By Maybach Moody — built for traders who are just starting out
We break down every top futures prop firm so you know exactly where to start — even if this is your first time hearing the words "prop firm."
🎯 Find My Firm Quiz
60 seconds. We recommend the exact firm and account type that fits you.
Prop Firms 101
Explained simply. If you've never traded a day in your life, start here.
📖 Don't know prop firm lingo? Read the glossary first →A prop firm (short for Proprietary Trading Firm) gives you their money to trade with. You make profits, you keep most of it. If you lose — it's their money, not yours.
Prop firms need skilled traders. Instead of hiring people full-time, they open it up — you prove you can trade, they fund you and split the profits. Win-win.
Before they hand you real money, you trade on a practice account. Also called an "eval" or "evaluation phase" — these all mean the same thing. Hit the profit goal without breaking the rules and you get funded.
Once funded, you keep a big cut of every dollar you make. Most firms pay 80–90% to the trader. The firm keeps 10–20% for providing the capital.
Every firm has rules to protect their money. The biggest ones: how much you can lose per day, and how much you can lose total. Break either and the account closes.
Once in your funded (simulated) account, you request payouts on a schedule. Money hits your bank via wire, crypto, PayPal, or ACH. The profits are real even though the account is simulated.
The Journey
Here's exactly what happens when you sign up — no surprises.
Use our compare tool below. Look at price, drawdown type, account sizes, and payout speed. The most popular starting size is $50K.
💡 Most beginners start with a $50K accountPay the one-time challenge fee — also called buying an "eval." This gives you a practice account with fake money. Your job: make the profit target without breaking the loss rules.
Most firms want 6–10% profit on the account. Take your time — there's no rush. Most traders finish in 2–6 weeks.
After passing, you move into a simulated funded account. This is NOT a live capital account yet — your trades run on simulated infrastructure. But here's what matters: the payouts are real money. You can withdraw real profits while still in the simulated environment. A full live capital account comes later after proving consistent payouts.
⚠️ Sim funded ≠ live account. But your profits are 100% real.Once you meet the payout requirements (usually 5 winning days or a profit target), request your money. It hits your bank within hours to a few business days depending on the firm.
Don't go bigger — go wider. Instead of chasing one $200K account, buy four more $50K accounts. Make $1,000 × 5 accounts instead of $5,000 on one. Way less pressure, way more consistent income.
🐺 Chart Wolf rule: 10 accounts beats 1 big account every timeMost Confusing Part — Simplified
This trips up nearly every beginner. Here's what each type means in plain English.
Your loss limit is calculated once — at the end of each trading day. What happens during the day doesn't count against you. Only your closing balance matters.
Follows your highest point and rises with your profits — but never drops back down. As you grow, your floor grows too and eventually locks in place permanently.
The simplest. A fixed dollar floor set on day one that never moves no matter how much you profit. Always measured from your starting balance.
Once you pass, most beginners think: "let me get a bigger account." Wrong move. Instead of one $500K account, buy 9 more $50K accounts. Want $10,000/month? Making $1,000 across 10 accounts is way easier than squeezing $10,000 from one. Less pressure. Less risk. Same money. This is how real traders scale.
Glossary
Every prop firm term explained like you're hearing it for the first time.
Ready to Compare?
Pick whichever feels right for you. Both are free and take less than a minute.
Head-to-Head
Pick two firms and their account types. See every difference in one clean table. Use the toggle to switch between eval and funded rules.
Comparison Engine
Switch between comparing evaluation phases and funded account rules. Pick your account size to see accurate data.
Cost to Funded Calculator
Pick your firm, account type, then size. See the true cost and what your first payout looks like.
FAQ
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