
What Traders Need from a Prop Firm in 2025
Traders worldwide prioritize prop firms that offer:
- Affordable Evaluations: Low-cost access to funded accounts.
- Flexible Trading Rules: Support for scalping, hedging, and news trading.
- Diverse Assets: Access to forex, crypto, indices, and commodities.
- High Profit Splits: Competitive payouts to maximize earnings.
- Fast Payouts: Quick withdrawals in preferred currencies.
Atlas Funded, FTMO, and FundedNext each cater to these needs, but their approaches differ significantly, especially for traders seeking flexibility and affordability.
Comparing FTMO vs FundedNext vs Atlas Funded
Evaluation Processes
- Atlas Funded: Offers a unique one-step Single Helix challenge (10% profit target, no time limits) and a Pro Challenge (5% profit in 10 days). Starting at $59 for a $5,000 account, it’s affordable and streamlined. Sydney-based trader Emma passed her Single Helix in 12 days, praising its simplicity.
- FTMO: Uses a two-step evaluation (8% profit in Phase 1, 5% in Phase 2), with fees starting at $588.75 for a $100,000 account. It’s rigorous, ideal for disciplined traders, but costlier and more complex.
- FundedNext: Provides one-step (Express) and two-step (Stellar) challenges. The one-step requires a 25% profit target, while two-step fees start at $549 for $100,000. Its flexibility appeals to novices, but higher targets can be challenging.
Why Atlas Funded Wins: Its one-step challenge is more affordable and less restrictive, ideal for traders seeking quick funding without complex phases.
Trading Conditions
- Atlas Funded: Supports forex (e.g., EUR/USD), crypto (BTC/USD, ETH/USD), indices, and commodities with up to 50:1 forex leverage and 5:1 crypto leverage. No restrictions on scalping, hedging, EAs, or news trading, and spreads start at 0.1 pips. The TradeLocker platform, integrated with TradingView, ensures fast execution.
- FTMO: Offers forex, crypto, stocks, bonds, and indices with up to 100:1 leverage. However, news trading is restricted, and spreads are wider (e.g., 0.3 pips on forex). Supports MT4, MT5, cTrader, and DXtrade.
- FundedNext: Covers forex, indices, and commodities with up to 100:1 leverage. It allows news trading and supports MT4 and MT5. Spreads are slightly wider than Atlas Funded’s, at 0.2 pips for forex.
Why Atlas Funded Wins: Its unrestricted trading rules and low spreads cater to diverse strategies, especially for scalpers and news traders.
Profit Splits and Payouts
- Atlas Funded:Is a prop firm with 90% profit split. Payouts are processed within days, with no minimum withdrawal limits, and support multiple currencies (USD, GBP, crypto). Trader Liam from London received his first payout in 48 hours.
- FTMO: Starts at 80% profit split, scaling to 90% after consistent performance. Payouts are bi-weekly, which can delay reinvestment.
- FundedNext: Provides 80% profit split (90% after scaling) and a unique 15% profit share during evaluations. Payouts take 5–14 days, slower than Atlas Funded.
Why Atlas Funded Wins: Its near-instant payouts and high profit splits (up to 95%) maximize trader earnings and flexibility.
Technology and Tools
- Atlas Funded: Features a proprietary dashboard for real-time analytics on drawdown, profit targets, and trade performance. Melbourne-based trader Sophie used it to optimize her EUR/USD trades, passing her evaluation in 10 days.
- FTMO: Offers robust tools like an equity simulator, journaling section, and performance coaching. Its analytics are comprehensive but require a learning curve.
- FundedNext: Includes a journaling section and an emotional intelligence course, but its educational resources are less extensive than FTMO’s.
Why Atlas Funded Wins: Its user-friendly dashboard provides instant insights, ideal for traders prioritizing simplicity and speed.
Community and Support
- Atlas Funded: Boasts a vibrant Discord community and weekly webinars tailored to global markets. Its 24/7 support team, praised by trader Ethan on TrustPilot, ensures quick query resolution.
- FTMO: Offers a strong community with webinars, eBooks, and performance coaching. Its 4.8/5 TrustPilot rating (24,354 reviews) reflects reliability.
- FundedNext: Has a 4.7/5 TrustPilot rating (7,049 reviews) and a growing Discord community. Support is responsive but less comprehensive than FTMO’s.
Why Atlas Funded Wins: Its tailored webinars and active community provide practical, trader-focused support.
Comparison Table: FTMO vs FundedNext vs Atlas Funded
Key Takeaways:
- Atlas Funded excels with its affordable one-step challenge, high profit splits, and unrestricted trading, ideal for flexibility-focused traders.
- FTMO suits disciplined traders with its structured two-step process and extensive educational tools but restricts news trading.
- FundedNext offers flexibility with one- and two-step challenges and evaluation-phase profit sharing but has slower payouts.
Why Atlas Funded Is the Best Choice for 2025
Unique Value for Traders
Atlas Funded stands out with:
- One-Step Simplicity: Unlike FTMO’s two-step process, Atlas Funded’s Single Helix challenge is faster and more affordable.
- Unrestricted Trading: No limits on scalping, hedging, or news trading, unlike FTMO’s restrictions.
- High Profit Splits: Up to 95%, matching or exceeding FundedNext’s best offerings.
- Proprietary Dashboard: Real-time analytics simplify risk management, a step above FundedNext’s basic tools.
- Fast Payouts: Near-instant withdrawals outpace FTMO’s bi-weekly and FundedNext’s 5–14-day schedules.
Success Stories
- Emma’s Journey: A Sydney-based trader passed her $10,000 Single Helix challenge in 12 days, leveraging the dashboard to trade EUR/USD profitably.
- Liam’s Payout: Received his first $2,000 payout in 48 hours, reinvesting into crypto trades during a volatile market.
Tailored for Global Traders
Atlas Funded’s funding programs support diverse strategies, with webinars and a Discord community addressing global market trends. Its 4.8+ TrustPilot rating reflects trust among traders worldwide.
How to Choose Between FTMO, FundedNext, and Atlas Funded
- Evaluate Your Trading Style: Scalpers and news traders should choose Atlas Funded for its unrestricted rules. Swing traders may prefer FTMO’s structured approach.
- Consider Costs: Atlas Funded’s $59 entry fee is lower than FTMO’s $588.75 and FundedNext’s $549 for $100,000 accounts.
- Prioritize Payout Speed: Atlas Funded’s near-instant payouts suit traders needing quick access, unlike FTMO’s bi-weekly schedule.
- Assess Tools: Atlas Funded’s dashboard is ideal for simplicity, while FTMO offers deeper analytics for experienced traders.
Join the Community: Explore Atlas Funded’s Discord community for real-time strategy sharing, complementing FTMO’s educational resources.
Frequently Asked Questions