The bottom line first — a comparison of five scalping-friendly firms
Scalping is a method of stacking up many small price moves over a span of seconds to minutes. Because you enter so many times a day, spread tightness, execution speed, and any scalping restrictions sway your results even more than they would in other styles. Here are the five candidates covered on this site, side by side.
| FundingPips | FTMO | Funded7 | ThinkCapital | Apex | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Founded | 2022 | 2015 | 2024 | 2024 | 2021 |
| Base | UAE (Dubai) | Czechia (Prague) | Global (undisclosed) | UAE (Dubai) | USA |
| Markets | FX/CFD | FX/CFD | FX | FX/CFD | CME futures |
| Profit split | 80–95% | 80% (up to 90%) | 80% | 80% (90% with add-on) | 100% up to the first $25,000, then 90% |
| Eval fee | from $19 | $89–1,080 | varies by program | from $35.10 | from $137/month |
| Payout cycle | 5 days | 14 days (first on demand) | short cycle (from minutes) | 14 days (weekly unlock available) | 8 days |
| Platforms | MT4/MT5/cTrader/Match-Trader | MT4/MT5/cTrader/DXtrade | MT4/MT5 | TradingView/ThinkTrader/MT5 | Rithmic/Tradovate/NinjaTrader/TradingView |
If you are unsure, the oldest and most trusted name in the industry, FTMO, is the reference point. If you simply want low cost and high volume, FundingPips, with eval fees from $19, is a candidate; for execution speed and tight spreads, Funded7 is worth a look. Confirm each firm’s current spread and scalping-related rules on its official site before signing a contract.
Three axes for choosing a scalping firm
1. Tight spreads
Scalping goes after small price moves, so the spread directly squeezes your profit. Firms that advertise tight spreads with “no markup” (no broker surcharge) are generally considered the best fit for scalping.
2. Execution speed and slippage
The more entries and exits you make, the larger the cumulative impact of execution delay and slippage. The surest way to judge server responsiveness and platform stability is to test it yourself in small size.
3. Whether scalping is restricted
This is the point most often overlooked. A firm may allow ordinary scalping yet ban tick scalping, HFT (high-frequency trading), and latency arbitrage. Some firms also impose a minimum hold-time rule. These can become a problem at the withdrawal stage even after you pass, so confirming them before signing is essential.
Firm-by-firm notes
FundingPips — for those chasing low cost and high volume
FundingPips was founded in 2022 and is based in the UAE (Dubai). Its eval fee is among the lowest in the industry (from $19), and its payout cycle of 5 days is among the fastest.
Why it fits:
- Eval fees from $19, top-tier cheap, making it easy to run small accounts for testing
- Payouts on a 5-day cycle plus an early-payout option, so cash flow is fast
- Broad platform choice across MT4 / MT5 / cTrader / Match-Trader, letting you pick a familiar environment
- A choice of three models: 1-Step / 2-Step / 3-Step
Caution: founded in 2022, it has a short operating history, and because it is in a rapid-growth phase, rule changes are frequent. Scalping-related restrictions and spread conditions can also be subject to revision, so confirm the latest handling on the official site. Support is mainly in English.
FTMO — for those who want industry-standard peace of mind
FTMO was founded in 2015 in Prague, Czechia, and with 11 years of operation (as of 2026) it is among the oldest names in the industry. It has extensive published payout records and third-party verification, and its trust level is the highest among the firms covered on this site.
Why it fits:
- A long track record of 11 years with no regulatory enforcement and no suspension of operations
- Support for MT4 / MT5 plus cTrader / DXtrade, giving high platform flexibility
- An eval-fee refund on a failed attempt (conditions apply)
- Japanese-language support (though the primary source of truth is the English version)
Caution: FTMO has a consistency rule (a single trade whose profit exceeds a set share of the total can be excluded from payout in some cases), and there are restrictions on certain EAs and on trading around major economic releases. Confirm whether your style fits the rules — including whether scalping itself is allowed — before signing. Eval fees of $89–1,080 are higher than the cheapest tier.
Funded7 — for those who prioritize execution speed and tight spreads
Funded7 is a global firm launched in 2024. It positions “speed and transparency” as its differentiator, and withdrawals are reported to begin processing roughly 20 seconds after the request.
Why it fits:
- It advertises spreads among the tightest in the industry (no markup) and officially describes itself as “designed for scalping-focused traders who want to keep trading costs low”
- A withdrawal process of around 20 seconds, among the fastest in the industry, with a short payout cycle
- No KYC (identity verification) required before withdrawal, so there is little friction from request to funds in hand
- Trustpilot 4.7/5.0 (as of under six months in operation)
Caution: launched in 2024, its operating history is extremely short at roughly two years, and information on its head-office location and regulatory standing is limited. In addition, USDJPY / GBPUSD have new positions restricted for two minutes around major economic releases. The absence of KYC is the flip side of convenience, so its long-term operational continuity still needs to be proven.
ThinkCapital — for the TradingView crowd and the cost-conscious
ThinkCapital launched in 2024 and is a UAE (Dubai)-based firm backed by the regulated broker group ThinkMarkets. Its strength is a direct TradingView integration, which is rare in the industry.
Why it fits:
- You can place orders directly from TradingView charts, an advantage for traders who work primarily in TradingView
- EUR/USD spreads from 0.0 pips (MT5 raw), with commission around $7 per round-turn lot
- Eval fees from $35.10, among the lowest in the industry, with no consistency rule and no time limit
- Backing from ThinkMarkets, giving a clearer outlook on continuity than a newer standalone firm
Caution: to earn the 90% split you need to buy the Profit Split Booster (about 25% of the eval fee) on top, since the default is 80%. The monthly payout also carries a condition of “three business days, each with at least 0.5% profit,” which can be hard to meet for a style that pulls back from trading after a large short-term win. Launched in 2024, its operating history is on the short side.
Apex Trader Funding — for those who scalp futures
Apex Trader Funding was founded in 2021 and is a US futures-only prop firm. You trade CME-family futures such as E-mini S&P 500, Nasdaq, crude oil, and gold over professional-grade connections via Rithmic / Tradovate.
Why it fits:
- Direct access to CME futures, making it easy to scalp the high-liquidity ES / NQ while watching the order book
- Profit on the first $25,000 is yours 100%, then 90% thereafter
- Payouts on an 8-day cycle, shorter than the 14 days common in the industry
- The ability to hold multiple accounts (suited to diversifying across separate strategies)
Caution: FX / CFD cannot be traded; the scope is CME futures only. Its main arena is US hours (Japanese night to early morning), so balancing it with your daily routine is a prerequisite. Apex also uses a trailing drawdown, a design where your protective line rises as profit grows, so understanding the rule in advance is essential for high-turnover scalping.
Conversely, watch out for firms that restrict scalping
If you choose on spread tightness alone, you can stumble at the withdrawal stage because the rules restrict scalping. Even among the firms covered on this site, the following warrant caution for short-term, high-frequency scalping.
- FXIFY: it explicitly lists tick scalping, HFT (high-frequency trading), and latency arbitrage as prohibited conduct. Confirm the line between ordinary scalping and the high-frequency methods barred by the rules before signing. Note that Trustpilot also documents a pattern of reported withdrawal denials citing “latency arbitrage.”
- CityTradersImperium: a firm optimized for swing trading, designed to hold positions for days to weeks. It is a mismatch for scalpers who trade dozens of times a day, and the firm officially states that it is not geared toward short-term scalping.
Beyond these, a minimum hold-time rule may be set on a firm-by-firm basis. The latest hold-time and scalping-related rules for each firm covered here should be checked on their official sites. If you scalp on a seconds timeframe, be sure to grasp the range of permitted methods in advance.
How to choose — decision axes by style
First, set the broad frame by your trading instrument. To scalp FX/CFD, the candidates are FundingPips, FTMO, Funded7, and ThinkCapital; for order-book scalping of CME futures, it is Apex. The FX-focused firms let you tap the liquidity of the Japanese evening through late night, whereas Apex’s main arena is US hours.
Second, estimate your expected cost and volume. If you plan to take on many challenges repeatedly, FundingPips (from $19) and ThinkCapital (from $35.10), with cheap eval fees, are designed to keep cumulative cost down. With the subscription-style Apex, note that the longer you take to pass, the more the monthly fee stacks up.
Third, get a feel for spread and execution in small size. If you put tight spreads first, candidates are Funded7, which advertises no markup, and ThinkCapital, with EUR/USD from 0.0 pips (MT5 raw). That said, the numbers vary by conditions, so confirming them on a live account is the surest approach.
Fourth, be sure to confirm scalping restrictions and minimum hold-time before signing. This determines whether you can ultimately withdraw. If you want to lower your initial cost with a discount, check the coupon list as well.
The final investment decision is your own. This site does not provide investment advice and does not guarantee profits.
Frequently asked questions (FAQ)
Q. What makes a prop firm good for scalping?
Three things, in order: tight spreads, fast execution, and not banning scalping. When you enter dozens of times a day, tiny differences in spread and slippage accumulate into a large gap in results.
Q. Is scalping banned at prop firms?
It depends on the firm. Most 2-Step programs allow ordinary scalping, but some firms ban tick scalping, HFT (high-frequency trading), and latency arbitrage. FXIFY, for example, explicitly lists tick scalping and HFT as prohibited conduct. Always confirm the official rules before you sign up.
Q. Do I need to watch out for minimum hold-time rules?
Yes. Some firms set a minimum hold-time rule, such as not counting positions held for less than a set number of seconds. The latest hold-time rules for each firm covered here should be checked on their official sites. If you scalp on a seconds timeframe, confirm this before you sign a contract.
Q. Are there time-zone constraints for scalping from Japan?
The FX-focused firms (FundingPips, FTMO, Funded7, ThinkCapital) let you trade the high-liquidity European and US hours, which fall in the Japanese evening through late night. Apex, by contrast, is a CME futures specialist, so its main arena is US hours (Japanese night to early morning).
Recommended firms
Scalping permissions and spread conditions change, but if you choose on long-term track record and transparency, the following two firms are the industry’s mainstays.
The5%ers — for those who want to start without an evaluation
A veteran with 10 years of operation (since 2016). With Instant Funding you can start immediately, with no evaluation pressure. The profit split scales up to 100%.
→ See The5%ers official site (coupon code “HZZS4” for a discount)
FTMO — the peace of mind of the largest name in the industry
The industry standard, with 11 years of operation (since 2015). An orthodox model in which a funded account is granted after passing the Challenge. It publishes one of the largest cumulative payout track records in the industry.