• Alpha Capital Group and FTMO both use two-phase evaluation structures with a stated 5% daily drawdown and 10% total drawdown on their standard two-step offerings, but traders must compare the calculation method and reset time rather than the percentages alone.
• FTMO’s published Trading Objectives state a 10% profit target in its Challenge and 5% in Verification, with at least four trading days; its Maximum Daily Loss includes closed P/L, floating P/L, commissions, and swaps.
• FTMO offers MT4, MT5, cTrader, and DXtrade, while Alpha Capital Group lists MT5 and cTrader; platform choice can determine whether a trader can use an existing workflow or automation setup.
• FTMO states an 80% reward split that can rise to 90% under its scaling plan and permits reward requests after a minimum 14-day trading period; Alpha Capital Group’s standard comparison data indicates an 80% profit split and bi-weekly payout cycle, subject to the selected program’s terms.
• A 5% daily-loss limit on a $100,000 notional account represents a $5,000 daily loss allowance, while a 10% total-loss limit represents $10,000—but floating losses and overnight resets can cause a breach before a trade is closed.

For a live side-by-side view, see the Alpha Capital Group vs FTMO comparison, plus the individual Alpha Capital Group profile and FTMO profile. The purpose of this guide is not to declare one firm universally better. It is to show how to compare rules in the order that matters to a trader’s actual method: loss accounting first, then objectives, restrictions, platform, and payout terms.

A meaningful Alpha Capital Group rules comparison begins with the core economics of passing. Both firms are commonly presented as two-phase evaluation providers with a 5% daily drawdown and 10% total drawdown on comparable standard programs. Alpha Capital Group’s standard comparison data shows two phases, a 5% daily drawdown, a 10% total drawdown, an 80% profit split, and bi-weekly payouts. FTMO’s Trading Objectives set out its Challenge and Verification framework, including a 10% Challenge profit target, 5% Verification target, four minimum trading days, 5% Maximum Daily Loss, and 10% Maximum Loss for the referenced two-step account type.

Those figures look similar, but similarity is not equivalence. The trader needs to determine whether the same trading behavior produces the same compliance result. This is especially important for a strategy that holds positions into rollover, trades several correlated FX pairs, or allows a large open profit and loss swing.

FTMO’s daily-loss definition is detailed enough to illustrate why percentage-only comparisons fail. FTMO says Maximum Daily Loss includes the result of closed positions, floating P/L, commissions, and swaps. It also notes that the limit resets at midnight Prague time. A trader who begins the day with a small realized loss, keeps an underwater swing position open, and incurs rollover costs can violate the daily limit even if no individual trade reaches its stop loss.

For example, on a $100,000 account, 5% is $5,000. If the day’s closed losses are $1,200, commissions and swaps total $100, and a still-open position is down $3,800, the combined daily effect is $5,100. Under an equity-inclusive calculation such as FTMO’s stated method, that is beyond the $5,000 threshold. The important lesson is not to rely on a “closed-loss” dashboard view when the firm tests equity in real time.

Alpha Capital Group traders should obtain the written rule for the exact program selected and identify the same items: daily reset timezone, treatment of floating P/L, commissions, swaps, and whether daily drawdown is anchored to start-of-day balance or equity. Its website terms and program rule pages govern the account purchased, not an aggregator summary. Use the broader trading rules comparison page and the definitions of maximum daily drawdown and equity-based drawdown to translate the wording into a practical risk limit.

Why a 5% daily loss is not a 5% risk-per-trade allowance

Daily drawdown is an account-level boundary, not a recommended trade-size target. Correlation can turn three positions into one concentrated risk. Long EUR/USD, long GBP/USD, and short USD/CHF may all express a broadly short-dollar view; stops that appear separate can be hit together during a fast USD move.

A conservative approach is to reserve capacity for spread widening, slippage, commissions, swaps, and the possibility that trades overlap across sessions. Traders who risk a modest fraction of the daily allowance per idea are less dependent on perfect execution. The position size calculator and drawdown calculator are useful for converting a stop distance and account loss budget into a position size.

The following process keeps the comparison focused on enforceable terms instead of marketing labels. It is appropriate whether the trader is choosing between the two firms or using this pair as a template for a wider prop firm rules comparison guide.

Step 1: Match the exact account types rather than the firm brands

Start by selecting an equivalent account size, evaluation structure, and trading style at each firm. A two-step evaluation should be compared with another two-step evaluation, not with an instant-funded account or a swing program. Record the account currency, nominal size, platform, challenge type, and whether overnight or weekend holding is intended.

Then save the rule URLs or PDF terms available at purchase. The relevant promise is the rule set tied to the particular product, not an older review, promotional post, or another account category. FTMO explicitly separates account types and Trading Objectives, while Alpha Capital Group’s terms should be read alongside the product terms selected.

Step 2: Convert every drawdown percentage into a cash floor

Write down the daily and total loss figure in currency terms. On a $100,000 notional account, 5% daily loss is $5,000 and 10% total loss is $10,000. On a $50,000 account, those same percentages equal $2,500 and $5,000.

Next, identify the daily reference point and total-loss floor. A static floor does not rise after profits; a trailing floor can reduce usable room after an early gain. These structures are explained in the static drawdown, trailing drawdown, and maximum total drawdown glossary entries. Do not assume a stated 10% maximum loss is static without written confirmation.

Step 3: Test your strategy against restricted periods and instruments

List the events and methods your plan uses: high-impact economic releases, weekend positions, index opens, crypto weekends, grid entries, trade copying, or an EA. Then read the restrictions on news trading, market closures, order types, latency-sensitive methods, and third-party tools.

A discretionary intraday trader may prioritize news restrictions and daily reset time. A swing trader should prioritize rollover treatment, weekend holding, and swap exposure. An automated trader must establish whether EAs are permitted and whether the firm restricts particular automation behaviors, copied signals, or identical trade patterns across accounts. See the EA definition, news trading definition, and weekend-holding comparison.

Step 4: Compare the first payout date, not just the profit split

An 80% split has different cash-flow value when the earliest eligible payout occurs after different periods. FTMO states that a reward can be requested after at least 14 days from the first trade on the FTMO Account, and that its reward split is 80%, increasing to 90% through its scaling plan subject to the plan’s conditions. Alpha Capital Group is listed with an 80% profit split and bi-weekly payouts in the supplied standard comparison data, but the trader should confirm the first-payout qualification, any consistency or activity condition, and payment-processing steps in Alpha’s live terms.

Step 5: Calculate cost relative to usable loss capacity

The entry fee is not meaningful in isolation. Divide the fee by the cash value of the maximum drawdown, then evaluate the target required to pass. If two comparable accounts each offer a $10,000 maximum loss allowance but one costs less, the lower-cost option has a lower initial fee-to-loss-capacity ratio—assuming all other restrictions are genuinely comparable.

Use the challenge cost comparison tool only after selecting the same account size and phase structure. Also inspect whether a fee is refundable, when it becomes refundable, and whether that refund is contingent on the first funded payout. FTMO states that the fee is refunded with the first reward under its published conditions.

Leverage is often compared as a headline number, but it should be treated as a margin and position-capacity rule. Higher leverage can permit a larger position for the same deposit-equivalent margin, yet it does not expand the daily drawdown limit. In practice, leverage only helps if a trader’s stop-loss-based sizing, spread risk, and total exposure remain below the firm’s loss thresholds.

FTMO publishes leverage by account type and instrument in its account documentation, and traders should confirm the current figure for the chosen program instead of relying on historical comparisons. Alpha Capital Group likewise requires verification in its current program terms because leverage, symbol availability, and special limits may differ by plan or platform. This is one area where the correct result is sometimes “not directly comparable until the selected products are identified.”

FTMO’s prohibited trading practices page is a primary source for conduct rules, including practices the firm considers unacceptable in its simulated environment. That matters because a strategy can technically stay within the drawdown limit but still be rejected for execution behavior the firm categorizes as prohibited. Alpha Capital Group’s legal terms and program rules should be checked with the same discipline, particularly where a trader uses latency-sensitive entries, grid logic, arbitrage-style methods, or externally supplied signals.

Platform availability is a rule-compliance issue

FTMO’s availability of MT4, MT5, cTrader, and DXtrade provides more platform choice than Alpha Capital Group’s listed MT5 and cTrader availability. But more platforms do not automatically mean a better fit. MT4 may matter to a trader with legacy indicators; cTrader may matter to a trader using cAlgo or a cTrader-native workflow; MT5 may be the common denominator for many EAs and multi-asset templates.

Before paying, conduct a non-live systems check. Confirm that the platform supports the desired symbols, order types, chart timeframes, stop-loss placement, and any automation. If using an EA, test it under the firm’s permitted environment and confirm that the system does not create prohibited order patterns. A cTrader prop firm comparison and MT5 prop firm comparison can narrow platform-led choices, but they do not replace the individual firm rulebook.

Payout terms are where traders should separate a quoted split from the amount they can actually request, retain, and receive. FTMO’s published materials state an 80% reward split, with the possibility of 90% under the FTMO Scaling Plan, and a minimum 14-day trading period before a reward request on an FTMO Account. The supplied comparison data lists Alpha Capital Group at an 80% profit split with bi-weekly payouts. Neither headline eliminates the need to confirm current account-specific eligibility rules, KYC procedures, payment routes, and whether a profit-distribution condition applies.

The table is contextual rather than a recommendation. For example, Blue Guardian’s supplied 4% daily and 8% total drawdown figures are tighter than the 5% and 10% figures shown for Alpha Capital Group and FTMO, despite its stated 85%–90% profit split. FundedNext and The5ers are listed with 5% daily and 10% total drawdown, but their platform availability and profit-split ranges differ. Always validate current conditions on each firm’s own site before relying on a comparison dataset.

Cost-to-drawdown value is therefore best calculated as a set of questions:

A fee refund is valuable only if the trader reaches the qualifying event. A 90% split is valuable only after the conditions for it are met. Likewise, a 14-day payout period should be measured from the event defined by the firm—FTMO specifies first trade for its reward-cycle condition—not merely from the day the account was purchased.

For wider context, compare profit splits, review the payout tracker, and use the ROI calculator. Traders who are choosing based primarily on lower upfront cost can also review the low-cost prop firms page, but should not let a discounted fee override a rule mismatch.

Are Alpha Capital Group and FTMO daily loss limits the same

Both are commonly listed with a 5% daily drawdown on their standard two-step offerings. However, equal percentages do not prove identical enforcement. FTMO states that closed P/L, floating P/L, commissions, and swaps count toward Maximum Daily Loss, with a Prague-time daily reset. Confirm Alpha Capital Group’s corresponding calculation and reset time for the exact account before treating the limits as equivalent.

Does FTMO have a 10% maximum loss rule

FTMO’s published Trading Objectives for its two-step process state a 10% Maximum Loss limit. The loss limit must be assessed alongside the 5% Maximum Daily Loss rule. Traders should also check the applicable account type because FTMO offers different products and objectives. The firm’s current Trading Objectives page is the controlling source.

Does Alpha Capital Group use trailing or static drawdown

The supplied standard comparison data identifies Alpha Capital Group with a 10% total drawdown, but a percentage alone does not establish whether the loss floor is static or trailing. The answer can vary by program, so the trader should review Alpha Capital Group’s selected account terms before purchase. A trailing drawdown can materially change how profits affect remaining risk capacity.

Which firm has more trading platforms, Alpha Capital Group or FTMO

FTMO lists MT4, MT5, cTrader, and DXtrade, while Alpha Capital Group is listed with MT5 and cTrader. FTMO therefore offers more listed platform options. The better choice depends on the trader’s required platform and whether the selected firm permits the intended tools and execution style. Platform selection should be confirmed at checkout because availability can change.

Can I use an EA with FTMO or Alpha Capital Group

An EA may be permitted only if its behavior complies with the relevant firm’s prohibited-practices and program rules. FTMO publishes prohibited trading practices that traders should review before deploying automated logic. Alpha Capital Group users should check its current terms and obtain clarification if the EA uses copying, high-frequency execution, grid logic, or other potentially restricted behavior. Permission for an EA is not permission for every strategy it can run.

When can I request an FTMO payout

FTMO states that traders can request a reward after a minimum 14-day trading period from the first trade on the FTMO Account. Its payout process also involves the firm’s reward-cycle and verification procedures. The trader should check the current FTMO payout documentation for payment methods and timing after an invoice or request is submitted. A payout interval is not a guarantee that every request is processed instantly.

Is FTMO’s fee refundable

FTMO states that the Challenge fee is refunded with the first reward, subject to the conditions of the relevant account and program. A refund should not be viewed as an automatic rebate at the moment an evaluation is passed. Review the current conditions, because eligibility depends on reaching the funded reward stage and complying with the terms. Alpha Capital Group’s refund position should be verified for the exact plan chosen.

Should I choose Alpha Capital Group or FTMO based on profit split

No. FTMO’s stated split starts at 80% and may rise to 90% through scaling, while Alpha Capital Group is listed at 80% in the supplied comparison data. But loss accounting, prohibited practices, platform fit, and first-payout eligibility can have a greater effect on whether a trader ever receives a distribution. Choose the rule set that your existing strategy can follow consistently.

To compare Alpha Capital Group vs FTMO trading rules, begin with the actual daily-loss calculation and total-loss floor, then verify account-specific targets, restrictions, platform support, and first-payout eligibility. Their headline 5% daily and 10% total drawdown figures are similar, but the governing rulebooks—not the percentages alone—determine practical suitability.