Challenge cost calculator
Expected fees = first fee + retries you expect to need, and you expect 1 ÷ pass rate attempts. At a 25% chance per attempt that is 4 attempts. Every number here is yours: firms publish no pass rates.
Examples only: replace every number with your own. Firms do not publish pass rates, and fees and splits change.
Expected fees to pass once
$500
about 5.0 attempts on average. To cover it you need about $625 of profit on the funded account at your split.
Chance to pass within
- 1 attempt20%
- 2 attempts36%
- 3 attempts49%
- 4 attempts59%
- 5 attempts67%
With a budget of 3 attempts you would spend up to $300 and pass with a 49% chance. The other 51% you spend it all and do not pass.
Educational arithmetic from your own assumptions, not a prediction. Attempts are treated as independent; the funded stage (it can be failed too), taxes and payout rules are not modelled.
How is it calculated? Expected attempts = 1 ÷ pass rate. Expected fees = first fee + (attempts − 1) × retry cost.
The chance to pass within n attempts is 1 − (1 − p)^n. Break-even profit is the expected fees divided by the share of funded profit you keep. Attempts are treated as independent with the same chance.
What does it ignore? The funded stage, taxes, payout rules and any change in your results between attempts.
You can fail the funded stage too, firms set their own payout conditions, and a failed attempt usually teaches you something, so your next chance is rarely the same as the last. Use the result as a budget check, not a forecast.
Before you pay
AdChecked your numbers? Read the rules first.
FTMO sets its own fee, target and limits for each programme: read them on its site before you pay. Evaluation fees apply and nothing here promises a pass or a profit.
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AdComparing funded programmes?
FundingPips publishes the target and loss limits of each programme. Read them before you choose. Evaluation fees apply and nothing here promises a pass or a profit.
Explore FundingPipsDisclosure: Some links on this website are affiliate links. If you use them, we may receive compensation at no additional cost to you. This does not determine our editorial analysis, reviews or comparisons.
Compare published targets and loss limits · Estimate your pass odds
Frequently asked questions
What is the real cost of a prop firm challenge?
The fee is the cost of one attempt. If you may need several, the expected cost is the first fee plus the cost of each extra attempt you expect to need. With a 20% chance per attempt you expect about five attempts, so roughly the first fee plus four retries.
What pass rate should I enter?
Your own honest estimate, ideally from your journal or a tested strategy. Firms do not publish pass rates, so this page does not suggest one. The example 20% is only a placeholder.
Does passing the challenge mean I earn money?
No. After the challenge comes the funded stage, which has its own limits and can also be failed, and payouts follow each firm's rules. This calculator only covers the fees to get to the funded stage.
Where do I find the current fees and rules?
On each firm's own page. See our prop firm comparison for the published targets and loss limits, and always check the fee at checkout: prices and promotions change.
Written by
Volodymyr KravchenkoIndependent market researcher focused on Forex, Gold, commodities, macroeconomic data and AI-powered financial intelligence.
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This content is provided for educational purposes only and is not investment advice. Trading involves risk, and past performance does not guarantee future results. Affiliate relationships may exist. Always conduct your own independent research before making financial decisions.