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Home › Comparisons › Amadeux vs City Traders Imperium — Which is Better?
Amadeux
8.6/10
★★★★☆
VS
City Traders Imperium
8.6/10
★★★★☆

Amadeux vs City Traders Imperium — Which is Better? (2026)

Our editorial team compared every key metric — fees, rules, profit split, payouts — so you can pick the right firm.

Get Funded Now — Amadeux Get Funded Now — City Traders Imperium

Amadeux vs City Traders Imperium — Side-by-Side

Feature Amadeux City Traders Imperium
Payout
Profit Split 80% (90% from 3rd withdrawal) 80% (up to 100%)
First Payout - On demand (after 7 profitable days)
Payout Frequency Bi-weekly Monthly (1-Step/2-Step); Bi-weekly (Instant)
Max Account Size €250,000 $100,000
Our Verdict — Amadeux vs City Traders Imperium

It's a Tie!

Amadeux vs City Traders Imperium — Executive Summary (2026)

In this independent head-to-head comparison of Amadeux vs City Traders Imperium, 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.

Amadeux: Fee Refund on First Payout. Own Broker Choice. 2000+ Instruments. All Strategies.

City Traders Imperium: Est. 2018. No Daily Loss Limit on 1-Step. Monthly Salary. Scales to $4M.

Both firms score equally in our independent methodology. The best choice depends on which specific features matter most to your trading style.

Quick Stats: Amadeux vs City Traders Imperium

BestProp Score: Amadeux scores 8.6/10 vs City Traders Imperium at 8.6/10.

Minimum Fee: Amadeux starts from €99; City Traders Imperium starts from $29. City Traders Imperium is cheaper at entry level.

Profit Split: Amadeux offers 80% (90% from 3rd withdrawal); City Traders Imperium offers 80% (up to 100%). Amadeux has the higher split.

Platforms: Amadeux supports MT4, MT5; City Traders Imperium is on MT5, Match Trader.

Tradeable Markets: Amadeux covers Forex, Indices, Commodities, Stocks, Futures, Crypto (2000+ instruments); City Traders Imperium offers Forex (28 pairs), Indices (9), Gold, Silver, Oil, Crypto (BTC, ETH, LTC, ADA, XRP).

Pricing Comparison: Amadeux vs City Traders Imperium

Challenge fees are typically the biggest factor when choosing a prop firm. Here is how Amadeux and City Traders Imperium compare on pricing.

Amadeux challenge fees start from €99. They have funded over 5,000+ traders.

City Traders Imperium challenge fees start from $29. The firm has operated since 2018.

On entry-level pricing, City Traders Imperium offers a lower starting fee — an important factor if you are testing with a smaller account first.

Challenge Rules: Amadeux vs City Traders Imperium

Drawdown Rules

Trading Conditions

Payout Comparison: Amadeux vs City Traders Imperium

Amadeux profit split: 80% (90% from 3rd withdrawal). City Traders Imperium profit split: 80% (up to 100%). Amadeux delivers the higher cut to traders.

Payout frequency: Amadeux pays Bi-weekly; City Traders Imperium pays Monthly (1-Step/2-Step); Bi-weekly (Instant). Faster payouts are better for cash flow management.

Amadeux — Full Review

Here is our full independent review of Amadeux:

Introduction to Amadeux

Amadeux is operated by AMDX Technologies LLC, headquartered at 224 W 35th St, Suite 500, Manhattan, New York. CEO Jordi Piqueras leads the firm, which has registered 5,000+ traders and holds a 4.6/5 Trustpilot rating from 180+ reviews. Challenge fees are denominated in EUR. A 2-Step and 1-Step evaluation path are available, with maximum merged account capital of €450,000. Human support is used for all tickets – no AI-driven responses.

Key Structural Differentiators

Three rules set Amadeux apart from most prop firms:

  1. Traders choose their own broker. Rather than a single firm-controlled broker, Amadeux lets funded traders select from a list of regulated ECN/STP brokers. The firm does not control trade execution, does not act as market maker, and charges no spread markups or commissions on top of direct broker spreads. This is a meaningful transparency advantage.
  2. Daily loss calculated from opening balance only. The daily drawdown limit is measured against the balance at the start of each trading day, not against the intraday equity peak. A trader who runs up profits intraday and then gives some back is not penalised against a higher watermark – only against where they started the day.
  3. Challenge fees fully refunded on first payout. The entire challenge fee is returned alongside the first profit withdrawal. The net cost of a successful evaluation is zero.

Challenge Structure

2-Step Challenge (fees in EUR): Phase 1 requires 8% net profit. Phase 2 requires 5%. Daily drawdown limit: 5% of opening balance. Maximum drawdown: 8% static. Minimum 4 trading days per phase. No time limit. All strategies permitted.

Account sizes and fees: €15K for €99 | €25K for €199 | €50K for €329 | €100K for €499 | €250K for €1,249.

1-Step Challenge (fees in EUR): Single phase, 10% net profit target. Daily drawdown: 4% of opening balance. Maximum drawdown: 7% static. Minimum 4 trading days. No time limit.

Account sizes and fees: €15K for €119 | €25K for €239 | €50K for €349 | €100K for €579 | €250K for €1,448.

Profit Split and Payouts

  • Split: 80% on first and second withdrawal, rising to 90% from the third withdrawal onward
  • Payout frequency: Bi-weekly
  • Processing time: Under 5 hours (average)
  • Methods: Crypto, Bank Wire Transfer. No commissions on any payout method.
  • Maximum allocation: €450,000 (merged across accounts)

Instruments and Platforms

Platforms: MetaTrader 4 and MetaTrader 5. Over 2,000 instruments across Forex, Indices, Commodities, Stocks, Futures, and Cryptocurrencies – one of the broadest instrument sets available at any prop firm. Exact instrument availability depends on the broker selected by the trader.

Trading Rules

Amadeux permits: news trading, weekend holding, Expert Advisors, trade copiers, scalping, swing trading (no extra fee), and hedging. There are very few restrictions on strategy type – the evaluation tests risk management discipline, not trading style.

Transparency Metrics (Self-Reported)

Amadeux publishes its own funnel statistics: approximately 11% of challenge attempts result in a funded account, and approximately 2% of all registered traders reach a profit withdrawal. These figures are disclosed voluntarily and give context for the difficulty of the evaluation path.

Our Verdict

Amadeux earns a 7.6 BestProp score. The combination of fee refund on first payout, zero-markup broker execution, opening-balance daily drawdown calculation, 2,000+ instruments, and unrestricted strategy access makes this one of the most trader-aligned rule sets on the market. The <5 hour payout processing time and 4.6/5 Trustpilot from 180+ reviews confirm the firm operates as described.

The main considerations: fees are in EUR (non-EUR traders carry exchange rate exposure), the profit split starts at 80% and only reaches 90% from the third withdrawal, and the self-reported withdrawal rate of ~2% of all registered traders is low. The firm does not have a Discord community. Amadeux suits traders who want maximum strategy freedom, broad instruments, and transparent execution – particularly those trading in EUR or eurozone markets.

City Traders Imperium — Full Review

Here is our full independent review of City Traders Imperium:

Introduction to 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.

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.

Monthly Salary

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.

Commission and Costs

  • Forex and Commodities: $5 per round lot — on the higher end of CFD prop commissions
  • Indices: $0.50 per lot (low)
  • Crypto: Zero commission

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.

Trading Rules

  • EAs/Algos: Permitted only if the trader owns the source code of the EA. Third-party/commercial EAs are not accepted — a significant restriction compared to many competitors.
  • News trading: Discretionary news trading is allowed. News bracketing bots are prohibited.
  • Martingale: Permitted on 1-Step only, but flagged if more than 10% of profits originate from martingale sequences.
  • Group hedging: Strictly prohibited across accounts.
  • VPN/VPS: Allowed with consistent IP matching the country of registration.
  • Weekend/overnight holds: Permitted — CTI does not restrict these across any program.

Platforms and Instruments

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.

Our Verdict

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.

Amadeux — Key Strengths

  • BestProp score: 8.6/10
  • Competitive 80% (90% from 3rd withdrawal) profit split
  • Challenge fees from €99
  • 5,000+ funded traders
  • Available on MT4, MT5

City Traders Imperium — Key Strengths

  • BestProp score: 8.6/10
  • Competitive 80% (up to 100%) profit split
  • Challenge fees from $29
  • Available on MT5, Match Trader
  • Operating since 2018

Final Verdict: Amadeux vs City Traders Imperium (2026)

Both Amadeux and City Traders Imperium are evenly matched in our scoring. The right choice depends on specific features that matter most to you: pricing, profit split, platforms, or trading conditions.

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.

Frequently Asked Questions: Amadeux vs City Traders Imperium

Which is better, Amadeux or City Traders Imperium?

Based on our independent scoring, both firms score equally. The best choice depends on your trading style, preferred instruments, and account size.

Is Amadeux cheaper than City Traders Imperium?

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.

Which has a better profit split, Amadeux or City Traders Imperium?

Amadeux offers the higher profit split. Amadeux: 80% (90% from 3rd withdrawal). City Traders Imperium: 80% (up to 100%).

Can I use an EA or trading bot?

EA policies: Amadeux — check the review. City Traders Imperium — check the review. Always verify the latest policy directly with the firm.

Which is better for news trading?

News trading: Amadeux — check the review. City Traders Imperium — check the review.

Read the full Amadeux review →  ·  Read the full City Traders Imperium review →

Who should choose Amadeux?
  • Traders wanting 80% (90% from 3rd withdrawal) profit split
  • Users of MT4, MT5
  • Anyone looking for a top-rated funded challenge
Who should choose City Traders Imperium?
  • Traders wanting 80% (up to 100%) profit split
  • Users of MT5, Match Trader
  • Anyone looking for a top-rated funded challenge

Frequently Asked Questions — Amadeux vs City Traders Imperium

Both Amadeux and City Traders Imperium are strong prop firms. The right choice depends on your trading style, preferred platform and rules. Use the side-by-side table above to compare the key metrics.

Amadeux offers 80% (90% from 3rd withdrawal) profit split, while City Traders Imperium offers 80% (up to 100%) profit split. Check each firm's current terms as these can change.

Check our offers page for the latest verified deals on both firms.

Amadeux processes first payouts in - day(s), while City Traders Imperium takes approximately On demand (after 7 profitable days) day(s). Always verify current payout timelines on the firm's website.

Neither Amadeux nor City Traders Imperium 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.

Amadeux
8.6/10
Read Review →
City Traders Imperium
8.6/10
Read Review →
Quick Compare
Amadeux City Traders Imperium
Score 8.6 8.6
Min Fee €99 $29
Profit Split 80% (90% from 3rd withdrawal) 80% (up to 100%)
First Payout -d On demand (after 7 profitable days)d
TIE
Both firms are equally matched
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