How much does a prop firm really cost?
In short: In our data, a 100K Forex challenge costs $449 at the median (37 firms), from $149 at Atmos Funded to $750 at Ment Funding. In Futures, a 50K account costs $141 as a one-off payment, or $150.50 per month as a subscription. The real cost includes activation fees charged after you pass: 7 of 22 Futures firms charge them.
By Kyro, founder · Data checked on October 17, 2026
Method: public prices without promotions, full survey on October 8, 2026, updated until October 17, 2026. One firm = its cheapest evaluation per size. Darwinex Zero (commission-based allocation) is excluded. Methodology
What you actually pay
The listed price is only one item. Here are all the ones we track, and the ones we don't track yet.
The challenge fee
Paid once up front. At 100K Forex: $149 to $750, median $449 across 37 firms.
Activation fees
Paid after you pass, to open the funded account. 7 of 22 Futures firms have them in our records; at 50K, from $5 to $189.
Monthly subscription
10 of 22 Futures firms sell their evaluation monthly: you pay until you pass. At 50K: $49 to $285 per month.
“Pay after you pass”
11 firms offer an entry at $4–$22, then activation fees if you pass. Their amount is not in our records.
Profit split
Not paid up front, but it is the share the firm keeps. Median starting split: 80% (58 firms), from 40% to 100%.
Resets and platform fees
Resetting a failed account or paying for market data: some firms charge these, but we don't track them yet. Check the pricing page before you buy.
Challenge prices, size by size
For each firm, its cheapest evaluation at that size; then the market's cheapest, median and most expensive. One-off payment, activation fees included.
Forex / CFD (one-off payment)
| Size | Firms | Cheapest | Median | Most expensive | Median per $1,000 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 5K | 32 |  Maven3-Step · $17 | $39 |  Top One TraderFlash 1-Step · $64 | $7.80 |
| 10K | 35 |  LeveragedLeveraged ONE · $29 | $78 | Top One TraderFlash 1-Step · $107 | $7.80 |
| 25K | 34 | LeveragedLeveraged ONE · $49 | $164 |  Ment Funding1-step evaluation · $250 | $6.56 |
| 50K | 37 |  Instant FundingIF Evolve · $99 | $249 | Ment Funding1-step evaluation · $450 | $4.98 |
| 100K | 37 |  Atmos Funded1-Step Plus · $149 | $449 | Ment Funding1-step evaluation · $750 | $4.49 |
| 200K | 28 |  Blue Guardian2-Step Nano · $460 | $904.50 |  Moneta Funded1-Step · $1,798 | $4.52 |
Futures (one-off payment)
| Size | Firms | Cheapest | Median | Most expensive | Median per $1,000 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 25K | 12 |  DayTradersStatic · $40 + $5 | $96.50 |  PhidiasExpress to Live · $277 | $3.86 |
| 50K | 14 | DayTradersStatic · $50 + $5 | $141 | PhidiasFundamental · $580 | $2.82 |
| 100K | 15 |  Traders LaunchNYC Session (55 %) · $49 | $217 |  Apex Trader FundingStandard Intraday · $790 + $129 | $2.17 |
| 150K | 13 | DayTradersStatic · $90 + $5 | $325 | Apex Trader FundingStandard Intraday · $1,190 + $149 | $2.17 |
Futures (monthly subscription, price per month)
| Size | Firms | Cheapest | Median | Most expensive |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 25K | 8 |  Funded Futures FamilyVelocity · $79 / month | $135 |  Top One FuturesElite Daily · $178 / month |
| 50K | 10 |  TopstepTrading Combine · $49 / month + $149 | $150.50 |  Trade The PoolDay Trade Flex · $285 / month |
| 100K | 10 | TopstepTrading Combine · $99 / month + $149 | $268.50 | Trade The PoolDay Trade Flex · $545 / month |
| 150K | 9 | TopstepTrading Combine · $199 / month + $149 | $360 | Top One FuturesElite Daily · $549 / month |
The “per $1,000” column relates the median to capital: it shows whether a bigger account is cheaper per dollar of capital.
At the same size (100K), which costs less?
At 100K, a Forex challenge costs $449 at the median (37 firms). A 100K Futures evaluation costs $217 as a one-off payment (15 firms) or $268.50 per month as a subscription (10 firms). Futures are mostly sold at 50K, and a subscription changes the maths: its cost depends on how many months you need.
| Firms | Cheapest | Median | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Forex 100K, one-off | 37 | Atmos Funded1-Step Plus · $149 | $449 |
| Futures 100K, one-off | 15 | Traders LaunchNYC Session (55 %) · $49 | $217 |
| Futures 100K, subscription (per month) | 10 | TopstepTrading Combine · $99 / month + $149 | $268.50 |
1-step, 2-step or instant account: the price gap at 100K Forex
Instant accounts cost more because there is no evaluation: you are funded straight away, often with tighter rules.
| Firms | Cheapest | Median | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2-step | 33 | Blue Guardian2-Step Nano · $239 | $531 |
| 1-step | 35 | Atmos Funded1-Step Plus · $149 | $500 |
| 3-step | 8 | Maven3-Step · $299 | $368.75 |
| Instant (no evaluation) | 26 |  Hantec TraderInstant24 · $299 | $838 |
The cost after you pass
Activation fees, firm by firm (Futures 50K)
The listed price is not the final price: this is what you pay in total once you pass.
| Prop firm | Program | Price | Activation | Real cost |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| DayTraders | Static | $50 | $5 | $55 |
| DayTraders | Trail | $70 | $5 | $75 |
| DayTraders | EOD | $105 | $5 | $110 |
| Top One Futures | Elite Access Intraday | $39 | $94 | $133 |
| Top One Futures | Elite Access EOD | $39 | $189 | $228 |
 YLOS Trading | Standard | $180 | $59 | $239 |
| Apex Trader Funding | Standard Intraday | $249 | $99 | $348 |
| Apex Trader Funding | Standard EOD | $590 | $129 | $719 |
| Topstep | Trading Combine | $49 / month | $149 | $198 (1 month) |
 Take Profit Trader | Test → PRO | $170 / month | $130 | $300 (1 month) |
 Earn2Trade | Gauntlet Mini | $170 / month | $139 | $309 (1 month) |
| Apex Trader Funding | Legacy (mensuel) | $197 / month | $125 | $322 (1 month) |
| Earn2Trade | Trader Career Path | $190 / month | $139 | $329 (1 month) |
Subscriptions: what you pay if you pass in 1, 2 or 3 months (Futures 50K)
Simple maths: monthly price × number of months + activation fee. If you need 3 months to pass, you pay 3 instalments. These are scenarios, not average pass times.
| Prop firm | Program | Per month | Activation | Passed in 1 month | In 2 months | In 3 months |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 FTMO | Futures Growth | $119 | — | $119 | $238 | $357 |
| Funded Futures Family | Velocity | $125 | — | $125 | $250 | $375 |
 Alpha Futures | Standard | $129 | — | $129 | $258 | $387 |
 TradeDay | QuickPay Intraday | $131 | — | $131 | $262 | $393 |
| Topstep | Trading Combine | $49 | $149 | $198 | $247 | $296 |
| Top One Futures | Elite Daily | $218 | — | $218 | $436 | $654 |
| Trade The Pool | Day Trade Flex | $285 | — | $285 | $570 | $855 |
| Take Profit Trader | Test → PRO | $170 | $130 | $300 | $470 | $640 |
| Earn2Trade | Gauntlet Mini | $170 | $139 | $309 | $479 | $649 |
| Apex Trader Funding | Legacy (mensuel) | $197 | $125 | $322 | $519 | $716 |
At 50K, the cheapest subscription ($119 per month, FTMO) costs more than the median one-off price ($141) from month 2.
“Pay after you pass”: a tiny entry fee, a bill later
These offers cost a few dollars up front; activation fees come once you pass. The cheapest entries:
| Prop firm | Program | Size | Price |
|---|---|---|---|
 Funded Trading Plus | Activation 1-Step | 25K | $4 |
 AquaFunded | Pay Later | 2.5K | $5 |
 FundedElite | Flash Activation | 25K | $5 |
| Maven | Buy Now Pay Later | 5K | $5 |
| Atmos Funded | Nova 1-Step | 10K | $5 |
 Orion Funded | Orion Nova | 10K | $7 |
| Top One Trader | Nova 1-Step | 25K | $7 |
| Leveraged | Turbo Trade | 10K | $8.88 |
Refunded fees
Some firms refund the challenge fee after the first payouts. From our reviews:
- FundedNext: challenge fee refunded with the first payout
- Audacity Capital: fees refunded with the first payout
- Maven: challenges refunded on the third withdrawal
- Goat Funded Trader: fees refunded on the fourth payout (2-Step GOAT)
- Clickfunded: activation fee (€199.99) refunded on the 2-Step after the first payout, not on the 1-Step
Prices in euros
BrightFunded and FTMO sell their challenges in euros. To compare, we convert at $1.08 per €1; the amount actually charged depends on your bank.
Minimum withdrawal and payout conditions on record
Not a fee, but a condition that delays your first payout. Here is what our reviews record:
| Prop firm | Recorded condition |
|---|---|
 Alpha Capital | $100 (bi-weekly) · 2% of profits (on demand) |
| Apex Trader Funding | $500 |
| Atmos Funded | $100 |
 Blueberry Funded | $100 |
 Bulenox | $1,000 |
 Clickfunded | 60% of profit per withdrawal |
| Moneta Funded | $100 |
 My Funded Futures | $500 (Rapid) · $1,000 (Pro) |
| Take Profit Trader | Above the buffer |
 The Trading Pit | $100 |
 The5ers | $250 |
| Trade The Pool | $300 |
FAQ: prop firm prices
How much does a prop firm cost on average?
In our data, a 100K Forex challenge costs $449 at the median (37 firms), and a 50K Futures account $141 as a one-off payment. Prices range from $149 to $750 for a 100K Forex.
What is the cheapest prop firm?
At 100K Forex, the cheapest evaluation is at Atmos Funded ($149). In 50K Futures, one-off: DayTraders ($50 + $5 activation); subscription: Topstep ($49 per month). Public prices without promotions, activation fees included.
What are activation fees?
Fees paid once you pass the evaluation, to open the funded account. In our records, 7 of 22 Futures firms charge them; at 50K, from $5 to $189. They come on top of the listed price.
Is a monthly subscription more expensive than a one-off price?
It depends on how many months you need. At 50K Futures, the cheapest subscription ($119 per month) costs more than the median one-off price ($141) from month 2. If you pass fast, a subscription can cost less.
Are challenge fees refunded?
Sometimes. From our reviews: FundedNext (challenge fee refunded with the first payout); Audacity Capital (fees refunded with the first payout); Maven (challenges refunded on the third withdrawal); Goat Funded Trader (fees refunded on the fourth payout (2-Step GOAT)); Clickfunded (activation fee (€199.99) refunded on the 2-Step after the first payout, not on the 1-Step). Read the terms: the refund comes after one or more payouts, never just for passing.
Can you lose more than the challenge fee?
No: your risk is limited to the fees you pay. But fees can add up: a new challenge after a failure, monthly instalments until you pass, then activation.
Do the prices include promo codes?
No. These are public prices without promotions, recorded on October 8, 2026. Euros are converted at $1.08. A promotion can lower the real price.