Prop firms (proprietary trading firms) sell funded accounts: pass an evaluation challenge, get capital to trade with, keep 80–90% of profits. For algorithmic traders running ONNX-based EAs on MT5, prop firms are the path from "I have a model that works in backtest" to "I have meaningful capital deployed without risking my own money."
The catch is rules. Each firm has different policies on EAs, news trading, max position size, news lockouts. Before applying anywhere, verify your EA's behavior matches their rules — otherwise you'll fail the evaluation on technicalities. This article compares the four most algo-friendly firms.
What's in this article
The comparison table
| Firm | EA allowed | Max account | Profit split | Affiliate cookie |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| FTMO | Yes (most EAs) | $400,000 | 80–90% | 8–20% tiered |
| FundedNext | Yes (most EAs) | $300,000 | 80–95% | 12–18%, 90d cookie |
| The5ers | Yes (with rules) | $200,000 funded | 50–75% (instant) / up to 80% | ~10% |
| Hola Prime | Yes | $200,000 | Up to 90% | Tiered |
FTMO — the establishment
FTMO is the oldest (founded 2015) and largest prop firm; their rules and platforms have been refined over years. For ONNX-EA traders specifically:
- EA policy: permitted on most evaluations. They explicitly prohibit high-frequency strategies, latency arbitrage, and certain news-arb tactics — standard for the industry. Normal ML-augmented EAs are fine.
- Evaluation: 2-step (FTMO Challenge then Verification). 10% profit target step 1, 5% step 2, 10% max drawdown.
- MT4 + MT5: both supported. Your ONNX EA will work directly.
- Payouts: twice monthly. Reliable.
- Affiliate program: tiered, 8–20% based on volume. Affiliate dashboard is mature.
Full rule deep-dive: FTMO EA rules.
FundedNext — aggressive payouts
FundedNext is FTMO's most direct competitor with more aggressive terms — higher profit splits, more generous accounts, faster payout cycles. For algo traders:
- EA policy: permitted. Same kinds of restrictions as FTMO (no HFT, no latency abuse), normal EAs are fine.
- Evaluation models: 2-step Express, 1-step Express, and Stellar (no evaluation, smaller capital).
- Payouts: first payout in 14 days; later payouts every 7 days.
- Affiliate: 12–18% commission, 90-day cookie (longer than most).
Rule deep-dive: FundedNext EA rules.
The5ers — instant funding option
The5ers differentiates with an instant funding option — pay upfront, skip the evaluation, start trading immediately with a smaller account. Lower profit split (50–75%) but no challenge to fail.
- EA policy: permitted with restrictions on stop-loss and lot-size patterns. Read carefully.
- Two paths: instant funding (no eval) or traditional eval (higher split).
- Affiliate: ~10% standard.
Rule deep-dive: The5ers EA rules.
Hola Prime — newer entrant
Hola Prime entered the market in 2024 and has grown aggressively. Their pitch is high profit splits (up to 90%) and competitive evaluation rules. Less of a long track record than FTMO/FundedNext, so we'd suggest starting with a small account to test their payout reliability.
- EA policy: permitted on most accounts.
- Splits: up to 90%.
- Track record: short. Verify payouts work for you on a small first account.
How to pick
- If you want the safest, most established choice: FTMO. Rules are well-documented, payouts are reliable, EA support is mature.
- If you want better economics on the same model: FundedNext. Higher splits, faster payouts.
- If you can't pass an evaluation (or don't want to): The5ers instant funding. Lower upside but no failed-challenge risk.
- If you want the most aggressive terms and accept some unknowns: Hola Prime. Bigger split, less track record.
Many algo traders run the same EA on accounts at 2–3 firms simultaneously, diversifying away from any single firm's payout/rule risk. That's a reasonable strategy if your EA's edge is real.