Know the rules before you buy
How prop firms and challenges work, and which rules to check before you buy. These videos show the rules from when they were published. Check the firm’s current rules before you pay.
Four things to know first
What a prop firm is
You pay to take a test. If you pass, you may get a simulated account that can pay you. A payout comes later, and only if you still follow the rules.
How evaluations work
Most tests have one phase or two. Hit the profit target without hitting the loss limit. Some also have a daily loss limit.
Passing is not the finish line
A funded account still has rules. Getting paid can take more trading days, extra profit left in the account, or a limit on your best day.
The details that catch people
News rules, inactivity limits, trailing drawdown, and consistency rules can end the account even when you are in profit.
50K evaluation rules compared
The rules that decide pass or fail, taken from each firm's own help pages on Sep 16, 2026. Prices change every week, so each firm links to its current prices on Prop Firm Match.
| Firm and path | Target | Drawdown | Consistency | Min days | Daily limit | Funded drawdown |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 LucidDailyFaster access to money, but every intraday equity high can tighten the funded failure line.Official rules ↗Prices and discounts ↗Affiliate link | $3,000 | $2,000end-of-day | 50% | 2 | $1,200 | Intraday |
| LucidFlexSlower payout qualification, but a friendlier drawdown and no buffer to build first.Official rules ↗Prices and discounts ↗Affiliate link | $3,000 | $2,000end-of-day | 50% | 2 | None | End-of-day |
 Tradeify Select to FlexSimilar to LucidFlex, with a tighter 40% evaluation consistency rule.Official rules ↗Prices and discounts ↗Affiliate link | $3,000 | $2,000end-of-day | 40% | 3 | None | End-of-day |
| Tradeify Select to DailyDaily access is faster, but the soft daily stop and buffer shape the strategy.Official rules ↗Prices and discounts ↗Affiliate link | $3,000 | $2,000end-of-day | 40% | 3 | None | End-of-day |
 My Funded Futures RapidThe evaluation is end-of-day, but the funded drawdown becomes intraday.Official rules ↗Prices and discounts ↗Affiliate link | $3,000 | $2,000end-of-day | 50% | 2 | None | Intraday |
| My Funded Futures Rapid EODHarder 30% evaluation consistency, but a friendlier funded drawdown than regular Rapid.Official rules ↗Prices and discounts ↗Affiliate link | $3,000 | $2,000end-of-day | 30% | 4 | None | End-of-day |
 Apex Trader Funding EODFriendly drawdown, but payouts reward several medium green days over one giant day.Official rules ↗Prices and discounts ↗Affiliate link | $3,000 | $2,000end-of-day | None | 1 | $1,000 | End-of-day |
 Topstep Standard XFABuilt around repeatedly hitting a small daily threshold.Official rules ↗Prices and discounts ↗Affiliate link | $3,000 | $2,000end-of-day | 55% | 2 | None | End-of-day |
| Topstep Consistency XFAFaster than Standard when profit is spread across days; one outlier day can delay the payout.Official rules ↗Prices and discounts ↗Affiliate link | $3,000 | $2,000end-of-day | 55% | 2 | None | End-of-day |
 Take Profit Trader Test to PROThe test is end-of-day, but the PRO account becomes intraday, so size down once funded.Official rules ↗Prices and discounts ↗Affiliate link | $3,000 | $2,000end-of-day | 50% | 3 | None | Intraday |
Firms change their rules often. Check the official page before you buy. For current prices and discounts, I compare firms on Prop Firm Match ↗Affiliate link
Terms you will see in the videos
A short glossary for the words that decide whether a test passes or fails.
- Drawdown
- How far the account falls from its peak. Hit the limit and the challenge usually ends.
- Consistency rule
- A limit on how much profit can come from one day. The account can be up and still fail.
- Two-step challenge
- Pass two phases before the account is funded. Most of my early tests use this.
- Payout
- Getting paid a share of profits after you are funded — only if you still meet the firm’s rules.
Reviews & rule guides
Videos on how prop firms work, the rules to check, and one firm review.
