How prop firm evaluations work (2026)

A prop firm evaluation is a test: hit a profit target without breaking the risk rules, and you get a funded account. Here's how the rules function at every step.

The profit target

You have to grow the account by a set amount — commonly a few percent of the account size — before you "pass." There's usually no time limit on modern futures evals, but you can't blow the account getting there. Confirm your firm's exact target on their terms page; it varies by firm and account size.

The trailing drawdown

The rule that fails most evals isn't the target — it's the trailing drawdown. Your maximum-loss floor rises as your balance climbs, so you can be green and still breach if you give profit back. Whether it trails intraday or end-of-day changes everything about how you size.

Minimum trading days

Most firms require a handful of active trading days so you can't pass on a single lucky session. It's a low bar, but it exists to prove consistency.

What changes when you get funded

The funded stage often flips the rules — a daily loss limit appears (or disappears), the drawdown may switch from intraday to EOD, and a consistency rule can kick in at payout. See evaluation vs funded for exactly what switches.

Risk-tracking tool, not financial advice, not affiliated with any prop firm. Evaluation targets vary by firm — verify current terms.