METHODOLOGY
How prop-firm ratings are calculated
The prop firm rating is computed from 5 objective factors — we publish the full formula so you can see exactly what drives the score and why one firm ranks above another. No paid spots in the top.
How the rating works during launch
For the first 60 days Prop Market Cap relies on data from public sources, because the platform’s own statistics — reviews, confirmed payouts and other metrics — are still being collected.
The system gathers and analyses public reviews, payout history, official data and information from trader communities. The data is cross-checked, verified and used to calculate the starting rating of every prop firm.
The rating formula stays exactly the same as described below — only the source of the data is different.
As Prop Market Cap accumulates its own statistics, platform data will become the basis of the rating, while external sources will continue to be used to complement and verify it.
The rating will therefore move gradually from a starting estimate based on public sources to a score built primarily on real data inside Prop Market Cap.
What the rating is built from
Average user score
What this is
Each user leaves a score made up of 5 sub-scores, 1–5 stars each. One star equals 0.04 rating units. A maximum of 1.00 means 5 stars across all 5 sub-scores.
If the user didn't purchase a challenge from this firm through our platform, their score is automatically capped at 0.20 (the minimum). This protects the rating from astroturfing and outside votes.
Time decay
For the first 0–7 days the score holds at full strength, then loses 0.04 every 18 days. After 20 steps it locks at 0.20 — the user can refresh their review to restore weight.
Review ratio
We count all published reviews. 1–2 stars are negative, 3–5 stars are positive. Only positive reviews with confirmed objectivity (i.e. authored by users with a tracked purchase on the platform) enter the formula.
Negative
1–2 stars
Positive
3–5 stars
Formula
Example
Years in market
We measure the time from the firm's registration date (or first verified mention) to the present. The longer a firm operates without scandals, the higher the trust — and the higher the coefficient.
Years in market
Payout factor
We count confirmed payouts over the last 5 months. Each month gets its own score by the number of payouts, then the scores are weighted: recent months matter more than older ones.
Score by payouts per month
Month weights
Final formula
Activity factor
We track 4 action types: reviews and ratings, payouts, purchases, and review appeals. The most recent action of any type is taken — the firm counts as 'alive' as long as something is happening.
Days since last action
How the final rating adds up
The final rating is the sum of the five coefficients C1+C2+C3+C4+C5, clamped to [0, 5]. On firm cards it shows up as stars. The rating is recomputed automatically once a day.
Formula
Worked example
User rating
A separate score from 0 to 5 — the user reputation shown in the personal cabinet and next to reviews. It has its own formula of 5 metrics.
Frequently asked questions
The most common things traders ask before picking a prop firm.