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FTMO vs Paid To Trade: Head-to-Head Comparison (2026)

FTMO

8.3 A+
Czech Republic CFD
VS
Key Differences
Payouts Bi-Weekly vs On-Demand Price $79 vs $59

Verdict: Who Wins?

FTMO 3 wins
3 - 2
Paid To Trade 2 wins
Overall Rating 8.3 vs 0.0 Decisive
Starting Price $59 vs $79 Decisive
Profit Split Both Up to 90% Tie
Safety Grade A+ vs Decisive
Trust Score 79/100 vs 3.5/100 Decisive
Challenge Variety 16 vs 10 options Clear

Best For:

Budget-conscious traders Paid To Trade
Trust & reputation FTMO
Fast payouts Paid To Trade

Visual Comparison

FTMO Paid To Trade

Head-to-Head Comparison

FTMO Metric Paid To Trade
8.3/10 PFM Score -
4.8/5 (42,594) TrustPilot -
A+ Safety Grade -
79 B+ Trust Score 3.5 F
Up to 90% Profit Split 80% base on Instant Funding and 2-Step Static, 70% on 1-Step Static with paid upgrades to 80% or 90%, and 50% then 70% then 90% across payouts on 1-Step Trail
Maximum Daily Loss Amount, which is 5% of the Initial Simulated Capital (2-Step) or 3% (1-Step) Daily Drawdown 4% static (2-Step Static and Instant Funding), 3% static (1-Step Static, upgradeable to 4% with the Extended Drawdown add-on), none (1-Step Trail)
Bi-weekly (every 14 days) Payout Frequency Weekly (Static and Instant), Bi-weekly (1-Step Trail)
$79 Starting Price $59
Proprietary Technology White-Label
cTrader, MT5, MT4 Platforms Match Trader, Platform5
No Direct Path to Funded No
Czech Republic Country United Arab Emirates
Jan 2015 Established Jun 2025
10 options Challenge Options 16 options

Price Comparison by Account Size

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

Account Size FTMO Paid To Trade Savings
$10K $79 $109 Save $30
$25K $199 $299 Save $100
$50K $319 $399 Save $80
$100K $439 $699 Save $260

FTMO vs Paid To Trade: Detailed Analysis

FTMO and Paid To Trade are both CFD firms. FTMO has been in business longer, established in 2015, while Paid To Trade was founded in 2025.

Pricing

In terms of pricing, Paid To Trade is more affordable with challenges starting at $59, which is $20 less than FTMO's starting price of $79. FTMO offers 10 challenge options, while Paid To Trade offers 16.

Account Sizes

On account sizing, FTMO offers account sizes from $10 to $200 across 5 funding tiers, while Paid To Trade offers account sizes from $5 to $100 across 8 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, FTMO supports cTrader, MT5 and MT4, while Paid To Trade runs on Match Trader and Platform5. If you already trade on a specific platform, this can be the deciding factor between the two.

Profit Split & Payouts

FTMO offers Up to 90% profit split, while Paid To Trade offers 80% base on Instant Funding and 2-Step Static, 70% on 1-Step Static with paid upgrades to 80% or 90%, and 50% then 70% then 90% across payouts on 1-Step Trail. FTMO pays out Bi-weekly (every 14 days), and Paid To Trade pays out Weekly (Static and Instant), Bi-weekly (1-Step Trail).

Risk & Drawdown Rules

Risk rules are a key difference for funded traders: FTMO lists its daily drawdown as "Maximum Daily Loss Amount, which is 5% of the Initial Simulated Capital (2-Step) or 3% (1-Step)", while Paid To Trade lists "4% static (2-Step Static and Instant Funding), 3% static (1-Step Static, upgradeable to 4% with the Extended Drawdown add-on), none (1-Step Trail)". Always confirm the drawdown type before buying, since a trailing rule behaves very differently from a static end-of-day one.

Payout Methods

Paid To Trade supports withdrawals via Crypto (USDT TRC-20) and Wire Transfer.

Trust & Safety

For trust and reputation, FTMO has a 4.8/5 TrustPilot rating with 42,594 reviews.

Who Should Choose Which

So who should pick which? FTMO is the stronger choice for trust & reputation, while Paid To Trade is the better fit for budget-conscious traders and fast payouts.

This is a close matchup with FTMO winning 3 and Paid To Trade winning 2 of the categories we compared. The right choice depends on what matters most to you as a trader.

Pros & Cons

FTMO
Pros
Up to 90% of your simulated profits as a reward, accounts up to $200,000 FTMO Account, established 2015 with 3.5M+ customers worldwide, MT4 MT5 cTrader supported, 100% refund of initial fee on first reward (2-Step), Prague-based with $500M+ paid in rewards
Cons
All accounts we provide to our clients are demo accounts with fictitious funds and any trading is in a simulated environment only; prices charged in EUR; 2-Step Verification phase required before reaching FTMO Account
Paid To Trade
Pros
Weekly payouts with instant approval and a published per-payout ledger; no profit cap and no consistency rule on Static and Instant accounts; no time limit on any evaluation; A-book execution routed to a named liquidity provider (FX-EDGE); EAs allowed; weekend holding allowed; choice of Match Trader or Platform 5.
Cons
TrustPilot has withheld this company's rating for a breach of its guidelines and states it removed a number of fake reviews, while the firm's own /reviews/ page claims a 4.8 TrustPilot rating the profile does not support and lists account prices that contradict the live checkout. News trading is prohibited on all Static and Instant accounts, hedging is banned outright, evaluation fees are non-refundable, and account sizes stop at $80K on 2-Step Static or $100K on 1-Step Trail before the scaling programme.

Frequently Asked Questions

Which is better, FTMO or Paid To Trade?

Both firms are competitive. FTMO wins in 3 categories while Paid To Trade wins in 2. The best choice depends on what you prioritize: pricing, profit split, trust ratings, or payout speed.

Which is cheaper, FTMO or Paid To Trade?

Paid To Trade has the lower starting price at $59. FTMO offers 10 challenge options starting from $79, while Paid To Trade offers 16 options starting from $59.

Which offers a higher profit split, FTMO or Paid To Trade?

FTMO offers a higher maximum profit split. FTMO offers Up to 90% while Paid To Trade offers 80% base on Instant Funding and 2-Step Static, 70% on 1-Step Static with paid upgrades to 80% or 90%, and 50% then 70% then 90% across payouts on 1-Step Trail.

How fast do FTMO and Paid To Trade pay out?

FTMO has Bi-weekly (every 14 days) payouts while Paid To Trade offers Weekly (Static and Instant), Bi-weekly (1-Step Trail) payouts. Payout speed can be an important factor when choosing a prop firm.

Are FTMO and Paid To Trade legit?

Both firms have been independently verified by PropFirmMap. FTMO holds a A+ safety grade and a 4.8/5 TrustPilot rating. Paid To Trade holds a unrated safety grade. Safety grades are based on payout history, community trust signals, and regulatory transparency.

Which is better for beginners, FTMO or Paid To Trade?

Paid To Trade 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.