The prop-firm rules that fail accounts, on 2 pages
Most blown evaluations aren't one bad trade. They're a rule the trader didn't fully understand: a trailing drawdown that followed open profit, a daily limit that counted an open loss, a consistency cap that blocked a payout. This free cheat sheet puts all nine on two pages, each with a worked example.
Get the free PDF
- 9 rules, with numbers: static vs end-of-day vs intraday trailing drawdown, daily loss, target + minimum days, consistency, contract limits, news and close-out, hidden fees, payout buffers, eligibility.
- True-cost formula, with a worked example where the "expensive" firm is cheaper.
- Sizing formula based on the room left to your drawdown (always round down).
- 12-point checklist to run before you pay for any evaluation, and the 14 words to search in any rulebook.
Who it's for
- You're about to buy your first futures evaluation and want to know what you're signing up for.
- You failed one and still aren't sure which rule did it.
- You're comparing firms and the rule pages all read the same.
What it isn't
It isn't a strategy, a signal or a promise that you'll pass. Most traders fail evaluations. The cheat sheet helps you avoid the avoidable failures and pay less for each attempt. Want to compare costs right now? The true-cost calculator is free, with no signup.
Educational only. Not financial advice. Futures trading involves substantial risk of loss. TrueCostProp's videos are presented by Tally, an AI-generated host; everything is written and reviewed by the TrueCostProp team.