Vigil Trust Index

Prop Firm Trust Index 2026

Q: What happens when a firm shuts down?

Firms that cease operations are moved to an Avoid band and clearly marked as shut down. They remain on the list as a historical reference.

Q: Does Vigil receive compensation from any prop firm?

No. Vigil is fully independent and does not receive payments, sponsorships, or affiliate commissions from any firm on this list.

9 firms independently scored on fundamentals, payouts, reputation, and regulatory standing using the current Vigil trust dataset.

Reviewed by Vigil ResearchReviewed 2026-03-21

0 Firms Ranked0 Trust Categories0 Point ScaleUpdated Monthly

Showing 10 of 10 firms

Quick Comparison

#	Firm--	Trust Score--	Max Funding--	Profit Split--	Min Fee--	Drawdown	Verdict
1	FTMO	88/100	€200,000	80%-90%	€155	Static	Top Pick
2	TopStep	85/100	$150,000	90%-90%	$49	Trailing EOD	Top Pick
3	Apex Trader Funding	82/100	$300,000	100%-90%	$147	Trailing Intraday	Top Pick
4	The5%ers	78/100	$100,000	50%-100%	$95	Static	Solid Choice
5	Earn2Trade	76/100	$100,000	80%-90%	$150	Trailing EOD	Solid Choice
6	Take Profit Trader	74/100	$150,000	80%-90%	$150	Trailing EOD	Solid Choice
7	FundedNext	72/100	$200,000	80%-95%	$59	Static	Solid Choice
8	Bulenox	69/100	$150,000	80%-90%	$125	Trailing EOD	Solid Choice
9	Blue Guardian	62/100	$200,000	85%-85%	$99	Static	Proceed Carefully
10	15SurgeTraderClosed	15/100	$250,000	75%-90%	$200	Static	Shut Down

Detailed Firm Profiles

Is FTMO Trustworthy?

88/100Highly Trusted

View Full Trust Report

Max Funding

€200,000

Profit Split

80%-90%

Cheapest Fee

€155

Drawdown Type

Static

Evaluation Structure

Phase	Profit Target	Daily Loss	Max Drawdown	Min Days	Time Limit
Phase 1	10%	5%	10%	4	Unlimited
Phase 2	5%	5%	10%	4	Unlimited
Funded	--	5%	10%	--	Unlimited

Pros

+Static drawdown — floor never moves up
+No time limit to pass challenge
+Allows overnight and weekend holding
+Most trusted brand in the industry
+Up to 90% profit split with scaling

Cons

xNews trading restricted on funded accounts (2min before/after)
xHigher challenge fees than some competitors
xNo futures trading (forex/CFD only)
xProfit split starts at 80% (competitors offer higher)

Trust Score Breakdown

Company Fundamentals23/25

Payout Track Record28/30

Community Reputation22/25

Regulatory Standing15/20

Founded

2015

Prague, Czech Republic

Trustpilot

4.8/5 (7,200)

Est. Payouts

$200M+

Is TopStep Trustworthy?

85/100Highly Trusted

View Full Trust Report

Max Funding

$150,000

Profit Split

90%-90%

Cheapest Fee

$49

Drawdown Type

Trailing EOD

Evaluation Structure

Phase	Profit Target	Daily Loss	Max Drawdown	Min Days	Time Limit
Evaluation	6%	2%	3%	--	Unlimited
Funded	--	2%	3%	--	Unlimited

Pros

+Monthly subscription — cancel anytime ($49-149/mo)
+100% of first $10K profit, then 90%
+No minimum trading days
+Weekly payouts
+Supports TradingView

Cons

xEOD trailing drawdown — floor moves up with profits
xMust flatten all positions before market close (no overnight)
xConsistency rule: no single day > 50% of total profit
xFutures only — no forex

Trust Score Breakdown

Company Fundamentals22/25

Payout Track Record27/30

Community Reputation21/25

Regulatory Standing15/20

Founded

2012

Chicago, Illinois, USA

Trustpilot

4.5/5 (4,800)

Est. Payouts

$150M+

Is Apex Trader Funding Trustworthy?

82/100Highly Trusted

View Full Trust Report

Max Funding

$300,000

Profit Split

100%-90%

Cheapest Fee

$147

Drawdown Type

Trailing Intraday

Evaluation Structure

Phase	Profit Target	Daily Loss	Max Drawdown	Min Days	Time Limit
Evaluation	0%	--	Varies	7	Unlimited
Funded	--	--	Varies	--	Unlimited

Pros

+No daily loss limit in evaluation
+100% of first $25K profit, then 90%
+Frequent 80-90% off sales — cheapest entry point
+Multiple platform options including TradingView

Cons

xIntraday trailing drawdown — strictest type, moves with every tick
xMust flatten before close (no overnight)
xConsistency rule: no day > 30% of profit
xNews trading restricted (FOMC, NFP, CPI)
xMinimum 7 trading days to pass evaluation

Trust Score Breakdown

Company Fundamentals21/25

Payout Track Record25/30

Community Reputation20/25

Regulatory Standing16/20

Founded

2021

Austin, Texas, USA

Trustpilot

4.7/5 (5,400)

Est. Payouts

$100M+

Is The5%ers Trustworthy?

78/100Trusted

View Full Trust Report

Max Funding

$100,000

Profit Split

50%-100%

Cheapest Fee

$95

Drawdown Type

Static

Evaluation Structure

Phase	Profit Target	Daily Loss	Max Drawdown	Min Days	Time Limit
Phase 1	6%	4%	4%	3	Unlimited
Funded	--	4%	4%	--	Unlimited

Pros

+Static drawdown — simple, forgiving
+News trading fully allowed
+Overnight and weekend holding allowed
+Scaling up to $4M account size
+Profit split reaches 100% for consistent traders

Cons

xTight drawdown (4% daily AND 4% max)
xProfit split starts low at 50%
xMT5 only — limited platform choice
xPrimarily forex — limited instrument selection

Trust Score Breakdown

Company Fundamentals20/25

Payout Track Record24/30

Community Reputation19/25

Regulatory Standing15/20

Founded

2016

Raanana, Israel

Trustpilot

4.6/5 (3,200)

Est. Payouts

$40M+

Is Earn2Trade Trustworthy?

76/100Trusted

View Full Trust Report

Max Funding

$100,000

Profit Split

80%-90%

Cheapest Fee

$150

Drawdown Type

Trailing EOD

Evaluation Structure

Phase	Profit Target	Daily Loss	Max Drawdown	Min Days	Time Limit
Evaluation	6%	2.2%	4%	15	Unlimited
Funded	--	2.2%	4%	--	Unlimited

Pros

+Partners with real futures brokers (Helios, etc.)
+Strong educational platform included
+EOD trailing drawdown
+No consistency rule

Cons

xMinimum 15 trading days to pass (longest in category)
xNo TradingView support
xEAs not allowed
xLimited platform choices

Trust Score Breakdown

Company Fundamentals19/25

Payout Track Record23/30

Community Reputation19/25

Regulatory Standing15/20

Founded

2016

Sheridan, Wyoming, USA

Trustpilot

4.5/5 (2,200)

Est. Payouts

$25M+

Is Take Profit Trader Trustworthy?

74/100Trusted

View Full Trust Report

Max Funding

$150,000

Profit Split

80%-90%

Cheapest Fee

$150

Drawdown Type

Trailing EOD

Evaluation Structure

Phase	Profit Target	Daily Loss	Max Drawdown	Min Days	Time Limit
Evaluation	6%	2.2%	3%	--	Unlimited
Funded	--	2.2%	3%	--	Unlimited

Pros

+No minimum trading days
+No consistency rule
+EOD trailing drawdown (not intraday)
+Weekly payouts
+TradingView supported

Cons

xTrailing drawdown floor moves up with profits
xNo overnight holding
xFutures only — no forex
xLess promotional discounts than competitors

Trust Score Breakdown

Company Fundamentals18/25

Payout Track Record23/30

Community Reputation19/25

Regulatory Standing14/20

Founded

2020

Orlando, Florida, USA

Trustpilot

4.4/5 (1,700)

Est. Payouts

$20M+

Is FundedNext Trustworthy?

72/100Trusted

View Full Trust Report

Max Funding

$200,000

Profit Split

80%-95%

Cheapest Fee

$59

Drawdown Type

Static

Evaluation Structure

Phase	Profit Target	Daily Loss	Max Drawdown	Min Days	Time Limit
Phase 1	10%	5%	10%	5	Unlimited
Phase 2	5%	5%	10%	5	Unlimited
Funded	--	5%	10%	--	Unlimited

Pros

+Static drawdown — simple and forgiving
+News trading allowed in all phases
+Overnight and weekend holding allowed
+Up to 95% profit split
+Fast payouts (within 24 hours)
+Account sizes starting from $6K (low entry)

Cons

xMinimum 5 trading days required
xRelatively new compared to FTMO
xForex/CFD only — no futures

Trust Score Breakdown

Company Fundamentals17/25

Payout Track Record22/30

Community Reputation19/25

Regulatory Standing14/20

Founded

2022

Dhaka, Bangladesh

Trustpilot

4.5/5 (3,600)

Est. Payouts

$50M+

Is Bulenox Trustworthy?

69/100Trusted

View Full Trust Report

Max Funding

$150,000

Profit Split

80%-90%

Cheapest Fee

$125

Drawdown Type

Trailing EOD

Evaluation Structure

Phase	Profit Target	Daily Loss	Max Drawdown	Min Days	Time Limit
Evaluation	6%	2.2%	3.5%	5	Unlimited
Funded	--	2.2%	3.5%	--	Unlimited

Pros

+Very affordable challenge fees with frequent sales
+EOD trailing drawdown (not intraday)
+No consistency rule
+$25K account option for small capital traders

Cons

xLimited platform support (NinjaTrader/Rithmic only)
xNo overnight holding
xMinimum 5 trading days required
xTrailing drawdown floor moves up with profits

Trust Score Breakdown

Company Fundamentals16/25

Payout Track Record21/30

Community Reputation18/25

Regulatory Standing14/20

Founded

2022

Austin, Texas, USA

Trustpilot

4.3/5 (1,300)

Est. Payouts

$15M+

Is Blue Guardian Trustworthy?

62/100Caution

View Full Trust Report

Max Funding

$200,000

Profit Split

85%-85%

Cheapest Fee

$99

Drawdown Type

Static

Evaluation Structure

Phase	Profit Target	Daily Loss	Max Drawdown	Min Days	Time Limit
Phase 1	8%	4%	8%	3	Unlimited
Phase 2	4%	4%	8%	3	Unlimited
Funded	--	4%	8%	--	Unlimited

Pros

+Static drawdown — floor never moves
+News trading allowed in all phases
+Overnight and weekend holding allowed
+85% profit split from the start
+Wide range of account sizes ($10K-$200K)

Cons

xMT4/MT5 only — no cTrader
xProfit split capped at 85% (no scaling)
xLess well-known brand
x2-step evaluation required

Trust Score Breakdown

Company Fundamentals14/25

Payout Track Record19/30

Community Reputation16/25

Regulatory Standing13/20

Founded

2022

London, UK (claimed)

Trustpilot

4.1/5 (1,100)

Est. Payouts

$10M+

Is SurgeTrader Trustworthy?

15/100AvoidNo Longer Operating

View Full Trust Report

Max Funding

$250,000

Profit Split

75%-90%

Cheapest Fee

$200

Drawdown Type

Static

Evaluation Structure

Phase	Profit Target	Daily Loss	Max Drawdown	Min Days	Time Limit
Evaluation	10%	5%	8%	--	Unlimited
Funded	--	5%	8%	--	Unlimited

Pros

+Was one of the first 1-step evaluation firms
+Had accounts up to $1M
+Static drawdown model

Cons

xSHUT DOWN in May 2024 — do not sign up
xFaced payout disputes before closure
xHigher fees than competitors
xNo weekend holding was allowed

Trust Score Breakdown

Company Fundamentals4/25

Payout Track Record2/30

Community Reputation4/25

Regulatory Standing5/20

Founded

2021

Austin, Texas, USA

Trustpilot

N/A

Est. Payouts

N/A - Shut down

Methodology

Company Fundamentals

/25

Age, business registration, team transparency, operational history, and financial stability.

Payout Track Record

/30

Total payout volume, speed, consistency, documented proof, and trader payout success rates.

Community Reputation

/25

Trustpilot rating and volume, social media sentiment, forum discussions, and influencer consensus.

Regulatory Standing

/20

Business registration tier, jurisdiction strength, compliance history, and legal record.

Scores are updated monthly. Vigil is not affiliated with any prop trading firm and does not receive compensation from any firm listed here. For the full methodology, see our scoring framework.

Frequently Asked Questions

How are prop firm trust scores calculated?

Vigil trust scores use a weighted framework across four categories: Company Fundamentals (25 points), Payout Track Record (30 points), Community Reputation (25 points), and Regulatory Standing (20 points). The maximum possible score is 100.

What do the trust bands mean?

Firms are rated on a five-band scale: Highly Trusted (80-100), Trusted (65-79), Caution (45-64), High Risk (25-44), and Avoid (0-24). Each band reflects increasing levels of risk.

How often are trust scores updated?

Trust scores are updated monthly to reflect the latest data including payout reports, Trustpilot reviews, regulatory changes, and community sentiment.

Are prop firms regulated?

Most prop firms are not regulated as financial institutions because they do not manage client funds in the traditional sense. However, they are registered businesses subject to consumer protection laws in their jurisdictions. Vigil evaluates the strength of each firm's registration and regulatory standing as part of our scoring framework.

What happens when a firm shuts down?

Firms that cease operations are moved to an "Avoid" band and clearly marked as shut down. They remain on the list as a historical reference to help traders avoid sending money to defunct entities.

Does Vigil receive compensation from any prop firm?

No. Vigil is fully independent. We do not receive payments, sponsorships, or affiliate commissions from any firm on this list. Scores are based entirely on publicly available data and our research.

How do you calculate the trust score?

Each firm is scored across four weighted categories: Company Fundamentals (25 points) covers age, registration, and transparency; Payout Track Record (30 points) covers payout volume, speed, and consistency; Community Reputation (25 points) covers Trustpilot ratings, forum sentiment, and social media; Regulatory Standing (20 points) covers business registration and legal compliance. The category scores are summed into a total out of 100.

Which prop firm has the highest trust score?

Trust scores change monthly as new data comes in. Check the ranking table at the top of this page for the current leader. Firms in the "Highly Trusted" band (80-100) have the strongest overall track records across all four scoring categories.

Free download

Prop Firm Trust Index 2026

Quick Comparison

Detailed Firm Profiles

Is FTMO Trustworthy?

Evaluation Structure

Pros

Cons

Trust Score Breakdown

Is TopStep Trustworthy?

Evaluation Structure

Pros

Cons

Trust Score Breakdown

Is Apex Trader Funding Trustworthy?

Evaluation Structure

Pros

Cons

Trust Score Breakdown

Is The5%ers Trustworthy?

Evaluation Structure

Pros

Cons

Trust Score Breakdown

Is Earn2Trade Trustworthy?

Evaluation Structure

Pros

Cons

Trust Score Breakdown

Is Take Profit Trader Trustworthy?

Evaluation Structure

Pros

Cons

Trust Score Breakdown

Is FundedNext Trustworthy?

Evaluation Structure

Pros

Cons

Trust Score Breakdown

Is Bulenox Trustworthy?

Evaluation Structure

Pros

Cons

Trust Score Breakdown

Is Blue Guardian Trustworthy?

Evaluation Structure

Pros

Cons

Trust Score Breakdown

Is SurgeTrader Trustworthy?

Evaluation Structure

Pros

Cons

Trust Score Breakdown

Methodology

Company Fundamentals

Payout Track Record

Community Reputation

Regulatory Standing

Frequently Asked Questions

Get trust scores for all 20 prop firms in one spreadsheet.