Prop Firm Match Affiliate Row: What It Means for Traders
More than 20 prop firms cut ties with Prop Firm Match over hidden affiliate redirects. Here is what happened and how to check any comparison site.
At the end of October, more than 20 prop firms ended their partnerships with Prop Firm Match, one of the biggest prop firm comparison sites. The reason was not a bad review or a ranking dispute. It was the way the site’s buttons handled affiliate links. If you have ever copied a discount code from a comparison site, this story is worth two minutes of your time.
What happened
On 29 October, trader Kane, who runs the rival site Prop Firm Compare, posted a video on X showing what happened when you clicked a firm or its Copy Code button on Prop Firm Match. The page you wanted opened in a new tab. Behind it, the original tab quietly loaded the firm’s affiliate link. Finance Magnates reported that this could credit the site with sales it had not referred.
Within a day, Apex Trader Funding, Tradeify and Goat Funded Trader ended their affiliate deals, and Topstep said it was leaving too. By 2 November, around 21 brands had left, including Lucid Trading, FundingPips and Blue Guardian. Earn2Trade, Traders Launch, FuturesElite and Funded Futures Family announced the same in the days that followed.
Prop Firm Match said the behaviour “should not have happened”, took full responsibility and switched it off on 29 October. It put the effect at a low single digit share of its commissions.
Did it cost traders anything?
On the evidence so far, no. Prop Firm Match says the redirect did not change prices or discounts, and nobody has shown otherwise. A discount code is set by the firm, so the price you pay with a code is the same whichever site you copied it from.
The cost fell on two other groups:
- Firms may have paid commission on sales the site did not bring in.
- Other affiliates, such as YouTubers and educators, may have lost credit for traders they actually referred, because the last link clicked usually wins.
So your wallet is fine. The bigger question is whether you can trust the rankings.
Why it matters for rankings
Most comparison sites are free to use because firms pay them, either a commission when a reader buys a challenge or a fee to be listed. Topstep’s founder said his firm paid Prop Firm Match a flat monthly listing fee and had no affiliate code there at all.
None of that is wrong on its own. It becomes a problem when you cannot see it. FundingPips’ chief executive said his firm spotted the redirect in August and that its ranking fell afterwards. We cannot verify that, but it shows how money and position can get tangled together.
How to check any comparison site
You do not need to read code to protect yourself. Before you trust a ranking, check these five things:
- Is there a disclosure? A good site says how it makes money, near the rankings, not buried in the footer.
- Do the codes match the firm’s site? Open the firm’s homepage or checkout. If the code works there at the same discount, the comparison site is not giving you a secret deal.
- Does a click do one thing? If clicking a button opens two pages, or your original tab changes without you asking, close it.
- Are the bad points visible? A review with no cons, or a list where every firm scores above 9, is marketing.
- Does it show firms that have closed or paused? A site that hides failures is hiding information you need. Our prop firm status tracker lists them.
How we handle links and codes
The codes on our promo code pages are each firm’s own public codes, checked against the firm’s site. Links to firms are marked as sponsored, and a click opens one page: the firm’s. Using a code from us never changes the price you pay.
If you are shopping for a challenge this week, three firms from this story have public codes running: Apex Trader Funding (SAVENOW, 90% off evaluations until 10 November), Tradeify (NOV, 40% off Growth and 30% off other accounts until 13 November) and Goat Funded Trader (BOGO40). Check the code works at the firm’s own checkout before you pay.
Key takeaways
- Prop Firm Match’s buttons loaded affiliate links in a hidden tab. Over 20 firms left the site.
- Traders did not pay more. The harm was to firms and other affiliates.
- Judge any comparison site by its disclosure, its codes and whether it shows bad news.
Frequently Asked Questions
Did Prop Firm Match charge traders more?
There is no evidence it did. The site says prices and discounts were unchanged, and discount codes are set by the firms themselves.
Are my accounts with these firms affected?
No. The dispute is between the firms and the comparison site. Your challenges, funded accounts and payouts are with the firm.
Is it wrong for a comparison site to earn commission?
No. It is how most free sites pay for themselves. The problem is hidden tracking, and rankings that follow the money.
Which firms left Prop Firm Match?
Confirmed exits include Apex Trader Funding, Tradeify, Topstep, Goat Funded Trader, Lucid Trading, FundingPips and Blue Guardian, with Earn2Trade, Traders Launch, FuturesElite and Funded Futures Family following. Around 21 brands had left by 2 November.
