Prop firm evaluations are not designed to be impossible — they are designed to reward traders who respect limits. Most failed challenges end the same way: one oversized loss on day two, or a revenge trade after hitting a bad streak. This plan starts from the rules and works backwards to how much you can risk per trade.
Step 1: Write down the four numbers that matter
Before your first trade, know exactly: the profit target, the daily loss limit, the maximum loss and how it trails, and any consistency or minimum-day rule. On a QATS Crypto account that is a 10% profit target, a 4% daily loss limit, a 6% end-of-day trailing maximum loss that stops trailing at the starting balance, a 40% consistency rule and 2 minimum trading days.
| Account | Profit target | Daily loss limit | Max loss (EOD trailing) | Monthly price |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| $10K | $1,000 (10%) | $400 (4%) | $600 (6%) | $69 |
| $25K | $2,500 (10%) | $1,000 (4%) | $1,500 (6%) | $139 |
| $50K | $5,000 (10%) | $2,000 (4%) | $3,000 (6%) | $195 |
| $100K | $10,000 (10%) | $4,000 (4%) | $6,000 (6%) | $329 |
Step 2: Size risk from the drawdown, not from the target
Divide the maximum loss into “lives”. If the account allows 6% and you risk 0.5% per trade, you can absorb twelve straight losses before breaching — enough to survive a normal losing streak. Risking 2% per trade leaves three.
Then check the daily limit: with a 4% daily cap and 0.5% risk per trade, you have eight losing trades per day before the account stops you. Set your own lower daily stop (for example 2%) so the firm’s rule never has to.
Step 3: Pace the target over weeks, not days
A 10% target in 30 calendar days is roughly 0.5% per trading day. Traders who try to make it in two days need oversized positions, and oversized positions are what breach accounts. With no time limit on most modern evaluations, there is no reason to rush.
Consistency rules also punish one huge day. With a 40% rule, your best day can be at most 40% of total profit — so a steady path to the target is also the fastest one that counts.
Step 4: Pre-commit to a stop for the day and the week
- Stop for the day after two or three losing trades in a row, regardless of the firm’s daily limit.
- After a drawdown of half the maximum loss, halve your risk per trade until you recover.
- Never add to a losing position to “get back to even”.
- Close or protect positions before high-impact news if your strategy is not built for it.
Step 5: Rehearse the rules on a free sandbox
The cheapest way to pass is to fail for free first. Run your strategy on a sandbox or demo and see how the trailing drawdown moves with your trades. QATS offers a free sandbox account with virtual funds and the same server-side risk checks.
Step 6: Treat passing as the start, not the finish
Funded accounts usually have tighter daily limits than the evaluation and payout rules that reward steady winning days. Keep the same risk per trade after you pass; most funded accounts that fail do so in the first week, when traders size up to “make the first payout fast”.
Frequently asked questions
01What percentage of traders pass prop firm challenges?
Few firms publish audited pass rates, so treat any quoted figure with caution. The rules are passable; most failures come from oversized risk early in the evaluation, not from a lack of market skill.
02How much should I risk per trade on a prop challenge?
A common starting point is 0.25%–1% of the starting balance per trade, sized so that a normal losing streak stays well inside the daily and maximum loss limits.
03Is there a time limit to pass?
Many evaluations, including QATS, have no maximum time limit, only a minimum number of trading days. Check your plan; some legacy challenges still use 30-day phases.
Educational content, not investment advice. QATS evaluations and initial funded accounts are simulated; payouts depend on eligibility, verification and the applicable agreement.