Our editorial team compared every key metric — fees, rules, profit split, payouts — so you can pick the right firm.
| Feature | ThinkCapital | Audacity Capital |
|---|---|---|
| Payout | ||
| Profit Split | Up to 90% | 50-95% (scales over time) |
| First Payout | 14 | 14 |
| Payout Frequency | Bi-weekly (weekly add-on available) | Bi-weekly (Ability Challenge), Weekly (FTP) |
| Max Account Size | $600,000 | $240,000 |
Winner: ThinkCapital
In this independent head-to-head comparison of ThinkCapital vs Audacity Capital, 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.
ThinkCapital: Backed by ThinkMarkets Broker. 4.6/5 Trustpilot. Fee Refunded on First Payout. Scales to $1.5M.
Audacity Capital: One of the oldest prop firms globally, with generous drawdown limits and 12+ years of operation.
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: ThinkCapital scores 8.8/10 vs Audacity Capital at 7.8/10.
Minimum Fee: ThinkCapital starts from $39; Audacity Capital starts from $49. ThinkCapital is cheaper at entry level.
Profit Split: ThinkCapital offers Up to 90%; Audacity Capital offers 50-95% (scales over time). Audacity Capital has the higher split.
Platforms: ThinkCapital supports ThinkTrader, TradingView, MT5; Audacity Capital is on MetaTrader 5.
Tradeable Markets: ThinkCapital covers Forex, Metals, Commodities, Crypto, Indices; Audacity Capital offers Forex, Metals, Indices.
Challenge fees are typically the biggest factor when choosing a prop firm. Here is how ThinkCapital and Audacity Capital compare on pricing.
ThinkCapital challenge fees start from $39. They have funded over 20,000+ traders. Total payouts to date: $4,000,000+.
Audacity Capital challenge fees start from $49. The firm has operated since 2012. They have funded over 500,000+ traders. Total payouts to date: $250,000,000+.
On entry-level pricing, ThinkCapital offers a lower starting fee — an important factor if you are testing with a smaller account first.
ThinkCapital profit split: Up to 90%. Audacity Capital profit split: 50-95% (scales over time). Audacity Capital delivers the higher cut to traders.
Payout frequency: ThinkCapital pays Bi-weekly (weekly add-on available); Audacity Capital pays Bi-weekly (Ability Challenge), Weekly (FTP). Faster payouts are better for cash flow management.
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.
Here is our full independent review of Audacity Capital:
Audacity Capital was founded in 2012, making it one of the longest-running prop trading firms in the world. UK-registered (Companies House 11652683) under CEO Karim Yousfi, the firm claims over $250 million paid out to traders and 500,000+ funded traders globally — numbers built over more than a decade of operation. The firm offers three programs: the 2-phase Ability Challenge, the 1-step Ability One, and the Funded Trader Program (FTP / Instant Funding).
The Ability Challenge is a two-phase evaluation. Phase 1 requires a 10% profit target with a 7.5% daily drawdown and 15% max drawdown — among the most generous drawdown limits in the industry. Phase 2 requires 5% with tighter 5%/10% limits. The Ability One is a single-phase evaluation with a 10% target, 3% daily, and 6% max drawdown. The FTP (Instant Funding) provides immediate funded access with up to 95% profit split and weekly payouts.
The Ability Challenge uses a trailing drawdown that resets daily when equity hits new highs. This mechanism confuses some traders — the daily limit recalculates at each new equity peak, meaning a trader can technically be in breach even while net-profitable over the full period. Review the drawdown rules carefully before trading.
News trading is allowed on the Ability Challenge without restrictions. The FTP requires a 30-minute waiting period after major economic events. EAs and copy trading are permitted. HFT, cross-account hedging, and martingale strategies are prohibited. Traders from the US, Syria, Iran, and North Korea cannot access the platform.
Ability Challenge payouts are made every 14 days via bank wire, Wise, PayPal, or crypto. The profit split starts at 50-75% on the Ability Challenge and scales to 95% over time. FTP accounts pay weekly at up to 95% immediately.
Trustpilot score is 3.4/5 from 1,067 reviews. While the majority of reviews are positive, approximately 125 are 1-star — prospective traders should review recent trader experiences before committing to the platform.
Overall, our independent scoring gives ThinkCapital the edge in this 2026 comparison. However, both firms have their merits. If Audacity Capital 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.
Audacity Capital offers the higher profit split. ThinkCapital: Up to 90%. Audacity Capital: 50-95% (scales over time).
EA policies: ThinkCapital — check the review. Audacity Capital — check the review. Always verify the latest policy directly with the firm.
News trading: ThinkCapital — check the review. Audacity Capital — check the review.
Read the full ThinkCapital review → · Read the full Audacity Capital 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.
ThinkCapital offers Up to 90% profit split, while Audacity Capital offers 50-95% (scales over time) profit split. Check each firm's current terms as these can change.
Check our offers page for the latest verified deals on both firms.
ThinkCapital processes first payouts in 14 day(s), while Audacity Capital takes approximately 14 day(s). Always verify current payout timelines on the firm's website.
Neither ThinkCapital nor Audacity Capital 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.
