Our editorial team compared every key metric — fees, rules, profit split, payouts — so you can pick the right firm.
| Feature | City Traders Imperium | ThinkCapital |
|---|---|---|
| Payout | ||
| Profit Split | 80% (up to 100%) | Up to 90% |
| First Payout | On demand (after 7 profitable days) | 14 |
| Payout Frequency | Monthly (1-Step/2-Step); Bi-weekly (Instant) | Bi-weekly (weekly add-on available) |
| Max Account Size | $100,000 | $600,000 |
Winner: ThinkCapital
In this independent head-to-head comparison of City Traders Imperium vs ThinkCapital, we break down challenge rules, pricing, profit splits, and payout conditions to help you decide which prop firm is the better fit for your trading style.
City Traders Imperium: Est. 2018. No Daily Loss Limit on 1-Step. Monthly Salary. Scales to $4M.
ThinkCapital: Backed by ThinkMarkets Broker. 4.6/5 Trustpilot. Fee Refunded on First Payout. Scales to $1.5M.
Based on our independent scoring methodology, ThinkCapital scores 8.8/10 overall — but the best choice depends on your specific needs. Read the full comparison below.
BestProp Score: City Traders Imperium scores 8.6/10 vs ThinkCapital at 8.8/10.
Minimum Fee: City Traders Imperium starts from $29; ThinkCapital starts from $39. City Traders Imperium is cheaper at entry level.
Profit Split: City Traders Imperium offers 80% (up to 100%); ThinkCapital offers Up to 90%. City Traders Imperium has the higher split.
Platforms: City Traders Imperium supports MT5, Match Trader; ThinkCapital is on ThinkTrader, TradingView, MT5.
Tradeable Markets: City Traders Imperium covers Forex (28 pairs), Indices (9), Gold, Silver, Oil, Crypto (BTC, ETH, LTC, ADA, XRP); ThinkCapital offers Forex, Metals, Commodities, Crypto, Indices.
Challenge fees are typically the biggest factor when choosing a prop firm. Here is how City Traders Imperium and ThinkCapital compare on pricing.
City Traders Imperium challenge fees start from $29. The firm has operated since 2018.
ThinkCapital challenge fees start from $39. They have funded over 20,000+ traders. Total payouts to date: $4,000,000+.
On entry-level pricing, City Traders Imperium offers a lower starting fee — an important factor if you are testing with a smaller account first.
City Traders Imperium profit split: 80% (up to 100%). ThinkCapital profit split: Up to 90%. City Traders Imperium delivers the higher cut to traders.
Payout frequency: City Traders Imperium pays Monthly (1-Step/2-Step); Bi-weekly (Instant); ThinkCapital pays Bi-weekly (weekly add-on available). Faster payouts are better for cash flow management.
Here is our full independent review of City Traders Imperium:
City Traders Imperium (CTI) was founded in June 2018, making it one of the longest-established prop firms in the world. Operated by CTI FZCO and headquartered at Dubai Silicon Oasis, UAE, with UK phone support, the firm is led by CEO Daniel Martin and co-founder Martin Najat. CTI holds a 4.5/5 Trustpilot rating from 1,150+ reviews. Maximum initial account: $100,000; maximum combined allocation: $440,000; scaling potential to $4,000,000. All accounts operate on MetaTrader 5 or Match Trader.
CTI distinguishes itself on two fronts: the 1-Step challenge carries no daily loss limit — one of very few prop firms to offer this — and traders receive a monthly salary ($12.50-$500 depending on account size and program) in addition to profit splits. The firm also includes trading education (academy access) with all programs.
1-Step Challenge ($29-$469 for $2.5K-$100K): Single phase, 8% profit target. No daily loss limit. Max drawdown: 5% static. Minimum 3 profitable days. First payout on demand after 7 profitable days and 2% net profit (or $100 minimum). Subsequent payouts monthly (last 5 days of month). Up to 100% profit split. No time limit. The absence of a daily loss limit is the defining feature — traders cannot be stopped out by a single volatile session as long as their total equity remains above the 5% threshold. Available from $2,500 (entry fee: $29) up to $100,000 ($469).
2-Step Evaluation ($39-$549 for $2.5K-$100K): Phase 1: 10% target. Phase 2: 5% target. Daily loss: 5%. Max drawdown: 10% static. Minimum 3 profitable days. First payout on demand after 7 profitable days. Subsequent payouts monthly. 80-100% split. No time limit. Standard two-phase structure with the widest max drawdown buffer of any CTI program.
Instant Funding ($69-$1,499 for $2.5K-$80K): No evaluation required. 10% profit target required before scaling. Max drawdown: 6% static. First payout on demand after 5 profitable days and 2% net profit. Bi-weekly payouts (14th/15th and last 2 days of month). Up to 100% split. Leverage 1:10. Suitable for traders who want immediate funded access and are willing to demonstrate a 10% gain before accessing scaling.
Instant Funding Pro ($299-$4,799 for $5K-$80K): Premium instant access tier with the same fundamental structure as Instant Funding but at a higher fee level. Verify full specifications and any additional benefits directly on the CTI website.
CTI pays a monthly salary to all funded traders regardless of trading performance — amounts range from $12.50/month (small 1-Step) to $500/month ($100K 2-Step or Instant accounts). This is a genuinely unusual feature in the prop firm industry: traders receive guaranteed regular income in addition to their profit split. Confirm exact salary amounts per program on the CTI website.
The $5/lot forex commission meaningfully impacts scalpers and high-frequency traders. Factor into target calculations: on 100 round trips/month on a $50K account, that is $500 in commission before profit split.
Platforms: MetaTrader 5, Match Trader. Instruments: 28 Forex pairs, 9 major indices (leverage 1:10), Gold, Silver, Oil (leverage 1:10), Crypto (BTC, ETH, LTC, ADA, XRP — zero commission). Leverage on Forex: 1:30. No restrictions on news or overnight trading on funded accounts.
City Traders Imperium earns a 7.6 BestProp score. Founded in 2018 — over seven years of operation — makes CTI one of the most battle-tested prop firms in existence. The 4.5/5 Trustpilot from 1,150+ reviews reflects a long track record. The no-daily-loss-limit on the 1-Step is a meaningful structural advantage for traders who can manage total drawdown discipline. The monthly salary is a genuinely unique feature that adds a real income floor. Small account sizes from $2,500 at $29 entry fee are accessible. Scales to $4,000,000.
Key trade-offs: the EA restriction (own source code only) makes CTI unsuitable for most algorithmic traders who use commercial tools. The $5/lot forex commission is high and penalises active traders. MT5/Match Trader only limits platform choice. Monthly payouts on 1-Step/2-Step (once per month window) means cash flow is less frequent than bi-weekly or weekly competitors. The 7-profitable-day minimum for first payout also adds waiting time. CTI is best suited to discretionary traders — particularly those with a custom EA — who value longevity and the unique salary feature over faster payouts or EA flexibility.
Here is our full independent review of ThinkCapital:
ThinkCapital is the proprietary trading arm of ThinkMarkets — a multi-regulated institutional broker with global operations. The prop firm is headquartered in London, UK, and is led by CEO Faizan Anees. ThinkCapital holds a 4.6/5 Trustpilot rating from 470+ reviews and has funded 20,000+ traders with $4M+ in verified payouts. Maximum initial account is $600,000, scaling to $1,500,000. Platforms: ThinkTrader, TradingView, and MetaTrader 5.
The backing of ThinkMarkets is a meaningful structural advantage: unlike standalone prop firms, ThinkCapital operates within an established, multi-regulated broker’s infrastructure. Challenge fees are refunded with the first funded payout across all evaluation programs.
Lightning – 1-Step ($59-$1,099 for $5K-$200K): Single phase, 10% profit target. Daily loss: 3%. Max drawdown: 6% trailing. Minimum 3 profitable trading days. Up to 90% split. News trading: restricted. A 4-minute trading blackout applies around ForexFactory red-folder events on Lightning accounts. EAs not permitted during evaluation; supported on funded MT5/TradingView accounts. Fee refunded on first payout. Best for structured traders comfortable with tighter drawdown and news restrictions.
Dual Step – 2-Step ($59-$1,099 for $5K-$200K): Phase 1: 8% target. Phase 2: 5% target. Daily loss: 4%. Max drawdown: 8% static. Up to 90% split. Dynamic leverage up to 1:100. Dual Step Swing variant allows news trading. Fee refunded on first payout. The most popular program — wider drawdown than Lightning, two-phase structure builds consistency. Optional Swing add-on enables event-driven trading strategies.
Nexus – 3-Step ($39-$749 for $5K-$200K): Phase 1: 7%. Phase 2: 6%. Phase 3: 5%. Total combined target: 18%, achieved across three progressively confirmed stages. Daily loss: 4%. Max drawdown: 8% static. Leverage 1:100. Up to 90% split. News trading restricted. Lowest entry fee in the lineup — $39 for a $5K account. Suited for methodical traders who want the lowest upfront commitment and three-stage consistency verification.
Bolt – Instant Funding ($49 for $2.5K, up to $50K): No evaluation required. Direct funded access from $2.5K with leverage up to 1:50. Up to 90% split. No profit target to begin trading; scaling requires meeting performance milestones. Verify full drawdown parameters and rules on the ThinkCapital website for Bolt accounts.
ThinkCapital offers purchasable add-ons for additional features including: weekly payouts (base is bi-weekly), EA allowance on challenge accounts, 90% profit split uplift (base varies), and Swing mode (news trading). These add-ons carry an additional cost of approximately 25% per feature on top of the base challenge fee. This modular structure lets traders pay only for features they need — but traders wanting news trading and EAs should factor the add-on costs into total outlay.
Platforms: ThinkTrader (proprietary), TradingView (integrated), MetaTrader 5. Instruments: Forex, Metals, Commodities, Crypto, Indices. The ThinkMarkets infrastructure provides institutional-grade liquidity and execution across all instrument categories.
ThinkCapital earns a 7.8 BestProp score. The ThinkMarkets backing is the defining differentiator: an established multi-regulated institutional broker providing infrastructure, counterparty credibility, and execution quality that standalone prop firms cannot match. 4.6/5 Trustpilot from 470+ reviews. Three evaluation tracks (1-Step, 2-Step, 3-Step) plus instant access, with Nexus starting at just $39. Fee refund on first payout. Scales to $1.5M. The modular add-on system lets traders pay for exactly the features they need.
Key considerations: news trading is restricted on Lightning and Nexus without the Swing add-on (4-minute blackout around red events), EAs require a funded account or an add-on purchase, and the base bi-weekly payout cycle requires an upgrade for weekly cash flow. Add-ons at ~25% per feature can push the effective cost meaningfully above the base fee for traders wanting full flexibility. Overall ThinkCapital is an excellent choice for traders who value institutional broker backing and a structured, transparent program — particularly on the Dual Step and Nexus tracks.
Overall, our independent scoring gives ThinkCapital the edge in this 2026 comparison. However, both firms have their merits. If City Traders Imperium better matches your specific trading style, instruments, or preferred platform, it may still be the right choice for you.
Use our comparison table above and review the challenge fees at both firms before making your final decision. Both offer risk-free evaluation programs — the challenge fee is the only money at risk.
Based on our independent scoring, ThinkCapital scores higher overall (8.8/10). The best choice depends on your trading style, preferred instruments, and account size.
City Traders Imperium offers a lower entry-level challenge fee. However, always compare the full account sizes you plan to trade before deciding purely on price.
City Traders Imperium offers the higher profit split. City Traders Imperium: 80% (up to 100%). ThinkCapital: Up to 90%.
EA policies: City Traders Imperium — check the review. ThinkCapital — check the review. Always verify the latest policy directly with the firm.
News trading: City Traders Imperium — check the review. ThinkCapital — check the review.
Read the full City Traders Imperium review → · Read the full ThinkCapital review →
Based on our scoring methodology, ThinkCapital edges ahead in this comparison. However, the best choice depends on your trading style, preferred platform and account size. Read the full breakdown above for a detailed verdict.
City Traders Imperium offers 80% (up to 100%) profit split, while ThinkCapital offers Up to 90% profit split. Check each firm's current terms as these can change.
Check our offers page for the latest verified deals on both firms.
City Traders Imperium processes first payouts in On demand (after 7 profitable days) day(s), while ThinkCapital takes approximately 14 day(s). Always verify current payout timelines on the firm's website.
Neither City Traders Imperium nor ThinkCapital are regulated in the traditional financial sense — prop firms operate as private companies providing traders access to simulated or real capital. Always read the terms and conditions carefully before participating in any prop challenge.
