Prop Firm Profit Splits Compared: 70% to 100% — What You Actually Keep

The advertised profit split is one of the first things traders compare when choosing a prop firm. But the headline number rarely tells the full story. A 90% split with high fees can be worse than an 80% split with no fees. Let us break down what you actually keep.

Profit Splits at a Glance

| Firm | Starting Split | Maximum Split | How to Scale | Asset Class |

|---|---|---|---|---|

| Apex Trader Funding | 100% (first $25K) | 90% (after $25K) | Automatic | Futures |

| TopStep | 100% (first $10K) | 90% (after $10K) | Automatic | Futures |

| FTMO | 80% | 90% | 4-month scaling plan | Forex/CFDs |

| Funded Next | 80% | 95% | 4-month scaling plan | Forex/CFDs |

| The5%ers | 80% | 100% | Scaling milestones | Forex/CFDs |

| MyFundedFX | 80% | 90% | Scaling plan | Forex/CFDs |

| E8 Funding | 80% | 80% (ELEV8 for higher) | ELEV8 program | Forex/CFDs |

| Bulenox | 90% | 90% | N/A | Futures |

| Take Profit Trader | 80% | 90% | Scaling plan | Futures |

| Earn2Trade | 80% | 80% | N/A | Futures |

| Leeloo Trading | 80% | 90% | Performance-based | Futures |

| The Funded Trader | 80% | 90% | Scaling plan | Forex/CFDs |

Understanding the Fine Print

"100% Profit Split" — Is It Really 100%?

Apex Trader Funding and TopStep both advertise 100% profit splits, but with important caveats:

• Apex: You keep 100% of the first $25,000 in total payouts. After that, the split drops to 90%. For most traders, this is genuinely excellent — $25,000 is a significant sum.
• TopStep: You keep 100% of the first $10,000 in payouts. After that, it becomes 90%. The threshold is lower than Apex but still meaningful.

These are not gimmicks — they are legitimate introductory profit splits. But do not assume you will keep 100% forever.

Scaling Plans Explained

Several firms offer scaling plans that increase your profit split (and sometimes your account size) over time:

FTMO Scaling Plan:

• Requirements: 10%+ profit over a 4-month period, at least 2 of the 4 months profitable
• Reward: Account size increases by 25%, split increases to 90%
• Can scale multiple times up to $2,000,000

Funded Next Scaling Plan:

• Each 10% profit milestone increases the split: 80% → 85% → 90% → 95%
• Account size also grows at each milestone

The5%ers Scaling Plan:

• Hit 10% profit → account doubles, split stays at 80%
• Continue scaling up to $4,000,000 with 100% split at the top tier
• Most aggressive scaling in the industry

What You Actually Take Home

The split percentage only matters in the context of total costs. Here is a realistic scenario for each firm type.

Scenario: $50,000 Account, $5,000 Gross Profit, First Payout

| Firm | Split | Gross Payout | Challenge Fee | Data/Platform Fees | Net Take-Home |

|---|---|---|---|---|---|

| Apex (on sale) | 100% | $5,000 | $100 (sunk cost) | ~$55/mo | ~$4,945 |

| TopStep | 100% | $5,000 | $165 (sunk cost) | ~$0 (included) | ~$5,000 |

| FTMO | 80% | $4,000 | $0 (refunded) | $0 | ~$4,345 (refund included) |

| Bulenox | 90% | $4,500 | $145 (sunk cost) | ~$55/mo | ~$4,445 |

| MyFundedFX | 80% | $4,000 | $149 (sunk cost) | $0 | ~$4,000 |

Key insight: On a first payout basis, the 100% split firms lead — but FTMO's fee refund makes it surprisingly competitive despite the 80% split. The challenge fee is already spent regardless, so the real comparison is between the split percentages and ongoing costs.

Over 12 Months: $3,000/Month Gross Profit

| Firm | Split | Annual Gross | Annual Fees | Annual Net | Monthly Net |

|---|---|---|---|---|---|

| Apex | 100%→90% | $36,000 | ~$660 data | ~$33,540 | ~$2,795 |

| FTMO | 80%→90% | $36,000 | $0 | ~$30,600 | ~$2,550 |

| Bulenox | 90% | $36,000 | ~$660 data | ~$31,740 | ~$2,645 |

| Funded Next | 80%→90% | $36,000 | $0 | ~$30,600 | ~$2,550 |

Over a full year with scaling, the differences narrow. Apex still leads due to the 100% split on early payouts, but the gap is smaller than the headline numbers suggest.

Factors That Matter More Than Split Percentage

1. Payout Frequency

A 90% split paid monthly is worth less than an 80% split paid weekly — because you reinvest or use that money sooner. Weekly payouts compound your personal financial position faster.

2. Drawdown Rules

A generous split means nothing if the rules are so tight you cannot stay funded. A firm with an 80% split and static drawdown may pay out more total dollars than a 90% firm with aggressive trailing drawdown — because you stay funded longer.

3. Scaling Potential

An 80% split on a $50K account ($40K of $50K profits) is less than a 70% split on a $200K account ($140K of $200K profits). Firms with strong scaling plans can more than offset a lower starting split through account growth.

4. Hidden Costs

Monthly platform fees, data fees, activation fees, withdrawal minimums, and inactivity fees all reduce your effective take-home. Always calculate the total cost of being funded, not just the split.

How to Maximize Your Take-Home

1. Start at firms with 100% introductory splits to maximize early earnings
2. Scale into higher splits by meeting consistency and profitability targets
3. Minimize fixed costs by choosing firms with included data and no platform fees
4. Withdraw consistently — do not let profits sit in the account where they are at risk of drawdown
5. Track net payouts (after all fees) in PropTally to see your true effective split over time

Use the profit calculator to model your expected take-home across different firms and split structures. For a deep dive into scaling strategies, check our scaling plan guide.

Compare all firms side by side on our prop firm comparison page.

Start tracking your prop firm payouts

Import trades, monitor drawdowns, and manage multiple funded accounts in one dashboard.