Why I’ll never trade for a prop firm again
Don’t Trade With a Prop Firm — Trade With a Broker
Here’s the truth: if you’re good, you cost them money.
So they invent new “rules” to protect their profits — daily drawdown traps, arbitrary targets, weekend bans, hidden slippage.
You’re not trading the market. You’re trading the firm’s patience.
Brokers want you to trade — not fail
A real broker earns money from the spread, not your losses. When you win, you stay active. When you stay active, they earn.
That’s a sustainable, aligned relationship — the complete opposite of the prop-firm circus.
And let’s not forget: a broker is regulated, holds client money in real banks, and must process withdrawals under financial law.
A prop firm is a private company running a simulator. If they decide not to pay, there’s no regulator to call.
The math: why a broker trader keeps more
Let’s take two traders — Peter (prop) and Andi (broker). Both trade the DAX, ten times a day, five euros a point.
Risk per trade: €150. Reward: €150. Win rate: 60%. That’s 250 trading days per year.
Both gross €75,000. But…
Peter (Prop firm)
20% profit share → –€15,000
Challenge fees (Phase 1 + 2) → –€7,500
Net: €52,500
Andi (Broker)
No profit share
No challenge fee
Net: €75,000
Difference: €22,500.
That’s what “funded” really costs you.
Why I trade with a broker — and which one
I’ve traded with TD365, a sub-brand of Trade Nation, for years.
They offer fixed spreads, 200:1 leverage (used responsibly), and negative balance protection.
Client funds are held with Barclays Bank, London.
If you open an account through my link, I earn a small commission —
at no extra cost to you.
👉 Sign up with TD365
Still skeptical? Watch the breakdown
I recorded a detailed video comparing prop firms to brokers and showing the math step by step.