A useful prop firm comparison starts with a small evidence folder. Before paying a challenge fee, save the offer you actually chose and the rules that apply to that specific account.
This practical checklist is designed for comparing information, not predicting profits or proving that a firm will pay. It works alongside our directory, comparison guide and cost calculator.
1. Identify the company and the actual product
Record the contracting entity, contact route, programme name, account size, account phase and rule version. Do not use an evaluation’s rules as shorthand for a funded stage. If the provider has changed its brand or ownership, check which agreement applies to a new purchase and which applies to an older account.
2. Save the full cost, not just the discounted fee
Create separate entries for the initial fee, recurring subscriptions, resets, activation, data and optional services. Mark a refund as conditional until it is actually received. If you compare two programmes, use the same assumptions about time, attempts and account phase.
3. Write down how each loss limit is calculated
Record whether the overall floor is static or trailing, whether it moves intraday or at a session boundary, and whether floating equity is included. Separately record the daily limit, its reference value and reset time. A percentage without its calculation method is not a complete rule.
For example, FTMO publishes distinct programme models in its official comparison, and Topstep explains the calculation of its Maximum Loss Limit. Read the source for your own product instead of assuming all accounts from a brand work alike.
4. Check what qualifies a withdrawal
Keep the stated eligibility conditions, review process, minimum amount, timing and any consistency or winning-day requirements. A headline profit split is only one term. It does not tell you when a withdrawal becomes available or what can invalidate it.
5. Record restrictions before choosing a strategy
Check news events, overnight and weekend positions, automated tools, copy trading, prohibited trading patterns, position limits and country eligibility. If a rule is ambiguous, ask the provider about your specific scenario and retain its written answer.
6. Keep the page date and your purchase record together
Save the canonical source URL and a dated copy of the relevant terms alongside the order confirmation. A screenshot of a promotion is helpful, but it should not replace the agreement. Note whether a support answer describes a current rule, an exception or only a planned change.
Use a simple evidence ledger
| Field | What to save |
|---|---|
| Programme | Name, phase, contracting entity and rule version |
| Cost | Initial, recurring and conditional amounts separately |
| Loss rules | Reference value, calculation method and reset time |
| Withdrawal | Eligibility, review, timing and disqualifying conditions |
| Evidence | Official URL, date checked, agreement and support answer |
| Unresolved | Questions that have not received a clear answer |
Frequently asked questions
Does completing this checklist make a firm safe?
No. It improves the quality of the comparison. It does not prove solvency, regulatory status or future payouts.
Should a historical rating override current programme terms?
No. Keep the historical review as context and compare the actual current agreement for your selected programme.
Start a comparison
Research a name in the directory, check dated status changes and keep unanswered questions visible. If you spot an outdated factual statement on PropRanking, send its source for correction. Editorial corrections do not require an advertising purchase.