Our editorial team compared every key metric — fees, rules, profit split, payouts — so you can pick the right firm.
| Feature | City Traders Imperium | iFunds |
|---|---|---|
| Payout | ||
| Profit Split | 80% (up to 100%) | 50-80% (inversely linked to max DD chosen) |
| First Payout | On demand (after 7 profitable days) | On demand |
| Payout Frequency | Monthly (1-Step/2-Step); Bi-weekly (Instant) | On demand |
| Max Account Size | $100,000 | $500,000 |
Winner: City Traders Imperium
In this independent head-to-head comparison of City Traders Imperium vs iFunds, 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.
iFunds: No Evaluation. Choose Your Own Max DD. 50-80% Split. 24h Payout Guarantee.
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 iFunds at 7.8/10.
Minimum Fee: City Traders Imperium starts from $29; iFunds starts from $250. City Traders Imperium is cheaper at entry level.
Profit Split: City Traders Imperium offers 80% (up to 100%); iFunds offers 50-80% (inversely linked to max DD chosen). City Traders Imperium has the higher split.
Platforms: City Traders Imperium supports MT5, Match Trader; iFunds is on MT4, MT5.
Tradeable Markets: City Traders Imperium covers Forex (28 pairs), Indices (9), Gold, Silver, Oil, Crypto (BTC, ETH, LTC, ADA, XRP); iFunds offers Forex, Metals, Energies, Crypto, Stocks.
Challenge fees are typically the biggest factor when choosing a prop firm. Here is how City Traders Imperium and iFunds compare on pricing.
City Traders Imperium challenge fees start from $29. The firm has operated since 2018.
iFunds challenge fees start from $250. The firm has operated since 2024.
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%). iFunds profit split: 50-80% (inversely linked to max DD chosen). City Traders Imperium delivers the higher cut to traders.
Payout frequency: City Traders Imperium pays Monthly (1-Step/2-Step); Bi-weekly (Instant); iFunds pays On demand. 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 iFunds:
iFunds is operated by iFunds Ltd (Saint Lucia, Registration No. 2024-00154) and Synerjic Ltd (Cyprus, Registration No. 474148), led by CEO Layth Sanjaq. The firm offers a purely instant-funded model — there is no evaluation phase. Traders receive capital immediately and configure their own risk parameters at purchase. iFunds holds a 4.7/5 Trustpilot rating with 93% five-star reviews. Maximum account size is $500,000. Payouts are processed within 24 hours, with a 10% bonus (up to $1,000) if the 24-hour window is missed.
The defining feature of iFunds is its customizable risk-reward model: traders select their maximum drawdown threshold at account purchase (between 6% and 10% of initial balance). A lower chosen drawdown ceiling yields a higher profit split; a higher drawdown tolerance yields a lower split. This places risk management directly in the trader’s hands from day one.
No evaluation. No profit target to begin trading. Traders select a max drawdown level — the lower the max DD they accept, the higher their profit share. The exact split-to-DD mapping is:
There is no daily loss limit on any iFunds account — only the chosen maximum drawdown applies. This gives traders full intraday flexibility; only the total equity drop from the starting balance is monitored.
Note: fees represent a meaningful percentage of account size on smaller accounts ($250 for $2,500 = 10%). This is consistent with instant-funded models where no evaluation filters risk, and reflects the immediacy of funded access. Fees are described as a participation fee — refund terms are governed by iFunds’ separate Refund Policy.
Platforms: MetaTrader 4, MetaTrader 5. Instruments: Stocks, currencies, metals, energies, cryptocurrencies. Leverage: up to 1:100 (dynamic, based on risk level). All instruments accessible on both platforms with the same account.
iFunds earns a 6.5 BestProp score. The customizable risk-reward model is genuinely innovative — letting traders choose their own drawdown tolerance and receive a commensurate profit share puts risk management in the right hands. 4.7/5 Trustpilot with 93% five-star reviews is excellent for a 2024-registered firm. No daily loss limit provides real intraday freedom. EAs, news trading, trade copiers, and multi-IP are all permitted with minimal restrictions. On-demand payouts with a 24-hour guarantee and bonus incentive are strong operational commitments.
The main caution is the fee-to-account-size ratio on small accounts: $250 for a $2,500 funded account is a 10% upfront cost, and the base profit split at the highest drawdown tolerance is only 50%. Traders who want immediate funding of small accounts should run the numbers carefully — at 50% split and $250 fee, the break-even is $500 in gross profit (1 * fee * 2), meaning the account must gain 20% before the trader recups the fee net of split. iFunds works best for confident, disciplined traders who can accept tight drawdown limits in exchange for a higher profit share, or those with access to automated strategies that benefit from no daily DD restriction. The 2024 registration means the track record, while so far positive, is less than two years old.
Overall, our independent scoring gives City Traders Imperium the edge in this 2026 comparison. However, both firms have their merits. If iFunds 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%). iFunds: 50-80% (inversely linked to max DD chosen).
EA policies: City Traders Imperium — check the review. iFunds — check the review. Always verify the latest policy directly with the firm.
News trading: City Traders Imperium — check the review. iFunds — check the review.
Read the full City Traders Imperium review → · Read the full iFunds 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 iFunds offers 50-80% (inversely linked to max DD chosen) 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 iFunds takes approximately On demand day(s). Always verify current payout timelines on the firm's website.
Neither City Traders Imperium nor iFunds 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.
