Methodology

How we rank prop firms

Every firm gets a FirmScopes Score from 0–10, built from what a trader actually cares about — not how long a firm has been around or how much we could scrape. It's independent: no firm pays for placement, and affiliate commissions never move a ranking.

Trader outcomes

35%
Verified payouts20%

Real payout certificates traders upload, each AI- and human-verified. The hardest evidence that a firm actually pays — so it carries the most weight.

Trader sentiment15%

“Would you recommend?” votes and review ratings from real traders on FirmScopes.

Value & terms

35%
Profit split13%

The maximum share of profit a trader keeps across the firm's plans.

Entry price12%

The cost of the cheapest funded challenge — lower is more accessible.

Speed to payout10%

Minimum trading days and how quickly a first payout is issued.

Firm quality

30%
Longevity12%

How long the firm has operated — full credit at 7+ years.

Terms transparency10%

Whether the rules that matter — drawdown, payout schedule, profit split, restrictions — are clearly documented.

Product breadth8%

Range of platforms and challenge types offered.

How a score evolves

Where a firm has no verified payouts or reviews yet, that part of its score sits at a neutral baseline — we don't punish a firm for a lack of proof, and we never invent it. As traders upload verified payout certificates and leave reviews, those firms' scores sharpen and separate from the pack. A ranking here reflects evidence, not marketing.

What doesn't affect a ranking

  • Payment. No firm can buy a higher position — there is no paid placement.
  • Affiliate commissions. What we earn if you sign up never changes the order.
  • Bought reviews. Payout certificates are verified before they count; reviews are one signal, not the whole score.

Coming next: independent Trustpilot ratings folded in as an additional trust signal, via Trustpilot's review-syndication partnership.