Prop Firm Spreads and Commissions Compared: EURUSD, Gold, and NAS100 Trading Costs in 2026

A trading strategy can identify good entries and still struggle to pass a prop firm challenge if spreads, commissions, and overnight charges consume too much of its profit. This is especially important for scalpers and active day traders, who may pay trading costs many times in a single session.

The real cost of a prop firm account is not determined by spreads alone. Traders also need to account for commissions, swaps, slippage, contract sizes, and the effect of those costs on daily loss limits and profit targets.

This guide compares the published trading-cost information for The5ers, FTMO, FundedNext, FundingPips, and Funded Trader Markets (FTM). It explains how to calculate the cost of EURUSD, XAUUSD (gold), and NAS100-style index trades, with worked examples and official references.

Research note: Last checked October 12, 2026. Live spreads fluctuate, and firms do not all publish comparable historical spread samples. Figures below are identified as published terms or illustrative calculations, not a synchronized live-market test or a guarantee of future costs.

How Trading Costs Work at Prop Firms: Spreads, Commissions, Swaps, and Slippage

Your total trading cost is the combined effect of the spread, commissions, and any applicable financing or execution costs. A low advertised spread does not necessarily mean the lowest overall cost.

What Is the Difference Between Raw Spreads, Commissions, and Total Round-Turn Cost?

• ●Spread: The difference between the bid and ask prices. It is the price difference a trader encounters when buying at the ask and selling at the bid.
• ●Commission: A charge applied to opening, closing, or both sides of a position, depending on the firm's pricing model.
• ●Swap or overnight financing: A charge or credit that may apply when a position is held beyond the platform's daily rollover.
• ●Slippage: The difference between the expected price and the executed price. It can increase or reduce the final trading result.

The round-turn cost is the cost of opening and closing a trade.

For a standard EURUSD lot in a USD-denominated account, the approximate calculation is:

Total round-turn cost = spread cost + opening and closing commissions + applicable swaps + slippage.

If the EURUSD spread is 0.5 pips and the pip value is $10 per standard lot, the spread cost is approximately $5. If the total opening-and-closing commission is $4, the basic cost is $9 before swaps and slippage.

This formula needs adjustment for different instruments, contract sizes, account currencies, and commission schedules.

Why Do Prop Firm Spreads Differ From Retail Broker Spreads?

Spreads can differ because of the pricing feed, liquidity conditions, platform, instrument specification, account type, and time of day. Some firms publish live symbol specifications, while others provide general descriptions or example pricing.

Prop firm trading conditions are also not necessarily identical across products. A firm's CFD evaluation, futures evaluation, and funded stage may use different contracts, platforms, or cost schedules.

For example, The5ers publishes a typical spread range of 0.2–0.9 pips for major currency pairs under standard market conditions and directs traders to MT5 for current symbol specifications. FTMO provides live symbol information and says instrument-specific commissions can be checked on its symbol pages and trading platform.

Always compare the same instrument, account type, platform, lot size, and market time. Comparing a live spread from one platform with a general estimate from another does not produce a reliable cost ranking.

EURUSD Trading Costs: Typical Spreads, Commissions, and Cost Per Lot

EURUSD is commonly used to compare forex trading costs because its pip value is relatively straightforward in a USD-denominated account. For a standard 100,000-unit lot, one pip is approximately $10 when the account currency is USD.

What Is the Average EURUSD Spread and Commission on a Prop Firm Account?

The following figures use published commission information and spread descriptions available on October 12, 2026. They are not synchronized spread samples: only The5ers' cited spread range is used to calculate an indicative spread cost below.

Official sources: The5ers spread and commission FAQ, FTMO symbol specifications, FundedNext commission policy, FundingPips commission schedule, and FTM trading-platform FAQ.

FundingPips' exact commission can vary by model and account stage. FundedNext's commissions are also symbol-specific. Do not apply one firm's standard-account figure to a different model without checking its current terms.

For The5ers, a spread of 0.2–0.9 pips on EURUSD equates to an indicative $2–$9 spread cost per standard lot. Adding its published $4 round-trip forex commission gives a basic estimated cost of $6–$13 per standard lot, before swaps and slippage. This is a calculation based on the firm's published typical range, not a live quote.

How Do EURUSD Costs Change During News, Rollover, and Low-Liquidity Sessions?

EURUSD spreads can widen around major economic releases, at daily rollover, and during periods of reduced liquidity. A spread that looks small during a quiet London session may be materially wider around a central-bank announcement.

This matters to traders using tight stop-losses. If the spread widens just as a position is opened, the trade may begin with a larger unrealized loss than expected. Slippage can also cause a stop to execute at a worse price than its trigger level.

Before trading, consider these steps:

• ●Check the current bid and ask prices on the actual prop firm platform.
• ●Review the economic calendar for high-impact releases.
• ●Avoid assuming that a typical spread applies during volatile periods.
• ●Include commission and a realistic allowance for execution costs in the risk calculation.
• ●Review the platform's swap and rollover information if holding overnight.

For frequent traders, small per-trade differences can accumulate. A strategy should be tested using the same cost conditions expected during the evaluation.

XAUUSD (Gold) Trading Costs: Wider Spreads, Contract Sizes, and Volatility

Gold can move quickly during economic releases, geopolitical events, and changes in interest-rate expectations. The cost of trading XAUUSD depends not only on the spread and commission but also on the contract size and lot size used by the specific firm.

How Much Does It Cost to Trade Gold on a Prop Firm Account?

There is no universal dollar cost per gold lot across prop firms. One lot may represent 100 ounces on a spot-gold CFD, but traders must confirm the contract specification for their own platform.

The5ers' published asset specifications identify gold as a 100-ounce contract and say that metals use percentage-based commissions. Its published formula is:

Commission = (commission rate ÷ 100) × entry price × contract size × lot size × 2.

For illustration, suppose a gold contract represents 100 ounces, the entry price is $4,000, and the applicable commission rate is 0.0016% per side. For one lot, the formula gives $6.40 per side and $12.80 for both sides. This is a mathematical example, not a statement of The5ers' current gold commission rate.

FundedNext also publishes a percentage-based metals commission calculation. Its example uses a 0.0016% rate and a 100-ounce XAU/USD contract. The actual amount must be checked against the current model and symbol specification. See FundedNext commission rules.

The key lesson is to avoid comparing “commission per lot” without checking whether the charge is per side or round turn, whether the percentage applies to notional value, and whether both firms use the same contract size.

Why Do Gold Spreads Widen Around Major Events, and How Does That Affect Drawdown?

Gold spreads can widen when market liquidity falls or prices move sharply. Around major US inflation releases, employment reports, and central-bank announcements, both spread and slippage may increase.

Suppose a trader plans to risk $100 on a gold trade. If the actual entry incurs more cost than the backtest assumed, the remaining room before the stop-loss is reduced. Several such trades can make a difference when the account has a strict daily loss limit.

To manage this risk:

• ●Confirm the XAUUSD contract size and tick value.
• ●Calculate position size using the actual stop distance and expected trading costs.
• ●Check whether the firm restricts certain news strategies.
• ●Avoid treating a stop-loss as a guarantee of the exact exit price.
• ●Include floating losses and transaction costs when monitoring the account's drawdown rules.

A low nominal commission is not enough to establish that a gold trade is inexpensive. The spread, contract specification, and market conditions may have a greater effect on the final result.

NAS100 Trading Costs: Index CFD Spreads, Commissions, and Overnight Financing

NAS100 is a common label for a Nasdaq-100 index CFD, but firms may use names such as US100, USTEC, or NDX100. Similar labels do not guarantee identical contract specifications or pricing.

What Do NAS100 Spreads and Commissions Typically Look Like Across Prop Firms?

Index CFDs often have a different cost structure from forex. Some firms charge no explicit index commission, while others use a spread-based model or offer a different instrument through a futures platform.

The5ers publishes no commission for indices and identifies NAS100 as a contract with a size of 1 in its asset specifications. FundingPips also lists indices as commission-free on its standard model information, while FTM's published platform FAQ says no commission is charged on indices. These statements refer to explicit commission; they do not mean trading is cost-free.

Sources: The5ers asset specifications, FTMO symbol specifications, FundingPips trading conditions, and FTM platform FAQ.

For index CFDs, the spread cost depends on the contract's point value and the number of points between bid and ask. Do not apply the EURUSD rule of $10 per pip to NAS100. Check the symbol's tick size, tick value, and contract size first.

How Do Swap Fees and Overnight Holding Rules Change the Cost of NAS100 Positions?

An index position held overnight may incur a swap or financing charge. The amount and sign can depend on the instrument, direction, and current specifications. Holding a position through a weekend may also create additional financing exposure or be prohibited by a specific program.

The5ers states that overnight and weekend holding are allowed for indices, but warns that weekend holding involves high swap costs. FundingPips has model-specific weekend restrictions, including a prohibition on weekend holding under FundingPips Zero. FTMO's CFD symbols page displays swap details by instrument.

Check the current rules for your account before holding a position past rollover or the Friday close. If the strategy normally holds NAS100 for several days, a firm with lower intraday costs may not necessarily have the lowest total holding cost.

The5ers Trading Costs: Spreads, Commissions, and How They Interact With Drawdown and Scaling

The5ers publishes a dedicated asset-specification page and directs traders to MT5 for current instrument details. That is useful when comparing the cost of a specific strategy rather than relying on a broad claim about “low spreads.”

What Spreads and Commissions Apply on The5ers’ Forex, Gold, and Index Instruments?

The5ers' published trading-cost information includes the following:

• ●Forex: $4 commission per lot round turn, with major-pair spreads typically between 0.2 and 0.9 pips under standard market conditions.
• ●Indices: No explicit commission listed.
• ●Metals, crypto, and oil: Percentage-based commission formulas apply.
• ●Swaps: Overnight charges may be paid or received; current values are displayed in the trading platform.

Sources: The5ers spread and commission FAQ and The5ers asset specifications.

The firm's asset page lists gold as a 100-ounce contract and NAS100 with a contract size of 1. It also warns that specifications may change and tells traders to check MT5 for current data. This is particularly important for gold because percentage-based commissions depend on the entry price and contract size.

For a trader considering Hyper Growth, High Stakes, or Bootcamp, the next step is to check the actual symbol specifications available to the selected account. Do not assume that a general forex commission figure applies to gold or indices.

How Do Trading Costs Interact With The5ers’ Drawdown Mechanics, Profit Targets, and Scaling Milestones?

Trading costs reduce net profit and use part of the room available before a drawdown threshold is reached. That matters during an evaluation and after funding, when the account may have daily and overall loss limits.

Consider an illustrative $10,000 account with a 5% profit target. The target is $500. If a strategy makes 100 round-trip EURUSD trades and the average total spread-plus-commission cost is $9 per trade, the cumulative cost is $900. That would exceed the target before considering winning and losing trade outcomes. This example is illustrative; it does not predict actual costs or trading results.

The same principle applies to scaling. A trader who generates a positive gross result but pays substantial transaction costs may make slower progress toward the net-profit milestone.

The5ers' program rules are separate from its trading-cost schedule. Traders should review the applicable program's drawdown method, daily pause or loss limit, profit targets, and scaling conditions alongside the instrument costs.

For more detail, see our internal guide: The5ers Bootcamp vs Hyper Growth vs Pro Growth vs High Stakes: Which Program Fits Your Trading Style in 2026.

The5ers may be worth considering for traders who want a defined program and scaling structure, but the appropriate choice still depends on strategy fit, instrument costs, and the rules that apply to the selected account.

Prop Firm Trading Costs Compared: The5ers, FTMO, FundedNext, FundingPips, and FTM

The firms below publish different levels of cost detail. A fair comparison distinguishes explicit commissions from variable spreads and financing costs.

How Do Total Round-Turn Costs Compare Across the Five Firms?

Sources: The5ers, FTMO, FundedNext, FundingPips, and FTM.

This table compares published pricing information, not a live-cost ranking. The available public pages do not provide a complete set of timestamped bid-ask samples for all three instruments across all five firms. A defensible live comparison would need the same sampling time, platform, account type, lot size, and market conditions for every firm.

How Much Do Trading Costs Reduce Net Profit for Scalpers, Day Traders, and Swing Traders?

Trading frequency and holding time affect which costs matter most.

Illustrative monthly comparison: Assume a trader completes 200 round-trip EURUSD trades per month and the average combined spread and commission is $8 per trade. The total basic transaction cost would be $1,600 before swaps and slippage.

At 40 round trips per month, the same assumed cost would be $320. These figures are examples, not estimates for a particular firm.

• ●Scalpers should focus on spread, commission, and execution quality because frequent entries can make small costs significant.
• ●Day traders should include the cost of active-session spreads and possible volatility around scheduled news.
• ●Swing traders should examine swaps, weekend rules, and financing costs alongside the entry and exit spread.

The most useful comparison is to calculate costs using the number of trades and average holding time in your own strategy. That produces a more meaningful estimate than choosing a firm based only on a headline spread.

Summary: Compare Total Trading Cost, Not Just the Spread

A low spread is only one part of the cost of trading with a prop firm. Commission, contract size, swaps, slippage, and market conditions all affect net results. These costs can be especially important when trading frequently or working within strict drawdown limits.

The5ers provides useful published details for forex, metals, and indices, including a $4 round-turn forex commission, a typical major-pair spread range, and instrument-specific specifications in MT5. FTMO, FundedNext, FundingPips, and FTM also publish relevant pricing information, but the terms differ by instrument, model, and account type.

Before purchasing a challenge, check the live specifications for EURUSD, XAUUSD, or NAS100 on the actual platform you intend to use. Then estimate the cost across a realistic month of trading and compare that amount with your expected profit and the account's drawdown limits.

For more prop firm comparisons, trading-cost guides, drawdown explanations, and practical trader education, explore Prop Firm Insider.