Yes, the FTMO Free Trial is worth doing if you plan to buy a Challenge. It costs nothing, and it uses FTMO’s real limits and dashboard. It will not fund you, though, and the version you practice on matters.
I ran three Free Trials: a 1-Step trial that failed, a 2-Step trial that failed, and a 1-Step trial that passed. Both failures came from the same rule. This review covers what the trials taught me, where they fall short, and who should bother.
Looking for the exact numbers? Our FTMO Free Trial rules guide lists every limit by version. Ready to test it yourself? Start the FTMO Free Trial.
FTMO Free Trial: quick test verdict
Category |
MarketsXplora rating |
|---|---|
Setup process |
9/10 |
Dashboard clarity |
10/10 |
Objective transparency (in the dashboard) |
10/10 |
Ease of use |
9/10 |
Educational value |
9/10 |
Overall (average of the five) |
9.4/10 |
These are MarketsXplora’s editorial ratings from our own tests, not scores published by FTMO. They do not include the funding path, because the Free Trial has none.
Verdict: the FTMO Free Trial is a realistic, free preview of the Challenge environment. It is one of the best ways for a new trader to learn FTMO’s risk rules before spending money on an evaluation.
What is the FTMO Free Trial?
The FTMO Free Trial is a free, single-phase demo of the FTMO Challenge. You trade simulated money, up to $200,000, for 14 days under FTMO’s real objectives. FTMO says it usually recommends starting here before you commit to a paid evaluation.
It changes very little from the paid product. The profit target drops to 5%, and on the 2-Step version the minimum trading days drop from 4 to 2. FTMO runs the trial in two versions, one for each Challenge type. See the rules guide for every limit.
Passing the Free Trial does not give you a funded account. FTMO says Free Trials grant no eligibility to automatically secure an FTMO Account. To get funded, you must pass a paid Challenge.
My FTMO Free Trial results
I ran three trials on a $100,000 account, covering both versions. Here is what happened.
Trial |
Version |
Result |
Ending balance |
Largest daily loss |
Largest drawdown |
Trading days |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 |
1-Step |
Failed: daily loss breach |
$97,850 |
$3,150 |
3.2% |
5 |
2 |
2-Step |
Failed: daily loss breach |
$94,650 |
$5,350 |
5.4% |
4 |
3 |
1-Step |
Passed: +$5,780 (+5.78%) |
$105,780 |
$1,150 |
2.1% |
8 |
What the results show
The daily loss rule ended both failed trials. On the 2-Step version, one day lost $5,350 against a $5,000 limit. The overall drawdown was only 5.4%, about half of the 10% maximum loss. On the 1-Step version, one day lost $3,150 against a $3,000 limit. In both cases the account was far from its overall floor when the trial ended.
The pass was quiet. My largest daily loss was $1,150 and my largest drawdown was 2.1%. I traded on eight days, and my best day made $1,480. The 1-Step version caps your best day at 50% of your positive-day profit. By my arithmetic, mine was at most about 26%, so the rule never came close to blocking the pass.
What surprised me
The trial felt much closer to a real Challenge account than I expected. FTMO showed the objectives and risk limits clearly from the start, so it was easy to see what the account required.
Spreads and execution
Order execution felt responsive in normal market conditions. Spreads on major forex pairs stayed stable, and I noticed no significant delay when opening or closing positions.
The daily loss reset
The daily loss limit was the most important number to watch. The dashboard showed how much risk I had left, and the reset became much clearer once I saw the account statistics update each day.
My warning for new traders
The biggest mistake is to focus on the profit target and ignore the daily loss rule. A profitable trader can still fail the trial if risk management slips.
Three trials are a small sample. They show how the rules behave, not how you will perform.
How the FTMO Free Trial works
The five steps from sign-up to your result.
You create a free FTMO account, choose your trial and account size, and receive credentials. Then you trade inside the limits and track them in Account MetriX. The trial ends when you pass, fail, or reach day 14. FTMO allows one trial at a time, but you can delete one and start another.
Which version should you practice on?
Match the trial to the Challenge you plan to buy. Otherwise, you practice the wrong risk budget.
If you plan to buy |
Practice on |
What you will face |
|---|---|---|
The 1-Step Challenge |
1-Step trial |
3% daily loss, 10% end-of-day trailing maximum loss, Best Day Rule at 50%, no minimum trading days |
The 2-Step Challenge |
2-Step trial |
5% daily loss, 10% static maximum loss, 2 minimum trading days in the trial, no Best Day Rule |
Not sure yet |
One of each |
Run them one after the other, since FTMO allows only one active trial. Then compare how each limit felt. |
Not sure which Challenge fits you? Read our FTMO 1-Step vs 2-Step comparison. FTMO’s public pages do not explain how a trial gets its version, so check the objectives in Account MetriX right after you start.
What the trial teaches, and what it does not
It teaches you
- How the daily loss limit resets at 00:00 CE(S)T
- Why equity, not balance, decides a breach
- How the Best Day Rule shapes your profit (1-Step version)
- How to read Account MetriX
- How execution and spreads feel on FTMO’s feed
It does not teach you
- How you handle a fee at stake
- The Verification phase of the 2-Step (the trial has one phase)
- TradingView trading (not listed for trials)
- Anything about funded-account payouts
FTMO Free Trial vs the paid Challenge
Feature |
Free Trial |
Paid Challenge |
|---|---|---|
Profit target |
5% |
1-Step: 10%. 2-Step: 10%, then 5%. |
Minimum trading days |
2-Step version: 2. 1-Step version: none listed. |
2-Step: 4 per phase. 1-Step: none listed. |
Phases |
One |
1-Step: one. 2-Step: two. |
Funded account |
No |
Yes, after you pass and complete FTMO’s checks |
Every other limit matches the version you choose. For prices, see our FTMO account types and fees guide.
Platforms, including TradingView
FTMO’s Free Trial page names MetaTrader 4, MetaTrader 5, and cTrader. On 26 August 2026, FTMO also added TradingView as a platform option for the paid Challenge, Verification, and FTMO Account. FTMO has not said that trials support it, so open the platform list when you set up your trial. If you plan to trade the Challenge on TradingView, practice there first if the trial offers it.
Compare FTMO Challenge options →
A 14-day practice plan
This is our suggested plan, not an FTMO requirement. It turns the trial into a rehearsal instead of a race to the target.
- Day 1: set up. Start the trial that matches your planned Challenge. Write down your daily loss floor and maximum loss floor from Account MetriX.
- Days 2 to 3: trade small. Risk a fixed, small share of the account per trade and log every trade. Open positions on at least two separate days.
- Days 4 to 9: trade your real plan. Use your planned position size. Each morning, recalculate your daily floor. Set your own stop for the day well above it, for example at half the daily limit.
- Days 10 to 13: protect the result. On the 1-Step version, check your best-day share before you add size. Do not chase the target.
- Day 14: review. Note which rule came closest to failing you. Then decide whether to buy a Challenge.
FTMO Free Trial vs other prop firm free trials
Several firms offer free trials. We compared FTMO with FundingPips and E8 Markets, using each firm’s own help pages where possible.
Feature |
FTMO |
FundingPips |
E8 Markets |
|---|---|---|---|
Trial length |
14 days per trial account |
14 calendar days per phase |
14 days (per third-party reviews) |
What it mimics |
1-Step or 2-Step Challenge |
2 Step Standard or 2 Step Pro, both phases |
The E8 One account |
Platforms |
MT4, MT5, cTrader named |
MT5 only |
MatchTrader only |
Repeat limits |
One at a time. Delete and restart. |
Unlimited, one at a time |
2 free trials every 28 days |
Sign-up |
Free FTMO account |
Name and email, no card or ID |
Register and verify your profile |
Payout or funded path |
None |
None |
None |
FundingPips is the only one of the three whose trial covers both phases of a 2-Step model. E8 Markets is the only one that caps how often you can start a trial. FTMO is the only one that offers a 1-Step and a 2-Step version and lists three platforms. For a full comparison, see FTMO vs FundingPips.
FTMO Free Trial pros and cons
What we like
- Free, with no entry fee
- Uses FTMO’s real limits and dashboard
- Two versions, so you can match your Challenge
- Objectives show clearly from the start
- Repeatable, since you can delete a trial and start another
What could be better
- No path to funding or payouts
- Only one trial at a time, and only 14 days
- One phase, so no Verification rehearsal
- TradingView is not listed for trials
- FTMO does not explain how versions are assigned
Who should take the FTMO Free Trial?
- New prop traders: learn FTMO’s limits before a fee is at stake.
- Traders moving from another firm: check how FTMO’s daily loss and drawdown rules differ from what you know.
- EA users: confirm your bot behaves inside FTMO’s environment. FTMO caps bots at 2,000 server requests per day.
- Experienced FTMO traders: you can skip it. You already know the environment.
Our FTMO Free Trial verdict
The FTMO Free Trial is one of the most useful free tools in prop trading. You get real limits, a real dashboard, and real market data, at no cost. My two failed trials both ended on the daily loss rule, which is exactly the lesson a paid Challenge would have charged me for.
Bottom line: use it as preparation. Practice on the version that matches your planned Challenge, then decide.
Ready for the official evaluation?
If the trial showed that FTMO’s limits suit your style, you can move on to the paid Challenge.
Review methodology
This review combines my own results from three Free Trials on a $100,000 account with FTMO’s official pages, checked on 19 September 2026. Ratings are our own editorial scores. The other firms’ details come from their help pages, except E8 Markets’ trial length, which comes from third-party reviews. Trial rules can change, so the firms’ live pages take precedence.
- FTMO FAQ: How about a Free Trial?
- FTMO Free Trial page
- FTMO Trading Objectives
- FTMO announcement: TradingView platform option
- FundingPips Free Trial help article
- E8 Markets help center: free trial
Related guides
- FTMO Free Trial Rules Explained: Every Limit by Version
- FTMO Review 2026: Rules, Fees, PFLS Score & OANDA Deal
- FTMO Account Types & Fees: Full 2026 Pricing Breakdown
- FTMO Trading Rules: Objectives, Best Day Rule & Forbidden Practices
FTMO Free Trial: Frequently Asked Questions
Is the FTMO Free Trial worth it?
Yes, if you plan to buy an FTMO Challenge. It is free, it uses FTMO’s real limits and dashboard, and it shows you how the daily loss rule behaves before any fee is at stake. It is less useful if you already know FTMO’s environment well.
Is the FTMO Free Trial really free?
Yes. FTMO charges no entry fee, and you trade simulated money. Any profit you make on the trial is not withdrawable.
Can you get funded by passing the FTMO Free Trial?
No. FTMO states that Free Trials give no eligibility to automatically secure an FTMO Account. You must pass a paid Challenge, either 1-Step or 2-Step.
How long does the FTMO Free Trial last?
Each trial account lasts 14 days. When it ends, you can start a new one. FTMO allows one active Free Trial per trader at a time.
What are the FTMO Free Trial rules?
The trial follows the paid Challenge objectives, with the profit target cut to 5%. The 2-Step version also cuts the minimum trading days from 4 to 2. Our FTMO Free Trial rules guide lists every limit for both versions.
Which FTMO Free Trial version should I practice on?
Practice on the version that matches the Challenge you plan to buy. The 1-Step version has a 3% daily loss limit, a trailing maximum loss, and the Best Day Rule. The 2-Step version has a 5% daily loss limit and a static 10% maximum loss.
What causes an FTMO Free Trial to fail?
Breaking the maximum daily loss or maximum loss fails the trial, and so does running out of the 14 days before you meet the objectives. Both of my failed trials ended on the daily loss limit.
Does the FTMO Free Trial feel like the real Challenge?
In my trials it felt close to a real Challenge account. The objectives showed clearly from the start, execution was responsive in normal markets, and spreads on major forex pairs stayed stable. The main difference is that no fee is at stake.
Does the FTMO Free Trial support TradingView?
FTMO added TradingView as a platform for the paid Challenge, Verification, and FTMO Account in August 2026. Its Free Trial page still names only MetaTrader 4, MetaTrader 5, and cTrader. Check the platform list when you set up your trial.
Can you retake the FTMO Free Trial?
Yes. You can run one trial at a time. When one ends, or after you delete it, you can start another.
Can beginners use the FTMO Free Trial?
Yes. It is a low-risk way to learn FTMO’s dashboard and limits. Start with the version that matches the Challenge you might buy, and keep your position sizes small.
How does the FTMO Free Trial compare with FundingPips and E8 Markets trials?
All three run about 14 days on simulated money and pay nothing out. FundingPips offers both phases of its 2-Step models on MT5 only. E8 Markets mimics its One account on MatchTrader and allows two free trials every 28 days. FTMO offers a 1-Step and a 2-Step version on MT4, MT5, and cTrader.
About the author
Samson Ononeme is the founder of MarketsXplora, an independent financial education and research platform covering cryptocurrency, forex, brokers, exchanges, trading platforms, and blockchain technology. He has more than 12 years of experience in financial content, with bylines at EarnForex, Kryptomoney, Cryptorunner, and AtoZ Markets. He turns complex financial products into clear, practical information that readers can use when they compare their options.