Our editorial team compared every key metric — fees, rules, profit split, payouts — so you can pick the right firm.
| Feature | City Traders Imperium | Elites Funding |
|---|---|---|
| Payout | ||
| Profit Split | 80% (up to 100%) | 80% (up to 90%) |
| First Payout | On demand (after 7 profitable days) | 10 |
| Payout Frequency | Monthly (1-Step/2-Step); Bi-weekly (Instant) | Daily (after 10 trading days funded) |
| Max Account Size | $100,000 | $200,000 |
Winner: City Traders Imperium
In this independent head-to-head comparison of City Traders Imperium vs Elites Funding, 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.
Elites Funding: Gibraltar, Est. 2023. Fee Refunded on Passing. 24h Payout Guarantee. Daily Payouts.
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 Elites Funding at 8.2/10.
Minimum Fee: City Traders Imperium starts from $29; Elites Funding starts from $95. City Traders Imperium is cheaper at entry level.
Profit Split: City Traders Imperium offers 80% (up to 100%); Elites Funding offers 80% (up to 90%). City Traders Imperium has the higher split.
Platforms: City Traders Imperium supports MT5, Match Trader; Elites Funding is on MT5, TradeLocker.
Tradeable Markets: City Traders Imperium covers Forex (28 pairs), Indices (9), Gold, Silver, Oil, Crypto (BTC, ETH, LTC, ADA, XRP); Elites Funding offers Forex, Crypto (BTC, ETH, SOL, XRP), Indices, Commodities, Gold.
Challenge fees are typically the biggest factor when choosing a prop firm. Here is how City Traders Imperium and Elites Funding compare on pricing.
City Traders Imperium challenge fees start from $29. The firm has operated since 2018.
Elites Funding challenge fees start from $95. The firm has operated since 2023. They have funded over 40,000+ traders. Total payouts to date: $12,000,000+.
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%). Elites Funding profit split: 80% (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); Elites Funding pays Daily (after 10 trading days funded). 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 Elites Funding:
Elites Funding was founded in 2023 and is operated by MASTERLABS LIMITED (Registration #123237), headquartered in Gibraltar. The firm has paid out $12M+ to 40,000+ traders across 140+ countries, and holds a 4.6/5 Trustpilot rating from 240+ reviews. Maximum initial account size is $200,000, scaling to $300,000 with performance milestones. All accounts operate on MetaTrader 5 or TradeLocker. Challenge fees are fully refunded upon successful challenge completion.
A standout operational feature: Elites Funding offers a 24-hour payout guarantee — if processing exceeds 24 hours, the firm pays an extra $1,000. Payouts are available daily after 10 trading days on funded accounts.
Standard 2-Phase ($95-$949 for $10K-$200K): Phase 1: 9% profit target. Phase 2: 5% profit target. Daily loss: 5%. Max drawdown: 10% static. No consistency rule. News trading permitted. Fee refunded on passing. Up to 90% split. Best for traders who prefer two-phase evaluation with wider drawdown buffers and a lower Phase 1 target than single-phase programs.
Express 1-Phase ($105-$1,090 for $10K-$200K): Single phase, 10% profit target. Daily loss: 3%. Max drawdown: 6% static. No consistency rule. News trading permitted. Fee refunded on passing. Up to 90% split. Tighter drawdown parameters than Standard, but single-phase completion and a slightly higher entry fee premium.
Instant Funding ($157-$525 for $10K-$50K): No evaluation required. No profit target. Daily loss: 3%. Max drawdown: 5% trailing (not static — the drawdown ceiling moves with equity peaks). On-demand funded access. Up to 90% split. The trailing drawdown means traders must be careful not to give back profits — the ceiling locks at the highest equity reached.
Platforms: MetaTrader 5, TradeLocker. Instruments: Forex, Crypto futures (BTC, ETH, SOL, XRP), Indices (NAS100, SPX500, JPN225), Commodities (USOIL, Gold, Silver, Copper). Both MT5 and TradeLocker are accessible at no extra cost within the same program.
Elites Funding earns a 7.0 BestProp score. Founded in 2023 by Gibraltar-registered MASTERLABS LIMITED, the firm has built a credible early track record: 4.6/5 Trustpilot, $12M+ paid, 40,000+ traders. The 24-hour payout guarantee with $1,000 penalty is a meaningful accountability commitment. Fee refund on successful challenge completion removes downside risk. No consistency rule and news trading permitted on all programs add flexibility. Daily payouts after 10 days is fast for the industry.
Key limitations: EAs are completely prohibited — making Elites Funding unsuitable for any algo or semi-automated trader. Payouts are issued exclusively in USDT ERC20 — traders who prefer bank wire or other crypto must convert after withdrawal. The 240+ Trustpilot review count, while positive, is modest for a firm claiming 40,000+ traders. The $200K account ceiling (before scaling) and Gibraltar registration place this in the mid-tier. A solid choice specifically for manual traders who prioritise daily payouts and guaranteed processing speed.
Overall, our independent scoring gives City Traders Imperium the edge in this 2026 comparison. However, both firms have their merits. If Elites Funding 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%). Elites Funding: 80% (up to 90%).
EA policies: City Traders Imperium — check the review. Elites Funding — check the review. Always verify the latest policy directly with the firm.
News trading: City Traders Imperium — check the review. Elites Funding — check the review.
Read the full City Traders Imperium review → · Read the full Elites Funding 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 Elites Funding offers 80% (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 Elites Funding takes approximately 10 day(s). Always verify current payout timelines on the firm's website.
Neither City Traders Imperium nor Elites Funding 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.
