Short answer: the cheapest futures prop firms (list prices, October 5, 2026)
- Cheapest way in: The5ers Futures $25K at $59 one-time, with no activation fee.
- Cheapest 50K on a monthly plan: Topstep's No Activation Fee Combine, $95 if you pass inside the first month, then FTMO Futures Growth at $119 a month. Neither charges an activation fee.
- Cheapest 50K one-time fees: FundedNext Futures Flex ($133.99), GOAT Funded Futures EOD ($138), Bulenox Momentum ($143), Tradeify Growth ($145) and MyFundedFutures Builder ($153), all with no activation fee.
- Cheapest with a promo code right now: Apex. Code SAVENOW takes 90% off evaluations until October 13, 2026, so a 50K Intraday No Activation Fee evaluation costs $49 all-in.
The sticker price is the wrong number to compare. What matters is the total cost to get funded: the evaluation fee, plus any activation fee when you pass, plus the resets or monthly rebills you pay while you try. A $49 monthly Combine can end up costing more than a $145 one-time evaluation. This guide ranks the main futures prop firms on that total, using each firm's own list prices checked on October 5, 2026.
Almost nobody pays list price
Most futures prop firms run near-permanent promo codes, so the checkout price is usually below the list prices in this guide. Codes change weekly, so we rank on list prices and show the codes separately, each with the date we saw it:
- Apex Trader Funding: code SAVENOW, up to 90% off evaluations until October 13, 2026 (11:59 PM ET). It does not apply to activation fees or resets (Apex coupon page). More in our Apex coupon code guide.
- MyFundedFutures: code CLUB, 40% off any plan (seen October 5, 2026). A Builder 50K drops from $153 to $92.
- Take Profit Trader: code NOFEE40, 40% off for life plus no activation fee (seen October 5, 2026). A 50K Test drops from $170 to $102 a month.
- Tradeify: code GEMS, 30% off, applied automatically on the site (seen October 5, 2026).
- GOAT Funded Futures: code AUTUMN50, 50% off all plans (seen October 5, 2026). The EOD 50K drops from $138 to $69.
- FundedNext Futures: code FNFLEX brings the Flex 50K from $133.99 to $69.99 (help center, October 2026).
- Topstep: no public promo code on October 5, 2026. A referral link gives 15% off your first Combine. See our Topstep promo code guide.
How to work out the real cost to get funded
Total cost to funded = evaluation fee + activation fee (if any) + resets or extra months while you try
- Evaluation fee. Either a monthly subscription that rebills every 30 days until you pass (Topstep, Take Profit Trader, FTMO Futures) or a one-time fee (Apex, MyFundedFutures, Tradeify, Bulenox, GOAT Funded Futures, FundedNext Futures, The5ers).
- Activation fee. A one-time charge when you pass and move to the funded account: $149 at Topstep Standard, $130 at Take Profit Trader, $79 to $149 at Apex Standard, $143 to $498 at Bulenox Qualification. Many firms charge nothing.
- Resets and extra months. Most traders fail at least once. In 2025, 16.8% of Topstep Combines passed (Topstep program stats), and MyFundedFutures reports that 19.97% of its evaluations passed (MFFU disclosure). Budget for a retry.
Cheapest futures prop firms at 50K: total cost to funded
50K is the one size every firm below sells, so it gives a fair comparison. List prices checked October 5, 2026, sorted by the cost if you pass on your first try.
| Firm and plan | Billing | 50K evaluation | Activation | Pass first try | Fail once, then pass |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Topstep, No Activation Fee | Monthly | $95/mo | $0 | $95 | $190 |
| FTMO Futures Growth | Monthly | $119/mo | $0 | $119 | $228 |
| FundedNext Futures Flex | One-time | $133.99 | $0 | $133.99 | $267.98 |
| GOAT Funded Futures EOD | One-time | $138 | $0 | $138 | $276 |
| Bulenox Momentum | One-time | $143 | $0 | $143 | $286 |
| Tradeify Growth | One-time | $145 | $0 | $145 | $290 |
| MyFundedFutures Builder | One-time | $153 | $0 | $153 | $306 |
| Topstep, Standard | Monthly | $49/mo | $149 | $198 | $247 |
| Take Profit Trader | Monthly | $170/mo | $130 | $300 | $399 |
| Bulenox Qualification | One-time, 30 days | $175 | $148 | $323 | $401 |
| Apex Intraday, Standard | One-time, 30 days | $249 | $89 | $338 | $587 |
How we counted: "Pass first try" assumes a monthly plan is passed inside its first 30-day billing cycle. "Fail once" adds one reset at the firm's published reset price (Topstep: same as the monthly price; FTMO Growth 50K: $109; Take Profit Trader 50K: $99; Bulenox Qualification: $78). Where we did not verify a reset price, and at Apex, whose current evaluations have no resets, we counted a second evaluation at list price. Promo codes cut most of these numbers.
Three things stand out:
- Activation fees change the ranking. Topstep Standard looks cheapest at $49, but the $149 activation fee makes a first-try pass cost $198. The No Activation Fee path costs $95.
- Monthly plans are cheaper to fail on. A Topstep or FTMO reset costs less than a new one-time evaluation. One-time plans win if you pass fast.
- Apex is expensive at list and cheap with its code. At list, the 50K Intraday Standard costs $338 to get funded. With SAVENOW it is $113.90, and the 50K Intraday No Activation Fee evaluation is $49.
Cheapest small accounts (25K)
If you only want the lowest entry ticket, these are the cheapest 25K paths at list price (October 5, 2026):
| Firm and plan | 25K price | Activation | Pass first try |
|---|---|---|---|
| The5ers Futures | $59 one-time | $0 | $59 |
| Bulenox Momentum | $94 one-time | $0 | $94 |
| Tradeify Growth | $99 one-time | $0 | $99 |
| MyFundedFutures Builder | $105 one-time | $0 | $105 |
| Apex Intraday, Standard | $167 one-time | $79 | $246 |
| Take Profit Trader | $150/mo | $130 | $280 |
The5ers Futures 25K asks for a 6% profit target ($1,500) with a 4% end-of-day max loss ($1,000), and The5ers refunds the fee on your third payout (The5ers Futures). Topstep and FTMO Futures have no 25K evaluation on their regular menus. Topstep Labs sometimes drops a limited $25K Static Combine at $75 one-time (Topstep Labs).
What each firm actually charges
Topstep
Two paths, chosen at purchase and fixed after that. Standard: $49, $99 or $199 a month (50K, 100K, 150K) plus a $149 activation fee for each Express Funded Account. No Activation Fee: $95, $149 or $229 a month and no activation fee. A reset costs the same as one month, and the Combine rebills every 30 days with no time limit to pass (Topstep pricing). The No Activation Fee path is cheaper if you pass within three months. From month four, Standard wins: four months cost $345 on Standard and $380 without the activation fee.
Apex Trader Funding
Since March 1, 2026, new Apex evaluations are one-time fees with 30 calendar days of access, no resets and no extensions, and you must activate the Performance Account within 7 days of passing. 50K list prices: Intraday Standard $249 plus an $89 activation fee, EOD Standard $590 plus $119, and Intraday No Activation Fee $490 with nothing to pay on passing (Apex fees and access). Apex does not refund purchases.
MyFundedFutures
Every purchase since August 25, 2026 is a one-time payment, and every plan has a $0 activation fee (MFFU activation fees). List prices: Builder 25K $105 and 50K $153, Rapid 25K $145 and 50K $209, Pro 50K $265. You get a refund only if you have not placed a trade, within 14 days, and an account with no trade for 7 calendar days can be closed.
Tradeify
One-time fees, no activation fees and no recurring billing since Tradeify 3.0 in April 2026. Growth 25K $99 and 50K $145; Select 25K $109 and 50K $165. All sales are final (Tradeify pricing reference).
Bulenox
Three ways in. Momentum (25K $94, 50K $143) is one payment that covers the evaluation and activates the Master account free. Qualification (25K $145, 50K $175, 30 days of access) needs a separate Master activation fee ($143 at 25K, $148 at 50K), and a reset is $78. Fast Track skips the evaluation for $338 to $788. Connecting a third-party copier or API through Rithmic adds $100 a month (Bulenox pricing).
Take Profit Trader
The Test is a monthly subscription: 25K $150, 50K $170, 100K $330 a month. Passing moves you to a PRO account with a one-time $130 activation fee. Resets cost $79 (25K) or $99 (50K) (TPT test subscriptions).
FTMO Futures
Launched September 17, 2026. Growth costs $119, $169 or $229 a month (50K, 100K, 150K) and Pro $139, $199 or $269, with no activation fee. A Growth 50K reset is $109. There is no free trial and no fee refund on futures, and FTMO charges $0.50 per side on minis and $0.20 on micros, plus exchange and NFA fees (FTMO Futures comparison table).
GOAT Funded Futures
One-time fees on all six plans and no activation fee. List prices shown on October 5, 2026: EOD Challenge 50K $138 and Daily Payouts 25K $178, or $69 and $89 with AUTUMN50. Fees are non-refundable once the account is issued, and payouts carry a 3% fee (GFF plan specs).
FundedNext Futures
One-time fees with no activation fee. 50K list prices: Flex $133.99, Legacy $199.99, Rapid Pro and Rapid Daily $299.98. The Flex funded account closes after five payouts (FundedNext Futures prices).
Want to skip the evaluation entirely? It costs about three times more. See instant funding prop firms for the no-evaluation options.
Hidden costs that change the math
- Time limits. Apex evaluations expire after 30 calendar days with no extensions, and Bulenox Qualification access lasts 30 days. Run out of time and you pay again.
- Inactivity rules. MyFundedFutures can close one-time-payment accounts after 7 calendar days without a trade. Our prop firm rule checklist lists the time limits and minimum days for each firm next to its drawdown and payout rules.
- Data and connections. Level 1 data is included at Apex and FTMO. Depth of market costs extra at Apex and cannot be bought on FTMO credentials. Bulenox charges $100 a month for third-party API or copier connections.
- Payout fees. GOAT Funded Futures takes 3% of each payout. Topstep charges $30 for ACH or wire payouts and nothing for Prop-to-Brokerage or Aeropay.
If you have already failed one, read what to do after a failed prop firm challenge before you buy a reset.
Are cheap prop firm fees refundable?
Usually not in futures. Of the firms above, only The5ers Futures refunds the fee, on your third payout. Apex, Tradeify and Bulenox do not refund used purchases, GOAT Funded Futures fees are non-refundable once the account is issued, MyFundedFutures refunds only untouched accounts within 14 days, and FTMO's fee refund applies to its CFD 2-Step Challenge, not to futures. Treat every evaluation fee as spent.
Cheapest CFD and forex prop firms
FuturesHive is a futures site, but many "cheap prop firm" searches mean forex and CFD challenges. These are the cheapest products we could verify on each firm's own site, at list price on October 5, 2026. They are cheap because the accounts are tiny: a 4% drawdown on a $2,500 account is $100.
| Firm | Cheapest product (list) | Also cheap (list) |
|---|---|---|
| Maven Trading | Mini 3-Step $2K: $13 | Instant $2K: $15 |
| FXIFY | Instant Lite $2.5K: $19 | Three Phase $5K: $39 |
| AquaFunded | Two-Step Pro $5K: $20 | Instant Standard $2.5K: $30.67 |
| The5ers | Bootcamp $20K: $22, plus $50 when funded | Hyper Growth $5K: $52 |
| City Traders Imperium | 1-Step $2.5K: $29 | 2-Step $2.5K: $39 |
| GOAT Funded Trader | 2-Step GOAT $5K: $36 | 1-Step $5K: $74 |
| Instant Funding | One-Phase Micro $10K: $39 | IF Micro Lite $5K: $59 |
| Funded Trader Markets | Instant Pro $5K: $43 | 1-Step Nitro $5K: $80 |
IC Funded's cheapest verified challenge is the 2-Step Professional $5K at $74. GOAT Funded Trader also sells a one-per-person "Goat $1" trial: a $1K account for $1 with a $100 lifetime withdrawal cap. Maven shows some products as unavailable in certain regions, and AquaFunded was running a 25% Autumn Sale on first accounts. Check each checkout before you pay.
How to keep your cost to funded low
- Pick the billing model by how fast you pass. Passing in days favors one-time fees. Needing several tries favors monthly plans with cheap resets.
- Count the activation fee before you buy. It can double the price of a cheap-looking evaluation.
- Take codes from the firm's own site and check the end date. Apex's SAVENOW ends October 13, 2026.
- Mind the clock. On 30-day evaluations, start when you can trade every session, not the week before a holiday.
- Size down until the rules are second nature. A blown account is the most expensive line in every table above.
Price is one input, not the whole decision: our guide to choosing a prop firm weighs cost against drawdown type, payout rules and platform. And since a pass on the first attempt is the cheapest line in every table, read how to pass a prop firm challenge before you buy.
The Cheapest Account Is the One You Pass First Try
Every failed attempt in the 50K table costs $49 to $249 more. Get free Discord access to the rules-based futures system our members use to pass Topstep, Apex, MFFU and FTMO: 291 days of verified results, a 94% success rate, 7+ traders funded every week, about 2 hours of trading a day.
Get Free Access →Frequently Asked Questions
What is the cheapest futures prop firm in 2026?
At list prices on October 5, 2026, The5ers Futures is the cheapest way in: a $25K evaluation costs $59 one-time with no activation fee. At 50K, Topstep's No Activation Fee Combine costs $95 if you pass in the first month, and FTMO Futures Growth costs $119 a month. With promo codes, Apex is cheapest until October 13, 2026: code SAVENOW makes a 50K Intraday No Activation Fee evaluation $49 all-in.
Is Topstep cheaper with or without the activation fee?
Without it, if you pass within three months. The Standard path is $49 a month for 50K plus a $149 activation fee, so a first-month pass costs $198. The No Activation Fee path is $95 a month with no activation fee, so a first-month pass costs $95. From the fourth month on, Standard is cheaper. You cannot switch paths after purchase.
Which futures prop firms have no activation fee?
As of October 2026: MyFundedFutures, Tradeify, FTMO Futures, GOAT Funded Futures, FundedNext Futures, The5ers Futures, Bulenox Momentum, Topstep's No Activation Fee path and Apex's No Activation Fee evaluations. Topstep Standard charges $149, Take Profit Trader $130, Apex Standard $79 to $149 and Bulenox Qualification $143 to $498.
How much does it cost to reset a failed prop firm evaluation?
At 50K: Topstep charges the monthly price ($49 Standard, $95 No Activation Fee), FTMO Futures Growth $109, Take Profit Trader $99 and Bulenox Qualification $78. Apex's current evaluations have no resets, so you buy a new one. If a new evaluation with a promo code costs less than the reset, buy the evaluation.
Are prop firm evaluation fees refundable?
Rarely in futures. The5ers Futures refunds the fee on your third payout. Apex, Tradeify and Bulenox do not refund used purchases, GOAT Funded Futures fees are non-refundable once the account is issued, and MyFundedFutures refunds only if no trade was placed, within 14 days.
What is the cheapest forex or CFD prop firm?
At list prices on October 5, 2026, Maven Trading's Mini 3-Step $2K costs $13, FXIFY's Instant Lite $2.5K costs $19 and AquaFunded's Two-Step Pro $5K costs $20. These are tiny accounts with small dollar drawdowns, and promotions change the price often, so check the checkout page.
Sources
- Topstep: pricing and payment questions
- Topstep: 2025 program statistics
- Apex Trader Funding: evaluation fees and access
- MyFundedFutures: activation fees
- Tradeify: pricing reference
- Bulenox: accounts and pricing
- FTMO Futures: comparison table
- The5ers: futures programs
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Get Free Access →Disclaimer: Trading involves substantial risk of loss. Prop firm evaluations have strict rules and most traders do not pass on their first attempt. Prices and promo codes change often; confirm them on each firm's official site before buying. This guide is for educational purposes only and does not constitute financial advice.