FTMO: spreads, trading costs and PropSpread analysis
FTMO through PropSpread's data: sampled spreads per instrument, estimated round-turn costs with commissions included, the PropSpread Score and honest trade-offs.
PropSpread ResearchPublished Aug 8, 20266 min read
FTMO is one of the most established names in prop trading, and one of the most written about. Most of what ranks for its name is either marketing or opinion. This profile takes a different route: it is built around what PropSpread continuously measures on FTMO's feed, spread by spread, converted into the one number that actually leaves your account, the estimated cost per traded lot.
Everything editorial on this page is clearly separated from everything measured. Measured figures live in the labelled data modules below and update with the feed. The prose is analysis and context, and it does not restate numbers that can go stale.
PropSpread summary
On the PropSpread board FTMO is tracked like every other firm: bid and ask snapshots sampled continuously from the feed we monitor, normalized to dollars per one-lot round turn with the board's commission model included, and ranked against the other tracked firms over a rolling window. That gives FTMO no benefit of reputation, and the data-source label on every module below discloses whether the feed currently carries demonstration or live account data.
FTMO4.8
Board commission model: FX $5.00 / lot, indices $0.00 / lot round turn, pending verification against current published terms. Platform: MT5.
PropSpread Score
The PropSpread Score is a weighted 0 to 100 rating computed by our scoring engine across community standing, trading costs, execution, rules and transparency, payouts, support and technology. It is independent of any commercial relationship; the methodology is published and versioned, and the methodology page discloses which score inputs are verified and which are still being built out.
FTMOHow the score is computedScore loads with the application.Engine-computed from the published, versioned methodology; input coverage and verification status are disclosed on the methodology page. Commercial relationships never affect scores.
Measured spreads
The table below reads from the same feed as the live board: FTMO's current spread and session average per instrument, next to the Average Prop Firm composite, which is the median of the named competitor feeds we sample. The composite is the honest baseline for a single firm profile, because it answers the only question that matters here: is this firm pricing tighter or wider than the middle of the tracked market right now?
Source: PropSpread market monitoring. The Average Prop Firm composite is a computed median of sampled competitor feeds, not a real account. Full sampling, normalization and ranking rules are on the methodology page.
Trading costs
A spread only becomes comparable once it is priced in dollars and the commission is added on top. FTMO's published schedule charges 2.50 US dollars per lot per side on forex, which is 5.00 per lot round turn, prices metals as a percentage of traded notional rather than a flat fee, and charges nothing on index CFDs. Those figures were read from FTMO's own symbol specifications on August 8, 2026, and the metals figure moves with the gold price because it is a percentage. The worked example below applies that schedule to the current sampled spread, so the figure is the whole deterministic cost of the trade, not the headline half of it.
Estimated cost of one EUR/USD round turn at 1 lot
Frequency is what turns these small numbers into a budget line. A trader placing five one-lot EUR/USD round turns a day pays the figure above five times daily, every trading day, win or lose. Over a month that routinely amounts to hundreds of dollars, which is why we treat execution cost as a first-class comparison metric rather than a footnote under the profit split.
Evaluation and account structure
FTMO runs the classic two-step evaluation: a Challenge phase followed by a Verification phase, each with published profit targets and daily and overall loss limits, leading to a funded account with a profit split. The precise targets, limits, account sizes and split tiers change from time to time and are published on FTMO's own site, so this profile deliberately does not transcribe them. What the structure means for costs does not change: every evaluation attempt is paid for twice, once in the fee and once in execution costs across all the trades the attempt takes.
- Two evaluation phases before funding, both traded on the same pricing you see measured here.
- Published daily and overall drawdown limits, which make cost control part of risk control: spread paid is drawdown spent.
- A funded phase where execution cost directly reduces the profit that the split is applied to.
Verify current terms
Evaluation fees, targets, drawdown definitions and split tiers are FTMO's published terms and can change. Always confirm them on the firm's site before buying an evaluation. PropSpread measures pricing; it does not mirror rulebooks.
Where FTMO is strong
- Longevity and track record: FTMO has operated since the mid 2010s, far longer than most of the market, which matters in an industry where firms disappear.
- Process maturity: the evaluation flow, dashboard and payout process are well documented and widely reviewed.
- Consistent instrument coverage across FX, metals and indices on MetaTrader platforms.
Trade-offs to weigh
- The commission the board currently models for FTMO sits at the higher end of the tracked set, so its all-in cost depends on the spread staying tight enough to carry it. Commission schedules change and vary by account type; check the current one before deciding.
- Like most evaluation firms, the account you trade is a demo environment operated by the firm; the pricing is real to you, the market is simulated. Our data measures that environment honestly, but it is not an interbank feed.
- High-frequency styles feel the commission more than swing styles; the cost example above scales linearly with trade count.
Who it may suit
Traders who value an established operator and a documented payout history, and who trade at a frequency where a somewhat higher fixed commission is acceptable against the firm's overall package. Cost-sensitive scalpers should run the numbers at their own size and frequency before deciding; the calculators linked below use the same live figures as this page.
Alternatives and comparisons
The same measurement applies to every firm on the board, so the fairest next step is a side-by-side view. The FundingPips comparison is the natural place to start, and the instrument rankings show who currently prices each market tightest.
How this data is made
Spread figures are indicative snapshots sampled from connected feeds, ranked over a rolling window so no single tick decides a leader. Costs add each firm's round-turn commission at the stated lot size. Commission schedules for FTMO, FundingPips and FundedNext are read from each firm's own published terms and were last checked on 2026-08-08. Institutional Funding carries a placeholder schedule that no published source confirms. Schedules vary by account type and product, so confirm the terms of the account you would actually trade. Figures are not tradable quotes, fills vary by account and session, and the data-source label on every module tells you whether you are looking at demonstration or live account data.
Source: PropSpread market monitoring. Full sampling, normalization and ranking rules are on the methodology page.
Frequently asked
Does FTMO pay PropSpread for this profile?
No. Profiles are not sponsored, the PropSpread Score methodology is published, and commercial relationships never change scores or rankings. Where affiliate links exist on this site they are labelled.
Why do the spread numbers on this page change?
They are read from the same continuously sampled feed as the live board. The page shows the current sample and the session average rather than a hand-picked screenshot.
Are these FTMO's official spreads?
No. They are independent samples from the feed PropSpread monitors, not figures copied from FTMO's site, and the data-source label on each module discloses whether that feed currently carries demonstration or live account data. Published spread tables describe intent; sampled spreads describe feed behaviour.
Which FTMO account type does the data reflect?
The methodology page documents the sampling cadence, normalization and ranking rules behind every figure. Account types with different pricing models can differ from the sampled feed, so treat the figures as one feed's behaviour, not every account's.
PropSpread Research publishes sampled data with its methodology and data-source labels attached, keeps editorial judgment separate from measurements, and labels commercial relationships where they exist. Corrections are welcome via the contact page.
This tool provides an indicative comparison of spreads and estimated execution costs based on periodic snapshots from connected data feeds and normalized trade assumptions. Displayed values are not tradable quotes and may differ from prices available on any provider's live accounts. Spreads vary by account type, server, liquidity conditions, and time of day. Competitor names and marks belong to their respective owners; no affiliation or endorsement is implied. The "Average Prop Firm" benchmark is a computed composite of sampled competitor feeds, not the published pricing of any specific firm. Cost estimates use a normalized trade scenario and do not constitute financial advice or a prediction of trading results.