FTMO vs City Traders Imperium: which is easier to pass and pay out?
FTMO and City Traders Imperium compared on their own published rules: profit targets, loss limits, consistency rules and payouts, plus how each account did in our benchmark, where the same made-up trader is replayed against every account. On our 8 measures they come out even, 3 each, with 2 level.
The verdict, category by category
| FTMO | City Traders Imperium | Edge | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Easiest challenge to pass pass chance in our benchmark | 1-Step Challenge: 54% | 2-Step: 52% | Level |
| Best chance of passing and getting paid passed and reached a first payout, in our benchmark | 2-Step Challenge: 46% | 2-Step: 43% | FTMO |
| Instant funding funded from day one, no challenge | Instant Account: 66% reach a payout | Instant Funding: 44% reach a payout | FTMO |
| Most room before failing largest maximum loss; static beats trailing | 10% static (2-Step Challenge) | 10% static (2-Step) | Level |
| Highest profit split | 90% | 80% | FTMO |
| Quickest first payout | 14 days | 5 days | City Traders Imperium |
| Accounts with no consistency rule | 1 of 3 | 3 of 3 | City Traders Imperium |
| An account with no daily loss limit | No | Yes | City Traders Imperium |
Which should you choose?
- Choose FTMO if you want the best chance of passing and then reaching a first payout; you want to skip the evaluation and be funded straight away; you expect to be paid often and want to keep more of each payout.
- Choose City Traders Imperium if you want your first payout as soon as possible; you make most of your profit on a few big days; you hold through volatile sessions and a daily limit would cut you off.
- Still not sure? The right firm depends on your strategy, not ours. Upload your backtest and see your own pass and payout chance at both.
Test your strategy at FTMO Test at City Traders Imperium
2-step challenges: FTMO 2-Step Challenge vs City Traders Imperium 2-Step
| FTMO | City Traders Imperium | |
|---|---|---|
| Account | 2-Step Challenge | 2-Step |
| Profit target | 10% / 5% | 10% / 5% |
| Daily loss limit | 5% | 5% |
| Maximum loss | 10% static | 10% static |
| Minimum days | 4 | 3 |
| Time limit | None | None |
| Consistency rule | None | None |
| First payout | After 14 days, 0.1%+ profit | After 7 days, 2%+ profit |
| Profit split | 80% | 80% |
| Price | $602.78 for $100K | $549 for $100K |
| Pass chance (benchmark) | 52% | 52% |
| First payout chance (benchmark) | 46% | 43% |
| Best risk per trade | 0.75% | 0.75% |
| Fee spent per first payout, per $100 | $217 | $233 |
| Rules checked | 8 Nov 2026 | 8 Nov 2026 |
1-step challenges: FTMO 1-Step Challenge vs City Traders Imperium 1-Step
| FTMO | City Traders Imperium | |
|---|---|---|
| Account | 1-Step Challenge | 1-Step |
| Profit target | 10% | 8% |
| Daily loss limit | 3% | None |
| Maximum loss | 10% trailing | 5% trailing |
| Minimum days | None | 3 |
| Time limit | None | None |
| Consistency rule | 50% | None |
| First payout | After 14 days, 0.1%+ profit | After 7 days, 2%+ profit |
| Profit split | 90% | 80% |
| Price | $557.01 for $100K | $449 for $100K |
| Pass chance (benchmark) | 54% | 37% |
| First payout chance (benchmark) | 40% | 29% |
| Best risk per trade | 0.75% | 0.38% |
| Fee spent per first payout, per $100 | $250 | $345 |
| Rules checked | 8 Nov 2026 | 8 Nov 2026 |
Instant funding accounts: FTMO Instant Account vs City Traders Imperium Instant Funding
| FTMO | City Traders Imperium | |
|---|---|---|
| Account | Instant Account | Instant Funding |
| Profit target | None | None |
| Daily loss limit | 3% | None |
| Maximum loss | 10% trailing | 6% static |
| Minimum days | None | None |
| Time limit | None | None |
| Consistency rule | 30% | None |
| First payout | After 14 days, 0.1%+ profit | After 5 days, 10%+ profit |
| Profit split | 90% | 50% |
| Price | $3,347.66 for $100K | Not listed |
| First payout chance (benchmark) | 66% | 44% |
| Best risk per trade | 0.5% | 1% |
| Fee spent per first payout, per $100 | $152 | $227 |
| Rules checked | 8 Nov 2026 | 8 Nov 2026 |
Where a firm has more than one account of a type, the one that did best in our benchmark is shown. "Fee spent per first payout" is what every $100 of challenge fee works out at once failed attempts are counted.
Every account at both firms
| Firm | Account | Type | Profit target | Daily loss | Max loss | Consistency | First payout | Split |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| F | 2-Step Challenge | 2-step | 10% / 5% | 5% | 10% static | None | After 14 days, 0.1%+ profit | 80% |
| F | 1-Step Challenge | 1-step | 10% | 3% | 10% trailing | 50% | After 14 days, 0.1%+ profit | 90% |
| F | Instant Account | Instant funding | None | 3% | 10% trailing | 30% | After 14 days, 0.1%+ profit | 90% |
| CT | 1-Step | 1-step | 8% | None | 5% trailing | None | After 7 days, 2%+ profit | 80% |
| CT | 2-Step | 2-step | 10% / 5% | 5% | 10% static | None | After 7 days, 2%+ profit | 80% |
| CT | Instant Funding | Instant funding | None | None | 6% static | None | After 5 days, 10%+ profit | 50% |
About the two firms
FTMO
FTMO, founded in the Czech Republic in 2015, is the best-known prop firm and the benchmark others are measured against. Its 2-Step Challenge (10% then 5%, a 5% daily limit, a 10% maximum loss fixed to your start and 4 minimum days) is one of the more forgiving evaluations in our directory.
Forex & CFDs · Czech Republic · founded 2015 · MT4, MT5, cTrader, DXtrade
Rules to watch: Daily loss is checked on equity (open trades count) and resets at 00:00 CE(S)T. 1-Step and funded accounts: best day must be 50% or less of total closed profit (orders from 12 Oct 2026). First reward can be requested from day 14 after the first trade. Instant Account (Oct 2026): 3% daily, 10% intraday trailing, 30% consistency, 90% split. Sources: ftmo.com/en/trading-objectives/ and ftmo.com/en/faq/how-do-i-withdraw-my-profits/
City Traders Imperium
City Traders Imperium, founded in 2018, offers three routes. The 2-Step (10% then 5%, 5% daily, 10% fixed maximum loss) is the most forgiving. The 1-Step has no daily loss limit but pairs an 8% target with a tight 5% trailing maximum loss. Minimum days are counted as profitable days, which slows strategies with many small losing days.
Forex & CFDs · founded 2018
Rules to watch: Minimum days are profitable trading days. Evaluation-funded accounts need 7 profitable days and 2% (or $100) for the first payout, then pay monthly. Instant: first payout needs 10% profit and 5 profitable days, and the split starts at 50%. Source: citytradersimperium.com/choosing-your-funding-program/
Questions
Is FTMO or City Traders Imperium easier to pass?
They are about the same. In our benchmark FTMO's 1-Step Challenge passed 54% of the time and City Traders Imperium's 2-Step 52%.
Which is more likely to pay out, FTMO or City Traders Imperium?
Of their challenges, FTMO's 2-Step Challenge (46%) gave the better chance of passing and reaching a first payout in our benchmark, against 43% for City Traders Imperium's 2-Step. FTMO's Instant Account and City Traders Imperium's Instant Funding, an instant account with no challenge, reached a payout 66% and 44% of the time. This ranks the rules, not the firms' payout records.
Which has the better profit split, FTMO or City Traders Imperium?
FTMO, with up to 90% against 80%.
Which gives more room on drawdown, FTMO or City Traders Imperium?
FTMO's most forgiving account allows 10% static (2-Step Challenge); City Traders Imperium's allows 10% static (2-Step). A static limit never moves up behind you, so it is worth more than a trailing one of the same size.
Do FTMO and City Traders Imperium have consistency rules?
FTMO: 2 of 3 accounts do. City Traders Imperium: none of its accounts do.
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- FTMO vs Instant Funding
- FundedNext vs FundingPips
PropPassCheck isn't paid by either firm and has no affiliate links. The benchmark ranks rules, not your trading. Confirm the rules on each firm's site before you buy.