Firm Comparison
FTMO is the most recognized prop firm in the world, but it does not offer futures trading. DayTraders.com is built exclusively for futures. This comparison explains why market structure matters more than brand recognition.
FTMO has operated since 2015 with a 4.8 Trustpilot rating from thousands of reviews. It is the default choice for forex and CFD traders. But every instrument on FTMO is a CFD traded off-exchange, while every instrument on DayTraders.com is a futures contract traded on the CME.
If you trade futures, this comparison explains what you gain from a futures-only firm and what you lose by choosing one that was not built for your market.
CME Group exchanges (ES, NQ, YM, CL, GC + micros). Centralized, exchange-traded contracts with transparent pricing, standardized tick values, and regulated settlement. Every participant sees the same price.
No counterparty conflictForex, indices, commodities, stocks, and crypto, all traded as CFDs. Synthetic instruments where the broker acts as counterparty. Pricing derived from underlying markets but execution happens off-exchange.
Potential counterparty conflictFTMO's 2-step process means passing twice. Each step is a failure point. If you pass the Challenge but fail the Verification, you start over. DayTraders.com eliminates this by requiring only one pass, creating a faster, simpler path from evaluation to funded trading.
FTMO's fee reimbursement is attractive if you pass. But with industry pass rates for 2-step evaluations estimated at 5% to 10%, most traders never reach the reimbursement. DayTraders.com's single-phase approach means the evaluation fee is the total cost, with no second phase hanging over your head.
FTMO's static drawdown is one of the more forgiving models in the industry. DayTraders.com's Static accounts offer a similar concept with fixed floors. The key difference is that DayTraders.com also offers trailing and EOD options, while FTMO locks everyone into the same model regardless of trading style.
FTMO's path to 90% is achievable for consistent traders but requires meeting specific milestones. DayTraders.com gives 100% on Pro and S2F accounts from the first dollar, and compensates with higher account count limits (20 total) and the flexibility of multiple drawdown types.
News trading allowed during evaluation. On the funded Classic account, traders must close all positions 2 minutes before and after major news events. Swing account removes this restriction but has different leverage terms.
Rules change between phasesSame rules for evaluation and funded accounts. The risk logic does not change between phases. Whatever you trade during evaluation, you can trade when funded. No post-funding restrictions.
Consistent from eval to fundedYou trade forex, indices, or crypto CFDs (not futures)
You prefer a static 10% drawdown model
You want a path to a 90% profit split
You are comfortable with 2-step evaluation
You accept news trading restrictions on funded accounts
You trade futures on CME Group exchanges
You want a single-phase evaluation with 2 qualifying days
You need multiple drawdown options (trailing, static, EOD)
You want consistent rules between eval and funded phases
You want 100% profit on Pro and S2F accounts
You want live funded trading through S2L
FTMO and DayTraders.com serve different markets. FTMO is the top choice for forex and CFD traders. DayTraders.com is purpose-built for futures. If you trade futures, choosing a futures-only firm means every rule, every risk parameter, and every account structure is designed around how your market actually behaves.
Comparisons are based on publicly available information at the time of writing and are provided for educational purposes only. FTMO does not currently offer futures trading. Program rules, pricing, and conditions may change. Traders should independently verify all details directly with each prop firm before participating.
