FTMO vs Alpha Capital
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: Alpha Capital ($27 vs €79).
- Faster payout cycle: Alpha Capital (Daily / on demand).
- Overall PA Score: FTMO 8.1 vs Alpha Capital 6.4.
FTMO stronger on 5Alpha Capital stronger on 2of 9 lines where both publish a comparable figure
| FTMO8.1 PA Score | Alpha Capital6.4 PA Score | |
|---|---|---|
| PA Score | 8.1 (stronger figure) | 6.4 |
| Trustpilot | 4.855,121 | No rating22,010 |
| Founded | 2015 (stronger figure) | 2021 |
| HQ | Czech Republic | Harpenden, England, UK |
| Markets | Forex, Indices, Commodities, Crypto, Futures (stronger figure) | Forex, Indices, Commodities |
| Challenge types | 1-step, 2-step, instant | 1-step, 2-step, instant |
| Entry fee from | €79 | $27 (stronger figure) |
| Cost per $1K allocation | €4.99 | $3.97 (stronger figure) |
| Largest account | $200K | $200K |
| Profit target | 10% / 5% | 6%-10% phase 1 by plan |
| Daily loss limit | 5% (stronger figure) | 3%-5% by plan |
| Max drawdown | 10% (stronger figure) | 5%-10% by plan |
| Drawdown type | static | static (Pro/Swing); trailing (One/Direct) |
| Profit split | up to 90% | up to 90% |
| Leverage | up to 1:100 | up to 1:100 (FX, Alpha Pro) |
| Platforms | MT4, MT5, TradingView, cTrader | MT5, cTrader, DXtrade, TradeLocker |
| Payout frequency | Reward claim from day 14 after first trade (14-day cycle); approval 1-2 business days, paid 1-2 business days after invoice | bi-weekly or on-demand (by plan) |
| First payout (days) | 14 | Not published |
| Min trading days | 4 | 1 |
| Consistency rule | 1-Step: best day ≤50% of profit; Instant: ≤30% | 40% best day (on-demand); 15% best day (Direct) |
| News trading | Restricted | Restricted |
| Weekend holding | Restricted | Restricted |
| Discount code | Not published | 45% off (not valid on Alpha Pro 8%/10% Bi-weekly) |
| Visit site (opens FTMO in a new tab) | Visit site (opens Alpha Capital 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?
FTMO scores 8.1/10 and Alpha Capital 6.4/10, a wide 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 FTMO if
- you want the fee back when you get paid
- you need MT4 and TradingView
- you want the longer track record (operating since 2015)
- you weigh firm-reported payouts ($650M+ paid in rewards)
Pick Alpha Capital if
- you want the cheaper way in ($27 vs €79 for the smallest account)
- you care about cost per $1K of account ($3.97 vs €4.99)
- you want a faster payout cycle (daily / on demand)
- you need DXtrade and TradeLocker
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 | FTMO | Alpha Capital |
|---|---|---|
| $5K | €169 | $27 |
| $10K | €79 | $47 |
| $25K | €199 | $117 |
| $50K | €319 | $217 |
| $100K | €499 | $397 |
| $200K | €999 | $797 |
Payouts
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).
Alpha Capital: bi-weekly or on-demand (by plan). The firm reports "$100M+ performance fees" (homepage, checked 31 Oct 2026).
Firm-reported payout totals are the firms' own figures. We have not audited them.
Rule changes
| Date | Firm | Field | Was | Now |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| FTMO | First payout (days)Payouts | none | 14 | |
| FTMO | Payout frequencyPayouts | none | Reward claim from day 14 after first trade (14-day cycle); approval 1-2 business days, paid 1-2 business days after invoice | |
| Alpha Capital | Discount codeOffers | ALPHA20 (20% off all accounts (to 31 Oct 2026)) | HALLOWEEN45 (45% off (not valid on Alpha Pro 8%/10% Bi-weekly)) |
Legit check
Track record, review volume, payout terms and restrictions for each firm, on one page each: Is FTMO legit? · Is Alpha Capital legit?
FAQ
Which is cheaper, FTMO or Alpha Capital?
Smallest published entry fee: FTMO €79, Alpha Capital $27. Cheapest per $1K of account: FTMO €4.99, Alpha Capital $3.97.
Which pays out faster, FTMO or Alpha Capital?
FTMO: Reward claim from day 14 after first trade (14-day cycle); approval 1-2 business days, paid 1-2 business days after invoice. Alpha Capital: bi-weekly or on-demand (by plan).
Which has the higher profit split?
FTMO: up to 90%; Alpha Capital: up to 90%. Headline splits often need scaling or an add-on.
Which is better for beginners, FTMO or Alpha Capital?
On our six-point beginner checklist FTMO meets 5 and Alpha Capital meets 2. The checklist is explained on the best prop firms for beginners page.
Are FTMO and Alpha Capital legit?
Both publish their rules and are listed with sources. See the evidence pages: propanalyse.com/firms/ftmo/legit/ and propanalyse.com/firms/alpha-capital/legit/.