FundedNext wins on price and payout frequency; FTMO wins on split certainty and account size. The number that actually decides it is not the fee, though. FundedNext makes you choose a 60%, 80% or 90% split at checkout and fixes it for the life of the account, while FTMO pays 90% from day one on its 1-Step.
FTMO figures come from ftmo.com and were checked on 23 October 2026. FundedNext figures come from help.fundednext.com, read on 25 October 2026. FTMO prices are in euros and FundedNext prices in US dollars, so compare the split and the rules before the headline number.
FundedNext: one-time fees from $59.99, three payout cycles, a 95% add-on. FTMO: fees from €79, refunded in full on the 2-Step with your first payout (1-Step not refundable), a fixed 90% split on the 1-Step and a 10-step path to a $200,000 account. Pick FundedNext for flexibility and small accounts; pick FTMO for the split and the refund.
Key Takeaways
- Split: FundedNext's 21-day cycle pays 80%, the 3-day cycle 60% and the on-demand cycle 90%, fixed when you buy. FTMO pays 90% on the 1-Step and 80% rising to 90% on the 2-Step.
- Fee: both refund it. FTMO returns 100% with your first payout; FundedNext returns it as a Refundable Fee with your first Performance Reward.
- Drawdown: FTMO's 1-Step trails 10%; FundedNext's 1-Step fixes 6% and its 2-Step fixes 10%, both against the starting balance.
- Size: FundedNext sells from $6,000 to $200,000. FTMO sells from $10,000 to $200,000, plus a conditional promotion on the $100,000 accounts.
The Split You Pick at Checkout Is the Real Price
A $59.99 FundedNext 2-Step on a $6,000 account is the cheapest entry in this comparison. It is also where the split matters most. Choose the 3-day payout cycle and you keep 60% of everything the account makes, for as long as it lives. The on-demand option pays 90% but requires 2% growth and a best day below 40% of total profit.
FTMO does not offer that trade-off. The 1-Step pays 90% from the first payout, and the 2-Step starts at 80% and rises to 90% through scaling. You cannot buy a faster payout cycle by accepting a smaller share, and you cannot buy a larger share at all.
Fees: Every Configuration I Could Verify
Both firms charge once per attempt and neither charges a monthly subscription on these products. The difference is the refund mechanism: FTMO returns the fee with your first payout, while FundedNext returns it with your first Performance Reward.
| Account size | FTMO 1-Step | FTMO 2-Step | FundedNext 1-Step | FundedNext 2-Step |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| $6,000 | Not offered | Not offered | $65.99 | $59.99 |
| $10,000 | €79 | €89 | Not offered | Not offered |
| $15,000 | Not offered | Not offered | $129.99 | $119.99 |
| $25,000 | €199 | €250 | $219.99 | $199.99 |
| $50,000 | €319 | €345 | $329.99 | $299.99 |
| $100,000 | €499 (promo €399) | €540 (promo €439) | $569.99 | $549.99 |
| $200,000 | €999 | €1,080 | $1,099.99 | $999.99 |
| Recurring? | No, one-time per attempt | No, one-time per attempt | No, one-time per attempt | No, one-time per attempt |
| Fee refunded? | Yes, 100% with the first payout | Yes, 100% with the first payout | Yes, with the first Performance Reward | Yes, with the first Performance Reward |
Two caveats on that table. FTMO's $100,000 promotion at €399 and €439 is conditional, so check it is still live before you rely on it. FundedNext's prices rise with add-ons: the 95% lifetime split, the no-minimum-days option and the 150% refund are paid extras, and each one changes the effective split or the effective fee.
Rules: Static Against Trailing, and What Consistency Costs
The drawdown design matters more than its size. FTMO's 1-Step trails 10% behind your high-water mark; FundedNext fixes its floor at 94% of the starting balance on the 1-Step and 90% on the 2-Step, and never moves it.
| Rule | FTMO 1-Step | FTMO 2-Step | FundedNext 1-Step | FundedNext 2-Step |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Profit target | 10% | 10% then 5% | 10% | 8% then 5% |
| Daily loss limit | 3% | 5% | 3% | 5% |
| Maximum loss | 10% trailing | 10% static | 6% static | 10% static |
| Minimum trading days | None | 4 per phase | 2 per phase | 5 per phase |
| Consistency | Best day at or below 50% of total profit, for accounts opened from 12 October 2026 | Best day at or below 30% of total profit to request a reward | Quick Strike below 30% | Quick Strike below 30% |
| Profit split | 90% | 80%, rising to 90% | 80%, or 95% with the add-on | 80% on the 21-day cycle, 60% on the 3-day cycle, 90% on demand, 95% with the add-on |
| Payout cycle | Every 14 days | Every 14 days | Every 5 business days | 21 days, 3 profitable days or on demand, chosen at checkout |
| Payout processing | 1 to 2 business days | 1 to 2 business days | Within 24 hours of approval | Within 24 hours of approval |
| Platforms | MT4, MT5, cTrader, DXtrade | MT4, MT5, cTrader, DXtrade | MT4, MT5, cTrader, Match-Trader | MT4, MT5, cTrader, Match-Trader |
| Asset class | Forex and CFD | Forex and CFD | Forex and CFD | Forex and CFD |
That table explains the split decision better than any headline. A trader who runs up 6% and gives it back fails the FTMO 1-Step, because the trailing floor followed them up. The same trader survives the FundedNext 1-Step, where the floor is still 6% below the starting balance.
In exchange, FundedNext asks for 2 or 5 minimum trading days per phase and a Quick Strike score below 30%, meaning fewer than 30% of profits from trades closed inside 30 seconds. FTMO's 1-Step has no minimum days; its 2-Step asks for 4 per phase, and its funded 2-Step caps your best day at 30% of total profit before you can request a reward.
Pick FTMO If…
- You want a fixed 90% split from the first payout and no checkout decision that reduces it.
- You want the fee back in cash with your first payout rather than as a refundable credit on a later reward.
- You trade on DXtrade, which FundedNext does not offer.
- You want a static 10% floor on a two-phase exam rather than a trailing 10% on a one-phase exam.
Pick FundedNext If…
- You want to start below $10,000: FundedNext sells a $6,000 2-Step for $59.99 and FTMO's smallest account is $10,000.
- You want a payout every 3 days and will accept 60% to get it.
- You want to lock in 95% permanently through the lifetime add-on, which FTMO does not sell at any price.
- You want a cheaper 2-Step at every size above $6,000 in dollar terms.
Verdict: Buy the Split, Not the Fee
If you expect to pass on the first attempt, the fee is nearly irrelevant on both sides because both refund it. What you keep afterwards is the split, and that is where the two firms genuinely differ. FTMO's 90% is unconditional on the 1-Step. FundedNext's 90% requires you to choose the on-demand cycle and then hit 2% growth with a best day below 40% of profit.
FundedNext is the better buy for a trader who wants a small account, a fast payout cycle or a 95% ceiling. FTMO is the better buy for a trader who wants the split settled in advance and the fee returned in cash. Our Vest Markets vs FTMO comparison covers the third option if instant funding appeals more than either.
Check FTMO's Current Challenge Prices
Sources: ftmo.com pricing and FTMO trading objectives (checked 23 October 2026); FundedNext Stellar 2-Step, Stellar 1-Step and FundedNext platforms (read 25 October 2026).
