This is not a like for like comparison. NextTrade is a regulated live broker. FTMO is a prop firm that sells challenges and funds traders who pass. But the question gets asked all the time, so it is worth answering properly: should you trade your own money on NextTrade or earn a funded account at FTMO?
Quick verdict
If you have $5,000 or more and you want full control of your capital, trade live at NextTrade or any regulated broker. If you have under $1,000 and you want access to larger size with capped downside, FTMO's challenge model makes more sense. The two are solving different problems.
What each one actually is
NextTrade is a live broker launched in 2026 by the team behind FunderPro. You deposit your own money, you keep 100% of profits, you carry 100% of losses. It is regulated by FSC Mauritius (GB25204563).
FTMO is a Czech proprietary trading firm founded in 2015. You pay a one-off challenge fee, you hit a profit target inside a set drawdown, and if you pass you are given a simulated account backed by FTMO capital. Splits are 80% to you, rising to 90% with FTMO's scaling plan. FTMO is not a regulated broker and holds no financial services licence.
Cost to start trading
- NextTrade: $100 minimum deposit. That is your trading capital. No challenge fee. No profit target required to access it.
- FTMO: challenge fees start around $89 for a $10,000 account and scale to several hundred dollars for larger sizes. That fee is non-refundable unless you pass both phases, in which case it is refunded with your first payout.
With $100 you can start trading on NextTrade immediately. With $100 you cannot start a FTMO challenge at any useful account size.
Capital you can deploy
On NextTrade you trade what you fund. $100 in, $100 of buying power (times leverage).
On FTMO you can access simulated accounts up to $200,000 after passing a two phase challenge, and up to $2 million via the scaling plan. You never own that capital but you earn a share of profits made on it. This is the core FTMO pitch.
Risk profile
At NextTrade, the entire balance is yours and can be lost entirely. Protection stops at whatever FSC Mauritius rules enforce, which is weaker than FCA or ASIC.
At FTMO, the only money at risk is the challenge fee. If you blow an account, you lose that fee, not a live balance. For a trader with small savings and big appetite for risk, that ceiling is the real attraction.
Payout mechanics
NextTrade payouts are simple: you withdraw your profits via card, bank or crypto whenever you want. No profit split, no target, no waiting.
FTMO pays on its payout cycle (approximately monthly on the funded stage) and takes 20% of profits by default. First payout is available after a four day trading minimum plus platform hold. Payouts are via bank wire or crypto.
Rules and trading style
NextTrade has almost no style rules. You can scalp, hold overnight, trade news, run EAs. Normal retail limits.
FTMO enforces daily drawdown, overall drawdown, a minimum trading day count and news-trading restrictions on certain account types. Breaking any of them resets you to phase one or forces a new challenge purchase. These rules are strict and they are enforced.
Who should pick which
Pick NextTrade if you already have trading capital, you want full withdrawal freedom, you hate challenge rules and you want to keep 100% of profits. Pick FTMO if you have limited capital, you want to trade larger size than you can afford to deposit, and you are comfortable operating inside a strict risk framework.
Some traders run both: FTMO for leveraged upside on simulated capital, NextTrade or another broker for live skin-in-the-game trading. They are not mutually exclusive.
FAQ
Is NextTrade a prop firm?
No. NextTrade is a live retail broker authorised by FSC Mauritius. The FunderPro prop firm is a separate entity under the same parent company.
Is FTMO regulated?
No. FTMO is registered as FTMO s.r.o. in the Czech Republic but holds no financial services licence and is not a broker. Its model is a prop trading agreement, not brokerage.
Which is cheaper to start?
NextTrade. A $100 deposit gets you trading immediately and the money remains yours. FTMO challenge fees start around $89 for the smallest account and are non-refundable unless you pass both phases.
Can I keep 100% of profits at either?
At NextTrade, yes. All profits are yours. At FTMO, no: the default profit split is 80% to the trader and 20% to FTMO, rising to 90/10 with scaling.
Which gives access to larger trading capital?
FTMO. After passing a two phase challenge you can trade simulated balances up to $200,000, with scaling paths to $2 million. NextTrade only ever gives you access to what you deposit.
Are FTMO payouts reliable?
FTMO has one of the longest payout track records in prop trading, running since 2015. Most payouts are processed inside 1 to 2 business days of request, subject to the minimum trading day rule.