Prop firm barometer: October 2026
In short: We track 59 prop firms (41 in Forex, 23 in Futures). A 2-step 100K Forex challenge costs $531 at the median, and the median starting split is 80%. In Forex, 98% of firms offer a 1-step evaluation and 83% an instant account.
By Kyro, founder · Data checked on October 17, 2026
What a challenge costs
Each firm's cheapest evaluation, public prices without promotions, activation included.
| Category | Firms | Cheapest | Median | Most expensive |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 100K Forex, 2-step | 33 |  Blue Guardian2-Step Nano · $239 | $531 |  Moneta Funded2-Step · $855 |
| 100K Forex, 1-step | 35 |  Atmos Funded1-Step Plus · $149 | $500 |  Nordic FunderOne-Step Lite · $750 |
| 100K Forex, instant | 26 |  Hantec TraderInstant24 · $299 | $838 |  Lark FundingInstant Funding · $4,500 |
| 50K Futures, one-off | 14 |  DayTradersStatic · $50 + $5 | $141 |  PhidiasFundamental · $580 |
| 50K Futures, subscription (per month) | 10 |  TopstepTrading Combine · $49 / month + $149 | $150.50 |  Trade The PoolDay Trade Flex · $285 / month |
| 50K Futures, instant | 11 |  FundedNextFutures Direct · $283.99 | $452 |  YLOS TradingInstant Funding · $581.66 |
Which formats firms offer
A firm counts in every format it offers. In Futures every evaluation is 1-step: what sets firms apart is instant accounts, subscriptions and activation fees.
| Count | Share of firms | |
|---|---|---|
| Forex: 2-step evaluation | 35 | 85% |
| Forex: 1-step evaluation | 40 | 98% |
| Forex: 3 steps or more | 10 | 24% |
| Forex: instant account | 34 | 83% |
| Forex: “pay after you pass” model | 11 | 27% |
| Futures: instant account | 11 | 48% |
| Futures: monthly subscription | 10 | 45% |
| Futures: activation fees | 7 | 32% |
The median rules of a 100K Forex challenge
Median of every 100K program recorded (57 1-step, 61 2-step).
| 1-step | 2-step | |
|---|---|---|
| Profit target | 10% | 8% then 5% |
| Max daily loss | 3% | 4% |
| Max loss | 6% | 10% |
Max loss type (100K Forex programs)
| Count | Share of programs | |
|---|---|---|
| Static (does not move) | 90 | 71% |
| Trailing (rises with your gains) | 31 | 25% |
| Calculated at end of day (EOD) | 5 | 4% |
In Futures (50K, 62 programs): median target $3,000 and median max loss $2,000; 76% of programs calculate the max loss at end of day.
How much you keep
Starting split of each firm's reference evaluation (58 firms).
| Count | Share of firms | |
|---|---|---|
| 80% | 38 | 66% |
| 90% | 9 | 16% |
| 100% | 4 | 7% |
| 75% | 2 | 3% |
| 40% | 1 | 2% |
| 50% | 1 | 2% |
The most offered platforms
| Count | Share of firms | |
|---|---|---|
| MT5 | 36 | 61% |
| Match-Trader | 21 | 36% |
| cTrader | 20 | 34% |
| TradingView | 19 | 32% |
| NinjaTrader | 13 | 22% |
| Tradovate | 12 | 20% |
| TradeLocker | 11 | 19% |
| Quantower | 11 | 19% |
| MT4 | 7 | 12% |
| DXtrade | 7 | 12% |
Where firms are based, and since when
Median founding year: 2023. 17 of 59 firms were founded in 2024 or later. Median YourFunding score: 8.1/10; 3 firms score 9/10 or more.
| Count | Share of firms | |
|---|---|---|
| United States | 18 | 31% |
| Dubai (UAE) | 12 | 20% |
| United Kingdom | 8 | 14% |
| Saint Lucia | 4 | 7% |
| Czech Republic | 2 | 3% |
| Israel | 2 | 3% |
The cheapest in each category
| Category | Prop firm | Real cost |
|---|---|---|
| 100K Forex, 2-step | Blue Guardian2-Step Nano · $239 | $239 |
| 100K Forex, 1-step | Atmos Funded1-Step Plus · $149 | $149 |
| 100K Forex, instant | Hantec TraderInstant24 · $299 | $299 |
| 50K Futures, one-off | DayTradersStatic · $50 + $5 | $55 |
| 50K Futures, subscription (per month) | TopstepTrading Combine · $49 / month + $149 | $49 / month + $149 activation |
| 50K Futures, instant | FundedNextFutures Direct · $283.99 | $283.99 |
How these numbers are calculated
- Data: full survey of challenges on October 8, 2026 (Prop Firm Match, double-checked line by line, plus official websites for firms not listed there), updates applied until October 17, 2026.
- Public prices without promotions; euros converted at $1.08; activation fees included in the cost of a one-off payment; subscriptions and “pay after you pass” kept separate.
- One firm = one value: its cheapest evaluation at the size concerned. Median = the middle value, less sensitive to extremes than an average.
- Darwinex Zero is excluded: it is a commission-based allocation, not a challenge.
- Quarterly edition: the next one will use the same method to measure the change.
You can cite this barometer
Journalists, creators, blogs: these numbers are free to reuse. Just cite YourFunding with a link to this page.
Source: YourFunding prop firm barometer, October 2026https://yourfunding.fr/en/prop-firm-barometer-october-2026.html
Frequently asked questions
Where do the barometer numbers come from?
From the data published on YourFunding: a full survey of challenge prices and rules on October 8, 2026, updated until October 17, 2026. No number is estimated.
How often is the barometer published?
Every quarter, with the same method. Previous editions stay online with their original numbers.
Can I reuse these numbers?
Yes, by citing YourFunding with a link to the barometer page.