FTMO vs E8 Markets
FTMO and E8 Markets both sell $100K one step challenges with a moving loss limit, but they differ on drawdown size, profit split, payout timing and funded account rules.
FTMO suits traders who want a 90% split from the first reward, a wider 10% loss limit on its one step, the option of a static two step challenge and MetaTrader 4 or TradingView as platforms. E8 Markets suits traders who want a slightly lower target, payouts on demand a few days into the funded stage, weekend holding on funded accounts and the freedom to configure drawdown and payout share at checkout. On a $100K one step the two firms cost about the same at list price, so the decision rests on drawdown, split and funded account rules.
All prices are list prices at the time of review in September 2026. FTMO prices in euros and E8 Markets in US dollars, and both firms run frequent discounts.
FTMO vs E8 Markets at a glance
The table compares the FTMO Challenge 1 Step at $100,000 with E8 One at $100,000 on the default setup shown on the E8 Markets site.
| Feature | FTMO 1 Step $100K | E8 One $100K |
|---|---|---|
| List price | €499 | $488 |
| Steps | One | One |
| Profit target | 10% | 9% |
| Daily loss limit | 3% of the initial balance | 4% of the day’s starting balance |
| Maximum loss | 10%, trailing the highest end of day balance | 6%, rising with the highest closed balance and locking at the initial balance |
| Consistency rule | Best day no more than 50% of profit, on the challenge and funded account | Best day rule of 40% for payouts on the funded account |
| Minimum trading days | None | None |
| Profit split | 90% | 80% by default, configurable at checkout |
| First payout | From the 14th day after the first trade | On demand from three days into the funded stage |
| Payout frequency | A new cycle starts after each withdrawal | On demand |
| Platforms | MetaTrader 4, MetaTrader 5, cTrader, TradingView | MetaTrader 5, cTrader, TradeLocker, Match Trader |
| Trustpilot | 4.8 from 53,284 reviews | No rating shown (3,298 reviews) |
Rules and drawdown
Both one step products use a loss limit that moves up as the account grows, but they measure it differently. FTMO’s 1 Step allows 10% and recalculates the floor at midnight Central European time from the highest end of day balance, so profit made and given back within a day does not lift it. E8 One on its default $100K setup allows 6% and raises the floor with the highest closed balance, then locks it permanently at the starting balance once the account is 6% in profit. The FTMO limit gives more room. The trailing vs static drawdown guide explains both approaches.
Daily limits run the other way. FTMO sets 3% of the initial balance on the 1 Step, while E8 One sets 4% of the day’s starting balance on the default setup. Targets are close, at 10% for FTMO and 9% for E8 One, and neither firm sets a minimum number of trading days or a time limit, although E8 needs at least one trade opened and closed every 60 days.
Each firm adds a best day rule. FTMO’s applies on the challenge and the funded account: no single day may exceed 50% of the profit from positive days, and going over is not a breach but means more profit is needed before passing or withdrawing. E8 One applies a 40% best day rule to payouts on the funded account. The prop firm consistency guide covers how these rules work.
E8 One is configurable. Traders can change the drawdown and payout share at checkout, which changes the target and the daily limit, and E8’s help centre describes a different preset from the default shown on the site. E8 Markets also sells E8 Pro, a one step with a 6% static limit, a 2.5% daily limit and a rule that only 2% of the initial balance per day counts towards profit, and E8 Signature, a cheaper one step at $280 for $100K with a 3% end of day limit and no daily limit in the challenge. FTMO offers a 2 Step at €540 with a 10% static limit, which E8 Markets has no equivalent for.
Funded account rules
News and weekend rules separate the two funded accounts. FTMO funded Standard accounts cannot open or close trades on affected instruments from two minutes before to two minutes after selected news, and positions must be closed before the weekend; the Swing account that removes these rules is not available on the 1 Step. E8 One allows overnight and weekend holding at every stage, but on the funded account it bars opening or closing trades from five minutes before to five minutes after high impact news, and profits from such trades may be removed. E8 Pro and E8 Signature allow news trading at every stage.
Both firms allow expert advisors. FTMO requires the strategy to be replicable in real markets and applies a $400,000 allocation limit per trader or strategy. E8 Markets allows them as long as other users are not running the same strategy, and it allows copy trading across a trader’s own accounts.
Pricing and fees
At list price the FTMO 1 Step costs €499 for $100K, and at the time of review FTMO offered it at €399 to traders without an active challenge of that size. E8 One costs $488 on the default setup, and E8 Markets was showing a 10% discount code at the time. E8 Markets charges no activation fee on any product. FTMO adds a 3% fee when paying by PayPal, Skrill or crypto, while E8 Markets accepts cards, Apple Pay, Google Pay and crypto.
Payouts
FTMO pays 90% on the 1 Step from the first reward, which can be requested from the 14th day after the first trade. FTMO reviews requests within one to two business days and charges no withdrawal commission, paying by bank wire, card, Skrill or crypto. The Scaling Plan adds 25% to the balance every four months for qualifying traders, up to $2 million.
E8 Markets pays 80% by default, and its help centre states that the share can be set as high as 100% at checkout. E8 One payouts are on demand from three days into the funded stage, with a $100 minimum and net profit above half of the daily drawdown. E8 Markets reports a median of 11 hours from request to approval and 24 hours until funds arrive for January to May 2026, though a payout can take up to five business days and none are processed at weekends. Payouts go by WorkMarket, Rise or, for US clients, Aeropay, with no E8 fee.
Platforms and markets
FTMO offers MetaTrader 4, MetaTrader 5, cTrader and TradingView, with forex, indices, commodities, stocks and crypto and leverage of up to 1:100 on Standard accounts. E8 Markets offers MetaTrader 5, cTrader, TradeLocker and Match Trader, with forex, indices, metals, commodities and crypto, at leverage of 1:30 on forex and 1:15 on indices and metals. US clients cannot use MetaTrader 5 or cTrader at E8 Markets. FTMO has operated from Prague since 2015, and E8 Markets, based in Dallas, was founded in 2021.
Who should choose each firm
Choose FTMO if
- You want a 90% split from the first reward as standard.
- You want a 10% loss limit, or a two step challenge with a static floor.
- You trade on MetaTrader 4 or TradingView, or want leverage of up to 1:100.
Choose E8 Markets if
- You want on demand payouts from three days into the funded stage.
- You hold positions over weekends on a funded account.
- You want to set the drawdown and payout share yourself, or you use TradeLocker or Match Trader.
Read more in the FTMO review and the E8 Markets review, filter firms in the comparison table, or browse more comparisons and the CFD prop firms hub.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is FTMO or E8 Markets cheaper for a $100K one step?
At list price they are close: the FTMO 1 Step costs €499 and E8 One costs $488 on its default setup. At the time of review FTMO offered the $100K 1 Step at €399 to traders without an active challenge of that size, and E8 Markets showed a 10% discount code. E8 Markets charges no activation fee on any product.
Does E8 Markets use trailing drawdown?
E8 One uses a dynamic drawdown, 6% on the default $100K setup, that rises with the highest closed balance and locks permanently at the starting balance. E8 Pro uses a static limit and E8 Signature a 3% end of day limit that also locks at the starting balance. FTMO's 1 Step uses a 10% limit trailing the highest end of day balance.
What profit split do FTMO and E8 Markets pay?
FTMO pays 90% on the 1 Step from the first reward. On the 2 Step it pays 80%, rising to 90% through the Scaling Plan. E8 Markets pays 80% by default, and its help centre states that the share can be configured at checkout up to 100%. The E8 Pro model pays daily once its payout conditions are met.
How quickly can I get paid at FTMO and E8 Markets?
FTMO allows a first reward request from the 14th day after the first trade and reviews it within one to two business days. E8 One allows on demand payouts from three days into the funded stage, and E8 Markets reports a median of 24 hours from request to funds arriving for January to May 2026, with no processing at weekends.
Why does Trustpilot show no rating for E8 Markets?
At the time of review Trustpilot displayed E8 Markets' rating as unavailable, citing a breach of its guidelines, and stated that it had removed a number of fake reviews. It still listed 3,298 reviews. FTMO showed a rating of 4.8 from 53,284 reviews. Trustpilot is one signal among several, alongside a firm's published rules and payout terms.
