Our editorial team compared every key metric — fees, rules, profit split, payouts — so you can pick the right firm.
| Feature | Upcomers | AquaFunded |
|---|---|---|
| Payout | ||
| Profit Split | 99% | 100% |
| First Payout | 5 | — |
| Payout Frequency | On-demand (avg 12h) | Bi-weekly (challenge) / On-demand (instant) |
| Max Account Size | $1,000,000 | $400,000 |
In this independent head-to-head comparison of Upcomers vs AquaFunded, 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.
Upcomers: 99% Profit Split. 1,200+ Markets. Bybit Crypto Integration.
AquaFunded: 100% Profit Split. Refundable Fees. On-Demand Instant Funding.
Based on our independent scoring methodology, Upcomers scores 8.7/10 overall — but the best choice depends on your specific needs. Read the full comparison below.
BestProp Score: Upcomers scores 8.7/10 vs AquaFunded at 7.8/10.
Minimum Fee: Upcomers starts from $31.80; AquaFunded starts from Refundable.
Profit Split: Upcomers offers 99%; AquaFunded offers 100%. AquaFunded has the higher split.
Platforms: Upcomers supports MT5, cTrader, TradeLocker, Match Trader, dxTrade, Bybit; AquaFunded is on MT5, cTrader, TradeLocker, MatchTrader.
Tradeable Markets: Upcomers covers Forex, Metals, Indices, Stocks, Crypto, Energies, Commodities; AquaFunded offers Forex, Metals, Indices, Crypto, Commodities.
Challenge fees are typically the biggest factor when choosing a prop firm. Here is how Upcomers and AquaFunded compare on pricing.
Upcomers challenge fees start from $31.80. The firm has operated since 2023. They have funded over 65,000+ traders. Total payouts to date: $6,000,000+.
AquaFunded challenge fees start from Refundable. The firm has operated since 2023. They have funded over 240,000+ traders. Total payouts to date: $7,000,000+.
Upcomers profit split: 99%. AquaFunded profit split: 100%. AquaFunded delivers the higher cut to traders.
Payout frequency: Upcomers pays On-demand (avg 12h); AquaFunded pays Bi-weekly (challenge) / On-demand (instant). Faster payouts are better for cash flow management.
Here is our full independent review of Upcomers:
Upcomers was founded in April 2023 by CEO Jakub Zeliska, operating under Royal Flow FZCO in Dubai with additional hubs in Prague and Miami Brickell. The firm has funded 65,000+ traders across 180+ countries and has distributed $6M+ in payouts at a 99% approval rate. At its core, the headline proposition is simple: a 99% profit split — the highest of any prop firm we have reviewed — across all programs and account sizes from $2,000 to $1,000,000.
The platform runs an in-house proprietary dashboard with an AI trading assistant called Fin, and integrates Bybit directly as a crypto trading venue, giving traders access to actual crypto markets rather than just crypto CFDs. Over 1,200 instruments are available including forex, metals, indices, stocks (Nvidia, Tesla, Apple, Microsoft), energies, and crypto.
Upcomers suits discretionary traders who want the maximum possible profit retention and broad instrument access — particularly those who trade stocks or crypto alongside forex. The 99% split is genuinely market-leading. The $1,500,000 standard scaling ceiling (with VIP scaling to $4,000,000) gives serious traders a clear path to significant capital.
Critical rule: automation is strictly and immediately banned. No Expert Advisors, no bots, no copy trading — any detected use results in immediate account termination. Discretionary traders only.
Upcomers offers multiple evaluation paths across different step counts:
Fees shown reflect current promotional pricing. Standard fees and exact per-size breakdowns are available at upcomers.com.
Six platforms supported: MetaTrader 5, cTrader, TradeLocker, Match Trader, dxTrade, and Bybit (crypto). Raw spreads from 0.0 pips. News trading permitted. Overnight and weekend position holding allowed.
Automation ban: Expert Advisors, algorithmic bots, and copy trading are prohibited across all accounts. Violation triggers immediate account closure with no appeal. Traders who use EAs as part of their workflow should not join Upcomers.
Instruments: 1,200+ markets — forex, metals (gold, silver), indices (Nasdaq 100, S&P 500, DAX), crypto (Bitcoin, Ethereum, Solana via Bybit), stocks (Nvidia, Tesla, Apple, Microsoft), energies, commodities.
Upcomers earns a 7.7 BestProp score. The 99% profit split is unmatched in the prop firm space. Bybit integration for real crypto trading, 1,200+ instruments including stocks, a 99% payout approval rate, and sub-12-hour processing are all genuine positives. The AI assistant Fin adds a tool layer that most competing platforms don’t offer.
Two negatives worth flagging: the strict and immediate automation ban will exclude a significant portion of systematic traders, and the up-to-10% crypto withdrawal fee is the highest we have recorded — traders should factor this in before choosing crypto as their withdrawal method. Upcomers has no Trustpilot profile at time of writing; independent ratings are from Feefo (4.9/5 from 2,800+ reviews) and Google (4.7/5).
Here is our full independent review of AquaFunded:
AquaFunded was founded in December 2023 and is headquartered in the UAE under CEO Jason Blax, who also runs AquaFutures, the futures-focused sibling brand. The two platforms share a brand identity but serve different markets: AquaFutures covers CME futures, while AquaFunded handles forex, metals, indices, crypto and commodities via CFD. With 240,000+ registered traders and $7M+ in distributed rewards, AquaFunded is the larger of the two brands by trader volume.
AquaFunded offers four programme types covering the full spectrum from beginner-accessible to instant-funded. The 100% profit split across all challenge accounts is a headline feature, as are the 100% refundable challenge fees. The Aqua Trader instant funding path skips evaluation entirely and provides on-demand payouts from day one, suited to experienced traders who want capital without a challenge phase.
The No Denials payout policy is stated as a core commitment. However, the external customer rating of 3.5/5 diverges significantly from the internal 9.4/10 rating, suggesting some traders have experienced friction. Weight independent ratings carefully when assessing payout reliability for this firm.
Four platforms: MatchTrader, TradeLocker, MetaTrader 5, cTrader. Instruments: forex, metals, indices, crypto, commodities. Payment options include Visa, Mastercard, Amex, Apple Pay, Bitcoin, Ethereum. Restricted countries, news trading policy, EA permissions and weekend holding rules were not published on the sources reviewed – verify on the live site before purchasing.
AquaFunded earns a 6.5 BestProp score. The 100% profit split, 100% refundable challenge fees, on-demand instant funding and four-programme variety are genuine positives. The sibling relationship with AquaFutures under CEO Jason Blax gives the brand an established operational structure from launch. The external customer rating of 3.5/5 is the second-lowest in our database – a meaningful gap from the internal platform score that traders should factor into their decision.
Overall, our independent scoring gives Upcomers the edge in this 2026 comparison. However, both firms have their merits. If AquaFunded 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, Upcomers scores higher overall (8.7/10). The best choice depends on your trading style, preferred instruments, and account size.
Both firms have similar entry-level pricing. Compare the full fee schedule for your target account size.
AquaFunded offers the higher profit split. Upcomers: 99%. AquaFunded: 100%.
EA policies: Upcomers — check the review. AquaFunded — check the review. Always verify the latest policy directly with the firm.
News trading: Upcomers — check the review. AquaFunded — check the review.
Read the full Upcomers review → · Read the full AquaFunded review →
Based on our scoring methodology, Upcomers 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.
Upcomers offers 99% profit split, while AquaFunded offers 100% profit split. Check each firm's current terms as these can change.
Check our offers page for the latest verified deals on both firms.
Upcomers processes first payouts in 5 day(s), while AquaFunded takes approximately a variable timeframe. Always verify current payout timelines on the firm's website.
Neither Upcomers nor AquaFunded 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.
