Our editorial team compared every key metric — fees, rules, profit split, payouts — so you can pick the right firm.
| Feature | BrightFunded | Upcomers |
|---|---|---|
| Payout | ||
| Profit Split | 80% → 100% | 99% |
| First Payout | 30 | 5 |
| Payout Frequency | Bi-weekly (weekly add-on available) | On-demand (avg 12h) |
| Max Account Size | $200,000 | $1,000,000 |
Winner: BrightFunded
In this independent head-to-head comparison of BrightFunded vs Upcomers, 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.
BrightFunded: Static Rules. Fast Payouts. Zero Fees.
Upcomers: 99% Profit Split. 1,200+ Markets. Bybit Crypto Integration.
Based on our independent scoring methodology, BrightFunded scores 8.9/10 overall — but the best choice depends on your specific needs. Read the full comparison below.
BestProp Score: BrightFunded scores 8.9/10 vs Upcomers at 8.7/10.
Minimum Fee: BrightFunded starts from €55; Upcomers starts from $31.80. Upcomers is cheaper at entry level.
Profit Split: BrightFunded offers 80% → 100%; Upcomers offers 99%. BrightFunded has the higher split.
Platforms: BrightFunded supports cTrader, MT5, DXtrade; Upcomers is on MT5, cTrader, TradeLocker, Match Trader, dxTrade, Bybit.
Tradeable Markets: BrightFunded covers Forex, Crypto, Indices, Commodities (150+ assets); Upcomers offers Forex, Metals, Indices, Stocks, Crypto, Energies, Commodities.
Challenge fees are typically the biggest factor when choosing a prop firm. Here is how BrightFunded and Upcomers compare on pricing.
BrightFunded challenge fees start from €55. The firm has operated since 2023. They have funded over 27,500+ traders. Total payouts to date: $7M+.
Upcomers challenge fees start from $31.80. The firm has operated since 2023. They have funded over 65,000+ traders. Total payouts to date: $6,000,000+.
On entry-level pricing, Upcomers offers a lower starting fee — an important factor if you are testing with a smaller account first.
BrightFunded profit split: 80% → 100%. Upcomers profit split: 99%. BrightFunded delivers the higher cut to traders.
Payout frequency: BrightFunded pays Bi-weekly (weekly add-on available); Upcomers pays On-demand (avg 12h). Faster payouts are better for cash flow management.
Here is our full independent review of BrightFunded:
BrightFunded launched in September 2023 with offices in Dubai, Amsterdam, and Warsaw, and has paid out $7M+ to 27,500+ active traders. The firm focuses on a single, well-built evaluation path — a two-phase challenge with static drawdown rules, no consistency requirements, and one of the faster payout processes in the industry (4–8 hours typical, 24-hour maximum guarantee).
Unlike firms that offer 1-step, instant funding, and multiple program types, BrightFunded deliberately keeps its structure simple: one evaluation model, six account sizes, and a clean set of rules. This makes it easy to understand what you’re buying and what’s expected.
BrightFunded suits forex, indices, and multi-asset traders who want predictable, static drawdown rules and no consistency requirements. The static 5%/10% drawdown — which never trails regardless of account growth — means you always know exactly where your limits are. The no-consistency-rule policy means you can make 80% of your profit target in a single trade if your strategy calls for it.
The 30-day wait for the first funded payout and bi-weekly default payout cycle make BrightFunded less suited to traders who need frequent cash flow. If you can absorb that waiting period, the 4–8 hour actual processing time and zero-fee withdrawals are genuinely strong.
BrightFunded offers one evaluation format in six account sizes:
Fees are charged in EUR and are refundable as an optional add-on at checkout (not automatic — you pay extra to guarantee fee refund on your first payout):
BrightFunded’s checkout includes optional upgrades that customise your challenge:
BrightFunded also runs a Trade2Earn loyalty program that awards token rewards for trading activity — an unusual feature in the prop firm space worth monitoring as it develops.
BrightFunded earns a 7.9 BestProp score. The static drawdown rules, zero-fee withdrawals, no-consistency-rule policy, and 4–8 hour payout processing are all genuinely strong features. The 100% profit split after the third scaling event is one of the more generous long-term rewards structures available.
The trade-offs are the 30-day first payout wait, fees charged in EUR (not USD), and the optional rather than automatic fee refund. For traders with a multi-month time horizon who want clean, predictable rules and fast payouts once they’re funded, BrightFunded delivers well above its price point.
Here is our full independent review of Upcomers:
Upcomers was founded in April 2023 by CEO Jakub Zeliska, operating under Royal Flow FZCO in Dubai with additional hubs in Prague and Miami Brickell. The firm has funded 65,000+ traders across 180+ countries and has distributed $6M+ in payouts at a 99% approval rate. At its core, the headline proposition is simple: a 99% profit split — the highest of any prop firm we have reviewed — across all programs and account sizes from $2,000 to $1,000,000.
The platform runs an in-house proprietary dashboard with an AI trading assistant called Fin, and integrates Bybit directly as a crypto trading venue, giving traders access to actual crypto markets rather than just crypto CFDs. Over 1,200 instruments are available including forex, metals, indices, stocks (Nvidia, Tesla, Apple, Microsoft), energies, and crypto.
Upcomers suits discretionary traders who want the maximum possible profit retention and broad instrument access — particularly those who trade stocks or crypto alongside forex. The 99% split is genuinely market-leading. The $1,500,000 standard scaling ceiling (with VIP scaling to $4,000,000) gives serious traders a clear path to significant capital.
Critical rule: automation is strictly and immediately banned. No Expert Advisors, no bots, no copy trading — any detected use results in immediate account termination. Discretionary traders only.
Upcomers offers multiple evaluation paths across different step counts:
Fees shown reflect current promotional pricing. Standard fees and exact per-size breakdowns are available at upcomers.com.
Six platforms supported: MetaTrader 5, cTrader, TradeLocker, Match Trader, dxTrade, and Bybit (crypto). Raw spreads from 0.0 pips. News trading permitted. Overnight and weekend position holding allowed.
Automation ban: Expert Advisors, algorithmic bots, and copy trading are prohibited across all accounts. Violation triggers immediate account closure with no appeal. Traders who use EAs as part of their workflow should not join Upcomers.
Instruments: 1,200+ markets — forex, metals (gold, silver), indices (Nasdaq 100, S&P 500, DAX), crypto (Bitcoin, Ethereum, Solana via Bybit), stocks (Nvidia, Tesla, Apple, Microsoft), energies, commodities.
Upcomers earns a 7.7 BestProp score. The 99% profit split is unmatched in the prop firm space. Bybit integration for real crypto trading, 1,200+ instruments including stocks, a 99% payout approval rate, and sub-12-hour processing are all genuine positives. The AI assistant Fin adds a tool layer that most competing platforms don’t offer.
Two negatives worth flagging: the strict and immediate automation ban will exclude a significant portion of systematic traders, and the up-to-10% crypto withdrawal fee is the highest we have recorded — traders should factor this in before choosing crypto as their withdrawal method. Upcomers has no Trustpilot profile at time of writing; independent ratings are from Feefo (4.9/5 from 2,800+ reviews) and Google (4.7/5).
Overall, our independent scoring gives BrightFunded the edge in this 2026 comparison. However, both firms have their merits. If Upcomers 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, BrightFunded scores higher overall (8.9/10). The best choice depends on your trading style, preferred instruments, and account size.
Upcomers offers a lower entry-level challenge fee. However, always compare the full account sizes you plan to trade before deciding purely on price.
BrightFunded offers the higher profit split. BrightFunded: 80% → 100%. Upcomers: 99%.
EA policies: BrightFunded — check the review. Upcomers — check the review. Always verify the latest policy directly with the firm.
News trading: BrightFunded — check the review. Upcomers — check the review.
Read the full BrightFunded review → · Read the full Upcomers review →
Based on our scoring methodology, BrightFunded 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.
BrightFunded offers 80% → 100% profit split, while Upcomers offers 99% profit split. Check each firm's current terms as these can change.
Check our offers page for the latest verified deals on both firms.
BrightFunded processes first payouts in 30 day(s), while Upcomers takes approximately 5 day(s). Always verify current payout timelines on the firm's website.
Neither BrightFunded nor Upcomers 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.
