Prop firms can be a great way for traders who lack funds to capitalize on their trading skills. The last thing you want as a trader, however, is to have a lot of your profits taken by the prop firm. While taking a commission is normal, you want to avoid prop trading firms with relatively low payouts.
So, to help traders interested in finding a top prop firm, this article will cover seven of the highest paying prop trading firms around. First, it’ll break down prop firms and their fee structures before providing overviews of the seven prop firms.
Breaking Down the Highest Paying Prop Trading Firms
For those who may be unfamiliar, let’s quickly cover what prop firms are.
A prop firm is a financial company that provides funds to skilled traders and takes a commission from their profits. To obtain and keep a funded account, traders typically have to demonstrate their abilities and then abide by certain rules.
While there are some kinks here and there, overall it’s a great system. Traders who lack money get funds to trade, which enables larger profits, while prop funds supply the capital and sit back and collect their percentage.
But what should that percentage be? It often varies, which is why this article will focus specifically on prop trading firms with high payouts. After all, they’re depending on your trading skills to make money, so you should keep the majority of the profits.
What to look for in prop trading firms
In addition to a high payout percentage, which will be covered in-depth below, here are a few other factors to keep in mind when looking for a top prop firm.
- Track record – Many prop trading firms have excellent ratings on sites such as TrustPilot. Checking for online ratings and reviews (like this one) can give you some measure of confidence in their track record.
- Withdrawal policies – Not only do you want a high payout percentage, but you want access to your trading profits, right? Different prop firms have different policies in terms of withdrawal frequency and minimums, so make sure you understand the policy before signing up.
- Support – Prop firms should be “propping” you up in more ways than one. In addition to supplying capital, do they have competent customer support? For example, is there a live chat option for quick help? Email only? Can you call and talk to a human being? Depending on your preferences, it’s a good idea to double-check what kind of customer support they have (and its reputation).
- Fees – When it comes to fees for prop firms, you should be keeping most of the profits, as in 75-90%. Ideally, the monthly fee and any other fees will be low as well. We’ll get into those now.
Prop Trading Firm Commissions and Fees
Prop trading firms typically make their money in two ways:
- Commissions – As traders use a prop firm and accumulate profits, the prop firm will take a given share of the profits. This typically ranges from 10% to 50%, although the best paying prop trading firms will be in the 10-25% range.
- Fees – Some prop trading firms also charge a monthly fee to traders in exchange for providing them with capital (as well as other resources, in most cases). These monthly fees can vary widely, from $50 up to $150 or more, while other prop firms require a one-time fee.
7 Highest Paying Prop Trading Firms
Now that you know more about prop firms and their fees, let’s take a look at seven of the highest paying prop trading firms so you can keep as much of your profits as possible.
TopStepTrader
| Profit Split | Monthly Subscription Fee |
| 90/10 (100% for first $5k) | $116-$122 per month |
TopStepTrader is our first prop trading firm that features a high payout rate. This is a fast-growing prop firm, and many traders are clearly succeeding with TopStep, as more than $2 million of profits were withdrawn in 2020.
While not all prop firms have great track records, TopStepTrader boasts a 4.5/5 rating on Trustpilot (1,500+ reviews), so you can rest assured this is a trustworthy prop firm to work with.
Just remember that to get started with prop firms like TopStep, you’ll need to prove your ability to earn consistent profits. So, depending on your ability level, you may need to educate yourself and learn effective trading strategies first.
Click here to check out TopStepTrader for yourself and start a 14-day free trial.
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SurgeTrader
| Profit Split | Audition Fee |
| 75/25 or 90/10 | $250-$6,500 |
SurgeTrader is next up, and this prop trading firm has straightforward rules and a streamlined process for funded trading. Compared to some of its competitors, which require more complicated onboarding, SurgeTrader offers a one-step process. Plus, it allows for nearly any type of trading activity, including forex, commodities, and more.
The SurgeTrader platform provides a profit split of 75% that can be increased up to 90% with an add-on purchase. The audition fee ranges from $250 ($20,000 account) all the way up to $6,500 ($1 million account).
With SurgeTrader there are also no minimum trading days requirement, which is helpful for traders who can’t commit to trading each and every day. SurgeTrader generally keeps things simple, with a 4% daily loss limit, 5% maximum drawdown, and 10% profit target, no matter your account level. This makes it easy to grow to larger accounts without adjusting your math.
To explore SurgeTrader for yourself, click here so you can see if it might be right for you.
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FTMO
| Profit Split | FTMO Challenge Fee |
| 80/20 or 90/10 | 155 EUR to 1,080 EUR (refundable fee) |
Next up is FTMO, a well-known prop firm that provides funded trading accounts to eligible traders.
There’s a one-time refundable fee to partake in the FTMO challenge. Upon successful completion and account verification, this fee will be refunded to you. When it comes to splits, FTMO’s default is 80/20, though it does go up to 90/10 for traders who meet the condition of their Scaling Plan.
The process to gain eligibility with FTMO involves two parts. To get your funded account, you must first pass the FTMO Challenge. It works by asking you to prove your trading abilities with a simulated account. You then move onto a live account in order to pass the Verification phase.
FTMO sports an excellent track record, with repeated awards for Deloitte’s Technology Fast 50. If you want to explore FTMO’s offerings and take advantage of a free trial, click here.
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OneUp Trader
| Profit Split | Monthly Subscription Fee |
| Up to 90/10 (100% for first $10k) | $125-$650 |
OneUp Trader is a fast-growing provider of funded accounts, with accounts ranging from $25,000 to $250,000.
The monthly subscription fee ranges from $125 to $650, and the profit split goes as high as 90/10 depending on the account choice traders make during evaluation. For the 90/10 split, traders will keep 100% for the first $10k. OneUp Trader also has no data fees, which some of its competitors have.
Traders can get going quickly with OneUp’s simple one-step onboarding process. This allows you to get started quickly. Once you start trading, you must trade for fifteen days or more to meet your profit target. After that, you’ll be placed with one of their funding partners.
While many prop firms don’t have a strong track record, that’s not the case with OneUp Trader. Currently holding a 4.7/5 score on TrustPilot, OneUp Trader is a service you can count on.
To check out OneUp Trader for yourself, simply click here so you can learn more and start your free trial.
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Fidelcrest
| Profit Split | Challenge Fee |
| 80/20 (Normal) or 90/10 (Aggressive) | 349 EUR to 1,399 EUR (refundable) |
Fidelcrest is another options prop trading firm that allows traders to access a huge variety of assets, including stocks, indices, commodities, and forex.
Fidelcrest offers Normal and Aggressive plans for its Pro Trader and Micro Trader accounts. The Normal profit split is 80/20, while the Aggressive split is 90/10. There’s also a one-time challenge fee that’s refunded to traders that pass the challenge.
To get into Fidelcrest’s Pro Trader Program, you must complete a two-step process. First, there’s the aforementioned Fidelcrest Trading Challenge, which is a 30-day trial period. After that, you go to the Verification phase, which is similar but requires 60 days.
Micro Trader accounts span from $10,000 to $50,000, while the Pro Trader accounts span from $150,000 all the way up to $1 million.
Click here to explore Fidelcrest and begin their Trading Challenge at your convenience.
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City Traders Imperium
| Profit Split | One-Time Fee |
| Up to 100/0 | $99 to $949 |
City Traders Imperium is another top prop firm when it comes to funded options trading. While many prop firms play into the idea of getting rich quickly to entice new traders, City Traders Imperium offers robust educational resources and is straightforward about what to expect.
For example, there are no hidden or monthly fees with CTI. There’s a one-time fee of $99 to $949 depending on your account, with higher fees to receive direct funding. Profit splits go up to 100%, which is as good as it gets.
Traders can either pass the Day Trading Challenge (for forex, indices, and commodities) or pay a larger sum to receive direct funding immediately.
Click here to check out City Traders Imperium and become a funded trader through one of their evaluation plans or by opting for direct funding.
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Earn2Trade
| Profit Split | Monthly Subscription Fee |
| 80/20 | $150 to $550 |
Last but not least is Earn2Trade, which calls itself a “trading education company” rather than a prop firm. A unique company, Earn2Trade connects successful traders with trading firms.
Earn2Trade has many different programs, including the Gauntlet, Gauntlet Mini, and Trader Career Path. The fees depend on the program, but all Earn2Trader programs offer an 80/20 split.
Founded in 2016 and currently holding a score of 4.8/5 on Trustpilot, Earn2Trade provides traders with a reliable option to funded trading.
Click here to learn more about Earn2Trade and see if it’s right for you!
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Choosing the Highest Paying Prop Firms
The best prop trading firms will have a streamlined process and pay traders a high percentage of their profits. The highest paying prop trading firms, like those covered above, generally pay out around 80-90%.
Once you’ve ensured a prop firm pays out well, then you can consider other factors, such as the process to get a funded account and the various rules they have (e.g. daily drawdown, withdrawal minimums, etc.).