Our editorial team compared every key metric — fees, rules, profit split, payouts — so you can pick the right firm.
| Feature | Seacrest Funded | ThinkCapital |
|---|---|---|
| Payout | ||
| Profit Split | 80% (90% with add-on) | Up to 90% |
| First Payout | 5 | 14 |
| Payout Frequency | Every 5 days | Bi-weekly (weekly add-on available) |
| Max Account Size | $100,000 | $600,000 |
Winner: ThinkCapital
In this independent head-to-head comparison of Seacrest Funded vs ThinkCapital, 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.
Seacrest Funded: Payouts Every 5 Days. $10M+ Paid in 2024. No Style Restrictions. Est. 2022.
ThinkCapital: Backed by ThinkMarkets Broker. 4.6/5 Trustpilot. Fee Refunded on First Payout. Scales to $1.5M.
Based on our independent scoring methodology, ThinkCapital scores 8.8/10 overall — but the best choice depends on your specific needs. Read the full comparison below.
BestProp Score: Seacrest Funded scores 8.6/10 vs ThinkCapital at 8.8/10.
Minimum Fee: Seacrest Funded starts from $50; ThinkCapital starts from $39. ThinkCapital is cheaper at entry level.
Profit Split: Seacrest Funded offers 80% (90% with add-on); ThinkCapital offers Up to 90%. Seacrest Funded has the higher split.
Platforms: Seacrest Funded supports MT5, Match Trader; ThinkCapital is on ThinkTrader, TradingView, MT5.
Tradeable Markets: Seacrest Funded covers Forex, Metals, Energy, Indices, Crypto, Commodities; ThinkCapital offers Forex, Metals, Commodities, Crypto, Indices.
Challenge fees are typically the biggest factor when choosing a prop firm. Here is how Seacrest Funded and ThinkCapital compare on pricing.
Seacrest Funded challenge fees start from $50. The firm has operated since 2022. They have funded over 80,000+ traders. Total payouts to date: $10,000,000+.
ThinkCapital challenge fees start from $39. They have funded over 20,000+ traders. Total payouts to date: $4,000,000+.
On entry-level pricing, ThinkCapital offers a lower starting fee — an important factor if you are testing with a smaller account first.
Seacrest Funded profit split: 80% (90% with add-on). ThinkCapital profit split: Up to 90%. Seacrest Funded delivers the higher cut to traders.
Payout frequency: Seacrest Funded pays Every 5 days; ThinkCapital pays Bi-weekly (weekly add-on available). Faster payouts are better for cash flow management.
Here is our full independent review of Seacrest Funded:
Seacrest Funded (formerly My Funded FX, rebranded 2022) was founded in June 2022 and is headquartered in Hong Kong. CEO Matthew Leech leads the platform, which has grown to 80,000+ active traders across 190+ countries. The firm has distributed $10M+ in payouts during 2024 alone, with a record single payout of $74,000+. Trustpilot: 4.3/5 from over 2,700 reviews – a strong combination of volume and score for a firm its age.
Two evaluation tracks are available: a 1-Step and a 2-Step. Maximum combined allocation reaches $400,000, with a scaling path to $1,000,000. Payouts are available every 5 days – among the most frequent payout cycles in the prop firm industry.
1-Step Challenge: A single evaluation phase requiring a 10% net profit target. Daily drawdown: 4%. Maximum drawdown: 6% (trailing – locks at starting balance once account enters profit). Once in the Live Simulated Trader phase (funded), no profit target applies – only risk management rules are enforced. Minimum payout: $65.
Fees: $5K: $50 | $10K: $100 | $25K: $200 | $50K: $300 | $100K: $500
2-Step Challenge: Phase 1: 8% net profit target. Phase 2: 5% net profit target. Daily drawdown: 5%. Maximum drawdown: 8%. More forgiving drawdown rules in exchange for a two-phase path.
No time limit on either track. Inactivity rules apply (confirm with support). No restrictions on trading style.
Platforms: MetaTrader 5, Match Trader. Instruments: Forex, Metals, Energy, Indices, Cryptocurrencies, Other Commodities. Broad instrument coverage with no asset class restrictions noted.
Seacrest Funded earns a 7.5 BestProp score. Three years of operation, $10M+ in 2024 payouts, 4.3/5 Trustpilot from 2,700+ reviews, and a payout cycle of every 5 days (among the most frequent available anywhere) make Seacrest a credible and trader-friendly option. Competitive fees starting at $50 for a $5,000 account, no style restrictions, and a generous 6% trailing drawdown that locks at starting balance on the 1-Step track are further positives.
The main limitations: the 80% base profit split requires a paid add-on to reach 90%, there is no published EA or hedging policy (confirm before using automated strategies), and the maximum base allocation of $400K is lower than several competitors. The Hong Kong headquarters and lack of explicit regulatory details are worth noting for traders who prioritise jurisdictional transparency. Overall one of the more consistently reviewed mid-tier prop firms on the market.
Here is our full independent review of ThinkCapital:
ThinkCapital is the proprietary trading arm of ThinkMarkets — a multi-regulated institutional broker with global operations. The prop firm is headquartered in London, UK, and is led by CEO Faizan Anees. ThinkCapital holds a 4.6/5 Trustpilot rating from 470+ reviews and has funded 20,000+ traders with $4M+ in verified payouts. Maximum initial account is $600,000, scaling to $1,500,000. Platforms: ThinkTrader, TradingView, and MetaTrader 5.
The backing of ThinkMarkets is a meaningful structural advantage: unlike standalone prop firms, ThinkCapital operates within an established, multi-regulated broker’s infrastructure. Challenge fees are refunded with the first funded payout across all evaluation programs.
Lightning – 1-Step ($59-$1,099 for $5K-$200K): Single phase, 10% profit target. Daily loss: 3%. Max drawdown: 6% trailing. Minimum 3 profitable trading days. Up to 90% split. News trading: restricted. A 4-minute trading blackout applies around ForexFactory red-folder events on Lightning accounts. EAs not permitted during evaluation; supported on funded MT5/TradingView accounts. Fee refunded on first payout. Best for structured traders comfortable with tighter drawdown and news restrictions.
Dual Step – 2-Step ($59-$1,099 for $5K-$200K): Phase 1: 8% target. Phase 2: 5% target. Daily loss: 4%. Max drawdown: 8% static. Up to 90% split. Dynamic leverage up to 1:100. Dual Step Swing variant allows news trading. Fee refunded on first payout. The most popular program — wider drawdown than Lightning, two-phase structure builds consistency. Optional Swing add-on enables event-driven trading strategies.
Nexus – 3-Step ($39-$749 for $5K-$200K): Phase 1: 7%. Phase 2: 6%. Phase 3: 5%. Total combined target: 18%, achieved across three progressively confirmed stages. Daily loss: 4%. Max drawdown: 8% static. Leverage 1:100. Up to 90% split. News trading restricted. Lowest entry fee in the lineup — $39 for a $5K account. Suited for methodical traders who want the lowest upfront commitment and three-stage consistency verification.
Bolt – Instant Funding ($49 for $2.5K, up to $50K): No evaluation required. Direct funded access from $2.5K with leverage up to 1:50. Up to 90% split. No profit target to begin trading; scaling requires meeting performance milestones. Verify full drawdown parameters and rules on the ThinkCapital website for Bolt accounts.
ThinkCapital offers purchasable add-ons for additional features including: weekly payouts (base is bi-weekly), EA allowance on challenge accounts, 90% profit split uplift (base varies), and Swing mode (news trading). These add-ons carry an additional cost of approximately 25% per feature on top of the base challenge fee. This modular structure lets traders pay only for features they need — but traders wanting news trading and EAs should factor the add-on costs into total outlay.
Platforms: ThinkTrader (proprietary), TradingView (integrated), MetaTrader 5. Instruments: Forex, Metals, Commodities, Crypto, Indices. The ThinkMarkets infrastructure provides institutional-grade liquidity and execution across all instrument categories.
ThinkCapital earns a 7.8 BestProp score. The ThinkMarkets backing is the defining differentiator: an established multi-regulated institutional broker providing infrastructure, counterparty credibility, and execution quality that standalone prop firms cannot match. 4.6/5 Trustpilot from 470+ reviews. Three evaluation tracks (1-Step, 2-Step, 3-Step) plus instant access, with Nexus starting at just $39. Fee refund on first payout. Scales to $1.5M. The modular add-on system lets traders pay for exactly the features they need.
Key considerations: news trading is restricted on Lightning and Nexus without the Swing add-on (4-minute blackout around red events), EAs require a funded account or an add-on purchase, and the base bi-weekly payout cycle requires an upgrade for weekly cash flow. Add-ons at ~25% per feature can push the effective cost meaningfully above the base fee for traders wanting full flexibility. Overall ThinkCapital is an excellent choice for traders who value institutional broker backing and a structured, transparent program — particularly on the Dual Step and Nexus tracks.
Overall, our independent scoring gives ThinkCapital the edge in this 2026 comparison. However, both firms have their merits. If Seacrest Funded 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, ThinkCapital scores higher overall (8.8/10). The best choice depends on your trading style, preferred instruments, and account size.
ThinkCapital offers a lower entry-level challenge fee. However, always compare the full account sizes you plan to trade before deciding purely on price.
Seacrest Funded offers the higher profit split. Seacrest Funded: 80% (90% with add-on). ThinkCapital: Up to 90%.
EA policies: Seacrest Funded — check the review. ThinkCapital — check the review. Always verify the latest policy directly with the firm.
News trading: Seacrest Funded — check the review. ThinkCapital — check the review.
Read the full Seacrest Funded review → · Read the full ThinkCapital review →
Based on our scoring methodology, ThinkCapital 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.
Seacrest Funded offers 80% (90% with add-on) profit split, while ThinkCapital offers 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.
Seacrest Funded processes first payouts in 5 day(s), while ThinkCapital takes approximately 14 day(s). Always verify current payout timelines on the firm's website.
Neither Seacrest Funded nor ThinkCapital 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.
