Our editorial team compared every key metric — fees, rules, profit split, payouts — so you can pick the right firm.
| Feature | Upcomers | Instant Funding |
|---|---|---|
| Payout | ||
| Profit Split | 99% | 80% (up to 95%) |
| First Payout | 5 | 14 |
| Payout Frequency | On-demand (avg 12h) | On-demand / 14-day / Weekly (varies by program) |
| Max Account Size | $1,000,000 | $300,000 |
Winner: Instant Funding
In this independent head-to-head comparison of Upcomers vs Instant Funding, 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.
Instant Funding: 8 Programs. $25 Min Payout. Smart Drawdown. Est. 2021.
Based on our independent scoring methodology, Instant Funding scores 8.8/10 overall — but the best choice depends on your specific needs. Read the full comparison below.
BestProp Score: Upcomers scores 8.7/10 vs Instant Funding at 8.8/10.
Minimum Fee: Upcomers starts from $31.80; Instant Funding starts from -.
Profit Split: Upcomers offers 99%; Instant Funding offers 80% (up to 95%). Instant Funding has the higher split.
Platforms: Upcomers supports MT5, cTrader, TradeLocker, Match Trader, dxTrade, Bybit; Instant Funding is on cTrader, Match Trader, MT5.
Tradeable Markets: Upcomers covers Forex, Metals, Indices, Stocks, Crypto, Energies, Commodities; Instant Funding offers Forex, Metals, Energy, Indices, Crypto.
Challenge fees are typically the biggest factor when choosing a prop firm. Here is how Upcomers and Instant Funding 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+.
Instant Funding challenge fees start from –. The firm has operated since 2021. They have funded over 85,000+ traders. Total payouts to date: $18,700,000+.
Upcomers profit split: 99%. Instant Funding profit split: 80% (up to 95%). Instant Funding delivers the higher cut to traders.
Payout frequency: Upcomers pays On-demand (avg 12h); Instant Funding pays On-demand / 14-day / Weekly (varies by program). 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 Instant Funding:
Instant Funding launched in June 2021 and is operated by Acello Ltd (company number 12696083, registered in England and Wales), with its registered address at 30 Old Bailey, London EC4M 7AU. A second entity, IF Pro Ltd, is registered in Saint Lucia (2025-00056). CEO Lewis has built one of the more established UK-rooted prop firms, with $18.7M+ in total payouts, 85,000+ registered traders, and a 4.5/5 Trustpilot score from over 4,000 reviews – a meaningful independent signal of reliability at scale.
The firm offers eight distinct programs covering instant funding, single-phase, and two-phase evaluations, with a minimum account size of $625 and maximum combined allocation of $3,840,000. The standout feature is a $25 minimum payout – the lowest threshold in the prop firm industry.
Instant Funding’s eight programs fall into three families:
No-Evaluation (Instant) Programs:
One-Phase Evaluation Programs:
Two-Phase Evaluation Programs:
The flagship Instant Funding and GO accounts use a Smart Drawdown mechanism rather than a standard static drawdown. The account starts with a 10% maximum drawdown limit. Once the trader reaches 5% net profit, the drawdown locks permanently at 5% of the starting balance. This means growing accounts receive progressively tighter floor protection – the more profit earned, the more of it is preserved. It is one of the more thoughtful risk management designs in the prop firm space.
Three platforms: cTrader, Match Trader, MetaTrader 5. Instruments span Forex, Metals, Energy, Indices, and Cryptocurrencies. No stocks or individual equities.
Instant Funding earns a 7.8 BestProp score. Five years of operation, $18.7M+ verified payouts, 4.5/5 Trustpilot from 4,000+ reviews, and an industry-low $25 minimum payout make this one of the most credibly established prop firms on the market. The Smart Drawdown mechanism is genuinely innovative, and the breadth of eight programs means most trader profiles can find a suitable fit.
The deductions come from the 80% base split (below the 90% now standard at many competitors), add-on fees for news trading and weekend holding that others include by default, public EA restrictions, and limited CEO transparency. The news trading add-on in particular is worth factoring into the total cost before purchasing. For traders who trade within standard hours on supported instruments, Instant Funding is a reliable, proven choice.
Overall, our independent scoring gives Instant Funding the edge in this 2026 comparison. However, both firms have their merits. If Upcomers 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, Instant Funding scores higher overall (8.8/10). 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.
Instant Funding offers the higher profit split. Upcomers: 99%. Instant Funding: 80% (up to 95%).
EA policies: Upcomers — check the review. Instant Funding — check the review. Always verify the latest policy directly with the firm.
News trading: Upcomers — check the review. Instant Funding — check the review.
Read the full Upcomers review → · Read the full Instant Funding review →
Based on our scoring methodology, Instant Funding 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 Instant Funding offers 80% (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 Instant Funding takes approximately 14 day(s). Always verify current payout timelines on the firm's website.
Neither Upcomers nor Instant Funding 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.
