FTMO vs FundedNext: every rule side by side
The two largest CFD evaluations share the same skeleton: 10% static maximum loss, 5% daily loss, an 8% then 5% target. The differences are minimum days, the news rule once funded, the payout cycle and which platforms run EAs.
Every rule side by side
| Rule | FTMO | FundedNext (CFD) |
|---|---|---|
| Programs | not published on the card | Stellar 2-Step, Stellar 1-Step, Stellar Lite, Stellar Instant (no evaluation). Futures accounts (Flex, Legacy, Rapid, Bolt) run a separate rulebook: see the FundedNext Futures card |
| Drawdown (evaluation) | Static: 10% maximum loss, 5% daily loss on standard accounts | Static from initial balance: 10% on 2-Step, 6% on 1-Step, 8% on Lite. Instant: 6% trailing on the equity high-water mark, capped at the initial balance |
| Drawdown (funded) | not published on the card | Daily loss limit, maximum loss and drawdown type carry over from the challenge unchanged (tradetanto, Sep 2026) |
| Daily loss limit | not published on the card | 5% on 2-Step (equity-based), 3% on 1-Step, Lite by plan; none on Instant |
| Profit targets | 10% Phase 1, 5% Phase 2 on the standard two-step | 2-Step: 8% then 5%; 1-Step: 10%; Lite: by plan; Instant: no target, rewards from 5% growth |
| Consistency | None on the challenge; MetriX review on funded | Trackers disagree: one rulebook lists a payout-stage consistency check as a soft breach that delays a withdrawal, two others state no consistency rule on CFD funded accounts. Verify with firm for the exact plan before the first withdrawal |
| Minimum days | 4 trading days per phase | 5 on 2-Step, 2 on 1-Step, none on Instant |
| Automation (EAs, bots) | EAs permitted under anti-HFT restrictions, own logic only — third-party signal copying may violate terms | Allowed on MT4 and MT5, provided the EA respects drawdown limits; not on cTrader. Prohibited: HFT, latency arbitrage, tick scalping, grid, cross-account hedging (tradetanto, fortraders, Sep 2026) |
| Copy trading | Own accounts allowed; opposing positions across accounts count as hedging violations | Own accounts only; copying another trader or group-coordinated trades is a breach |
| News | Restricted on standard; Swing accounts allow holding through news and overnight | Allowed on all models; on funded accounts, trades opened or closed within 5 minutes of a high-impact release count only 40% of their profit toward the balance |
| Overnight and weekend | not published on the card | Holding permitted on the Stellar models, including weekends |
| Payout | 80/20 to 90/10 by scaling tier; on demand after the first | 2-Step: first payout 21 days after passing, then 14-day cycles; 1-Step: first payout 5 days after passing, 5-business-day cycles; Instant: on demand from 5% growth. Split 80% rising to 95% (Instant 70% to 80%) |
| Leverage | $400,000 per trader or per strategy across accounts | not published on the card |
| Fees | not published on the card | One-time challenge fee, refunded with the first payout on evaluation models |
| Platforms | not published on the card | MT4, MT5, cTrader, Match-Trader; leverage up to 1:100 on most CFDs |
| Instruments | NAS100, XAUUSD and full forex/CFD range | Forex, indices (NAS100), metals (XAUUSD), energies, crypto CFDs; 78 instruments |
Every cell taken from the two rules cards, verified September 2026; all 24 firms on the comparison table.
Where they differ
FTMO: 4 trading days per phase, no consistency rule (MetriX review on funded), payout on demand after the first, EAs allowed with your own logic, 2-minute Tier-1 news window. FundedNext Stellar 2-Step: 5 minimum days, first payout 21 days after passing then 14-day cycles, EAs on MT4/MT5 only, and a funded-stage rule that counts 40% of profit from trades within 5 minutes of high-impact news. FundedNext also sells a 1-Step (6% room, 3% daily, 2 days, 5-day payouts) that FTMO does not match.
Best for a systematic strategy
FTMO for a strategy that needs the simplest possible rulebook and MT5 execution with no platform caveats. FundedNext when the strategy passes fast and wants the higher ceiling on the split (95%) or the 1-Step route; add a news filter to the code and confirm the consistency rule before the first withdrawal.
The cost of a mistake
Identical on the hard rules: daily or maximum loss ends the phase at both. The soft rules differ: FundedNext’s news window shrinks a payout rather than ending the account, FTMO’s MetriX review can delay one. Fees are refundable at both on the first payout.
FAQ
Are the FTMO and FundedNext drawdown rules the same?
On the flagship 2-step evaluations, yes: 10% static maximum loss and 5% daily loss at both, carried over to the funded account.
Which requires fewer minimum days?
FTMO: 4 trading days per phase. FundedNext Stellar 2-Step: 5; Stellar 1-Step: 2.
Which allows EAs on more platforms?
FTMO allows EAs on MT4, MT5 and cTrader with your own logic. FundedNext allows them on MT4 and MT5 but not on cTrader.
Sources: the two rules cards and the firm help centers, cross-checked September 2026. Rules change quarterly; the firm’s documentation is binding.