Alpha Capital vs FTMO - Prop Firm Comparison (March 2026)
Head-to-head comparison of Alpha Capital and FTMO. Check max funding, profit splits, daily and overall drawdown rules, leverage, tradable assets, payout frequency, payment and payout methods, trading permissions and KYC restrictions before you buy a challenge. Data refreshed March 2026.
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Alpha Capital
Alpha Capital Group (Alpha Capital) is a UK-based CFD prop firm (founded 2021) that provides simulated-funded "Qualified Analyst" accounts via ACG Markets and lets traders choose between a 1-step (Alpha One), multiple 2-step options (Alpha Pro 6% / 8% /...
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FTMO
FTMO is a Prague-based prop trading evaluation company founded in 2015 that uses a two-step challenge (FTMO Challenge + Verification) with unlimited time, strict 5% max daily loss and 10% max loss limits, and Normal or Swing funded account types....
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| Overview | ||
| Trustpilot Rating | 4.7 | 4.8 |
| Trustpilot Reviews | 17,698 | 40,041 |
| Headquarters | United Kingdom | Czech Republic |
| Age (Years) | N/A | 11 |
| Max Funding | $400,000 | $400,000 |
| Profit Split Start | 80% | 80% |
| Profit Split Max | 80% | 90% |
| Platforms | MT5 cTrader DXtrade TradeLocker | MT4 MT5 cTrader DXtrade |
| Assets | FX Metals Indices Oil (Energy) | FX Indices Commodities Stocks Crypto |
| Leverage | ||
| FX Leverage | 100 | 100 |
| Metals Leverage | 30 | 30 |
| Crypto Leverage | 0 | 3.3 |
| Risk & Drawdown Rules | ||
| Max Daily Loss | Maximum Daily LossAlpha Capital Group enforces a plan-specific daily drawdown limit that is measured from defined daily reference points (based on balance or equity, depending on the plan). The daily loss limit is evaluated against the current equity value, and breaches are treated as a hard breach (trades are closed automatically).Alpha Pro 10%: 5% balance-based daily drawdown.Alpha Pro 8%: 4% balance-based daily drawdown.Alpha Pro 6%: 3% daily drawdown calculated over the higher of end-of-day balance or equity.Alpha Swing: 5% balance-based... | Maximum Daily LossFTMO applies a 5% Maximum Daily Loss. It is calculated from the account’s balance at midnight CE(S)T (platform time) each day and includes the running total of the day’s closed trades + floating P/L, including commissions and swaps. If the daily limit is exceeded at any time, the account fails. |
| Max Total Loss | Maximum Overall LossMaximum total loss is defined by the plan’s maximum drawdown model and is set as a percentage of the initial starting balance. If balance or equity drops below the maximum drawdown threshold, the account is breached and trades are closed automatically.Alpha Pro: static max drawdown of 10% (Pro10) / 8% (Pro8) / 6% (Pro6).Alpha Swing: 10% static max drawdown.Alpha Three: 6% static max drawdown.Alpha One: 6% trailing max drawdown based on the high-water mark (maximum balance achieved). | Maximum LossFTMO applies a 10% Maximum Loss (overall loss limit). This is a static cap measured against the account’s starting balance, and it is evaluated on equity (closed + floating results, including trading costs). Breaching it at any time results in account failure. |
| Drawdown Type | Drawdown ModelAlpha Capital Group uses both static and trailing drawdown models depending on the plan:Static max drawdown: Used on Alpha Pro (6% / 8% / 10%), Alpha Swing (10%) and Alpha Three (6%). The maximum-loss line is fixed from the initial starting balance and does not move up as the account grows.Trailing max drawdown (high-water mark): Used on Alpha One (6%). As new balance highs are made, the trailing drawdown line moves up; once the account reaches a high-water mark... | Drawdown ModelFTMO uses static loss limits: a daily loss limit that resets at midnight (platform time) and an overall loss limit based on the starting balance. Both limits include floating P/L and trading costs (commissions/swaps), so equity protection matters as much as closed P/L. |
| Payouts | ||
| Payout Frequency | Payout FrequencyAlpha Capital offers two payout schedules for qualified accounts, depending on the payout type selected at checkout:Bi-Weekly: performance-fee requests are available every 14 days (starting 14 days after the initial trade on the qualified account). The first request requires a minimum of 5 trading days using the same trading strategy, and the minimum withdrawal is $100 gross profits.On-Demand: traders can request a payout at any time once they have at least 2% gross profit in the account and meet... | Payout FrequencyFTMO rewards are processed on request. Once you have access to the FTMO Account, you can request your reward after a minimum of 14 calendar days from your first day of trading on the FTMO Account (biweekly request cadence).Minimum profit thresholds apply to cover transaction costs (e.g., $20 minimum for bank transfer, $50 minimum for crypto withdrawals). |
| Days to First Payout | 14 | 14 |
| Payout Processing Time | Payout ProcessingPerformance-fee requests are submitted via the Alpha Capital dashboard and are processed and paid within about 2 business days once approved. Traders must close all trades before requesting, and the account remains locked while the balance is reset.Scaling requests (where applicable) are handled separately and are typically completed within 24–48 business hours. | Payout ProcessingReward requests go through a review step (typically 1–2 business days). After approval, payments are usually processed within an additional 1–2 business days, depending on the chosen payout method and banking/processor timelines. |
| Payout Methods | Bank Transfer (WIRE/ACH/SWIFT) Wise Rise (Riseworks) | Bank Transfer Cryptocurrency Skrill Neteller |
| Payments | ||
| Payment Methods | Credit/Debit Card Crypto PayPal | Credit/Debit Card Bank Transfer Cryptocurrency Skrill |
| Trading Permissions | ||
| News Trading | News trading is permitted, but Alpha Capital applies plan-specific rules around certain high-impact announcements on Qualified Analyst accounts.Alpha Pro 8%/10% Qualified: no executing trades (opening or closing, including pending orders, stop-loss or take-profit fills) on targeted instruments within 2 minutes before and 2 minutes after the specified news releases.Alpha Pro 6% / Alpha One / Alpha Three Qualified: the same restriction applies within 5 minutes before and 5 minutes after the specified releases.Alpha Swing: trading during major news is allowed;... | Evaluation (FTMO Challenge + Verification): news trading is allowed freely during all releases.FTMO Account (Normal): for specified high-impact announcements and targeted instruments, you must not open or close trades (including SL/TP triggers) in the 2 minutes before to 2 minutes after the release.FTMO Account Swing: news trading restrictions do not apply. |
| Weekend Trades | Weekend holding rules depend on the plan and stage.Alpha Pro: holding trades over the weekend is allowed during the Evaluation phase, but is not allowed on the Qualified Analyst account stage (treated as a soft breach with profits removed).Alpha Swing / Alpha One / Alpha Three: weekend holding is allowed during both the Evaluation phase and on the Qualified Analyst account stage.Swap/rollover charges still apply when positions are held over weekends. | Evaluation (FTMO Challenge + Verification): holding trades over the weekend is allowed.FTMO Account (Normal): positions must be closed before the weekend market close (or if the market break/rollover is longer than 2 hours). Some cryptocurrencies may be tradable during specific weekend hours.FTMO Account Swing: no restrictions on holding positions over the weekend. |
| Copy Trading | Copy trading is allowed but tightly controlled. Alpha Capital permits copy trading only where the trader can provide proof of ownership of the master account (e.g., account number/investor password/server) when requested. Copy trading between two Alpha Capital accounts can also be permitted with both account numbers disclosed.Copy trading is currently supported on MT5 only; copying trades on or from cTrader, DXTrade or TradeLocker is not possible. Only one master account can be connected at a time, and copying other traders or group trading arrangements is prohibited. | Trade copying tools can be used as long as your trading remains compliant with FTMO’s rules. FTMO’s services are for personal use only: you must not allow any third party to access or trade your accounts, and coordinated/manipulative trade patterns between connected accounts (e.g., opposite positions across accounts for manipulation) are forbidden. |
| EA Allowed | Expert Advisors (EAs) are permitted on MT5 accounts, provided they comply with Alpha Capital’s rules. Traders must enable the EA feature at checkout and contact support for approval; Alpha Capital may request the EA's EX5 file and MQ5 market link for review.EAs are not supported on TradeLocker, DXTrade or cTrader accounts. Automated strategies that attempt to exploit unrealistic fills or use high-frequency/latency-style execution are prohibited. | EAs are allowed as long as the strategy is legitimate, replicable in real markets, and does not fall into forbidden practices. Note that automated trading that overloads servers (e.g., excessive server requests) is prohibited, and widely used third-party EAs may risk breaching maximum capital allocation constraints if multiple users run the same strategy. |
| KYC & Restrictions | ||
| KYC Required | Yes | No |
| KYC Stage | Alpha Capital requires identity verification (KYC) after passing an assessment and before issuing Qualified Analyst account credentials. Traders complete KYC via a third-party provider (Veriff) and must also provide the necessary withdrawal/payment details; qualified credentials are typically issued within a maximum of 2 working days after completing KYC.Payment details may be cross-checked against the verified identity, and third-party payments are not accepted. | FTMO requires identity verification before becoming an FTMO Trader and signing the FTMO Account Agreement. For individuals, this is KYC and typically requires a government-issued ID and proof of address. Businesses may require KYB documentation. Once the verification is complete, the FTMO Account Agreement is unlocked for signing in the Client Area. |
| Restricted Countries | Afghanistan Belarus Burundi Central African Republic Chad Cuba Democratic Republic of the Congo Eritrea Iran Iraq Libya Myanmar (Burma) North Korea Regions of Ukraine: Crimea Donetsk and Luhansk Republic of the Congo (Congo Brazzaville) Russia Somalia South Sudan Sudan Syria Venezuela Vietnam Yemen | Afghanistan Albania Algeria American Samoa Barbados Belarus Burkina Faso Burundi Cambodia Central African Republic Cuba Democratic Republic of the Congo Eritrea Guam Guinea Guinea-Bissau Haiti Hong Kong Iran Iraq Kazakhstan Kosovo Libya Mali Morocco Myanmar Nicaragua North Korea Pakistan Palestine Panama Puerto Rico Russia Samoa Sierra Leone Somalia South Sudan Sudan Syria Tunisia Uganda Ukraine (Crimea Donetsk Luhansk) United Arab Emirates United States Minor Outlying Islands Venezuela Virgin Islands (US) Yemen Zimbabwe |