Our editorial team compared every key metric — fees, rules, profit split, payouts — so you can pick the right firm.
| Feature | City Traders Imperium | thePropTrade |
|---|---|---|
| Payout | ||
| Profit Split | 80% (up to 100%) | 80% (up to 90%) |
| 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 | $100,000 |
Winner: City Traders Imperium
In this independent head-to-head comparison of City Traders Imperium vs thePropTrade, 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.
thePropTrade: Start Any Evaluation for $9.99. Pay Activation Only After Passing. Full Refund on First Payout.
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 thePropTrade at 7.5/10.
Minimum Fee: City Traders Imperium starts from $29; thePropTrade starts from $9.99. thePropTrade is cheaper at entry level.
Profit Split: City Traders Imperium offers 80% (up to 100%); thePropTrade offers 80% (up to 90%). City Traders Imperium has the higher split.
Platforms: City Traders Imperium supports MT5, Match Trader; thePropTrade is on MT5, cTrader, TradeLocker.
Tradeable Markets: City Traders Imperium covers Forex (28 pairs), Indices (9), Gold, Silver, Oil, Crypto (BTC, ETH, LTC, ADA, XRP); thePropTrade offers Forex, Metals, Indices, Crypto, Commodities.
Challenge fees are typically the biggest factor when choosing a prop firm. Here is how City Traders Imperium and thePropTrade compare on pricing.
City Traders Imperium challenge fees start from $29. The firm has operated since 2018.
thePropTrade challenge fees start from $9.99. The firm has operated since 2025.
On entry-level pricing, thePropTrade 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%). thePropTrade 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); thePropTrade 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 thePropTrade:
thePropTrade is operated by The Prop Trade Ltd (registration 2025-00866, Saint Lucia) and QuantElite FZCO (Dubai Silicon Oasis, UAE), led by CEO Katarina K. The firm registered in 2025, making it one of the newest entrants in the prop trading space with a very limited public track record. Platforms include MetaTrader 5, cTrader, and TradeLocker. Maximum account size is $200,000, with leverage up to 1:100. The firm serves all instruments except jurisdictions on FATF/EU/UN sanctions lists, and excludes China and Vietnam.
thePropTrade’s signature offering is PayFlex Edge — a distinctive pay-to-start model where the upfront evaluation cost is $9.99 for all account sizes. An activation fee (paid only after passing the evaluation) varies by account size and is refunded on the first funded payout.
How it works: Pay $9.99 to begin the evaluation regardless of account size. Complete the 6% profit target. Upon passing, pay an activation fee (see table below). The activation fee is refunded on your first funded payout — making the long-run cost zero if you trade profitably.
Evaluation parameters (all sizes): 6% profit target. Daily loss limit: 4%. Max drawdown: 6% trailing lock — the drawdown ceiling adjusts with equity gains and locks the floor at the highest reached level. Minimum 3 profitable trading days required (with at least 0.5% profit each). No maximum time limit. Swap-free accounts available. No consistency rule.
Activation fees by account size (post-pass):
The overall price is comparable to standard single-phase programs — the innovation is the cost split: risk only $9.99 to attempt, pay the remainder only after proving profitability.
Profit split: 80% (up to 90% with scaling milestones). Payouts on demand. Instruments: Forex, Metals, Indices, Crypto, Commodities. All three platforms (MT5, cTrader, TradeLocker) available on funded accounts. No maximum lot size restrictions. Swap-free accounts available.
Platforms: MetaTrader 5, cTrader, TradeLocker — full three-platform flexibility is uncommon at this price point. Instruments: Forex, Metals, Indices, Crypto, Commodities. Leverage up to 1:100.
thePropTrade earns a 6.2 BestProp score. The $9.99 pay-to-start structure is genuinely innovative and removes the most common barrier to entry in prop trading — the fear of paying full price and failing. For a trader with a proven strategy, risking $9.99 to attempt a $100K evaluation (full activation fee refunded if funded) is a compelling proposition. Three supported platforms (MT5, cTrader, TradeLocker) and swap-free accounts add structural quality. On-demand payouts remove payout cycle delays.
The primary concern is the firm’s age: registered in 2025 with registration number 2025-00866, thePropTrade has an extremely limited public operating history. No verified Trustpilot score is publicly confirmed. The CEO is identified only by first name and initial publicly. Trading rules for EAs, news, and overnight holds are not clearly published. Saint Lucia/Dubai dual-entity structure adds a layer of opacity. Traders should proceed with small account sizes first and verify all rules directly with support before committing to larger activation fees. A promising concept; the track record needs time to build.
Overall, our independent scoring gives City Traders Imperium the edge in this 2026 comparison. However, both firms have their merits. If thePropTrade 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.
thePropTrade 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%). thePropTrade: 80% (up to 90%).
EA policies: City Traders Imperium — check the review. thePropTrade — check the review. Always verify the latest policy directly with the firm.
News trading: City Traders Imperium — check the review. thePropTrade — check the review.
Read the full City Traders Imperium review → · Read the full thePropTrade 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 thePropTrade 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 thePropTrade takes approximately On demand day(s). Always verify current payout timelines on the firm's website.
Neither City Traders Imperium nor thePropTrade 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.
