Buyer's guide

Best prop firm software in 2026: platforms compared

The right prop firm software depends on two questions: do your traders need a named platform such as MetaTrader 5, and do you want one vendor for the whole stack or a challenge layer on top of a platform you already run? This guide compares twelve options on what they include, how they charge and how fast they launch.

By Arthur Chan. Last updated 26 October 2026.

FirmForge is our product. Competitor details come from their public websites as of October 2026; check current terms with each vendor.

On this page

The short answer
What prop firm software needs to do
Prop firm software compared
The platforms, one by one
How prop firm software is priced
The MetaTrader question
How to choose: a shortlist in five steps
Frequently asked questions
Sources

The short answer

There is no single best prop firm software, only the best fit for the firm you are building. In short:

One platform, one flat monthly price, live the same day: FirmForge (our product) bundles its own web trade room, client portal, back-office CRM and a multi-phase challenge engine, with no setup fee and no per-challenge fees. See how the prop firm platform works.
Your traders insist on MetaTrader 5: take a direct MT5 licence and add a prop CRM that supports it, such as Match-Trader's Prop CRM, YourPropFirm, FX Back Office or Brokeree's Prop Pulse.
An established firm that wants one large vendor, with liquidity: Match-Trader, DXtrade, Leverate and Quadcode each sell a platform with prop tooling, and several bundle liquidity or market data.
Already on MT5, cTrader or DXtrade, wanting only a challenge layer: YourPropFirm, Brokeree Prop Pulse and FXBO's Prop Trading CRM plug into the platform you have.
Futures evaluations on exchange data: DXtrade's prop technology lists futures on CME, ICE and Cboe, and futures specialists such as Rithmic and Tradovate serve that market.

The detail behind each call follows, with a source for every competitor fact.

What prop firm software needs to do

A prop firm sells evaluations, enforces rules automatically and pays the traders who pass. Good software covers seven jobs, which we used as our criteria.

Trading platform. The vendor's own terminal, or a third-party one such as MT5 or cTrader with its own licence terms.
Challenge engine. Multi-phase plans with profit targets, daily loss and drawdown enforced automatically.
Trader dashboard. Progress against every rule, so traders see why they passed or failed.
Back office and CRM. Clients, leads, KYC, deposits, payouts and staff permissions.
Payments. Ways to take challenge fees and an auditable payout workflow.
Affiliates. Referral tracking and commission, since most firms grow through partners.
Branding. Your logo, colours, email and domain, with the vendor invisible to traders.

We also weighed how each vendor charges, how long launch takes and whether the platform carries licensing risk. Competitor facts come from vendor sites or named press reports, accessed in October 2026. Where a price is not published, we say so.

Prop firm software compared

The table summarises the twelve options. Prices are as published on each vendor's site, October 2026, in the vendor's own currency.

Software	Type	Trading platform	Challenge engine	Published pricing	Stated launch time
FirmForge (our product)	All-in-one SaaS	Own web trade room; BYO cTrader, DXtrade or Match-Trader on Enterprise	Built in, every plan	Custom from $400/month, Growth $799/month, Professional $1,499/month, flat. See pricing	Same day is typical
Match-Trader	Platform, Prop CRM, liquidity	Match-Trader, or MT5 in a hybrid setup	Prop CRM challenge module	Turnkey prop solution $4,000/month (pricing post, November 2024)	Just 1 week
TradeLocker	Platform and back office	TradeLocker	Through partner CRMs	Prop Starter $3,000/month for up to 500 active accounts, no setup fee	About 10 days after signing; up to 2 months if tailored
cTrader (Spotware)	Platform and back office	cTrader	Through partners such as Prop Pulse and Axcera	Not published	Around 5 days for prop firms
DXtrade (Devexperts)	Multi-asset platform with prop tech	DXtrade	Built in	Basic prop package $5,000 in a January 2024 Devexperts blog; current pricing not published	Launch in a week
Leverate	Platform, CRM, liquidity	SiRiX, plus MT4/MT5 hosting	Prop suite	SiRiX from EUR 1,690/month; CRM and client portal EUR 2,390/month; prop suite pricing not published	SiRiX within 5 business days
Quadcode	Turnkey white label	Quadcode's own platform	Built in	Prop white label from $17,500 setup	From 2 weeks
YourPropFirm	Challenge engine and CRM	Third party: MT5, MT4, cTrader, DXtrade, TradeLocker, Match-Trader and others	Built in	Prop Suite: $2,749 one-time setup, no monthly fee, 50% revenue share	About 3 days (Prop Suite); 10 days (standard)
Brokeree Prop Pulse	Plugin for existing platforms	Third party: MT4, MT5, cTrader	Built in	Not published	Not stated
FX Back Office	CRM and back office	Third party: MT4/MT5, Match-Trader, cTrader and others	Prop Trading CRM	EUR 2,500 or EUR 10,000/month, plus a one-time onboarding fee	Not stated
MetaTrader 5 (MetaQuotes)	Platform, direct licence	MT5	None of its own; add a prop CRM	Not published	Not stated; licence approval required
B2Broker	Liquidity plus technology	cTrader white label, B2TRADER	cTrader Prop Trading and B2PROP	B2CORE from $1,000/month; cTrader white label: zero platform fee on A-book	B2TRADER: one sprint of 1 to 7 days

These figures are not like for like: some include liquidity, hosting or a CRM, and per-account or revenue-share models grow with you. Use the table to shortlist, then get quotes at your expected volume.

The platforms, one by one

FirmForge (our product)

FirmForge is a self-service white-label platform for prop firms and brokerages. You sign up, brand it and point your domain: traders use my.yourdomain.com and trade.yourdomain.com, your team uses admin.yourdomain.com, and traders never see the FirmForge name. The trading engine and web trade room are our own, not MetaTrader or cTrader. FirmForge does not resell those platforms; an operator that prefers to keep DXtrade, cTrader or Match-Trader may bring it on Enterprise. Every plan includes the challenge engine (multi-phase plans, drawdown and daily loss rules, certificates, payouts) and a back-office CRM with KYC review, payment approval and staff roles. Copy trading, MAM/PAMM and an IB portal are paid Marketplace add-ons.

Best for: new and growing firms that want one flat bill and a same-day launch. Watch for: no MetaTrader, no free plan and no liquidity provision; plans differ in their limits. How the challenge engine works.

Match-Trader

Match-Trade sells the Match-Trader platform (web, mobile, desktop), a Client Office CRM, a Prop CRM, an MT4/MT5 bridge, liquidity and its own payment processor. The Prop CRM can run challenges on Match-Trader, on MT5 or on both, and launch is quoted at about one week.

Best for: larger firms that want liquidity from the same vendor, or MT5 next to a second platform. Watch for: a November 2024 post lists the turnkey prop solution at $4,000 a month, while the homepage says from $5,000. FirmForge vs Match-Trader.

TradeLocker

TradeLocker is a trading platform with web, desktop and mobile apps, TradingView charting and a back office. For prop firms, its own guide recommends a partner CRM for challenges, payments and KYC; partners include FX Back Office, Brokeree and B2Broker.

Best for: firms that want a platform traders recognise and are happy to pick a CRM. Watch for: prop Starter is $3,000 a month for up to 500 active accounts with a minimum fee, as published on TradeLocker's site, October 2026. FirmForge vs TradeLocker.

cTrader (Spotware)

cTrader runs on every device and adds copy trading, cloud algo trading, a store where prop challenges can be listed, and an admin back office that can suspend accounts on drawdown breaches. The evaluation engine comes from partners such as Axcera and Prop Pulse, and resellers such as B2Broker sell white labels.

Best for: firms whose traders ask for cTrader. Watch for: pricing is not published, and a July 2026 Finance Magnates report says Spotware restricted US-based traders on prop accounts. FirmForge vs cTrader.

DXtrade (Devexperts)

DXtrade runs as SaaS or on-premises. Its prop technology includes plan-based challenge rules, several drawdown types, live and simulated execution, branded apps and dxFeed data, and it covers futures on CME, ICE and Cboe as well as CFDs.

Best for: established firms that want breadth, including futures. Watch for: the only public figure is a $5,000 basic prop package in a January 2024 blog; current pricing is through sales. FirmForge vs DXtrade.

Leverate

Leverate pairs its SiRiX platform (TradingView charts, social trading, data and Leverate Prime liquidity) with a prop suite: challenge engine, Prop CRM and broker portal. It also hosts MT4 and MT5.

Best for: firms that want one supplier for platform, CRM and liquidity. Watch for: as published on Leverate's site, October 2026, SiRiX costs EUR 1,690 or EUR 2,990 a month, with EUR 2,390 a month more for the CRM and client portal. FirmForge vs Leverate.

Quadcode

Quadcode sells a turnkey prop white label on its own platform, with CRM, challenge programs, contests, 100+ payment providers, an affiliate module, a dealing desk and liquidity providers included.

Best for: firms with a larger launch budget. Watch for: setup starts from $17,500, and Quadcode's homepage leaves unclear whether plan prices are one-time or recurring. FirmForge vs Quadcode.

YourPropFirm

YourPropFirm is a prop operating system, not a trading platform: CRM, risk rules, challenge and payout engine, KYC and 12+ payment providers, connected to MetaTrader 4 and 5, cTrader, DXtrade, Match-Trader, TradeLocker and others.

Best for: firms that want a third-party platform with a challenge layer on top. Watch for: Prop Suite costs $2,749 one-time plus a 50 percent revenue share; a sister site states different terms. FirmForge vs YourPropFirm.

Brokeree Prop Pulse

Brokeree's plugins extend MT4, MT5, cTrader and DXtrade servers. Prop Pulse runs multi-step challenges with up to 20 objectives, automatic pass and breach detection and a trader portal, and relies on CRM partners for client management.

Best for: brokers already on MetaTrader or cTrader. Watch for: pricing is not published, and you still need a platform licence, CRM and payments. FirmForge vs Brokeree.

FX Back Office

FXBO is CRM software for brokers and prop firms, offering a client area, IB partner area, a Prop Trading CRM with multi-stage challenges, and 400+ payment integrations. It connects to MT4/MT5, Match-Trader, cTrader and others, with no terminal of its own.

Best for: firms that have a platform and want a mature CRM. Watch for: pricing is EUR 2,500 or EUR 10,000 a month, and the onboarding fee is not published. FirmForge vs FX Back Office.

MetaTrader 5 (MetaQuotes)

MT5 is the platform many traders know best: terminals for desktop, web and mobile, a back office and MQL5 algo trading. MetaQuotes sells no CRM or challenge engine, so prop firms add a third-party prop CRM.

Best for: firms whose traders will not trade anywhere else. Watch for: licensing, covered below. MT5 white label vs FirmForge.

B2Broker

B2Broker sells technology alongside its core liquidity business. For prop firms it offers a cTrader prop white label and B2PROP, which combines its B2CORE CRM, white-label cTrader, B2BinPay and B2COPY.

Best for: prop firms happy to take liquidity and software from the same group. Watch for: each module is priced on its own, with B2CORE starting at $1,000 a month, and the group may drop or reduce software charges for flow sent to its liquidity, so the cost depends on your volume. FirmForge vs B2Broker.

Other names worth knowing

Other names that recur in 2026 round-ups: FPFX Tech and Trade Tech Solutions (multi-platform prop kits), Axcera and Skale (CRMs), TraderEvolution (on-premise), and Rithmic and Tradovate for futures.

How prop firm software is priced

Prop firm software is sold in five ways, and the cheapest at launch is rarely the cheapest at scale.

Flat monthly plan. One price per platform per month. FirmForge works this way, with no setup fee and no per-account, per-trade or per-challenge fees, so your bill does not move with challenge sales within a plan.
Per active account. TradeLocker bills on accounts with at least one open position in the month, with a minimum monthly fee, so cost grows with your trader count.
Setup fee plus monthly. Quadcode lists prop setup from $17,500, and FX Back Office adds a one-time onboarding fee to its monthly plans.
Setup fee plus revenue share. YourPropFirm's Prop Suite pairs a $2,749 one-time fee with a revenue share instead of a monthly fee. Spotware's own comparison article says 20 to 50 percent revenue sharing is typical of white label models.
Bundled with liquidity. B2Broker waives the software charge on some modules for clients who take its liquidity, and offsets platform fees against A-book commissions.

To compare fairly, model each quote at the volume you expect in month twelve, not month one, and ask what is excluded: platform licence, CRM, hosting, payment integrations and mobile apps. Our guide to starting a prop firm lists the four charges worth asking about on every quote.

The MetaTrader question

Choosing a platform is also a licensing decision. Press and consultancy reports describe three shifts. In late 2022 MetaQuotes stopped issuing new white labels. In February 2024 it made brokers that offered MetaTrader access through grey labels stop serving prop firms, and several firms lost platform access. Since 2025, firms such as Funding Pips and Instant Funding have returned to MT5 on their own direct licences, reportedly on condition that they do not serve US clients.

MetaQuotes has not published a formal policy; these details come from Finance Magnates and consultancies, and stated requirements differ between sources. Separately, a July 2026 report says Spotware restricted US-based traders on cTrader prop accounts.

The practical point is that when your platform belongs to someone else, its owner can change who you may serve. Running on a vendor's own platform, such as FirmForge, Match-Trader, TradeLocker, DXtrade or Quadcode, removes the MetaQuotes dependency, though each vendor sets its own terms. FirmForge's trade room is ours, so there is no third-party platform licence on your bill. The trade-off is plain: you do not get MetaTrader, and if your traders demand MT5, a direct licence plus a prop CRM is the better route.

How to choose: a shortlist in five steps

Settle the platform question first. Ask a sample of your target traders whether they need MT5 or cTrader. If they do, your shortlist is a licence plus a prop CRM. If they do not, an all-in-one platform is simpler to run.
Write your rules before you watch demos. List phases, profit targets, drawdown type, daily loss, minimum trading days and payout terms, then check that each vendor enforces every rule automatically.
Price the whole stack at month-twelve volume. Include the platform, CRM, payments, KYC, hosting and any revenue share.
Test a live demo, not a slide deck. Log in as a trader and as an admin, breach a rule and follow a payout from request to approval. The FirmForge live demo has trader, admin and manager logins and needs no account.
Check the exit terms. Ask how you export traders and transactions, what notice period applies and whether setup fees are refundable.

Frequently asked questions

It depends on your platform needs. For one flat-priced platform with its own trade room, CRM and challenge engine, FirmForge (our product) is built for that. If your traders need MetaTrader 5, a direct MT5 licence plus a prop CRM such as Match-Trader's Prop CRM, YourPropFirm or FX Back Office fits better. Established firms that want liquidity bundled often look at Match-Trader, DXtrade, Leverate or Quadcode.

Published prices in October 2026 range from FirmForge's Custom plan from $400 a month and Growth at $799 a month, through TradeLocker's prop Starter at $3,000 a month and Match-Trader's turnkey prop solution at $4,000 a month, to Quadcode setup fees from $17,500. Some vendors use per-account billing or a revenue share instead, and several do not publish prices.

Yes, but press reports say MetaQuotes now expects prop firms to hold their own direct licence and not serve US clients. You also need a separate prop CRM, because MT5 has no challenge engine.

No. FirmForge runs its own trading engine and web trade room, so there is no MetaTrader or cTrader licence to buy. The trade-off is that your traders use the FirmForge trade room under your brand, not MT5. If you already hold a cTrader, DXtrade or Match-Trader licence and want to keep it, Enterprise lets you bring it.

Vendor claims run from the same day on FirmForge, which provisions the platform within minutes of picking a plan, to about 3 days for YourPropFirm Prop Suite, a week for Match-Trader and DXtrade, and two weeks for Quadcode. Payments, legal pages and marketing usually take longer than the software.

No to both. FirmForge sells software and nothing more: there is no liquidity on offer, it is not a regulated entity or a broker, and licensing and compliance remain each operator's responsibility.

Sources

Competitor facts on this page come from these pages, accessed 26 October 2026. Press and consultancy reports are third-party sources.

See the platform before you shortlist it

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Keep reading

All FirmForge comparisons Broker white-label platforms: 2026 guide How to start a prop firm in 2026 The FirmForge challenge engine