Our editorial team compared every key metric — fees, rules, profit split, payouts — so you can pick the right firm.
| Feature | thePropTrade | Audacity Capital |
|---|---|---|
| Payout | ||
| Profit Split | 80% (up to 90%) | 50-95% (scales over time) |
| First Payout | On demand | 14 |
| Payout Frequency | On demand | Bi-weekly (Ability Challenge), Weekly (FTP) |
| Max Account Size | $100,000 | $240,000 |
Winner: Audacity Capital
In this independent head-to-head comparison of thePropTrade vs Audacity Capital, 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.
thePropTrade: Start Any Evaluation for $9.99. Pay Activation Only After Passing. Full Refund on First Payout.
Audacity Capital: One of the oldest prop firms globally, with generous drawdown limits and 12+ years of operation.
Based on our independent scoring methodology, Audacity Capital scores 7.8/10 overall — but the best choice depends on your specific needs. Read the full comparison below.
BestProp Score: thePropTrade scores 7.5/10 vs Audacity Capital at 7.8/10.
Minimum Fee: thePropTrade starts from $9.99; Audacity Capital starts from $49. thePropTrade is cheaper at entry level.
Profit Split: thePropTrade offers 80% (up to 90%); Audacity Capital offers 50-95% (scales over time). thePropTrade has the higher split.
Platforms: thePropTrade supports MT5, cTrader, TradeLocker; Audacity Capital is on MetaTrader 5.
Tradeable Markets: thePropTrade covers Forex, Metals, Indices, Crypto, Commodities; Audacity Capital offers Forex, Metals, Indices.
Challenge fees are typically the biggest factor when choosing a prop firm. Here is how thePropTrade and Audacity Capital compare on pricing.
thePropTrade challenge fees start from $9.99. The firm has operated since 2025.
Audacity Capital challenge fees start from $49. The firm has operated since 2012. They have funded over 500,000+ traders. Total payouts to date: $250,000,000+.
On entry-level pricing, thePropTrade offers a lower starting fee — an important factor if you are testing with a smaller account first.
thePropTrade profit split: 80% (up to 90%). Audacity Capital profit split: 50-95% (scales over time). thePropTrade delivers the higher cut to traders.
Payout frequency: thePropTrade pays On demand; Audacity Capital pays Bi-weekly (Ability Challenge), Weekly (FTP). Faster payouts are better for cash flow management.
Here is our full independent review of thePropTrade:
thePropTrade is operated by The Prop Trade Ltd (registration 2025-00866, Saint Lucia) and QuantElite FZCO (Dubai Silicon Oasis, UAE), led by CEO Katarina K. The firm registered in 2025, making it one of the newest entrants in the prop trading space with a very limited public track record. Platforms include MetaTrader 5, cTrader, and TradeLocker. Maximum account size is $200,000, with leverage up to 1:100. The firm serves all instruments except jurisdictions on FATF/EU/UN sanctions lists, and excludes China and Vietnam.
thePropTrade’s signature offering is PayFlex Edge — a distinctive pay-to-start model where the upfront evaluation cost is $9.99 for all account sizes. An activation fee (paid only after passing the evaluation) varies by account size and is refunded on the first funded payout.
How it works: Pay $9.99 to begin the evaluation regardless of account size. Complete the 6% profit target. Upon passing, pay an activation fee (see table below). The activation fee is refunded on your first funded payout — making the long-run cost zero if you trade profitably.
Evaluation parameters (all sizes): 6% profit target. Daily loss limit: 4%. Max drawdown: 6% trailing lock — the drawdown ceiling adjusts with equity gains and locks the floor at the highest reached level. Minimum 3 profitable trading days required (with at least 0.5% profit each). No maximum time limit. Swap-free accounts available. No consistency rule.
Activation fees by account size (post-pass):
The overall price is comparable to standard single-phase programs — the innovation is the cost split: risk only $9.99 to attempt, pay the remainder only after proving profitability.
Profit split: 80% (up to 90% with scaling milestones). Payouts on demand. Instruments: Forex, Metals, Indices, Crypto, Commodities. All three platforms (MT5, cTrader, TradeLocker) available on funded accounts. No maximum lot size restrictions. Swap-free accounts available.
Platforms: MetaTrader 5, cTrader, TradeLocker — full three-platform flexibility is uncommon at this price point. Instruments: Forex, Metals, Indices, Crypto, Commodities. Leverage up to 1:100.
thePropTrade earns a 6.2 BestProp score. The $9.99 pay-to-start structure is genuinely innovative and removes the most common barrier to entry in prop trading — the fear of paying full price and failing. For a trader with a proven strategy, risking $9.99 to attempt a $100K evaluation (full activation fee refunded if funded) is a compelling proposition. Three supported platforms (MT5, cTrader, TradeLocker) and swap-free accounts add structural quality. On-demand payouts remove payout cycle delays.
The primary concern is the firm’s age: registered in 2025 with registration number 2025-00866, thePropTrade has an extremely limited public operating history. No verified Trustpilot score is publicly confirmed. The CEO is identified only by first name and initial publicly. Trading rules for EAs, news, and overnight holds are not clearly published. Saint Lucia/Dubai dual-entity structure adds a layer of opacity. Traders should proceed with small account sizes first and verify all rules directly with support before committing to larger activation fees. A promising concept; the track record needs time to build.
Here is our full independent review of Audacity Capital:
Audacity Capital was founded in 2012, making it one of the longest-running prop trading firms in the world. UK-registered (Companies House 11652683) under CEO Karim Yousfi, the firm claims over $250 million paid out to traders and 500,000+ funded traders globally — numbers built over more than a decade of operation. The firm offers three programs: the 2-phase Ability Challenge, the 1-step Ability One, and the Funded Trader Program (FTP / Instant Funding).
The Ability Challenge is a two-phase evaluation. Phase 1 requires a 10% profit target with a 7.5% daily drawdown and 15% max drawdown — among the most generous drawdown limits in the industry. Phase 2 requires 5% with tighter 5%/10% limits. The Ability One is a single-phase evaluation with a 10% target, 3% daily, and 6% max drawdown. The FTP (Instant Funding) provides immediate funded access with up to 95% profit split and weekly payouts.
The Ability Challenge uses a trailing drawdown that resets daily when equity hits new highs. This mechanism confuses some traders — the daily limit recalculates at each new equity peak, meaning a trader can technically be in breach even while net-profitable over the full period. Review the drawdown rules carefully before trading.
News trading is allowed on the Ability Challenge without restrictions. The FTP requires a 30-minute waiting period after major economic events. EAs and copy trading are permitted. HFT, cross-account hedging, and martingale strategies are prohibited. Traders from the US, Syria, Iran, and North Korea cannot access the platform.
Ability Challenge payouts are made every 14 days via bank wire, Wise, PayPal, or crypto. The profit split starts at 50-75% on the Ability Challenge and scales to 95% over time. FTP accounts pay weekly at up to 95% immediately.
Trustpilot score is 3.4/5 from 1,067 reviews. While the majority of reviews are positive, approximately 125 are 1-star — prospective traders should review recent trader experiences before committing to the platform.
Overall, our independent scoring gives Audacity Capital the edge in this 2026 comparison. However, both firms have their merits. If thePropTrade 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, Audacity Capital scores higher overall (7.8/10). The best choice depends on your trading style, preferred instruments, and account size.
thePropTrade offers a lower entry-level challenge fee. However, always compare the full account sizes you plan to trade before deciding purely on price.
thePropTrade offers the higher profit split. thePropTrade: 80% (up to 90%). Audacity Capital: 50-95% (scales over time).
EA policies: thePropTrade — check the review. Audacity Capital — check the review. Always verify the latest policy directly with the firm.
News trading: thePropTrade — check the review. Audacity Capital — check the review.
Read the full thePropTrade review → · Read the full Audacity Capital review →
Based on our scoring methodology, Audacity Capital 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.
thePropTrade offers 80% (up to 90%) profit split, while Audacity Capital offers 50-95% (scales over time) profit split. Check each firm's current terms as these can change.
Check our offers page for the latest verified deals on both firms.
thePropTrade processes first payouts in On demand day(s), while Audacity Capital takes approximately 14 day(s). Always verify current payout timelines on the firm's website.
Neither thePropTrade nor Audacity Capital 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.
