Our editorial team compared every key metric — fees, rules, profit split, payouts — so you can pick the right firm.
| Feature | City Traders Imperium | Audacity Capital |
|---|---|---|
| Payout | ||
| Profit Split | 80% (up to 100%) | 50-95% (scales over time) |
| First Payout | On demand (after 7 profitable days) | 14 |
| Payout Frequency | Monthly (1-Step/2-Step); Bi-weekly (Instant) | Bi-weekly (Ability Challenge), Weekly (FTP) |
| Max Account Size | $100,000 | $240,000 |
Winner: City Traders Imperium
In this independent head-to-head comparison of City Traders Imperium 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.
City Traders Imperium: Est. 2018. No Daily Loss Limit on 1-Step. Monthly Salary. Scales to $4M.
Audacity Capital: One of the oldest prop firms globally, with generous drawdown limits and 12+ years of operation.
Based on our independent scoring methodology, City Traders Imperium scores 8.6/10 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 Audacity Capital at 7.8/10.
Minimum Fee: City Traders Imperium starts from $29; Audacity Capital starts from $49. City Traders Imperium is cheaper at entry level.
Profit Split: City Traders Imperium offers 80% (up to 100%); Audacity Capital offers 50-95% (scales over time). City Traders Imperium has the higher split.
Platforms: City Traders Imperium supports MT5, Match Trader; Audacity Capital is on MetaTrader 5.
Tradeable Markets: City Traders Imperium covers Forex (28 pairs), Indices (9), Gold, Silver, Oil, Crypto (BTC, ETH, LTC, ADA, XRP); Audacity Capital offers Forex, Metals, Indices.
Challenge fees are typically the biggest factor when choosing a prop firm. Here is how City Traders Imperium and Audacity Capital compare on pricing.
City Traders Imperium challenge fees start from $29. The firm has operated since 2018.
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, 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%). Audacity Capital profit split: 50-95% (scales over time). City Traders Imperium delivers the higher cut to traders.
Payout frequency: City Traders Imperium pays Monthly (1-Step/2-Step); Bi-weekly (Instant); Audacity Capital pays Bi-weekly (Ability Challenge), Weekly (FTP). 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 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 City Traders Imperium the edge in this 2026 comparison. However, both firms have their merits. If Audacity Capital 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, City Traders Imperium scores higher overall (8.6/10). 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%). Audacity Capital: 50-95% (scales over time).
EA policies: City Traders Imperium — check the review. Audacity Capital — check the review. Always verify the latest policy directly with the firm.
News trading: City Traders Imperium — check the review. Audacity Capital — check the review.
Read the full City Traders Imperium review → · Read the full Audacity Capital review →
Based on our scoring methodology, City Traders Imperium 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 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.
City Traders Imperium processes first payouts in On demand (after 7 profitable days) day(s), while Audacity Capital takes approximately 14 day(s). Always verify current payout timelines on the firm's website.
Neither City Traders Imperium 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.
