Free prop firm challenge simulators compared
Updated 2026-10-26. Facts read from official pages. Methodology.
Direct answer
Three of the five are free for challenge practice. FTMO's Free Trial is free but covers FTMO only, lasts 14 days per trial and halves the profit target. BacktestingMax includes challenge mode in its free plan for forex and gold on the last 12 months of history. ScaleEdge (the publisher of this guide) is free for 18 firms' rule sets on live prices. FX Replay and TradesViz offer challenge simulators on paid plans only, both on historical data. The main trade-off: historical replay lets you practise faster; live practice runs in real time, like the real challenge.
Comparison table
| Tool | Price model | Free plan | Paid pricing | Markets |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| FTMO Free Trial | Free | Free; 14 days per trial, unlimited trials with one active at a time. The trial ends early if all objectives are met, a rule is breached, or there is no trade in the first 7 days. | Not verified | Not verified |
| BacktestingMax prop firm simulator | Freemium | Prop firm challenge mode is included in the free plan for forex and metals, with the most recent 12 months of 1-minute history, unlimited sessions and no card. | Premium unlocks other markets; prices are not stated on the page we read. | Not verified |
| ScaleEdge challenge simulator (this site) (our own product) | Free | Free with no credits or card and unlimited attempts; opening a practice account needs a free account (email or Google). | Not verified | Forex, gold, crypto, indices and stocks at live prices: crypto streams from Binance, other markets refresh every few seconds. |
| FX Replay prop firm simulator | Paid | Not verified | Available on the Intermediate and Pro plans, not the Free plan; prices are not stated on the simulator page. | Not verified |
| TradesViz Challenge Mode | Paid | The free Basic plan includes only a Daily Drill (one hidden market day a day), not Challenge Mode. | Platinum: $29.99 a month billed monthly or $22.49 a month billed yearly, with a 7-day free trial. | CME, NYMEX, COMEX and CBOT futures (tick data) and forex pairs. |
Who each one is best for
- FTMO Free Trial: You have chosen FTMO and want its own platforms and rules.
- BacktestingMax prop firm simulator: Fast replay practice of forex and gold challenges for free.
- ScaleEdge challenge simulator (this site): Practising a specific firm's rules for free on live markets, across 18 firms (ScaleEdge is the publisher of this guide).
- FX Replay prop firm simulator: Paying users who want replay practice with automatic rule enforcement.
- TradesViz Challenge Mode: Futures traders who will pay for many firm profiles and detailed drawdown types.
Trade-offs and limits
- Historical replay (BacktestingMax, FX Replay, TradesViz) is faster but you may recognise past markets; live practice (ScaleEdge, the FTMO trial) is slower but closer to the real experience.
- Free plans limit something: FTMO covers one firm and 14 days, BacktestingMax limits markets and history, ScaleEdge has no replay and needs a free account.
- No simulator gives funding. Passing only shows you can trade inside the rules.
- We read each official page on 26 October 2026 and did not test the paid tools. Rules and prices change: check the source links.
What we could not verify
- FTMO Free Trial: Trial account size.
- BacktestingMax prop firm simulator: Premium price; The full firm list.
- FX Replay prop firm simulator: Plan prices; Trial; Markets covered.
Official links and sources
Source: FTMO Free Trial page. Checked 2026-10-26.
BacktestingMax prop firm simulator
Source: BacktestingMax home page. Checked 2026-10-26.
ScaleEdge challenge simulator (this site)
Source: ScaleEdge challenge simulator. Checked 2026-10-26.
Source: FX Replay prop firm simulator page. Checked 2026-10-26.
Source: TradesViz prop firm simulator page. Checked 2026-10-26.
Methodology
We read each product's own public pricing or feature page and recorded what it states, with the date. We did not run performance, data-quality or stability tests. Where a page was silent or unclear we list it as not verified. ScaleEdge is an independent publisher that also makes its own free tools; they are labelled when they appear.
Frequently asked questions
Is there a free prop firm challenge simulator?
Yes. FTMO's Free Trial (FTMO only, 14 days per trial), BacktestingMax's free plan (forex and gold, last 12 months of history) and ScaleEdge (18 firms, live prices, free account) all offer free challenge practice, according to their own pages.
Which simulator uses real firm rules?
FTMO's trial uses FTMO's rules with a halved profit target. BacktestingMax, FX Replay, TradesViz and ScaleEdge apply firm rule sets or let you configure them; check each tool's firm list for yours.
Does passing a simulator get me funded?
No. Every tool here is practice. To get funded you must buy and pass the firm's real evaluation.
Educational content, not financial advice.