City Traders Imperium vs FTMO
Rule-by-rule comparison from each firm's own website, last verified . The marked figure is the stronger one on that line.
Quick take
- Cheaper entry: City Traders Imperium ($29 vs €79).
- Higher headline split: City Traders Imperium (80% up to 100%).
- Faster payout cycle: City Traders Imperium (Daily / on demand).
- Higher Trustpilot rating: FTMO (4.8).
- Overall PA Score: City Traders Imperium 8.4 vs FTMO 8.1.
City Traders Imperium stronger on 5FTMO stronger on 4of 11 lines where both publish a comparable figure
| City Traders Imperium8.4 PA Score | FTMO8.1 PA Score | |
|---|---|---|
| PA Score | 8.4 (stronger figure) | 8.1 |
| Trustpilot | 4.31,636 | 4.855,121 (stronger figure) |
| Founded | 2018 | 2015 (stronger figure) |
| HQ | San José, Costa Rica | Czech Republic |
| Markets | Forex, Indices, Crypto | Forex, Indices, Commodities, Crypto, Futures (stronger figure) |
| Challenge types | 1-step, 2-step, instant | 1-step, 2-step, instant |
| Entry fee from | $29 (stronger figure) | €79 |
| Cost per $1K allocation | $4.49 (stronger figure) | €4.99 |
| Largest account | $100K | $200K (stronger figure) |
| Profit target | 10% / 5% | 10% / 5% |
| Daily loss limit | 5% | 5% |
| Max drawdown | 10% | 10% |
| Drawdown type | static (balance-based) | static |
| Profit split | 80% up to 100% (stronger figure) | up to 90% |
| Leverage | Not published | up to 1:100 |
| Platforms | MT5, Match-Trader | MT4, MT5, TradingView, cTrader |
| Payout frequency | On demand; first payout after 7 days (challenges) or 5 days (Instant/Direct); weekly/anytime payouts unlocked via VIP ladder | Reward claim from day 14 after first trade (14-day cycle); approval 1-2 business days, paid 1-2 business days after invoice |
| First payout (days) | 7 (stronger figure) | 14 |
| Min trading days | 3 | 4 |
| Consistency rule | None | 1-Step: best day ≤50% of profit; Instant: ≤30% |
| News trading | Allowed | Restricted |
| Weekend holding | Allowed | Restricted |
| Discount code | Not published | Not published |
| Visit site (opens City Traders Imperium in a new tab) | Visit site (opens FTMO in a new tab) |
Not published means we could not find the figure on the firm's own site. Sources are listed on each firm page.
Which should you choose?
City Traders Imperium scores 8.4/10 and FTMO 8.1/10, a clear but not huge gap. Both are CFD prop firms, so the rule differences below are like for like. Which one is better depends on how you trade, so here is who each firm suits, based only on what they publish.
Pick City Traders Imperium if
- you want the cheaper way in ($29 vs €79 for the smallest account)
- you care about cost per $1K of account ($4.49 vs €4.99)
- a higher headline split matters (80% up to 100%)
- you want a faster payout cycle (daily / on demand)
- you trade high-impact news
- you hold positions over the weekend
Pick FTMO if
- you want the fee back when you get paid
- you need MT4, TradingView and cTrader
- review volume matters to you (55,121 Trustpilot reviews vs 1,636)
- you want the longer track record (operating since 2015)
- you weigh firm-reported payouts ($650M+ paid in rewards)
Price at each account size
Cheapest program each firm sells at the sizes both offer. FTMO prices in EUR; no FX conversion is applied.
| Account | City Traders Imperium | FTMO |
|---|---|---|
| $5K | $49 | €169 |
| $10K | $79 | €79 |
| $25K | $159 | €199 |
| $50K | $299 | €319 |
| $100K | $449 | €499 |
Payouts
City Traders Imperium: On demand; first payout after 7 days (challenges) or 5 days (Instant/Direct); weekly/anytime payouts unlocked via VIP ladder. First payout after 7 days.
FTMO: Reward claim from day 14 after first trade (14-day cycle); approval 1-2 business days, paid 1-2 business days after invoice. First payout after 14 days. Methods: bank wire, Visa Direct / Mastercard Send (up to $20,000), Skrill (up to $3,000), cryptocurrencies. The firm reports "$650M+ paid in rewards" (homepage, checked 31 Oct 2026).
Firm-reported payout totals are the firms' own figures. We have not audited them.
Rule changes
Legit check
Track record, review volume, payout terms and restrictions for each firm, on one page each: Is City Traders Imperium legit? · Is FTMO legit?
FAQ
Which is cheaper, City Traders Imperium or FTMO?
Smallest published entry fee: City Traders Imperium $29, FTMO €79. Cheapest per $1K of account: City Traders Imperium $4.49, FTMO €4.99.
Which pays out faster, City Traders Imperium or FTMO?
City Traders Imperium: On demand; first payout after 7 days (challenges) or 5 days (Instant/Direct); weekly/anytime payouts unlocked via VIP ladder. FTMO: Reward claim from day 14 after first trade (14-day cycle); approval 1-2 business days, paid 1-2 business days after invoice.
Which has the higher profit split?
City Traders Imperium: 80% up to 100%; FTMO: up to 90%. Headline splits often need scaling or an add-on.
Which is better for beginners, City Traders Imperium or FTMO?
On our six-point beginner checklist City Traders Imperium meets 5 and FTMO meets 5. The checklist is explained on the best prop firms for beginners page.
Are City Traders Imperium and FTMO legit?
Both publish their rules and are listed with sources. See the evidence pages: propanalyse.com/firms/city-traders-imperium/legit/ and propanalyse.com/firms/ftmo/legit/.