Buyer's Guide

Best Prop Firms 2026: Our Top 3 by Editorial Score

Q: What is the best prop firm in 2026?

By our editorial score, it is E8 Markets at 94 out of 100, followed by Topstep at 89 and The5ers at 88, among the 33 firms whose records we have approved, with facts checked up to November 4, 2026. The best firm for you depends first on your market, so see our forex and futures guides for a ranking within each.

Q: Which prop firms are the most trusted?

We do not measure trust from reviews or star ratings. Our score reads what can be checked: the legal entity and its company registry, the courts named in the terms, how clearly payout rules are published, years in business and the warning lists of financial regulators. E8 Markets, Topstep and The5ers score highest on those. E8 Markets is named in a notice a regulator still publishes, shown on its profile. We show every such notice; only a finding of misconduct or enforcement lowers the score, while a notice that a firm is not licensed in one country does not.

Q: How do the top prop firms compare on payout speed and profit split?

On the programme each score reads, E8 Markets pays a split of 80%, up to 100% and takes payout requests every day; Topstep pays 90%, with requests on demand; and The5ers pays 80%, up to 100%, with requests every 14 days. A firm that pays on demand still sets conditions first, such as a number of winning days, so read its payout page before you trade.

Q: What is the cheapest way to start with a top prop firm?

On the programme each score reads, E8 Markets starts at $28 for a $5,000 account, Topstep at $49 a month for a $50,000 account and The5ers at $19 for a $2,500 account. Across the 33 firms we compared, the lowest one-time fee at any size is the $9 Hola Prime charges for a $2,000 account. For refunds, retries and the net cost at a first payout, see our cheapest prop firm guide.

Q: Which prop firms let you scale to a large account?

Scaling means a funded account grows: at some firms the balance rises once you meet profit targets, at others the contract limit rises as your balance grows. On the programme each score reads, the largest account sold at sign-up is $500,000 at E8 Markets, $150,000 at Topstep and $100,000 at The5ers, and some firms grow the balance further through a scaling plan. The max allocation column in the table shows the most capital or accounts each firm lets one trader hold, from the firm's own pages.

Q: What about the best prop firm on Reddit?

Reddit threads can flag a problem early, but an upvote is not a check of the facts. We do not use upvotes, reviews, star ratings or affiliate deals in our score: it reads each firm's published terms and official records, each one dated, as our methodology sets out. If a thread reports a refused payout or a rule change, compare it with the firm's current terms and its profile here.

Q: How can you tell if a prop firm is legit?

Look for a named legal entity you can find in a company registry, dated terms that name the courts for a dispute, payout rules published before you pay, a published support contact, and the firm's standing on the warning lists of financial regulators. Our score checks each of these for every firm we approve, and each profile shows what we found and when. A legitimate firm can still have rules that do not suit you, so read those too.

These are the three prop firms with the highest editorial score of the 33 firms whose records we have approved, with the same scores and the same facts as our firm directory, so you can see what each one charges, how its drawdown works and how it pays before you buy a challenge.

By John McLarenData checked up to 4 November 2026

Fact-checked by Gabriele Nigro · 4 November 2026

The 3 prop firms with the highest editorial score

Checked in the last 14 daysRe-check overduePoint at a dot for the date. Each profile dates every fact.

Prop firms ordered by editorial score, highest first, with key rules and lowest list price; a dot after the name marks a recent check or an overdue re-check
Firm	Market	Maximum loss	Consistency rule	Min. trading days	Base profit split	First payout	Lowest list priceCost per $1K	Max allocation
E8 MarketsChecked recently, on 27 Oct 2026Best for: EAs and algo tradingScore 94Visit E8 Markets	Forex	14% Balance-basedE8 One	NoneE8 Pro	No minimumE8 One	80% to 100%	Other (see source)	from $28$2.80 per $1K	E8 One: $500,000 combined; E8 Pro: $500,000 combined +2
TopstepBest for: the lowest monthly cost per $1K among futures firmsBacked by Topstep Brokerage LLCScore 89Visit Topstep	Futures	4% Trailing (end of day)Trading Combine (Standard)	Best day max 55%Trading Combine (Standard)	2 daysTrading Combine (Standard)	90%	Other (see source)	from $49 per month$0.98 per $1K, per month	Express Funded Accounts: 5 accounts
The5ersBest for: the lowest cost per $1K among forex firmsBacked by TSG BrokersScore 88Visit The5ers	Forex	10% StaticHigh Stakes (New)	NonePro Growth	No minimumHyper Growth	50% to 100%	After 14 days (Pro Growth)	from $19 one-time / $22 (entry fee, rest due after passing)$1.25 per $1K, one-time / $0.90 per $1K, other billing	Bootcamp: 4 accounts; Hyper Growth: $40,000 combined +1

E8 MarketsBest for: EAs and algo trading
Forex
Score 94Visit E8 Markets
Status
Active
Maximum loss
14% Balance-based (E8 One)
Consistency rule
None (E8 Pro)
Min. trading days
No minimum (E8 One)
Base profit split
80% to 100%
First payout
Other (see source)
Lowest list price
from $28
Cost per $1K
$2.80 per $1K
Max allocation
E8 One: $500,000 combined; E8 Pro: $500,000 combined +2
Checked 27 Oct 2026
TopstepBest for: the lowest monthly cost per $1K among futures firmsBacked by Topstep Brokerage LLC
Futures
Score 89Visit Topstep
Status
Active
Maximum loss
4% Trailing (end of day) (Trading Combine (Standard))
Consistency rule
Best day max 55% (Trading Combine (Standard))
Min. trading days
2 days (Trading Combine (Standard))
Base profit split
90%
First payout
Other (see source)
Lowest list price
from $49 per month
Cost per $1K
$0.98 per $1K, per month
Max allocation
Express Funded Accounts: 5 accounts
Checked 17 Oct 2026
The5ersBest for: the lowest cost per $1K among forex firmsBacked by TSG Brokers
Forex
Score 88Visit The5ers
Status
Active
Maximum loss
10% Static (High Stakes (New))
Consistency rule
None (Pro Growth)
Min. trading days
No minimum (Hyper Growth)
Base profit split
50% to 100%
First payout
After 14 days (Pro Growth)
Lowest list price
from $19 one-time / $22 (entry fee, rest due after passing)
Cost per $1K
$1.25 per $1K, one-time / $0.90 per $1K, other billing
Max allocation
Bootcamp: 4 accounts; Hyper Growth: $40,000 combined +1
Checked 17 Oct 2026

Quick answer

By our editorial score, which reads each firm's published terms, prices, track record and regulator warning lists, the best prop firms are E8 Markets (94 out of 100, forex and CFDs), Topstep (89, futures) and The5ers (88, forex and CFDs). They lead the 33 firms whose records we have approved, with facts checked up to November 4, 2026.

Each row is the firm's row in our firm directory, in score order: the same columns, values and check dates, read from the firm's own pages, with its score under its name. A row covers every programme the firm sells, so its lowest price and its drawdown can come from different programmes. The blocks below follow the one programme each firm's score reads.

1st by editorial score

Who is E8 Markets best for?

E8 Markets has our highest editorial score, 94 out of 100, and suits forex and CFD traders who can live with a tight daily loss limit and a daily profit cap. Its score reads E8 Pro, its lowest-priced programme: $28 one-time for a $5,000 account with the lowest maximum loss and split chosen at checkout, and accounts up to $500,000. E8 Pro has a static maximum loss, no consistency rule, news trading allowed, weekend holding allowed and a split of 80% or 100%, chosen when you buy. Payouts can be requested every day, with a $100 minimum. It trades on cTrader, MT5, TradeLocker, and E8 Terminal. Founded in 2021, it earns 25 of 25 points for rule fairness and 20 of 20 for payout terms. The trade-off is room for error: a one-day loss of 2.5% of the starting balance closes the account, the fee is not refunded, and its prices earn 9 of 15 points against other forex firms.

Read our E8 Markets review

2nd by editorial score

Who is Topstep best for?

Topstep is the highest-scored futures firm we have approved, 2nd overall with 89 out of 100, and suits futures day traders who value a long record: it has run its evaluation since 2012. Its score reads Trading Combine (Standard), sold for accounts up to $150,000: $49 a month for a $50,000 account, billed until you pass or cancel, plus an activation fee once you pass. The funded split is 90%, payouts can be requested on demand once you meet the firm's conditions, with a $125 minimum, and you trade on TopstepX. Its price earns 15 of 15 points against other futures firms and its payout terms 20 of 20. The trade-off is the rules, which earn 14 of 25: the maximum loss trails your best end-of-day balance, in the evaluation your best day must stay within 55% of your total profit or the target rises, positions cannot be held over the weekend and the fee is not refunded.

Read our Topstep review

3rd by editorial score

Who is The5ers best for?

The5ers is 3rd with 88 out of 100 and suits forex and CFD traders who want a low first fee and room to grow. Its score reads High Stakes (New), a two-step evaluation: $19 one-time for a $2,500 account, with accounts up to $100,000 at sign-up. It has a static maximum loss, no consistency rule listed for this programme, weekend holding allowed and a split of 80% that rises to 100% as the account scales, and the fee is partly refunded once you are funded. You need 3 profitable days to pass each step, and it trades on MetaTrader 5, cTrader, and TradingView (the firm's platform page lists any extra fee for a platform). Founded in 2016, it earns 23 of 25 points for rule fairness. The trade-off is payout timing, which earns 15 of 20: the first payout comes 14 days after the funded account starts and then every 14 days, and no orders may be placed in the minutes around high-impact news.

Read our The5ers review

In this table

What the three top-scored firms offer

Each bar counts the firms in the table above that record it, and the logos show which ones. The text below gives the figures for every firm we cover with a matching programme.

Platforms

cTraderE8 Markets and The5ers2/3
MetaTrader 5E8 Markets and The5ers2/3
BlackArrowThe5ers1/3
E8 TerminalE8 Markets1/3
Match-TraderE8 Markets1/3
TopstepXTopstep1/3

Drawdown type

Trailing (end of day)E8 Markets, Topstep, and The5ers3/3
StaticE8 Markets and The5ers2/3
Balance-basedE8 Markets1/3

Programme type

One phaseE8 Markets, Topstep, and The5ers3/3
OtherTopstep1/3
Three phaseThe5ers1/3
Two phaseThe5ers1/3

Profit split

90% or moreE8 Markets, Topstep, and The5ers3/3

How we picked these firms

We score each of the 33 prop firms whose records we have approved out of 100, from its published terms and official records: rule fairness, payout terms, price, transparency, track record, legal jurisdiction and regulator warning lists. Only recorded, dated facts earn points, and a fact past its freshness limit earns none. The rule, payout and price parts read the firm's lowest-priced paid programme. The three firms here are the top of that ranking, in the same order as our firm directory sorted by score. Nothing commercial counts: no affiliate deal, sponsorship, review rating or upvote.

How the score works

Which is the best prop firm for forex, and which for futures?

Start with what you trade, because the two markets are sold and run differently. Of the 33 firms we have approved, 13 are forex and CFD firms, 17 are futures firms and 3 are crypto firms. Among the forex firms, 13 sell an evaluation for a one-time fee and 11 allow weekend holding on at least one programme. Among the futures firms, 10 bill at least one evaluation monthly, 15 use a maximum loss that trails your balance on at least one programme, and 13 prohibit weekend holding on every programme with a recorded rule. Our editorial score uses one scale for every market, which is why the ranking above can mix them. To compare firms inside one market, our forex prop firm guide ranks them on platforms, news and weekend rules, and our futures prop firm guide on the full cost to a first payout.

What should you check before you buy a prop firm challenge?

Check four things on the firm's own pages before you pay. First, the rules that end an account: the maximum loss and whether it is static or trails your balance, any daily loss limit, and any consistency rule that limits how much of your profit one day can make. Second, the payout terms: when the first payout can be requested, how often after that, the minimum amount and the share of profit you keep. Third, the full price: whether the fee is one-time or monthly, whether an activation fee is due after you pass, and whether any of the fee comes back once you are funded. Fourth, whether the firm accepts traders from your country, which its terms or its list of restricted countries will say; our country pages show the firms that do. Every value in the table above comes from the firm's own pages, and each firm's profile links the page and the date we read it.

Are prop firms legit?

Many prop firms are registered companies with published terms, but it helps to know what you are buying. A prop firm challenge is a fee for an evaluation on a simulated account: you trade the firm's virtual capital, and if you pass and keep to its rules, the firm pays you a share of the profit you make on that account. It is not a brokerage account, even where the firm's group includes a broker, and the fee is not a deposit you can withdraw, so the firm's own terms decide what you get back. Read who the legal entity is, where it is registered, which courts settle a dispute and when a payout can be refused. Our score checks the entity, its registry, the courts named in the terms and regulators' warning lists for every firm we approve, and each profile shows any notice we found. FundedFast is a comparison site, not a prop firm or a broker, and nothing here is investment advice.

Which other firms did we check?

We also checked 30 more firms with a matching programme. They are listed alphabetically.

FAQ

Frequently asked

What is the best prop firm in 2026?

By our editorial score, it is E8 Markets at 94 out of 100, followed by Topstep at 89 and The5ers at 88, among the 33 firms whose records we have approved, with facts checked up to November 4, 2026. The best firm for you depends first on your market, so see our forex and futures guides for a ranking within each.

Which prop firms are the most trusted?

We do not measure trust from reviews or star ratings. Our score reads what can be checked: the legal entity and its company registry, the courts named in the terms, how clearly payout rules are published, years in business and the warning lists of financial regulators. E8 Markets, Topstep and The5ers score highest on those. E8 Markets is named in a notice a regulator still publishes, shown on its profile. We show every such notice; only a finding of misconduct or enforcement lowers the score, while a notice that a firm is not licensed in one country does not.

How do the top prop firms compare on payout speed and profit split?

On the programme each score reads, E8 Markets pays a split of 80%, up to 100% and takes payout requests every day; Topstep pays 90%, with requests on demand; and The5ers pays 80%, up to 100%, with requests every 14 days. A firm that pays on demand still sets conditions first, such as a number of winning days, so read its payout page before you trade.

What is the cheapest way to start with a top prop firm?

On the programme each score reads, E8 Markets starts at $28 for a $5,000 account, Topstep at $49 a month for a $50,000 account and The5ers at $19 for a $2,500 account. Across the 33 firms we compared, the lowest one-time fee at any size is the $9 Hola Prime charges for a $2,000 account. For refunds, retries and the net cost at a first payout, see our cheapest prop firm guide.

Which prop firm is best for beginners?

No single firm is best for every beginner, but some rules are kinder to a first attempt: a static maximum loss that does not trail your balance, no consistency rule and a low fee for a small account. Of the 33 firms we compared, 19 record a static maximum loss on at least one programme and 14 state that at least one programme has no consistency rule. Our guide for beginners compares firms on those rules and on the cost of a retry.

Which prop firms let you scale to a large account?

Scaling means a funded account grows: at some firms the balance rises once you meet profit targets, at others the contract limit rises as your balance grows. On the programme each score reads, the largest account sold at sign-up is $500,000 at E8 Markets, $150,000 at Topstep and $100,000 at The5ers, and some firms grow the balance further through a scaling plan. The max allocation column in the table shows the most capital or accounts each firm lets one trader hold, from the firm's own pages.

What about the best prop firm on Reddit?

Reddit threads can flag a problem early, but an upvote is not a check of the facts. We do not use upvotes, reviews, star ratings or affiliate deals in our score: it reads each firm's published terms and official records, each one dated, as our methodology sets out. If a thread reports a refused payout or a rule change, compare it with the firm's current terms and its profile here.

How can you tell if a prop firm is legit?

Look for a named legal entity you can find in a company registry, dated terms that name the courts for a dispute, payout rules published before you pay, a published support contact, and the firm's standing on the warning lists of financial regulators. Our score checks each of these for every firm we approve, and each profile shows what we found and when. A legitimate firm can still have rules that do not suit you, so read those too.

Related guides

By country

FundedFast is a publisher, not a broker, and is not regulated by any financial authority. Nothing on this page is investment advice, and a prop firm challenge is a fee-based evaluation, not an investment. Figures come from each firm's own published terms on the dates shown, and firms change their rules, so check the firm's page before you pay.