ThinkCapital 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: ThinkCapital ($39 vs €79).
- Overall PA Score: ThinkCapital 6.1 vs FTMO 8.1.
ThinkCapital stronger on 2FTMO stronger on 6of 10 lines where both publish a comparable figure
| ThinkCapital6.1 PA Score | FTMO8.1 PA Score | |
|---|---|---|
| PA Score | 6.1 | 8.1 (stronger figure) |
| Trustpilot | No rating605 | 4.855,121 |
| Founded | Not published | 2015 (stronger figure) |
| HQ | Not published | Czech Republic |
| Markets | Forex, Indices, Commodities, Crypto | Forex, Indices, Commodities, Crypto, Futures (stronger figure) |
| Challenge types | 1-step, 2-step, 3-step, instant | 1-step, 2-step, instant |
| Entry fee from | $39 (stronger figure) | €79 |
| Cost per $1K allocation | $3.49 (stronger figure) | €4.99 |
| Largest account | $100K | $200K (stronger figure) |
| Profit target | 9% / 5% | 10% / 5% |
| Daily loss limit | 4% | 5% (stronger figure) |
| Max drawdown | 7% challenge / 8% funded | 10% (stronger figure) |
| Drawdown type | static | static |
| Profit split | 80% up to 90% | up to 90% |
| Leverage | Dual Step/Nexus dynamic up to 1:100 forex; Lightning 1:30 forex; Bolt/Bolt Flex dynamic up to 1:50 (Bolt page), FAQ says up to 1:100 forex | up to 1:100 |
| Platforms | ThinkTrader, TradingView | MT4, MT5, TradingView, cTrader |
| Payout frequency | Every 14 days (7-day add-on on challenges; On-Demand Payouts add-on on Bolt/Bolt Flex) | 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) | 14 | 14 |
| Min trading days | 3 | 4 |
| Consistency rule | None on Lightning, Dual Step, Nexus; Bolt: best day ≤20% of total profit; Bolt Flex: ≤25% | 1-Step: best day ≤50% of profit; Instant: ≤30% |
| News trading | Restricted | Restricted |
| Weekend holding | Restricted | Restricted |
| Discount code | Not published | Not published |
| Visit site (opens ThinkCapital 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?
FTMO scores 8.1/10 and ThinkCapital 6.1/10, 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 ThinkCapital if
- you want the cheaper way in ($39 vs €79 for the smallest account)
- you care about cost per $1K of account ($3.49 vs €4.99)
- you need ThinkTrader
Pick FTMO if
- you want the fee back when you get paid
- you need MT4, MT5 and cTrader
- review volume matters to you (55,121 Trustpilot reviews vs 605)
- 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 | ThinkCapital | FTMO |
|---|---|---|
| $5K | $39 | €169 |
| $10K | $79 | €79 |
| $25K | $139 | €199 |
| $50K | $199 | €319 |
| $100K | $349 | €499 |
Payouts
ThinkCapital: Every 14 days (7-day add-on on challenges; On-Demand Payouts add-on on Bolt/Bolt Flex). First payout after 14 days. Methods: Crypto (USDT TRC20/ERC20), Rise, ThinkMarkets live account. The firm reports "Total payouts $5M+" (homepage, checked 31 Oct 2026).
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 ThinkCapital legit? · Is FTMO legit?
FAQ
Which is cheaper, ThinkCapital or FTMO?
Smallest published entry fee: ThinkCapital $39, FTMO €79. Cheapest per $1K of account: ThinkCapital $3.49, FTMO €4.99.
Which pays out faster, ThinkCapital or FTMO?
ThinkCapital: Every 14 days (7-day add-on on challenges; On-Demand Payouts add-on on Bolt/Bolt Flex). 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?
ThinkCapital: 80% up to 90%; FTMO: up to 90%. Headline splits often need scaling or an add-on.
Which is better for beginners, ThinkCapital or FTMO?
On our six-point beginner checklist ThinkCapital meets 3 and FTMO meets 5. The checklist is explained on the best prop firms for beginners page.
Are ThinkCapital and FTMO legit?
Both publish their rules and are listed with sources. See the evidence pages: propanalyse.com/firms/thinkcapital/legit/ and propanalyse.com/firms/ftmo/legit/.