Published "best prop firm" rankings have two problems: they go stale the moment a firm changes a rule, and the ranking usually reflects affiliate economics rather than the rule sheet. A scorecard you fill in yourself does not have either problem.
The scorecard
Score each firm 0–2 per row. Rows 1–4 are weighted double, because they change your odds most.
| # | Row | 2 points | 0 points |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Max loss type ×2 | Static from starting balance | Trailing on intraday equity |
| 2 | Daily loss measurement ×2 | End of day | Intraday equity |
| 3 | Consistency rule ×2 | None, or published threshold | Vague or undisclosed |
| 4 | Time limit ×2 | None | Under 30 days |
| 5 | Minimum trading days | 0–3 | Over 7 |
| 6 | Reward split | 90%+ | Under 75% |
| 7 | First payout eligibility | Within 14 days | Over 30 days |
| 8 | Payout evidence | Recent, dated, many traders | None or launch-week only |
| 9 | News trading | Allowed | Banned including holding |
| 10 | EA / automation | Allowed with clear exclusions | Banned or undefined |
| 11 | Cost to attempt | Low or pay-after-pass | High and non-refundable |
| 12 | Support answer quality | Specific, fast, in writing | Marketing copy or silence |
How to score it
Fill rows 1–4 from the rule sheet, not the landing page
If you cannot find the answer in published terms, score 0. Undisclosed is a score, not a gap.
Email support rows 9, 10 and 12
Send the same three questions to each firm. The replies are directly comparable and they are also the answer to row 12.
Only then look at price
Row 11 is a tie-breaker between firms that already score well above, never a reason to accept a 0 in rows 1–4.
Reading the score
| Total (max 32) | Read |
|---|---|
| 26–32 | A fair rule set. Compare on price and execution. |
| 18–25 | Workable, but know exactly which rows lost points and why. |
| 10–17 | The rules are working against you. Only worth it at a very low cost to attempt. |
| Under 10 | Walk away. |
A zero in any of rows 1–4 caps the whole assessment regardless of the total. A firm can score 24 and still be a bad choice if the 0 is on drawdown type.
The three questions to email every firm
Send the same three to each firm on your shortlist. Identical questions make the answers directly comparable, and the reply itself scores row 12.
- "Is the maximum loss fixed from my starting balance, or does it trail my equity? If it trails, does it track closed balance or intraday equity?"
- "Is there a consistency rule? If so, what is the exact threshold and where is it published?"
- "When is my first reward request eligible, what is the cycle after that, and what triggers a manual review?"
Why ranked lists go stale
- Firms change rules without changing marketing. A ranking written in January describes a rule set that may not exist in June.
- Most ranking pages are monetised by affiliate commission, and the ordering often follows the commission rather than the terms.
- "Best for scalping" style lists rarely state the criterion. Best on spread? On minimum hold time? Those give different answers.
- Pass-rate and payout figures in listicles are almost never audited or sourced.
None of that means rankings are useless — they are a reasonable way to build a shortlist. They are just a bad way to make the final decision, which is what the scorecard is for.
Read our full rule sheet
Published in full, before you pay anything.
Frequently asked questions
How do I compare prop firms fairly?
Score each firm from its own published rule sheet on drawdown type, daily loss measurement, consistency rules and time limits first — those four change your odds most. Only compare price once two firms score well on all four.
Are prop firm ranking lists reliable?
Treat them cautiously. Rankings go stale as soon as a firm changes a rule, and many are ordered by affiliate commission rather than by the rule sheet. A scorecard you fill in yourself from primary terms is more reliable.
FundedAxe evaluations and funded accounts are simulated. Traders do not trade real client capital; rewards are paid on simulated performance under the terms of the FundedAxe trader agreement.