Talk through my launch plan
Discuss your launch plan with PropFirmReviews.net for founders still deciding the model, rulebook and cost assumptions. Work through the decisions before committing to software.
01 / Your launch plan
No email requiredStart with four decisions.
Get a build order and vendor candidates based on documented categories and platform support. Not a recommendation to sign.
Your plan will appear here.
Build order, vendor fit, published prices and questions to settle before launch.
Your working launch brief
Build the business before the stack.
Answers changed. Build your plan again to refresh this result.
Candidates sorted alphabetically within each step. Fit is category + documented platform overlap, not price or a rating. Market, regional coverage and acceptance of your model need written confirmation.Your saved shortlist
Compare recorded scope, platform support and pricing. This is not a performance ranking.
Published prices in your candidate set
Only shortlisted candidates with published prices appear below. Different products overlap. Do not add these line items into a startup total.
Open questions you still need answered
Email your plan with an enquiry. Download works locally.
Introduce me to vendors
For founders who know which part of the stack they need. Share the scope and request an introduction, with outstanding questions still visible.
All directory listings are free at launch. Request introductions through PropFirmReviews.net. Matches use documented scope and platform support, not payment.
How to start a prop firm,
in the right order.
This guide separates the business model from the vendor purchase. Read it alongside the plan above, then ask for written scope and jurisdiction-specific advice. Use the directory links to compare documented vendor scope.
Which kind of prop firm?
First define whose money is at risk and what service you sell. A simulated evaluation programme is not the same thing as trading the company’s capital or executing client orders.
| Model | Money and risk | Legal question | Primary source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Simulated evaluation | Traders pay for an evaluation using simulated accounts. Any rewards are contractual obligations, not proof of live capital allocation. | How is the programme described, and which rules apply where it is sold? | FTMO notice (ftmo.com; source checked 3 Oct 2026) Topstep disclosures (www.topstep.com; source checked 3 Oct 2026) |
| Live own-capital | The firm trades its own money. A live allocation exposes company capital to market losses. | Does an own-account exemption apply to the actual activity? EU conditions and exceptions matter. | Topstep live services (www.topstep.com; source checked 3 Oct 2026) MiFID II Article 2 |
| Brokerage | Providing execution or counterparty services to clients is distinct from trading only company capital. | Which authorisations and client protections apply? Executing client orders changes the own-account analysis. | ESMA Article 2 |
Topstep identifies simulated programme services and live funded services under separate entities. FTMO states that its client accounts are demo accounts with fictitious funds. Those disclosures support these examples, not a claim about every firm.
Hybrid is a scope question, not a fourth legal exemption.
A broker-run programme may combine services. Match-Trader describes a platform for “FX, Prop, or Hybrid”; that product label does not establish your authorisation status. Read the vendor description (match-trader.com; source checked 3 Oct 2026).
How the model works
For a simulated evaluation business, challenge fees are revenue and contractual trader rewards are cash obligations. The two do not arrive at the same time. A healthy checkout balance does not tell you whether the reward obligations created by those sales are affordable.
Build cash scenarios around your rules and contract: evaluation sales, pass rates, reward eligibility, payout timing, refunds and processor settlement. Test adverse cases before selling. For live own-capital trading, add actual trading losses and capital allocation limits. For brokerage, model the client service separately.
The operating question is not “how fast can we launch?” It is “what must remain true for us to pay what we promise?” Read how prop firms make money for the evaluation revenue model.
Rule design is your risk model
The rulebook determines which accounts breach, which traders qualify and when rewards become payable. Set loss limits, allowed strategies, eligibility and dispute procedures before pricing an evaluation. Rules should be clear enough for both traders and your software to apply consistently.
The reference point matters
FTMO’s trading objectives describe Maximum Loss rules; Topstep’s help centre describes a Maximum Loss Limit that trails the end-of-day balance and eventually locks. Programme details matter, so do not copy one firm’s headline percentage into another model.
FTMO trading objectives (ftmo.com; source checked 3 Oct 2026) · Topstep Maximum Loss Limit (help.topstep.com; source checked 3 Oct 2026)
Model the impact of trailing versus static drawdown, consistency rules and payout gating together. Keep examples of boundary cases and an audit trail for rule enforcement.
Operator view: do not design the rules after the first sale.
Changing payout conditions after traders join can create disputes and damage trust. Test the rulebook, explain changes clearly and have counsel review how existing contracts are treated.
The build order
Commercial decisions come first. Legal scoping begins at the model stage, with final terms and operational checks before launch. A white label may group technical work but does not remove your oversight.
- Market. Choose CFD/forex, futures or a separately scoped plan for both. Study CFD/forex firms and futures firms.
- Model. Define simulated evaluations, live company capital and any brokerage services. Start legal scoping now.
- Rulebook. Write account stages, drawdown, reward eligibility and appeals. Test the cash consequences.
- Platform. Confirm instruments, account stages and contracts with platform vendors. Futures plans also need data and routing scope.
- Back office and CRM. Choose challenge and account software, or compare white label bundles. Require usable data exports.
- Risk. Connect risk controls to the written rules. For live execution, scope liquidity and connectivity where relevant.
- KYC. Specify identity checks, timing, escalation and data handling with KYC providers.
- Payments and payouts. Obtain written acceptance of your model and regions from payment vendors. Test settlement, refunds and payout reconciliation.
- Legal and terms. Finish activity and jurisdiction review, truthful account disclosures and contract approval.
- Affiliates and marketing. Connect tracking and a truthful acquisition plan. Make costs and commissions visible.
- Support. Arrange support coverage, appeals and incident procedures. Run checkout-to-payout tests before launch.
What vendors publish
These are selected vendor price notes, not quotes for your complete prop firm. Each retains its primary-source attribution and the directory’s checked date. Broker platform pricing and contractor payroll pricing are labelled so they are not mistaken for prop-specific plans.
| Vendor | Published price and scope | Checked | Evidence |
|---|---|---|---|
| Execurve (PropScale) | Starter €740/mo (500 active accounts) plus €2,450 one-time setup | 2026-10-04 | Vendor pricing snapshot. Request current terms through our team. |
| Leverate | Start-up Brokers €1,490/mo; Professional Brokers €2,990/mo; CRM and client portal +€2,000/mo; no setup feeProfessional plan is described as for brokerages and prop firms | 2026-10-04 | Vendor pricing snapshot. Request current terms through our team. |
| Match-Trader | White label Basic $2,500/mo, White label Turnkey $4,000/mo, Server $5,000/moForex platform pricing page; prop firm pricing not listed separately | 2026-10-04 | Vendor pricing snapshot. Request current terms through our team. |
| TradeLocker | Starter plan $5,000/mo (1,000 live, 2,000 demo accounts), no setup feeBroker pricing page | 2026-10-04 | Vendor pricing snapshot. Request current terms through our team. |
| B2Broker (B2Prop) | Modules from $1,000/mo (B2CORE Advanced $2,500/mo, B2TRADER $2,500/mo); software fees can be credited against a liquidity bundleBroker pricing page, not a prop firm specific plan | 2026-10-04 | Vendor pricing snapshot. Request current terms through our team. |
| Sumsub | Basic $1.35 per verification ($149 monthly minimum); Compliance $1.85 per verification ($299 monthly minimum) | 2026-10-04 | Vendor pricing snapshot. Request current terms through our team. |
| Shufti | Free tier up to 10 verifications/mo; Essentials from $1.50 per verification | 2026-10-04 | Vendor pricing snapshot. Request current terms through our team. |
| Rise | Global Contractor $49 per contractor/mo; Agent of Record $299 per contractor/moPayroll pricing; prop firm payout pricing not published | 2026-10-04 | Vendor pricing snapshot. Request current terms through our team. |
| Point Legal | Starter €2,000/mo, Growth €4,000/mo, Full €8,000/mo (lower rates on 6-month and yearly terms) | 2026-10-04 | Vendor pricing snapshot. Request current terms through our team. |
Snapshot checked 3 Oct 2026. Page reviewed 4 Oct 2026. Reconfirm scope, currency, usage limits and contract terms before buying. Unpublished offers are “Not published, quote on request”, not free. Browse the full directory.
What you actually have to fund
- TechnologyPlatform, CRM, evaluation engine, integration work and usage-based fees. Check for overlapping bundle components.
- Payout reservesCash for contractual trader rewards and, where relevant, actual trading losses. Test timing rather than assuming fees will cover them.
- PaymentsTransaction fees, refunds, chargebacks and any reserves or settlement delays in your processor contract.
- Legal and complianceCompany structure, activity-specific advice, terms, KYC and data responsibilities across target markets.
- AcquisitionAffiliate commissions, campaigns, content and offers. Test the economics of discounts instead of treating revenue as margin.
- OperationsSupport, reconciliation, incident handling and ongoing rule enforcement.
Why there is no startup total here
Vendors bundle different services. Some prices are monthly, others are usage-based, and several rows describe products outside a prop-specific plan. Adding them double-counts parts of the stack and leaves out reserves and operating needs. We have no sourced typical payout reserve or acquisition-cost figure, so none is supplied.
Structure, regulation and payments
Take advice in every market you intend to serve. Incorporation location alone is not a legal conclusion, and a simulated account does not prove a universal licence exemption. This page does not provide country-specific conclusions for the US, UK or UAE.
EU MiFID II Article 2(1)(d) has a conditional own-account exemption. Its text includes exclusions involving market making, membership of a regulated market or MTF subject to stated exceptions, high-frequency algorithmic trading and execution of client orders. Commodity derivatives are excluded from that wording. Read the conditions with counsel rather than turning them into “prop firms need no licence”.
ESMA: MiFID II Article 2 · ESMA: retail CFD product intervention context
Ask each payment provider to approve your exact activity, account disclosures, target countries and payout flow. Ask about reserves, settlement, chargebacks, suspension and refunds. Do not assume that selling a simulated evaluation guarantees processor acceptance.
Stripe’s support FAQ explains that review at activation determines whether a business is supportable. It is not evidence that every prop firm is accepted or banned. Read the supportability FAQ (support.stripe.com; source checked 3 Oct 2026). Check the current provider terms before applying.
Terms must explain whether accounts are simulated, how rewards are calculated, when KYC occurs and which conduct can invalidate eligibility. For execution context, read B-booking and A-book brokers; neither substitutes for legal advice.
How firms fail
Use these as an operator’s stress-test checklist, not a statistical ranking of failure causes. Review prop firms that shut down and firms we will not list before choosing what your own programme promises.
| Risk | Warning sign | What to test before launch |
|---|---|---|
| Payout pressure | Cash available today is confused with margin. | Reward obligations under adverse pass and payout scenarios. |
| Rule disputes | Rules or payout conditions change without a clear contract process. | Boundary cases, appeals and account-stage disclosures. |
| Processor disruption | One checkout route has no documented fallback. | Suspension, refund and settlement procedures. |
| Acquisition pressure | Discounts and commissions rise without a cash model. | Net revenue after refunds, commissions and reward obligations. |
| Support failure | No clear owner for a disputed breach or delayed reward. | Incident ownership, response coverage and audit trails. |
Build against the evidence traders will expect. Our review methodology sets out what we verify rather than taking on trust.
Platform support across
56 listed vendors
This is an integration count, not market share. A vendor can list several platforms, and a platform can appear in software, risk or other categories. Unknown support is not counted.
Computed from the 56-record directory snapshot checked 3 Oct 2026. Counts include the full snapshot; planner candidates exclude affiliated listings. Named support is a starting point for verification, not confirmed availability in every region or programme.
Questions before you launch
Is a prop firm a broker?
Not necessarily: a simulated evaluation firm, an own-capital trading business and a brokerage carry different responsibilities. A broker provides execution or counterparty services to clients. The label “prop firm” does not settle the legal position. Have counsel review the actual activity and each target market.
Do evaluation firms trade real money?
Evaluation accounts can be simulated, not live accounts with real company capital. FTMO says its client accounts use fictitious funds in a simulated environment. Topstep separates its simulated programmes from its live funded services. Check the programme terms instead of assuming “funded” means live execution.
What does white label mean?
White label means offering a vendor’s product or service under your own brand. The scope varies: software, support, payment connections and responsibility for payouts may sit with different parties. Ask for an inclusion list and contract. A white label is not a substitute for your own legal review.
How much does it cost to start a prop firm?
There is no defensible universal startup total. You must price technology, payout reserves, payments, legal and compliance work, acquisition and operations separately. Vendor bundles overlap, and published fees may be for broker or payroll products rather than your prop model. Get written quotes for your regions, volumes and scope.
Do I need a licence to start a prop firm?
Licensing depends on your activities, products and target jurisdictions. EU MiFID II Article 2 includes a conditional own-account exemption with exceptions; it does not prove that every prop firm is exempt. Simulated evaluations do not establish a universal exemption either. Obtain advice for every market you intend to serve.
Can I launch with both CFD/forex and futures?
You can plan both, but should validate each stack and legal position separately. Platform support alone does not confirm market data rights, account availability or vendor acceptance of your business model. Ask each shortlisted vendor to confirm the instruments, regions and integrations you need in writing.
Should I build my own stack or use white label?
Choose based on control and contractual scope, not a launch-speed promise. White label may reduce integration work; an assembled stack lets you choose separate components but makes you responsible for their connections. Compare rule flexibility, data access, payout responsibility, support coverage and exit terms before signing.
Sources for model and licence answers: FTMO (ftmo.com; source checked 3 Oct 2026), Topstep (www.topstep.com; source checked 3 Oct 2026), ESMA Article 2.
Define the business.
Then choose the vendors.
Still deciding your model?
Talk through the rulebook, scope and cost assumptions with the PropFirmReviews.net team.
Know what you need?
Use the documented shortlist to request vendor introductions.
All directory listings are free at launch. Request introductions through PropFirmReviews.net. Matches use documented scope and platform support, not payment.