Our editorial team compared every key metric — fees, rules, profit split, payouts — so you can pick the right firm.
| Feature | Upcomers | Funded Elite |
|---|---|---|
| Payout | ||
| Profit Split | 99% | 60% (up to 95%) |
| First Payout | 5 | 14 |
| Payout Frequency | On-demand (avg 12h) | Bi-weekly |
| Max Account Size | $1,000,000 | $300,000 |
In this independent head-to-head comparison of Upcomers vs Funded Elite, 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.
Funded Elite: Flash Activation from $5. Lite Track from $13. 4 Platforms. 95% Split.
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 Funded Elite at 8.4/10.
Minimum Fee: Upcomers starts from $31.80; Funded Elite starts from $5. Funded Elite is cheaper at entry level.
Profit Split: Upcomers offers 99%; Funded Elite offers 60% (up to 95%). Funded Elite has the higher split.
Platforms: Upcomers supports MT5, cTrader, TradeLocker, Match Trader, dxTrade, Bybit; Funded Elite is on MT5, TradeLocker, Edge by Axe, cTrader.
Tradeable Markets: Upcomers covers Forex, Metals, Indices, Stocks, Crypto, Energies, Commodities; Funded Elite offers Forex, Indices, Metals, Energy, US Stocks (174 assets).
Challenge fees are typically the biggest factor when choosing a prop firm. Here is how Upcomers and Funded Elite 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+.
Funded Elite challenge fees start from $5. The firm has operated since 2023. Total payouts to date: $2,300,000+.
On entry-level pricing, Funded Elite offers a lower starting fee — an important factor if you are testing with a smaller account first.
Upcomers profit split: 99%. Funded Elite profit split: 60% (up to 95%). Funded Elite delivers the higher cut to traders.
Payout frequency: Upcomers pays On-demand (avg 12h); Funded Elite pays Bi-weekly. 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 Funded Elite:
Funded Elite was founded in 2023 and is operated from Latina, Italy, by co-CEOs Christian Habibi and Artur Seriihovych Deshko. The firm holds a 4.7/5 Trustpilot score from 280+ reviews – one of the stronger independent ratings for a firm its age. Six program types are offered, including the industry-unusual Flash Activation model where traders pay just $5 to start and only cover the remaining challenge fee upon passing. Maximum funded allocation reaches $300,000.
Note: Funded Elite and FuturesElite share co-CEO Christian Habibi and the same Latina, Italy base of operations. They are sibling firms under the same leadership.
Flash Activation ($5 upfront for all sizes $7K-$300K): The most accessible entry point in the prop firm space. Pay $5 to begin the evaluation. The remaining challenge fee is only charged upon successfully passing – if you fail, you lose only $5. This eliminates the primary financial risk of evaluation failure for traders who want to test the rules before committing.
2-Step Challenge ($41-$6,263 for $7K-$300K): Phase 1 profit target: 6-12% (varies by account size). Phase 2: 5%. Daily drawdown: 5%. Max drawdown: 5-10% static. Minimum 3 trading days per phase. No time limit. Profit split: 60-95%.
1-Step Challenge ($52-$6,928 for $7K-$300K): Single phase, 8-12% profit target. Daily drawdown: 3%. Max drawdown: 5-10% static. Minimum 3 trading days. Profit split: 60-95%.
Lite 2-Step ($13-$4,135 for $5K-$300K): Lower-cost variant of the 2-Step. Phase 1: 6-12%, Phase 2: 5%. Daily drawdown: 4%. Max drawdown: 6-10% static. Minimum 3 trading days. Profit split: 60-95%. Entry from $13 makes this one of the most affordable 2-step paths available.
Lite 1-Step ($18-$5,121 for $5K-$100K): Budget single-phase option with 3-day minimum. Daily drawdown: 4%. Max drawdown: 6-10% static. Profit split: 60-95%.
Instant Funding ($159-$2,787 for $7K-$100K): No profit target required. Daily drawdown: 3%. Max drawdown: 6% trailing equity. Profit split: 70-95%. Note: trailing equity drawdown on Instant accounts means the max loss threshold rises with the high watermark – tighter than static drawdown accounts.
Platforms: MetaTrader 5, TradeLocker, Edge by Axe, cTrader. Four platforms is above average. Instruments: 174 assets covering Forex pairs, Indices, Metals, Energy, and US Stocks.
Funded Elite earns a 7.3 BestProp score. The Flash Activation model ($5 upfront) is a genuine industry innovation that removes the biggest barrier to evaluation entry – the fear of paying $40-$200 and failing. Four trading platforms, 4.7/5 Trustpilot from 280+ reviews, and six program types give traders meaningful choices. The Lite track makes prop trading accessible from $13.
Key watch-outs: the per-lot commission ($3-7/lot) adds real ongoing cost beyond the challenge fee, EA restrictions limit automated strategies to analysis roles, and the initial payout processing of 3-21 days is slower than industry average. The 60% minimum profit split on some programs is well below the 80-90% standard – check which split applies to your specific program and account size before purchasing. The sibling relationship with FuturesElite means the leadership team runs two firms simultaneously.
Overall, our independent scoring gives Upcomers the edge in this 2026 comparison. However, both firms have their merits. If Funded Elite 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.
Funded Elite offers a lower entry-level challenge fee. However, always compare the full account sizes you plan to trade before deciding purely on price.
Funded Elite offers the higher profit split. Upcomers: 99%. Funded Elite: 60% (up to 95%).
EA policies: Upcomers — check the review. Funded Elite — check the review. Always verify the latest policy directly with the firm.
News trading: Upcomers — check the review. Funded Elite — check the review.
Read the full Upcomers review → · Read the full Funded Elite 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 Funded Elite offers 60% (up to 95%) 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 Funded Elite takes approximately 14 day(s). Always verify current payout timelines on the firm's website.
Neither Upcomers nor Funded Elite 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.
