Comparing Evaluation Rules Before Comparing Prices

I used to open a prop firm’s pricing page first. It felt efficient: sort by fee, pick the cheapest, move on. Then I noticed that two plans with similar prices could ask very different things from me. Now I read the evaluation rules first, and I only look at price after I understand the job I am signing up for.

The first rule I check is the profit target. A lower target is not automatically better, but it changes how much room I have. If one plan asks for 8% and another asks for 10%, I ask whether the extra 2% fits my normal trading pace. I also check whether the target is based on balance or something else, and whether profits from different instruments count the same way.

Next is drawdown type. Static, trailing, and end-of-day drawdowns behave differently, especially if I hold positions through volatility. I want to know whether the drawdown moves with my equity, whether it locks at a certain level, and what happens after a good day. This matters more to me than a small difference in the fee.

Minimum trading days is the third item. A plan that requires more days can be fine, but it can also push me to take trades I would otherwise skip. I compare the minimum days with my schedule and my usual holding period. If I trade part-time, a shorter minimum might be worth paying more for.

Only then do I compare prices. Here is a hypothetical example: Plan A costs $100 and Plan B costs $150. Plan A has a 10% target, a trailing drawdown, and a 10-day minimum. Plan B has an 8% target, a static drawdown, and a 5-day minimum. The cheaper plan could cost me more in time and failed attempts if its rules do not fit how I trade. That extra $50 might be the least important number on the page.

I keep a simple order: profit target, drawdown type, minimum days, then price. When I want a starting point for comparing current offers, I use Prop Firm Deals Hub, but I still read each provider’s own current terms before deciding. Rules can change, and the details are what I actually trade under.

— Alex Morgan