Which Prop Firm Challenge Is Actually Easiest to Pass?
Traders ask this constantly, but most "answers" are just opinions or marketing. The truth is: the easiest prop firm challenge depends on your style, risk tolerance, and how you trade. There is no one-size-fits-all answer, but you can make a smart, data-driven choice by comparing the actual evaluation rules—not just the headlines.
What Makes a Prop Challenge "Easy"?
- Low Profit Target: The lower the % you must make, the less risk you need to take.
- High Drawdown Limits: More room for losses gives you flexibility during rough patches.
- Unlimited or Generous Time: No time pressure means you can wait for A+ setups.
- Simple, Transparent Rules: Fewer hidden traps or fine print.
- Allowed Strategies: Can you use EAs, news trading, hold over weekends?
But there are trade-offs: "easy" on one rule often means stricter on another. For example, a low profit target might come with a tight drawdown, or unlimited time but lower leverage.
Quick Comparison: Top Prop Firm Evaluation Rules
| Firm | Profit Target | Max Drawdown | Daily Drawdown | Min Trading Days | Time Limit | Allowed Instruments | Leverage | Challenge Cost | Profit Split |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| My Funded Futures | 6% | 4% | 0% | 2 | Unlimited | Futures | Full | $77-$477/mo | 80/20 → 90/10 |
| Tradeify | 6% | 4% | 2.5% | 1 | Unlimited | Futures | Full | $139-$509 | 90/10 |
| The5ers | 6% | 6% | 3% | 3 | Unlimited | Forex, Metals, Indices | 1:30 | $95-$875 | 50/50 → 100% |
| E8 Markets | 8% | 8% | 5% | 5 | Unlimited | Forex, Indices, Commodities, Crypto | 1:50 | $48-$988 | 80/20 |
| MyFundedFX | 8% | 8% | 5% | 3 | Unlimited | Forex, Indices, Commodities, Crypto | 1:100 | $49-$1,499 | 80/20 → 92.75% |
| Funded Trading Plus | 10% | 6% | 4% | 0 | Unlimited | Forex, Crypto, Indices, Commodities | 1:30 | $119-$999 | 80/20 → 100% |
| FTMO | 10% | 10% | 5% | 4 | 30d/60d | Forex, Indices, Commodities, Crypto, Stocks | 1:100 | $155-$1,080 | 80/20 → 90/10 |
| FundedNext | 10% | 10% | 5% | 5 | 30d/60d | Forex, Indices, Commodities, Crypto | 1:100 | $59-$999 | 80/20 → 90/10 |
| Blue Guardian | 10% | 6% | 4% | 5 | Unlimited | Forex, Crypto, Indices, Commodities | 1:100 | $87-$897 | 85/15 → 90/10 |
| Lux Trading Firm | 10% | 6% | 0% | 0 | Unlimited | Forex, Indices, Commodities, Metals | 1:10 | $299-$4,999 | 80/20 |
| City Traders Imperium | 10% | 10% | 5% | 0 | Unlimited | Forex, Indices, Commodities, Crypto, Metals | 1:30 | $39-$549 | 80/20 → 100% |
Key Factors: Which Rules Actually Make Passing Easier?
Profit Target vs. Drawdown: What's the Real Hurdle?
Most traders fixate on profit targets. But the real killer is the distance between profit target and drawdown. For example, hitting a 6% profit target with a 6% max drawdown is much riskier than an 8% target with 10% drawdown. Here's why:
- The5ers: 6% target, 6% max drawdown. You have to double your account before risking a reset.
- FTMO: 10% target, 10% max drawdown. Still tough, but you have slightly more room for error.
- MyFundedFX: 8% target, 8% drawdown. A bit more balanced.
Always check the profit-to-drawdown ratio—the closer the numbers, the more aggressive you must trade.
Time Pressure: Unlimited vs. Fixed Deadlines
- Unlimited Time: E8 Markets, The5ers, MyFundedFX, Blue Guardian, Funded Trading Plus, City Traders Imperium, Lux Trading Firm, Tradeify, My Funded Futures, Take Profit Trader, and more.
- Fixed Time: FTMO (30 days phase 1, 60 days phase 2), FundedNext (same).
Why it matters: Unlimited time lets you wait out drawdowns, avoid overtrading, and pass with lower stress. If you need more time to recover from a losing streak, this is a big advantage.
Minimum Trading Days: How Fast Can You Pass?
- No Minimum: Funded Trading Plus, City Traders Imperium, Lux Trading Firm
- 1-3 Days: Tradeify (1), My Funded Futures (2), The5ers (3), MyFundedFX (3)
- 4-7 Days: FTMO (4), Blue Guardian (5), FundedNext (5), E8 Markets (5), Apex Trader Funding (7)
If you're a high-frequency or news trader, low or no minimum trading days mean you can blitz the challenge in a few big trades. But beware—passing quickly can also mean higher risk.
Allowed Strategies: Are There Hidden Restrictions?
Many firms ban EAs, news trading, grid/martingale, or copy trading. This can be a dealbreaker if your edge depends on these methods. Some firms allow almost everything (MyFundedFX, E8 Markets, FundedNext), while others (The5ers, TopStep, Lux Trading Firm) are strict.
Spotlight: The "Easiest" Challenges by Category
1. Easiest Forex/CFD Challenge (Aggressive)
MyFundedFX stands out for several reasons:
- 8% profit target, 8% max drawdown, 5% daily drawdown
- Unlimited time to pass
- Leverage: 1:100 (higher than E8, The5ers, Funded Trading Plus)
- Minimum trading days: 3
- Profit split up to 92.75% (highest in industry after scaling)
- Multiple challenge formats (1-step, 2-step, 3-step)
- Strategies: News trading, weekend holding, EAs all allowed
What makes it "easy"? The 8% target with 8% drawdown is still aggressive, but unlimited time and high leverage mean you can pace your trades. 1-step and 2-step options mean you can choose your preferred risk/reward. The main risk: newer firm, so consider health and payout history (see PropSurvivalEngine Health Grades).
2. Easiest Futures Challenge
My Funded Futures is the standout for minimal barriers:
- 6% profit target, 4% max drawdown, no daily loss limit
- Only 2 minimum trading days
- Unlimited time to pass
- One-phase evaluation (no second step)
- Full contract leverage on CME Group markets
- Monthly fee model ($77–$477, but can cancel anytime after passing)
What makes it "easy"? No daily limit means you can't lose the account in a single bad day. EOD trailing drawdown is more forgiving than intraday. You can pass in as little as two trading days. The main caveat: only for futures traders, and you must avoid trading during Tier 1 news on some plans.
3. Easiest for No Time Pressure
- The5ers: 6% profit target, 6% drawdown, unlimited time. But, only 1:30 leverage and no EAs/news trading.
- City Traders Imperium: 10% target, 10% drawdown, unlimited time, 1:30 leverage, static drawdown, profit split up to 100%. EAs/news trading allowed, but must prove EA ownership.
- Funded Trading Plus: 10% target, 6% drawdown, unlimited time, 1:30 leverage, no minimum trading days, profit split up to 100%.
These are ideal if you want to trade slower timeframes or avoid any pressure. Just know that lower leverage and limited instrument lists can be a trade-off.
4. Easiest for Fast Passing (1-3 Days)
- Tradeify: 6% target, 4% drawdown, only 1 minimum trading day, futures only, unlimited time.
- My Funded Futures: 6% target, 4% drawdown, 2 minimum trading days.
- The5ers: 6% target, 6% drawdown, 3 minimum trading days.
If you have a high-frequency edge or want to "speedrun" a challenge, these are your best bets. But beware: passing quickly usually means higher risk per trade.
Hidden Trade-Offs: What Most Traders Miss
- Low Drawdown = High Risk: The5ers' 6% drawdown sounds generous until you realize it's equal to the profit target. One big mistake and you're out.
- Unlimited Time Can Hide Risk: You might think "I'll just take my time," but many traders end up overtrading or drifting from their system, leading to slow losses. Discipline matters just as much as the rules.
- Scaling and Payouts: Some firms (FTMO, FundedNext, The5ers, Funded Trading Plus) let you scale up to $2M–$4M+ over time. But passing the challenge is just the start—the real test is staying funded and following rules long-term.
- Profit Split Only Matters If You Get Paid: 100% profit split sounds great, but if you can't pass or keep the account, it's meaningless. Focus on rules first, payout second.
- Monthly Fees vs. One-Time Fee: Futures firms often use monthly models (My Funded Futures, TopStep, Tradeify). This can be cheaper if you pass quickly, but expensive if you take months. Calculate your expected pass time with the PropSurvivalEngine calculator.
- Look for a challenge where the profit target is well below the max drawdown, with unlimited time and your preferred trading style allowed.
- If you trade futures, My Funded Futures and Tradeify are the lowest barrier to entry.
- For forex/CFD, MyFundedFX is the most flexible for aggressive traders, but The5ers and City Traders Imperium offer the least time pressure for swing traders.
- Check firm health and payout reliability before committing (see PropSurvivalEngine Health Grades).
What About FTMO and E8 Markets?
FTMO is the industry standard, but their challenge is not the easiest: 10% profit target in 30 days, 10% drawdown, 5% daily, and a two-step process. The benefit: trust, education, and scaling up to $2M. If you want to maximize long-term opportunity and don't mind a tougher challenge, FTMO is still the gold standard. For "easiest" pass, look elsewhere.
E8 Markets is a solid middle ground: 8% target, 8% drawdown, 5% daily, unlimited time, 1:50 leverage, low fees. It's easier than FTMO for most, but still requires discipline. The biggest risk: 8% drawdown is tighter than FTMO's 10%, so you must manage risk tightly.
Special Mention: Unique or Niche "Easy" Challenges
- City Traders Imperium: Static drawdown (does not trail), unlimited time, up to 100% profit split. Good for swing and news traders, but lower leverage and smaller starting accounts.
- Lux Trading Firm: Huge scaling (up to $10M), static 6% drawdown, unlimited time, but 1:10 leverage and strict risk management. Ideal for institutional-style traders.
- Funded Trading Plus: Up to 100% profit split, unlimited time, no minimum trading days. But trailing drawdown shrinks after withdrawals, leverage just 1:30.
What Should You Do Next?
- Define your trading style: Are you aggressive, swing, news, algo, or futures trader?
- Use the PropSurvivalEngine Comparison Tool to filter by your preferred rules and see health grades.
- Calculate your personal odds: Use the challenge calculator to see how your win rate, average R, and trade frequency affect your odds of passing each firm's rules.
- Check health and payout stats: Don't just go with the "easiest"—make sure the firm is paying reliably and isn't at risk of collapse (see grades).
Bottom Line: Which Prop Firm Challenge Is Easiest?
There is no universal "easiest"—but for most traders:
- Futures Traders: My Funded Futures (6% target, 4% drawdown, 2-day minimum, unlimited time, no daily loss limit) is the lowest barrier if you can trade CME markets.
- Forex/CFD Traders (Aggressive): MyFundedFX (8% target/drawdown, 3-day minimum, high leverage, unlimited time) is the most flexible for fast passes and varied strategies.
- Swing/Low-Frequency Traders: The5ers or City Traders Imperium (low/no minimum days, unlimited time, static drawdown) are best for slow, patient trading.
- Most Trusted, Long-Term: FTMO is not the easiest, but best for those who value reliability and scaling up to $2M.
Ultimately, the easiest challenge is the one that matches your real trading habits and risk profile. Use the data, run scenarios with the PropSurvivalEngine calculator, and pick the firm where you are most likely to pass—not just the one with the lowest numbers on paper.