Lists of the “best prop firm for beginners” often rank firms by headline split or account size. A beginner needs something different: rules that do not end an account on the first volatile day, an affordable way to restart, and a free place to practise under the same limits.
This guide gives criteria rather than a ranking. We are a prop firm ourselves, so we show our own published numbers next to each criterion; ask the same questions of every firm you consider.
Drawdown type: static, end-of-day or intraday trailing
How the maximum loss is measured matters more than its percentage. Intraday trailing drawdown follows your highest equity in real time, so a winning trade that comes back can breach the account. End-of-day trailing only moves at the daily close, and static drawdown never moves. For a beginner, static or end-of-day drawdown is usually easier to manage.
QATS Crypto uses a 6% end-of-day trailing maximum loss that stops trailing at the starting balance: on a $10K account, once you close a day $600 above the start, the floor locks at $10,000.
What happens at the daily loss limit
Some firms end the account when the daily limit is touched; others close positions and pause trading until the next session. A pause is more forgiving while you learn to stop after a bad day. Whichever model a firm uses, a personal daily stop well inside its limit, for example about half, leaves room for error.
Know the trade-off on QATS: on Crypto evaluations the daily limit is 4% and touching it is a breach that ends the attempt. TradFi evaluations have no separate daily cap, so the maximum-loss floor is the limit that can end an attempt.
Reset price and included resets
Beginners should plan for more than one attempt, so the cost of a restart matters more than the first price. Check whether a reset is offered after a breach, what it costs and whether a subscription includes one.
On QATS monthly plans every paid renewal adds one free reset. One-time plans can be reset for less than a new purchase: $75 for the $10K Crypto account, against $95 for a new one.
A free sandbox account for practice
The cheapest mistakes are the ones made on a free account. A sandbox that applies the same loss checks as a paid evaluation shows you how the floor moves with your trades before you pay. Make sure a demo uses the same rules, not only the same platform.
QATS offers a free sandbox account with virtual funds and the same server-side risk checks. It needs a QATS account with a verified email but no paid challenge. Sandbox results cannot be withdrawn and do not count toward an evaluation.
Account size and entry price for a first attempt
A larger account does not make an evaluation easier, because targets and limits usually scale with size. For a first attempt the smallest account is usually the right choice: the lowest fee and smaller dollar swings to manage.
On QATS Crypto the target and loss percentages are the same at every size ($10K–$100K), so size mainly changes the fee and the dollar amounts.
| Account | Monthly | One time | Reset (one-time plan) | Daily / max loss |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| $10K | $69 | $95 | $75 | $400 / $600 |
| $25K | $139 | $229 | $149 | $1,000 / $1,500 |
| $50K | $195 | $369 | $209 | $2,000 / $3,000 |
| $100K | $329 | $629 | $349 | $4,000 / $6,000 |
Time pressure and minimum days
Time limits push beginners into oversized trades near the deadline. Prefer evaluations with no maximum time limit and a small minimum number of trading days. On a monthly plan each extra month has a cost, so pace the target over weeks rather than days.
QATS evaluations set no deadline to reach the target and require 2 minimum trading days. A monthly plan stays open only while it is renewed, and a Crypto account with no trades for the inactivity period shown on its plan is closed.
Education, risk visibility and support
Beginners learn fastest when the platform shows them where they stand: the dollar floor, the remaining daily allowance and the exact reason for any breach. Plain-English guides, a glossary and responsive support make the difference between a failed attempt you understand and one you repeat.
At QATS, Risk center shows your remaining limits before each entry, the dashboard records the breached threshold if an account fails, and the Help Center includes step-by-step guides and a plain-English trading glossary.
A payout path you can understand
Read the payout rules before you buy, even as a beginner: winning days, the minimum request, the share released per request and any caps. Simple, published rules are a good sign about the firm as a whole. QATS publishes its payout terms on every plan card: 80% profit split, 5 winning days before a payout request and a $100 minimum request.
How beginner-relevant rules compare across prop firms
Use the criteria above on real plans. The table shows the maximum loss, daily loss and entry price each firm publishes for a typical entry account.
| Firm | Maximum loss | Daily loss | Entry price |
|---|---|---|---|
| QATS | 6% end-of-day trailing, stops at the starting balance (Crypto) | 4% on Crypto · no separate daily cap on TradFi evaluations | $10K Crypto: $69/month, or $49/month + $149 on pass, or $95 once |
| HyroTrader | 6% (One-Step) · 10% (Two-Step) per homepage; another official page lists 5% | 4% (One-Step) · 5% (Two-Step); static, equity-based | From $59 (Two-Step), $69 (One-Step), $89 (Zero-Step) |
| Breakout | 6% Classic · 5% Pro · 3% Turbo; staticReported | 3% on all variants | Accounts $5K–$100K; per-size prices not published on pages we could read |
| Crypto Fund Trader | 6% trailing, locks at the start (1-Phase) · 10% fixed (2-Phase) | 4% (1-Phase) · 5% (2-Phase) | About $110 for $10K 2-Phase (approximate) |
| BitFunded | 6% static (1-Step) · 10% (2-Step) | 4% (1-Step) · 5% (2-Step); static | $99 for $10K 2-Step · $149 for $10K 1-StepReported |
| Hola Prime | 6% static (1-Step) · 10% static (2-Step) | 3% (1-Step) · 5% (2-Step) | $69 for $10K 2-Step Prime · $89 for $10K 1-Step Prime (list) |
| FTMO | 10% end-of-day trailing (1-Step) · 10% static (2-Step) | 3% (1-Step) · 5% (2-Step); equity-based | €89 for $10K 2-Step · €79 for $10K 1-StepReported |
| FundedNext | 10% static (2-Step) · 6% (1-Step, reported) | 5% (2-Step) · 3% (1-Step, reported) | $59.99 for $6K Stellar 2-Step (list; no $10K size) |
| The5ers | 10% (High Stakes) · 6% stop-out (Hyper Growth) | 5% (High Stakes) · 3% (Hyper Growth) | $2.5K High Stakes from $19; larger sizes not published on pages we read |
| E8 Markets | 4% to 14%, trailing closed profit and stopping at the start (E8 One) | 3% to 9.2% depending on configuration (E8 One) | $88 for $10K E8 One, standard configuration (list) |
| FundingPips | 6% static (Pro) · 10% (Standard) · 12% static (Flex) | 3% (Pro) · 3% or 5% (Standard) · 2–3% (1-Step Flex) | $55 for $10K 2-Step Pro (another page shows $64) |
| Alpha Capital Group | 4/6/8% trailing, locks at the start (Alpha One) · 6–10% static (Pro) | 3–5% (Alpha One) · 4% (Pro 8%), balance-based | From $27 on the smallest sizes; per-size prices not published |
| Blue Guardian | 6% trailing, locks at the start (1-Step) · 8% static (2-Step) | 4% | $65 for $10K during a promotion (model not named) |
| Goat Funded Trader | 6% static (1-Step) · 8–10% static (2-Step) | 3% (1-Step, from Aug 1, 2026) · 4–5% (2-Step) | $117 for $10K 1-StepReported |
| Funded Trading Plus | 6% trailing, locks at the start (1-Step) · 8% static (2-Step) | 4% (1-Step, 2-Step) · 6% (Instant) | Core program prices not published on pages we read |
| Apex Trader Funding | EOD trailing: $2K on 50K · $3K on 100K | Pauses trading for the day ($500–$2K by size) | Prices unverified (sources conflict) |
| Topstep | EOD trailing: $2K on 50K · $3K on 100K | Optional daily limit ($1K on 50K) | $49/month for the 50K Combine; $149 Express Funded activation fee |
Best prop firm for beginners: a checklist
- Static or end-of-day drawdown, not intraday trailing.
- A daily rule you understand, with your own stop well inside it.
- A reset price, or an included reset, you could afford twice.
- A free sandbox or demo.
- The smallest account size for your first attempt.
- No maximum time limit and few minimum days.
- Clear, versioned terms and a support channel that answers.
Frequently asked questions
01Which prop firm is easiest to pass for beginners?
No firm is easy to pass without a risk plan. The rules that make an evaluation more forgiving are static or end-of-day drawdown, a daily limit that pauses rather than breaches, no time limit and a low reset price. Compare those rules rather than headline splits.
02How much money do I need to start with a prop firm?
At an evaluation-based firm you pay the evaluation fee and do not deposit trading capital. A QATS Crypto evaluation is priced from $49 a month or $69 once, on the option with a $149 activation fee charged only if you pass.
03Should a beginner start with a $10K or $100K account?
Start small. Targets and limits usually scale with size, so a larger account is not easier, only more expensive to fail. Move up once you can pass and follow the rules consistently.
04Can a complete beginner pass a prop firm challenge?
It is possible, but an evaluation tests risk discipline more than market knowledge. Learn the basics on a demo or sandbox, practise stopping at a daily limit, and only then pay for an evaluation.
Educational content, not investment advice. QATS evaluations and initial funded accounts are simulated; payouts depend on eligibility, verification and the applicable agreement.