A $100,000 challenge looks cheap next to $100,000 of your own capital. FTMO lists €540 for a $100,000 2-Step Challenge, refunded with your first reward. But a fee buys one attempt, and pass rates are low. The question is not what one attempt costs, but what it costs on average to end up funded and paid.

What the published numbers say

Few firms publish outcomes. Topstep does: in 2025, 16.8 per cent of its evaluations were passed, and 33.3 per cent of traders who reached a funded account received a payout. Those are one futures firm’s figures, not an industry average, but they are the clearest numbers available, and they show two filters, not one.

The Real Cost of Getting Funded. What the published numbers say; Working out your own cost; Costs people forget; How to keep the cost down
What this guide covers: 4 key sections at a glance.
StepTopstep’s 2025 figureOut of 1,000 evaluations
Evaluations passed16.8%168 traders funded
Funded traders who received a payout33.3%about 56 traders paid

On those numbers, roughly 1 in 18 evaluations ended in a payout. That is the base rate any individual trader should start from before adjusting for their own record.

Working out your own cost

Divide the fee by your realistic chance of passing to get the expected cost of being funded, then add the cost of resets and of failing again on the funded account.

Illustrative example: the expected cost

A trader buys €540 challenges. If they have a 1 in 4 chance of passing each attempt, they should expect to spend about €2,160 in fees before passing once (4 attempts × €540). FTMO refunds the 2-Step fee with the first reward, so the passing attempt’s €540 comes back if they are paid, leaving about €1,620 net. At a 1 in 6 chance the same sum is about €3,240 gross.

The other side of the sum is what a funded account pays. On a $100,000 account at an 80 per cent split, a 2 per cent month is $1,600. A trader who needs four attempts to pass breaks even on the fees in the first good month, if they keep the account.

Costs people forget

  • Resets and retries, often sold at a discount, which make it easy to buy attempt after attempt.
  • Add-ons such as a higher split, longer time or a removed rule, each priced on top of the fee.
  • Non-refundable plans. FTMO refunds the 2-Step fee with the first reward but not the 1-Step or Instant fee; other firms differ.
  • Time. Weeks spent on evaluations are weeks not spent building a record on your own account.
  • Payment and currency costs on the fee and on payouts.

How to keep the cost down

  1. Prove the method on a free demo account first, under the same daily and maximum loss limits.
  2. Start with a smaller, cheaper account size; the rules are the same in percentage terms.
  3. Set a budget for fees, such as two attempts, and stop when it is spent.
  4. Prefer plans that refund the fee with the first payout.

Buying challenge after challenge to “win back” fees is the same pattern as chasing losses. If you have failed several, pause and find out which rule failed you; our guide on what to do after failing covers how.

Frequently asked

How much does it really cost to get funded by a prop firm?

The fee divided by your chance of passing. At €540 a challenge and a 1 in 4 chance, expect about €2,160 in fees before passing once, less any fee the firm refunds with your first payout.

What percentage of traders pass prop firm challenges?

Few firms publish it. Topstep reports that 16.8 per cent of its evaluations were passed in 2025, and that 33.3 per cent of funded traders received a payout, or roughly 1 in 18 evaluations ending in a payout.

Is the challenge fee refunded?

Sometimes. FTMO refunds the 2-Step Challenge fee with your first reward but not the 1-Step or FTMO Instant fee. Check each firm's terms.

Is a prop firm cheaper than trading my own money?

Only if you pass and keep the account. The fee caps your loss per attempt, but repeated attempts add up, and the funded account has strict rules. A trader with a proven method can come out ahead; a trader still learning usually pays more in fees than they would lose on a small live account.