Best Prop Firms With Funded Trading Accounts 2026
If you have the skills and are an experienced trader, you may find it frustrating if a lack of funds limits your potential opportunities. Funded trading accounts, also known as prop firms, aim to solve this problem by allowing proven traders to use their capital to trade, increasing trading power and potential results. The catch – they want a slice of any returns and some firms charge steep evaluation fees.
We break down the information you need to know and typical steps to obtain a funded trading account. We also share our tips on becoming a funded trader, alongside the pitfalls to watch for when choosing a prop firm. But before all that – let’s dig into the top prop trading firms after our latest tests.
Best Funded Trading Account Providers
We’ve watched multiple prop firms crop up over the years and sometimes even disappear. But after evaluating multiple companies, these funded account providers are currently our top picks. Our list is short because we’re not comfortable recommending most of the firms in the market.
- Eightcap: A multi-regulated broker, has a specific funded account solution for active day traders – Day Trader Challenges. We’ve investigated it, and it’s a fast, skill-based prop trading format built for intraday traders, with sessions lasting 1–8 hours, stakes from $5, and trader-controlled parameters like duration and reward multipliers (2x–10x). Even after retesting the market, it remains our pick for the best funded trading account in 2026
- FundedNext: Alternatively, some traders may prefer a specialist prop trading firm that isn’t a traditional forex and CFD broker like Eightcap. After evaluating multiple providers side-by-side, FundedNext is the only other funded trading account provider we’re comfortable recommending. It has three qualification routes, offers funding up to $300,000, a 90/10 profit split, trading on forex, indices, and commodities, and connects traders to the markets through the MT4 and MT5 platforms.
How We Chose The Top Funded Trading Accounts
Our experts compared a long row of companies to bring you our list of top prop trading firms and accounts, reviewing key factors:
- The trust we have in the firm
- The qualification process
- The amount of funding
- The percentage split of profits
- The markets available to prop traders
- The trading platforms and tools
How To Choose A Prop Trading Firm
A large number of prop trading firms now compete to attract retail investors, so our experts consider the most important factors for this type of trading and compare firms according to these criteria:
Trust
Traders at prop firms may not be risking their own capital in trades, but the question of trust is still all-important.
We’ve found some so-called prop firms in fact attempt to earn money from traders by selling them expensive courses before they are allowed to start trading. Others impose harsh fines on traders if they do not meet stringent criteria written into the terms and conditions.
To ensure that we are directing traders to honest firms, we carefully review the terms of every funded account firm we recommend, as well as checking their regulatory status to ensure that any licences are still valid.
How To Qualify
Traders can’t usually just sign up with a prop firm and start trading. Instead, they will need to prove their skills by passing a trading test, which mostly involves meeting specific trading targets over a set period.
Many firms charge heavily for qualifiers that will need to be repeated until targets are met, so we recommend prop trading companies that price them reasonably and set achievable goals for prospective traders.
Besides the up-front cost of entering a qualifying challenge, traders are also often expected to pay a running membership fee while signed up with a prop firm.
We only recommend firms that charge a reasonable fee which will allow traders to take home profit, and we especially like those with flexible pricing models that allow traders to choose between reduced fees and increased profit splits.
Available Funding
The biggest advantage of trading with a funded account is the chance to access large sums of capital without risking your own money, allowing you to benefit from significant trading power with lower personal risk.
Traders at prop firms might have to start trading with a relatively small amount, but can usually increase their funding by completing trading goals.
So, one of our priorities when we assess companies is to evaluate how much funding they provide traders and whether the highest funding levels are accessible.
We favor prop trading firms that give traders access to $50,000+ without having to fulfil an excessive amount of trading goals.
Assets & Markets
Whether it is forex, commodities, stocks or crypto, a trader will need access to the instruments they are strongest trading to get the most from a partnership with a prop firm.
Our top prop trading firms offer a range of asset classes to ensure that traders can reach their markets of choice, hedge when necessary and not miss out on trading opportunities.
How Profits Are Split
Good funded trading account providers make their money from a split of profits earned by traders and not from fines or training charges; the best will offer traders a fair split that can significantly exceed 50%.
When we review firms, we look for the ones that give traders the most competitive split of profits and which do not try to make money from traders through unfair charges.
It is also crucial for traders to be able to access their profits fairly and frequently, so we always review the terms and conditions for withdrawals and prefer firms that provide access to earnings at least every month.
Trading Platform & Tools
As it is used to analyze markets and execute trades, the trading platform is among the most crucial of all the tools that a prop trader will use.
Additional charting, research and analysis tools can also greatly enhance a trader’s ability.
We look for funded account brokers and prop firms that offer industry-leading platforms like MetaTrader 4, and supplement these with a full suite of top-level trading tools available at low or no extra cost.
Pros & Cons Of Funded Trading Accounts
Pros
- Traders who prove themselves will be given access to potentially a large amount of capital without having to risk their own money.
- Good investment firms will provide support to traders to help them sharpen their skills and possibly earn more profit.
- The top brokers with funded trading accounts treat traders as partners and not customers – it is in their interest for a trader to generate healthy profits, since they will get a share when they do.
Cons
- Some firms may have different business models in which they offer training packages to prepare for a funded trading account. In this case, the firm can make large amounts of money by charging for this training, and the maximum loss criteria means they face little downside if a trader does badly once they have completed training. However, the trader could still lose a lot of money in paying for these.
- There are lots of unregulated funded account providers, so careful due diligence is required to avoid scams or firms with unfair trading conditions, while online reviews can’t always be trusted.
- A funded trading account is really a suitable option for a trader who has already amassed experience and developed skills, so be wary of any programs that offer to teach beginners.
Bottom Line
For some traders, having the chance to manage an account worth hundreds of thousands or more is a dream.
Funded trading accounts may be worth it if you have the skills and knowledge to turn a profit in markets you understand, but you should be cautious before signing up, since some prop firms charge high fees and may snare you in expensive training courses.
The key is to look for a funded trading account that has a tough evaluation process, but doesn’t charge high fees to participate and offers a fair profit split deal for traders who meet the challenge.
FAQs
What Is A Prop Trading Firm?
Prop trading firms fund talented traders who prove their skills through an application process, providing a way to make returns from the financial markets without risking their own capital. They are also sometimes known as funded trading accounts.
How Do You Become A Funded Trader?
Most of the time, you need to complete an evaluation period or “challenge” to become a funded trader. This may involve trading on a live market with a small amount of a broker’s money, or trading on a demo account with simulated money.
The trader will usually need to meet certain criteria, such as making a 10% profit in 30 days without going below a daily or maximum loss level during that time.
Passing this challenge is a key opportunity for many traders, as it will give them access to a funded brokerage account which may provide access to far more capital than they could acquire themselves, allowing them to possibly make profits trading forex, the stock market, or their chosen asset.
What Happens If I Lose Money While Prop Trading?
Prop trading firms shoulder the financial risk of losing trades themselves, but that doesn’t mean traders have free rein to take excessive risks.
Since a maximum drawdown limit is normally in place, traders risk losing their funded accounts if they lose too much of the firm’s capital. Additionally, many prop firms impose limits on the amount of capital traders can lose in a single trade, discouraging risky, highly leveraged bets.
And, although the trader’s money won’t directly be lost in a bad trade, they will still have to factor in the amounts they spent to go through the qualification process and pay for membership.
Are Prop Trading Firms Regulated?
Unlike some traditional brokers, prop trading firms are not always required to register with a financial regulator. This makes it more difficult to distinguish tightly scrutinised from dishonest firms, so traders should carefully research before signing up and avoid any that offer guaranteed profits.
Note that some prop trading firms partner with a broker, and these may then be bound to normal regulatory practices, so check that any broker you trade with through a prop firm is overseen by a trusted watchdog.
Is It Safe To Trade With A Prop Firm?
Good prop firms can be a way for talented traders to make more money then they otherwise could with their current capital.
However, even with trustworthy firms, a trader risks losing their time and money during the qualification process if they are unable to pass, so it is a good idea to apply for a prop firm that doesn’t charge retake fees.
It is also wise to watch out for companies that promise traders large amounts of profit through funded trading at the end of expensive trading courses. There’s a chance these firms are making their money by selling courses to novice traders and not by splitting profits with them.
How Much Do Funded Traders Make?
Traders with good experience and knowledge can increase their capacity to make profits by working with a firm that offers a funded trading account. But the amount they make will vary hugely. Some won’t make anything at all.
How Much Funding Can Traders Get At Prop Firms?
The size of the funded trading account depends on the broker, but some can go as high as $1 million or more. In addition to this, funded trading accounts often offer access to high leverage, meaning that a funded trader will have greater buying power.
Firms usually allow traders to upscale the size of their account once they meet certain requirements. For example, some providers will increase the amount of available capital by a certain amount each time a trader hits a 10% profit target.
What Does It Mean To Be A Funded Trader?
Funded traders are bankrolled by an online brokerage or investing firm. The company provides them with capital to trade in exchange for a share of the profits. Firms have different joining requirements, strategy limitations and other rules.