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FTMO vs City Traders Imperium (2026): which prop firm is better?
To keep it fair, both firms are judged on the same information: published prices, published rules and Trustpilot ratings. The full table and our take are below.
The two firms, point by point
| FTMO | City Traders Imperium | |
|---|---|---|
| Score | 7.0/10 | 6.5/10 |
| Trustpilot | 4.8 | 4.2 |
| Profit split | 90% | 80% |
| Max leverage | up to 1:100 | up to 1:30 |
| 100K challenge from | €499 (1-Step Standard) | $449 (1-Step Challenge) |
| Programs | 3 | 4 |
| Platforms | MT4, MT5, cTrader, TradingView | MT5, Match-Trader |
| Payouts via | Bank Transfer, Crypto | Crypto, Bank Transfer, PayPal |
| News trading | Restricted | Allowed |
| Weekend holding | Restricted | Allowed |
| Expert advisors (EAs) | Allowed | Restricted |
| Hedging | Allowed | – |
| Scalping | Allowed | – |
| Copy trading | Not allowed | Allowed |
| Martingale | Restricted | Restricted |
Our honest take
Using our scores, FTMO (7.0) finishes ahead of City Traders Imperium (6.5).
City Traders Imperium has the cheaper 100K challenge at $449, while the cheapest at FTMO costs €499.
Customers rate FTMO more highly: 4.8 of 5 on Trustpilot, against 4.2.
FTMO gives you more room to trade your way, including news, EAs and weekend holds.
- FTMO makes more sense if what you want is better customer reviews, a bigger share of profit, more leverage.
- City Traders Imperium makes more sense if what you want is a cheaper challenge, more programs to pick from, to trade on Match-Trader.
A short profile of each
FTMO
FTMO is the firm most others are compared with. It's based in Prague, has been running longer than most in Europe, and offers two routes, a 2-Step or a 1-Step, on accounts from $10,000 to $200,000. In practice, if you pass the 2-Step, the fee you paid comes back with your first payout.
City Traders Imperium
City Traders Imperium, usually called CTI, is a prop firm from the UK. It offers 1- and 2-Step challenges, instant accounts and direct funding, on MT5 and Match-Trader.
Questions people ask
Which is the better firm, FTMO or City Traders Imperium?
Using our scores, FTMO (7.0) finishes ahead of City Traders Imperium (6.5).
Which one costs less, FTMO or City Traders Imperium?
City Traders Imperium has the cheaper 100K challenge at $449, while the cheapest at FTMO costs €499.
Can I have accounts at FTMO and City Traders Imperium at the same time?
Yes. There's nothing wrong with buying challenges from more than one firm. The things almost every firm bans are copying another person's trades and hedging an account at one firm against an account at another.