Glow Node Review
Glow Node is a UK prop firm with custom and one-step challenges starting from around $10, a profit split reaching 100% and scaling to $1 million. It runs natively on cTrader rather than MetaTrader. Targets and drawdown limits change with the challenge configuration chosen.
This firm no longer trades under this name
Glow Node has been acquired and its accounts migrated to Sway Funded. Purchases and trading were paused on the Glow Node site, and all active accounts moved across on 10 August. Note that the profit split, payout and pricing figures still shown on that site belong to Sway Funded, not to Glow Node. The review below describes Glow Node as it operated.
Up to $1M Scaling
No Time Limits
Trader-Friendly Rules
UK Prop Firm
Glow Node at a Glance — Brand Profile & Stats
Who is Glow Node?
Glow Node is a UK-based proprietary trading firm founded in April 2022 by CEOs Sam Bradbury and Ryan Beasley. Headquartered in London, the firm has built its identity around trader-led flexibility — the bio reads "Your Goals, Your Rules: Challenges designed by You."
Unlike most prop firms that hand traders a fixed evaluation, Glow Node offers a customisable challenge builder — pick your account size, your profit target, your drawdown tolerance, and the platform builds your evaluation. Account sizes scale from $10,000 to a $1,000,000 maximum via their funding ladder.
What 361 Real Traders Say
Mixed signal on Trustpilot — strong positives but several material complaints. Real recent review titles:
— recent Trustpilot review
— recent Trustpilot review
Read full reviews on Trustpilot before deciding.
Pricing Path to Funded
Estimated Pricing (verify live)
| $10K Starter | ~$59 |
| $50K Mid | ~$249 |
| $100K Pro | ~$499 |
| $200K Top | ~$999 |
Platform Stack
Glow Node migrated to a new proprietary trading platform in 2024 (per Forex Prop Reviews coverage). Current platform stack:
Markets & Asset Coverage
Glow Node covers the standard prop-firm asset menu:
- FX majors, minors, exotics
- Indices — US30, NAS100, GER40, UK100
- Commodities — Gold, Silver, Oil
- Cryptocurrency CFDs
The Customisable Rule Set
Glow Node's killer feature: you build your own challenge rules from a menu. The framework typically includes:
Top Glow Node Alternatives
FTMO
Trustpilot 4.8 / 30K+. Industry standard for credibility. Fixed evaluation rules (not customisable). Wider account-size range and global recognition.
The5%ers
UK-regulated, instant funding option, up to 100% split. Trustpilot 4.6 / 12K+. Stricter consistency rules.
PipFarm
Up to 109% with loyalty, 7-day payouts, cTrader-native. Publicly named founder (James).
Quantum Funding
4 funding modes including Instant. Refundable $99 fee. 25% MAY promo live. Scale to $400K.
London-based peers we have also reviewed include Audacity Capital and Lux Trading Firm.
What are Glow Node's drawdown limits and profit targets?
$10K Starter — Test the Waters
| Entry fee | ~$59 |
| Account size | $10,000 |
| Profit Target (Phase 1) | 5–10% (tunable) |
| Max Daily Loss | 3–5% |
$50K — Most Cost-Efficient
| Entry fee | ~$249 |
| Account size | $50,000 |
| Profit Share | Up to 80% |
| Scaling potential | Up to $1M |
$200K — Power Trader Tier
| Entry fee | ~$999 |
| Account size | $200,000 |
| Max scaling | $1,000,000 |
| Profit Share | Up to 80% |
How do Glow Node's custom and 1-step challenges work?
1-Step Challenge
| Profit Target | 10% |
| Max Daily Loss | 5% |
| Max Overall Loss | 10% |
| Time Limit | None |
Fastest path. Single phase, no time pressure.
2-Step Challenge
| Phase 1 Target | 8% |
| Phase 2 Target | 5% |
| Max Daily Loss | 5% |
| Max Overall Loss | 10% |
| Time Limit | None |
Lower entry cost than 1-step, demonstrates sustained performance.
Custom Challenge Builder
Glow Node's unique differentiator — pick your own evaluation parameters:
| Profit Target | 5% to 10% |
| Max Daily Loss | 3% to 5% |
| Max Overall Loss | 6% to 12% |
| Profit Split | Tunable |
Tighter rules = lower price. Looser rules = higher price.
Funded Account Scaling
Once funded, Glow Node's scaling ladder takes traders up to $1M total capital — one of the most aggressive scaling targets in the industry.
| Starting Funded Capital | $10K–$200K |
| Max Scaled Capital | $1,000,000 |
| Scaling Trigger | Per profit milestone |
How much does it cost to trade with Glow Node?
Spreads & Commissions
Glow Node operates on its proprietary trading platform with institutional-grade spreads.
| EUR/USD typical | ~0.6–1.0 pips |
| Gold (XAU/USD) | ~20–35 pips |
| Commission | Built into spread |
Funded-Trader Benefits
- Up to 80% profit split on funded accounts
- No time limit on evaluations or funded trading
- Weekend holding allowed
- EA / Expert Advisor trading permitted
- $1M scaling ladder on funded accounts
Promo Codes & Deals
Always validate the latest promo on glow-node.com directly — third-party coupon sites are frequently out of date.
Which countries cannot use Glow Node?
Where Glow Node Cannot Onboard Traders
Per standard UK and international compliance, Glow Node restricts onboarding from sanctioned jurisdictions. Always re-verify the official list in their Terms before purchase:
Video Guides & Reviews
Watch How Traders Rate Glow Node
Independent YouTube reviews of Glow Node. Click any video to play inline — no redirect.
Glow Node Pros and Cons
The Good
- Customisable challenge builder — you set profit target, drawdown, and difficulty
- No time limit on evaluations
- Scale to $1,000,000 in funded capital — among the highest in the industry
- UK-based with named CEOs (Sam Bradbury & Ryan Beasley) — public accountability
- Affordable entry: $10K starter accounts under $60
- EA / weekend / news trading all allowed
- Proprietary platform avoids MT5 prop-firm restrictions
- Founded 2022 — established track record
The Trade-offs
- Trustpilot 3.8 / 361 — mixed signal; several material 1-star reviews
- Some reviews allege account closures and withholding
- Listed as "delisted" on Prop Firm Match — verify current status before paying
- Profit split capped at 80% — lower than PipFarm (109%) or The5%ers (100%)
- Proprietary platform means no third-party validation of execution quality
- Customisation requires understanding the tradeoffs — beginners can pick suboptimal settings
- Smaller social-proof footprint than FTMO or Topstep
How much does a Glow Node challenge cost?
Glow Node Account Tiers
| Account Size | Est. Fee (1-Step) | Est. Fee (2-Step) | $/$1K Funded | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| $10K | ~$79 | ~$59 | ~$5.90 | Get This Plan |
| $25K | ~$179 | ~$129 | ~$5.16 | Get This Plan |
| $50K | ~$329 | ~$249 | ~$4.98 | Get This Plan |
| $100K | ~$599 | ~$499 | ~$4.99 | Get This Plan |
| $200K | ~$1,199 | ~$999 | ~$5.00 | Get This Plan |
Prices approximate. Glow Node's customisation widget can change pricing materially based on chosen rule difficulty. Always confirm the live quote on glow-node.com before purchase.
Glow Node vs FTMO vs The5%ers vs PipFarm
Glow Node Compared
| Feature | Glow Node | FTMO | The5%ers | PipFarm |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Profit Split (max) | 80% | 90% | 100% | 109% |
| Customisable Rules | ✅ Yes | ❌ | Limited | Limited |
| $100K Challenge | ~$499 | ~$580 | ~$595 | ~$525 |
| Time Limit | None | 30/60 days | None | 90 days |
| Max Scaling | $1,000,000 | $400,000 | $1,000,000 | $150,000 |
| HQ | UK | Czechia | UK | UK |
| Trustpilot | 3.8/361 | 4.8/30K+ | 4.6/12K+ | 4.0/380 |
| Founded | 2022 | 2015 | 2016 | 2023 |
Glow Node's unique edge: ability to customise your own evaluation rules + the $1M scaling ladder. Trade-off: lower brand recognition than FTMO.
Is Glow Node legit and worth it?
Why traders pick Glow Node in 2026
Glow Node's pitch is unusual in the prop space: "Your Goals, Your Rules: Challenges designed by You." While every other firm forces a one-size-fits-all evaluation, Glow Node lets you tune the profit target, drawdown, and difficulty before you pay. That alone makes the firm worth considering for traders who know exactly what their edge needs to look like.
Based in London since April 2022, Glow Node was co-founded by Sam Bradbury and Ryan Beasley — a level of public founder transparency that's rare in the industry. They've since built out a proprietary trading platform, dodged the 2024 MetaQuotes prop-firm restrictions, and offer a $1,000,000 scaling ceiling that beats most competitors.
Trustpilot tells a mixed story: 3.8 / 5 across 361 reviews. Affordability is consistently praised, but you'll also find serious 1-star complaints. Our recommendation: start small ($10K–$25K seat), validate Glow Node's execution and payout flow personally, then scale up if your experience matches the positive reviews.
Frequently Asked Questions