
The cheapest proprietary firm challenges are RebelsFunding’s $5000 Copper 4 program, FundedNext’s Stellar Lite package, FundedPip’s 5k account, and The5ers’ High Stakes Challenge.
Let’s compare the features of these affordable prop firm accounts, and other things you should prioritise before making a choice:
| Features |
|
|
|
|
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Entry fee | $25 | $32 | $39 | $36 |
| Trading capital for entry fee | $5000 (and scalable) | 5k | $5,000 | 5k |
| Max capital allocation | $640,000 | $300,000 | $4,000,000 | $600,000 |
| Payment methods | Credit/Debit card, PayPal, Crypto | Perfect Money, Apple Pay, Astropay, Credit/Debit Card, Crypto, Google Pay, PayPal, Skrill | Bank Transfer, Apple Pay, CardCredit/Debit Card, Crypto, Google Pay, PayPal | Apple Pay, Credit/Debit, Google Pay, Crypto, Neteller, PayPal, Skrill |
| Withdrawal methods | Bank wire transfer, Crypto, RiseWorks, Wise | Riseworks, Crypto, TC Pay | Crypto, Bank transfer, Riseworks | Riseworks, Crypto, Bank transfer, Mastercard |
| Minimum withdrawal | $50 | $250 | $150 | 1% of the initial account balance |
| Profit split | 80% – 90% | 60% - 90% | 50% – 100% | 80% – 90% |
| Purchase Fee Refund (after successful completion of evaluation phase | ✅ up to 200% refund of your account’s purchase fee | Yes ✅ | No ❌ | Yes ✅ |
| Free trial | Yes ✅ | Yes ✅ | No ❌ | Yes ✅ |
| No time limit | Yes ✅ | Yes ✅ | Yes ✅ | Yes and no (it depends on the program) |
| Trading platform | RF-Trader (in-house trading platform) | MetaTrader 4, MetaTrader 5, cTrader, Match-Trader | MetaTrader 5 | Match-Trader, cTrader, DXtrade, TradeLocker |
| Instruments | Forex, Metals, Energies, Crypto, Indices & Equities | Commodities, Forex, Indices, Cryptocurrencies | Securities, Forex, Metals, Indices | Crypto, Energies, Forex, Indices, Metals |
| News trading | Yes ✅ | Yes ✅ | Yes ✅ | Yes ✅ |
| Weekend holding | Yes ✅ | Yes ✅ | Yes ✅ | Yes ✅ |
| Overnight holding | Yes ✅ | Yes ✅ | Yes ✅ | Yes ✅ |
| Challenge types | One-step, two-step, three-step, four-step | Zero, 1-phase, 2-phase | 1-step, 2-step, 3-step | Zero, 1-step, 2-steps |
| Consistency rule | None ❌ | Yes ✅ | Yes ✅ | Yes ✅ |
| Expert Advisors | Not allowed ❌ | Allowed ✅ | Allowed ✅ | Allowed ✅ |
| Customer service | Responsive 24/7 | Responsive | Responsive | Responsive |
| Trustpilot Rating (Note that these scores are not fixed) |
4.5/5 |
4.6/5 |
5/5 |
4.6/5 |
Prop firm challenge is a trading account used by proprietary firms to test and evaluate your trading skills, ability to follow rules and properly manage risk before granting you access to funding.
Your main task here is to learn more about the firm. You want to verify if the company is a credible and trustworthy brand. A background check helps you protect yourself from bad operations.
To assess a proprietary firm’s legitimacy, type out and search their name on social media platforms and search engines (online forums and credible review platforms). Read what existing customers are currently saying about them.
Does the firm consistently pay rewards to traders? Are they transparent? How is their customer service? Are they responsive? How do they treat their customers? How do they handle issues?
The answers to these questions can give you a clear impression about them. Filter the inputs you read and make your final judgement based on honest and verifiable feedback.
If the testimonials prove the company is okay, you can proceed with confidence.
Reward-split for the same account size may differ from one prop firm to the other. But based on the firms’ on our table, traders can take home between 50% to 90% of the total profit.
Read, understand and be satisfied with the profit-share format of a program before you enrol.
Is your trading technique accepted by the proprietary firm? For example, is scalping allowed? What are the conditions? Is news or weekend trading permitted? Also, can you hold trades overnight or over the weekend? etc.
It is vital to know these things before you sign up. Read the FAQs, enquire from the company directly, or join their community to get the details essential to you.
Your trading strategy must always align with a firm’s trading guideline to avoid violations or closure of account. This is why you should partner with a firm that embraces your system and offers the flexibility it requires.
Is the trading platform owned by the proprietary firm or sourced externally? This matters more than most traders realise. The provider of the trading software can impact the company’s long-term stability and user experience.
An in-house trading tool is developed and maintained by the prop firm itself, while a third-party is the one owned by an external company. With in-house, the prop firm has full control over the technology; its features and updates. On the contrary, firms dependent on third-party tools (like MT4 or MT5) have zero power over technical changes or policy shifts.
This lack of control can be very risky. For example, in early 2024, MetaQuotes (the company behind MetaTrader) modified its policy for US traders and it negatively affected several prop firms. It led to disruptions and even collapse of some firms. The tragedy was a wake-up call across the industry.
If you prioritise sustainability and safety, it is wise to consider firms with an in-house trading platform (like RebelsFunding’s RF-Trader. It is made to provide reliability, and make prop trading easy & enjoyable).
You want to work with a proprietary company that is interested in your satisfaction and growth, not just your subscription. A good firm offers great customer service and valuable educational resources to improve your skill.
As stated earlier, one of the best ways to know this is through reviews from existing traders. Their feedback can tell you if the company is responsive and friendly.
When it comes to exceptional support, RebelsFunding continues to earn high marks. It is rated as one of the firms with top customer support.
A free trial allows you to test a firm’s platform, trading rules, and support system without any payment. It is a smart way to experience how everything works before deciding if the company is the right place for you.
Choose a prop firm that offers this kind of access.
RebelsFunding’s Copper 4 account is one of the cheapest challenge programs in the prop firm industry. With as low as $25, you can get funded.
If you’re just starting out in prop trading, you might want to also check out our detailed comparison on top prop firms for beginners.
