Prop Firm Industry Report
What a funded account actually costs, what the rules look like, and how they are distributed across the market - computed from 680 tracked prop firms. Updated November 2026.
The prop firm market in numbers - the short answer
Across the 54 prop firms with complete published terms that Prop Firm Pal tracks, the median cost of an evaluation to a $100,000 funded account is $419, the median maximum profit split is 90%, and the median phase 1 profit target is 5%. 86% of firms enforce a trailing maximum drawdown, and 39% sell an instant-funding account with no evaluation.
Headline figures
8$419
Median cost to a $100,000 funded account
Ranges from $149 to $1,105
n = 26 firms
$4.00
Median cost per $1,000 of funding
Evaluation programmes only - instant funding is priced separately
n = 27 firms
90%
Median maximum profit split
Ranges from 65% to 100%
n = 44 firms
5%
Median phase 1 profit target
n = 43 firms
3%
Median daily drawdown limit
n = 33 firms
4%
Median maximum drawdown limit
n = 45 firms
39%
Firms offering instant funding
21 of 54 sell an account with no evaluation
n = 54 firms
86%
Firms using trailing drawdown
Trailing limits follow your peak balance and are harder to trade than static ones
n = 42 firms
What a funded account costs
The cheapest evaluation each firm sells at a $100,000 account. Instant funding is excluded, because it buys the account outright.
Evaluation cost to a $100,000 account
Firms per price band.
Under $200
1 · 4%
$200 – $349
4 · 15%
$350 – $499
15 · 58%
$500 – $749
5 · 19%
$750 and over
1 · 4%
Profit splits and drawdown
The best split each firm advertises, and how its loss limit is enforced.
Maximum advertised profit split
Usually gated behind a scaling plan.
Up to 80%
7 · 16%
81 – 90%
20 · 45%
91 – 95%
5 · 11%
96 – 100%
12 · 27%
How drawdown is enforced
A firm appears in both pairs: style is how the limit moves, basis is what it is measured against.
Trailing maximum drawdown
36 · 67%
Measured on equity
28 · 52%
Measured on balance
14 · 26%
Static maximum drawdown
6 · 11%
Platforms and payments
Share of tracked firms offering each. Most firms offer several, so shares add up to more than 100%.
Trading platform support
TradingView
25 · 46%
NinjaTrader
22 · 41%
Tradovate
22 · 41%
MT5
20 · 37%
Quantower
13 · 24%
cTrader
12 · 22%
MatchTrader
11 · 20%
Trade Locker
10 · 19%
Accepted payment methods
Credit card
23 · 43%
Crypto
20 · 37%
Debit card
20 · 37%
Credit Card
15 · 28%
Apple Pay
14 · 26%
Debit Card
13 · 24%
PayPal
13 · 24%
Google Pay
12 · 22%
Where firms are based and when they started
Founding year and company location as each firm publishes them. A location is not a regulatory status.
When these firms were founded
Before 2020
5 · 9%
2020 – 2021
13 · 25%
2022 – 2023
22 · 42%
2024 – 2026
13 · 25%
Where these firms are based
United States
16 · 30%
United Arab Emirates
9 · 17%
United Kingdom
7 · 13%
Hong Kong
4 · 7%
Czech Republic
3 · 6%
USA
1 · 2%
Saint Vincent And The Grenadines
1 · 2%
Canada
1 · 2%
Method and limits
How these figures are calculated, and what they cannot tell you.
How the figures are made
Prop Firm Pal tracks 680 prop firms. Price and rule statistics are computed from the 54 firms with complete published terms, and every figure above states its own sample size, because not every firm publishes every field.
Prices are the cheapest evaluation at each account size. Instant funding is reported separately throughout, because it buys the account outright rather than a chance at one and costs several times more per $1,000 of funding. Figures describe the firms we track, not the entire market, and none of them are extrapolated.
This report is free to cite with attribution to Prop Firm Pal and a link to this page.
Browse Prop Firm Lists
Rankings by country, platform, assets, challenge type and more-built from live firm data.
Countries
Prop firms that accept traders from your country or region.
Platforms
MT5, cTrader, TradeLocker and other supported trading platforms.
Assets
Forex, crypto, futures, stocks and other tradable asset classes.
Features
Instant funding, scalping rules, profit splits and program benefits.
Challenges
One-step, two-step, instant funding and evaluation program types.
Trader types
Beginners, scalpers, swing traders and other trading styles.
Payment methods
Card, crypto, bank transfer and other ways to pay for challenges.
Payout methods
How firms pay traders-Wise, crypto, bank wire and more.
Why Traders Trust Prop Firm Pal?
Clear, Unbiased Prop Firm Data to Help Traders Compare, Evaluate & Choose with Confidence
Comprehensive Prop Firm Listings
Structured data on funded accounts, fees, profit splits, and trading rules - all in one place for easy comparison.
Live Comparison Tools
Compare pricing, challenge rules, profit splits, drawdowns, payout terms, and requirements across top prop firms.
Verified Trader Reviews
Real feedback from funded traders highlights strengths, issues, support quality, payouts, and challenge experiences.
Expert Prop Firm Insights
Clear summaries of challenge rules, evaluation paths, scaling plans, risk limits, and payout terms.
FAQs - Prop Trading Questions Answered
Answers on prop firms, funded accounts, challenges and how our platform works
To save money on a funded trading account, traders can use verified prop firm discount codes available on Prop Firm Pal. By applying these promo codes during checkout, traders reduce the cost of evaluation challenges. Combining structured comparisons with active discounts helps traders choose competitive programs while lowering upfront costs.
Prop trading is generally legal in most countries, but the regulatory status of specific prop firms can vary. Some jurisdictions have introduced rules affecting how prop firms operate or market their services. Certain prop firms also restrict access to traders in specific countries. Prop Firm Pal includes restricted country information on individual firm pages so you can quickly check whether a firm is available to traders in your region.
Yes, most prop firms charge a one-time challenge fee to enter an evaluation program. This fee typically ranges from around $50 for smaller account sizes to several hundred dollars for larger funded accounts. The fee covers access to the evaluation environment. If you pass, some firms refund the challenge fee with your first payout. Firms offering free challenges are rare and often compensate by taking a larger profit split or applying stricter conditions.
The best prop firm for futures trading will offer access to CME or exchange-listed contracts, clear rules around leverage and contract limits, and a payout structure suitable for high-frequency or systematic futures strategies. Futures prop firms often operate differently from forex-focused ones, with different fee structures and account types. Prop Firm Pal includes futures-focused firms in its comparisons so you can evaluate which programs support your preferred instruments and trading approach.
Each prop firm page on Prop Firm Pal includes a detailed company overview, evaluation rules, profit targets, drawdown limits, profit split information, available account sizes, trading instruments, restricted countries, FAQs, and user reviews. We aim to provide everything a trader needs to evaluate a funded trading program in one place.
Stay Ahead in Prop Trading
Compare verified firms, grab exclusive deals, and enter free challenge giveaways up to $200K.
Resources
Statistics
Tools
All information provided on this site is intended solely for educational purposes related to trading on financial markets and does not serve in any way as a specific investment recommendation, business recommendation, investment opportunity analysis, or similar general recommendation regarding the trading of investment instruments.
Prop Firm Pal provides comparison, review, and educational resources only. We do not operate as a proprietary trading firm, broker, or custodian, do not offer simulated trading accounts or evaluations, and do not provide execution or custody of funds.
The information on this site is not directed at residents in any country or jurisdiction where such distribution or use would be contrary to local laws or regulations.
Prop Firm Pal does not act as a broker and does not accept any deposits.
Data, tools, and third-party references on this site are provided for informational purposes; availability and accuracy may depend on third-party sources outside our control.
© 2026 Prop Firm Pal. All rights reserved.




















