FTMO vs FundedNext vs FundingPips: Trading Objectives Compared
The published CFD rules of six evaluation programmes side by side: profit targets, loss limits, minimum days and time limits. Firms are listed alphabetically, not ranked.
On published CFD objectives the three firms' 2-Step programmes are close: a 5% daily loss limit and a 10% static maximum loss, with targets of 10% then 5% at FTMO and 8% then 5% at FundedNext and FundingPips. The 1-Step programmes differ most: FTMO's 10% maximum loss trails the end-of-day balance, FundedNext's is a 6% static limit, and FundingPips' 1 Step Flex asks for a 12% target with a 12% static loss limit. All three state that trading is simulated, and passing is not guaranteed.
Important risks
Evaluations carry fees and strict rules. Outcomes are not guaranteed and the fee can be lost. Trading in these programmes is simulated. The figures below are dated and must be verified on each official site before you pay.
Key takeaways
- The three 2-Step programmes have the same loss limits (5% daily, 10% static overall). Targets differ slightly: 10% then 5% at FTMO, 8% then 5% at FundedNext and FundingPips.
- The 1-Step programmes are where the rules diverge: the maximum loss is 10% trailing (FTMO), 6% static (FundedNext) or 12% static (FundingPips 1 Step Flex).
- Among the six programmes compared, only FTMO's 1-Step has a trailing maximum loss and a best-day rule.
- All three firms state that trading is simulated, so the money you put at risk is the fee you pay.
- We did not compare fees, promotions, payout terms, platforms or country availability. VERIFY CURRENT DATA on each official site before you pay.
Loss limits by programme
Maximum overall loss and maximum daily loss, as a percentage of the account, as published on 21 September 2026. Loss limits are static unless marked.
- Max overall loss
- Max daily loss
-
1-Step Challenge
FTMO
Max overall loss 10%, end-of-day trailing. Max daily loss 3%.
-
2-Step Evaluation
FTMO
Max overall loss 10%, static. Max daily loss 5%.
-
Stellar 1-Step
FundedNext
Max overall loss 6%, static. Max daily loss 3%.
-
Stellar 2-Step
FundedNext
Max overall loss 10%, static. Max daily loss 5%.
-
1 Step Flex
FundingPips
Max overall loss 12%, static. Max daily loss 3%.
-
2 Step Standard
FundingPips
Max overall loss 10%, static. Max daily loss 5%.
The percentages are not directly comparable between firms: each firm defines the reference balance for its limits in its own way (for example, an opening balance at a set daily reset time). Read each firm's rules before you pay.
The rules in one table
Read from each firm's own pages on 21 Sep 2026. CFD programmes only. VERIFY CURRENT DATA.
| Programme | Profit target | Max daily loss | Max overall loss | Min. trading days | Time limit |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| FTMO 1-Step Challenge | 10% | 3% | 10% end-of-day trailing | Not stated on the page we read | Not stated on the page we read |
| FTMO 2-Step Evaluation | 10%, then 5% | 5% | 10% static | At least 4 trading days | Not stated on the page we read |
| FundedNext Stellar 1-Step | 10% | 3% | 6% static | At least 2 trading days | No time limit stated |
| FundedNext Stellar 2-Step | 8%, then 5% | 5% | 10% static | At least 5 trading days | No time limit stated |
| FundingPips 1 Step Flex | 12% | 3% | 12% static | No minimum trading days | No explicit time limit stated |
| FundingPips 2 Step Standard | 8%, then 5% | 5% | 10% static | At least 3 trading days per phase | No time limit |
- FTMO 1-Step Challenge: Max loss trails: 10% below the highest end-of-day balance, recalculated daily. Best-day rule: your most profitable day cannot exceed 50% of your positive days' profit.
- "Not stated on the page we read" means exactly that; it does not mean the rule does not exist.
How to read the differences
Fact: static and trailing limits
A static limit is a fixed floor below your starting balance. As FTMO describes its 1-Step Challenge, the maximum loss is an end-of-day trailing limit: it sits 10% below the highest balance you have reached and is recalculated daily, so the floor rises as your balance rises. The other five programmes are described with static overall limits.
Analysis: target against room to lose
FundedNext Stellar 1-Step asks for a 10% gain with a 6% loss floor. FundingPips 1 Step Flex asks for 12% with a 12% floor. A smaller floor relative to the target leaves less room for a drawdown on the way to the target. This is our reading of the published numbers, not a claim about pass rates.
Fact: days and deadlines
Minimum trading days range from none (FundingPips 1 Step Flex) to 5 (FundedNext Stellar 2-Step). FundedNext and FundingPips do not state a time limit for the programmes compared (FundingPips says explicitly that 2 Step Standard has none). The FTMO page we read did not state a minimum for the 1-Step or a time limit for either programme.
Fact: what "daily loss" measures differs
FTMO recalculates its daily limit at 00:00 CE(S)T from the day's opening balance; FundingPips uses the higher of the day's opening balance or equity and resets at 00:00 UTC+3. We did not compare FundedNext's definition. A "5% daily loss" is therefore not the same number of dollars everywhere. Read each firm's definition.
What we did not compare
Entry fees, resets and refund rules (FTMO's entry-fee refund rule is in its review), promotions and discount codes, reward splits and payout schedules, platforms and instruments, country availability, and Futures programmes. We also left out FundedNext Stellar Lite and Instant, and FundingPips' other programmes (2 Step Pro, 2 Step Flex, Zero). These change often or were not verified: VERIFY CURRENT DATA on each official site.
Before you pay: five checks
- Can you trade inside the limits? Test your stop-loss size against a 3% or 5% daily limit with the risk calculator before you risk a fee.
- Which definition of each limit applies: static or trailing, and measured from which balance?
- What is the total cost, including any reset after a breach?
- Does the firm accept residents of your country, and how are rewards paid to you?
- Are the rules on the official page today the same as the ones above?
Check the current terms
Read our review, then check the current rules on the official site. Marlin may earn a commission if you sign up through these links, at no extra cost to you. It does not affect what we write. See the affiliate disclosure.
FundedNext
Stellar 1-Step, 2-Step, Lite and Instant on simulated capital.
Read the FundedNext review Explore FundedNextFundingPips
2 Step Standard and 1 Step Flex on demo accounts.
Read the FundingPips review Explore FundingPipsFrequently asked questions
Which prop firm is best?
There is no single best one. The published rules differ in ways that suit different trading styles, and we did not compare fees, payout terms or country availability, so we do not rank the firms. Use the table to see which limits you can work inside, then check the current terms on each official site.
Which programme has the strictest loss limits?
Among the six programmes compared, FundedNext Stellar 1-Step has the smallest maximum overall loss (6%, static). FTMO's 1-Step allows 10%, but that limit trails your highest end-of-day balance. The daily limit is 3% on the three 1-Step programmes and 5% on the three 2-Step programmes.
Do these firms give me real money to trade?
No. FTMO says it only provides simulated trading services, FundedNext says trading uses virtual funds in a simulated environment, and FundingPips says all its accounts are demo accounts. Any reward is a performance-based payment under each firm's rules.
Is passing an evaluation guaranteed?
No. The limits are strict, a breach ends the attempt, and the fee is a cost you should be prepared to lose. We did not find pass rates on the pages we read.
Are these numbers current?
They were read from each firm's own pages on 21 Sep 2026. Rules change. VERIFY CURRENT DATA on the official pages linked in the sources before you pay.
Does Marlin earn a commission?
Marlin may earn a commission if you sign up through some of the links on this page, at no extra cost to you. The commission does not decide what we write. See the affiliate disclosure.
How this comparison was prepared
Every figure comes from the firm's own pages listed below, read on 21 Sep 2026. We did not open accounts, pay fees or test any programme, and we quote no prices or promotions. Where a page did not state a rule, we say so instead of guessing. Facts, analysis and opinion are labelled. See the methodology and editorial policy.
Sources
Official or primary sources used for the facts above. Figures and terms change, so check the source before acting on them.
- FTMO — Trading objectives1-Step and 2-Step (CFD) targets, daily and max loss, best-day rule, minimum trading days. States that FTMO only provides simulated trading services.Accessed
- FundedNext — CFDs trading objectives (General Rules)Stellar 1-Step and 2-Step (plus Lite and Instant, not compared here): targets, daily and max loss, minimum trading days, time limit.Accessed
- FundingPips Help Center — 2 Step StandardPhase targets, daily and overall loss, minimum days, no time limit, and the statement that all accounts are demo accounts in a simulated environment.Accessed
- FundingPips Help Center — 1 Step FlexTarget, daily and overall loss, no minimum trading days, and the same simulated-account statement.Accessed
Written by
Volodymyr KravchenkoIndependent market researcher focused on Forex, Gold, commodities, macroeconomic data and AI-powered financial intelligence.
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Educational research, not personal advice. See our editorial policy and methodology.
This content is provided for educational purposes only and is not investment advice. Trading involves risk, and past performance does not guarantee future results. Affiliate relationships may exist. Always conduct your own independent research before making financial decisions.