FTMO Free Trial Overview
| Trading Period | 14 days |
| Profit Target | 5% |
| Max Daily Loss | 5% |
| Max Loss (Overall) | 10% |
| Minimum Trading Days | 5 |
| Funding After Pass | No (trial is practice only) |
I’ve been out of the prop firm trading world for a while now. Life threw a lot at me recently, and trading had to take a back seat. But now I’m ready to get back into it. I want to practice, sharpen my edge, and rebuild my confidence. That’s why I’m starting with the FTMO Free Trial, and in this article, I’ll share my review of it.
FTMO has been around for years and is still the biggest name in the prop firm space. A lot of new firms have popped up with flashy features and different challenge models, but for me, the free trial FTMO offers still stands out for me. It’s simple, fair, and a great place for beginners to get started. I honestly think it gives FTMO an edge over most of its competitors.
What Is the FTMO Free Trial?
The FTMO Free Trial is a demo account that lets you test yourself under the same type of rules you’d face in the real FTMO Challenge. The main point is that it’s free to try. So, you don’t risk any money, like purchasing an FTMO challenge. Think of it as a practice round before you commit to the paid evaluation.
The main idea is simple: you get to trade like you would in the Challenge (same rules and limits apply), but with demo funds (this is the same as real challenges) and for a shorter period of time. So, it can help you see if you’re able to follow the FTMO challenge rules and manage risk while reaching profit targets.
Make sure to understand that the FTMO challenge Free Trial is not a shortcut to funding. In fact, even if you hit all the targets and “pass” the trial, you won’t get a funded account. You’ll still need to pay and go through the official Challenge and Verification stages if you want to trade FTMO capital, scale the account, and get payouts.
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How the FTMO Free Trial Works
Signing up for the Free Trial FTMO offers is quite simple. You just go to their website, choose the Free Trial option, and register with your details. You can also do it from your client panel if you already have an account with the firm.
Once it’s set up, you’ll receive login credentials for the trading platform you pick.
You can choose between MT4, MT5, DXtrade, and cTrader. You’ll also get to pick your account size, with virtual balances that are the same as the real Challenge options.
You can also have a try at the FTMO Swing model using the free trial. It allows you to trade overnight and on weekends, and also during news releases. But the leverage is reduced from 100 to 30 compared to the regular challenge.
Rules and Objectives
The FTMO Free Trial challenge is meant to mirror the real Challenge, but in a shorter and scaled-down format. You get the same type of rules and targets, just compressed into two weeks. This way, you can see if your strategy and mindset can work under FTMO’s framework.
Here are the key rules you need to know:
- Trading Period: 14 calendar days (no extensions).
- Minimum Trading Days: 5 days. You need to place at least one trade on five different days to meet this rule.
- Profit Target: 5% of the initial account balance. (For example, on a $100,000 trial account, you’d need to make $5,000 by the end of two weeks).
- Maximum Daily Loss: 5% of the starting balance in a single day.
- Maximum Loss (Overall): 10% of the starting balance across the entire trial.
- Account Types: You can choose from the same account sizes offered in the real Challenge (e.g., $10k, $25k, $50k, $100k, $200k virtual balance).
And here’s how the FTMO free trial compares to the real challenge:
| Rule | Free Trial | FTMO Challenge |
|---|---|---|
| Trading Period | 14 days | 30 days (Phase 1) + 60 days (Verification) |
| Profit Target | 5% | 10% (Phase 1), 5% (Verification) |
| Max Daily Loss | 5% | 5% |
| Max Loss (Overall) | 10% | 10% |
| Min Trading Days | 5 | 4 |
| Funding After Pass | No | Yes, after Verification |
Tools and Features Included
For me, one of the best parts of the FTMO Free Trial demo is that it gives you access to many of the same tools you’d use in the real Challenge. So, you’ll get familiar with everything if it’s your first time with the firm, and understand how FTMO tracks and analyzes your performance.
Here’s what you get:
- Account MetriX: It’s FTMO’s detailed dashboard that shows your account’s performance. You can track your balance and equity, risk parameters, and whether you’re within the rules.
- Trading Journal: It will log your trades. You can write notes and also review your decisions. So, you won’t need a third-party trading journal software.
- Statistics Applications: These show things like win rate, average RRR, and other performance metrics.
- Daily Equity Updates: They’ll update your account statistics every day, just like they would when you’re trading a real FTMO challenge.
The main benefit of these tools is that they force you to approach trading like a professional. And let me tell you something, that’s exactly how to approach it if you want to get and remain funded and make a living off of trading.
So, even though it’s a demo account, the analysis makes you treat every trade seriously.
Recent Updates (September 2025)
FTMO keeps the Free Trial accounts up to date and also uses them to try new stuff. So, for example, sometimes new symbols or rule adjustments show up on the trial before they roll out fully to the paid accounts.
Now, here are the most recent updates you should know about as of September 2025:
| Update | Details |
|---|---|
| Symbol Changes | In January 2025, FB was replaced with META on cTrader. Open FB positions had to be closed before the switch. |
| New Instruments | HEATOIL.c (heating oil CFD) was added first on Free Trial servers, initially in “read-only” mode. |
| US Dollar Index | DXY.cash was re-added, starting with Free Trial accounts before full rollout. |
| Platforms | Free Trial supports MT4, MT5, DXtrade, and now, also cTrader. |
FTMO Free Trial vs Competitors
While the FTMO free trial account is my personal recommendation for any new prop firm traders, there are also some alternatives from competitors, which are listed below and compared to FTMO:
| Prop Firm | Duration | Key Details | Visit |
|---|---|---|---|
| FTMO | 14 days | Mirrors the Challenge with 5% profit target, 5% daily loss limit, 10% overall loss. Includes Account MetriX, journal, and stats apps. | Visit |
| FTUK | 14 days | Free simulated account based on their evaluation rules. No credit card needed, just registration. | Visit |
| City Traders Imperium (CTI) | Not specified | “Challenge Free Trial” lets you test their platform and rules risk-free. Duration not listed. | Visit |
| FundedNext | 14 days | Free trial introduced in 2025. Traders can test under real market conditions without financial risk. | Visit |
| E8 Markets | 2 free trials every 28 days | Each trial gives a $100k simulated account on MatchTrader. No payouts, purely for practice. | Visit |
Conclusion
The FTMO Free Trial gives you something more than just your usual demo account. It’s a way to test yourself under real evaluation rules, if you want to become funded by prop firms, without risking any money.
For me, it’s the perfect starting point after being away from prop firm trading. It helps me rebuild confidence and get used to the structure again. And compared to other firms, FTMO’s trial still feels the most professional and realistic, which is something a lot of people like about FTMO overall.
FAQs
Is the FTMO Free Trial really free?
Yes, it’s 100% free. You don’t need to pay or enter card details. You just register on FTMO’s website and get your demo credentials.
Can I take multiple FTMO free trials?
Yes, but you can only have one active trial at a time. Once your 14 days are over, or if you delete it, you can register for another.
What happens if I pass the FTMO Free Trial?
Passing the trial doesn’t give you a funded account. It’s only practice. To trade FTMO capital, you still need to buy and pass the official Challenge and Verification.
Is the FTMO Free Trial harder than the Challenge?
Not really. The rules are the same, but the trial is shorter (14 days). The profit target is 5% instead of 10%, so it’s scaled down, but the time pressure makes it challenging.
Can I extend the 14-day period?
No, extensions aren’t available. Once the trial ends, you’ll need to start a new one if you want more practice.
Can I use Expert Advisors (EAs) or algorithms in the FTMO Free Trial?
Yes, FTMO allows EAs and automated strategies in both the Free Trial and the paid Challenge, as long as they don’t exploit platform errors or breaches of trading rules.
