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How the total is calculated
Total cost = Evaluation fee × attempts + Monthly fee × extra months + Resets × reset fee + Activation fee − Refund
Breakeven payout profit = Total cost ÷ your profit split. For example, a $300 total cost at a 90% split needs about $333 of profit on the funded account to break even.
Monthly-subscription futures evaluations get more expensive the longer you take to pass, while one-time forex fees do not. Some firms refund the evaluation fee with your first payout. Compare current prices on the comparison page and check for discounts on promo codes.
Challenge cost worked example and tips
This calculator adds up everything you could spend on a challenge, not just the advertised price. In words: multiply the evaluation fee by the number of attempts, add any monthly fees for extra months, resets and activation fees, then subtract any refund you expect. Dividing the total by your profit split shows how much funded profit you need to make your money back.
Worked example: a futures evaluation costs $100 a month and you take three months to pass, so the evaluation costs $300. Add one $80 reset and a $120 activation fee and the total is $500. With no refund and a 90% split, you need about $556 of profit on the funded account ($500 ÷ 0.9) to break even.
Tip 1: Budget for more than one attempt. Plan what a second try would cost before you start, so a failed attempt does not catch you out.
Tip 2: Read the refund terms. Refunds are usually paid only with a funded payout, so they do not lower what you pay up front.
Tip 3: Compare one-time and monthly fees based on how long you realistically need to pass, not on the first month's price.
How to use this calculator
- Evaluation fee ($): the price of one attempt, or one month for a subscription. Use the price after any discount you will actually get.
- Billing: one-time fee or monthly subscription. This is a reminder of how to read the next field; the maths is the same.
- Attempts, or months until you pass: for a one-time fee, how many times you expect to buy the challenge; for a subscription, how many months you expect to pay.
- Reset fee ($) and number of resets: what a reset costs and how many you expect to use.
- Activation fee ($): any one-off charge to start the funded account. Add platform or data fees here too if your firm charges them.
- Fee refunded on first payout ($): the refund you expect, if the firm offers one.
- Your profit split (%): your share of funded profit.
The formula used
Total spent = Evaluation fee × Attempts (or months) + Reset fee × Resets + Activation fee
Net cost = Total spent − Refund
Funded profit to break even = Net cost ÷ (Profit split % ÷ 100)
More worked examples
One-time fee with a refund: a challenge costs $250. You fail the first attempt and pass the second, so you spend $500. The firm refunds $250 with your first payout, so the net cost is $250, and at an 80% split you need $312.50 of funded profit to break even ($250 ÷ 0.8). Before that refund arrives, though, you are $500 out of pocket.
One-time fee vs subscription: account A costs $300 once. Account B costs $90 a month plus a $130 activation fee. If you pass B in one month, it costs $220 and is cheaper. In two months it costs $310, and in three months $400, both more than A. The subscription only wins if you pass quickly, so be honest about how long you usually take.
Using it in a prop firm challenge
The number of attempts is the input that matters most, and it is the one traders tend to underestimate. If you think you have roughly a one-in-four chance of passing on any given attempt, you should expect to need about four attempts on average (1 ÷ 0.25). At $250 an attempt that is $1,000, and at an 80% split you would need $1,250 of funded profit just to get back to zero. Your own estimate is the right one to use here; base it on your journal rather than on hope.
The best way to cut the number of attempts is to avoid breaching the rules. Plan your risk with the drawdown calculator and read why traders fail prop firm challenges. To lower the price of each attempt, compare the cheapest prop firm challenges and prop firms with refundable fees. Once funded, the profit calculator shows how your trades translate into a payout after the split. Trading leveraged products carries a high risk of loss, and challenge fees are money you should be prepared to lose.
Common mistakes
- Pricing only the first attempt. The advertised fee is the minimum you will pay, not the expected cost.
- Counting the refund as a discount. A refund paid with your first payout needs a funded account and a successful payout first. It does not reduce what you pay up front.
- Leaving out activation, platform or data fees. These can add a meaningful amount, especially on futures accounts billed monthly.
- Forgetting minimum payout amounts. If a firm has a minimum withdrawal, you may need more than the break-even profit before you can take any money out.
FAQ
Is a reset cheaper than buying a new challenge?
Often, but not always. Compare the reset fee with the current price of a new account, including any promo code you can use. A discounted new challenge can sometimes cost less than a reset at full price.
Does the billing setting change the result?
No. The total is the fee multiplied by the number in the attempts or months field either way. The setting is there to remind you whether that number means attempts or months.
How do I include monthly data or platform fees?
Multiply the monthly fee by the number of months you expect to pay it, and add the result to the activation fee field. If the fee continues on the funded account, include the months you expect to trade before your first payout.
What if the refund is paid later than the first payout?
Enter it in the refund field anyway, but remember the net cost only applies once you actually receive it. Until then, the total spent is the money you have at risk.