40% off all Alpha Capital evaluations ($150M performance-fees milestone). One code covers all plans. Code 150M. Verified via official ACG email 2026-06-15.
40% OFF 40% off all accounts (100k Instagram followers celebration). Code 100K. Source: official Alpha Capital Group email 2026-07-15.
IQ Capital

No active deals

Frequently Asked Questions

Which is better, Alpha Capital Group or IQ Capital?

Both firms are competitive. Alpha Capital Group wins in 3 categories while IQ Capital wins in 3. The best choice depends on what you prioritize: pricing, profit split, trust ratings, or payout speed.

Which is cheaper, Alpha Capital Group or IQ Capital?

IQ Capital has the lower starting price at $36. Alpha Capital Group offers 23 challenge options starting from $50, while IQ Capital offers 17 options starting from $36.

Which offers a higher profit split, Alpha Capital Group or IQ Capital?

IQ Capital offers a higher maximum profit split. Alpha Capital Group offers 80% while IQ Capital offers 90%.

How fast do Alpha Capital Group and IQ Capital pay out?

Alpha Capital Group has Bi-weekly payouts while IQ Capital offers Every 10 days payouts. Payout speed can be an important factor when choosing a prop firm.

Are Alpha Capital Group and IQ Capital legit?

Both firms have been independently verified by PropFirmMap. Alpha Capital Group holds a A+ safety grade. IQ Capital holds a unrated safety grade and a 4.7/5 TrustPilot rating. Safety grades are based on payout history, community trust signals, and regulatory transparency.

Which is better for beginners, Alpha Capital Group or IQ Capital?

IQ Capital may be more accessible for beginners due to its lower entry price. When starting out, consider challenge cost, drawdown rules, and profit split. Use the comparison table above to find which firm fits your experience level and risk tolerance.

Not sold on either? Explore alternatives

See the closest-matched prop firms ranked head-to-head against each contender, with live 2026 prices and safety grades.