Why this page exists: Every prop firm advertises eval price. None of them show you the total cost from signup to first dollar in your bank. This guide does. Numbers are based on official pricing pages and support documentation as of March 2026. Failure rate estimates come from industry reports and user surveys — not official firm data. Links to official pricing pages are included.
Short answer: A $20 prop firm evaluation typically costs $200–500 before your first payout. The hidden costs: 2–3 failed eval attempts, activation fees ($0–160), monthly PA fees ($0–85/mo), CME data feeds ($12–124+/mo), and platform subscriptions ($0–99/mo). MFFU and Tradeify have the fewest hidden costs. Apex has the lowest eval price but the highest ongoing fees. Full breakdown by firm below.
The Headline Price vs The Real Price
Apex advertises $20 evaluations. The real cost to first payout is $265-500+. Here's every cost between "I want to try prop trading" and "money in my bank account":
| Cost Layer | What It Is | Range |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Eval fee | The advertised price | $20-330/month |
| 2. Failed eval resets | Most traders fail 2-3 times before passing | $40-660 (2-3x eval fee) |
| 3. Activation fee | One-time fee to start funded account | $0-160 |
| 4. PA monthly fee | Ongoing cost to keep funded account active | $0-105/month |
| 5. Data feed fees | CME exchange data (required to trade) | $12-124+/month |
| 6. Platform costs | NinjaTrader/Tradovate subscription | $0-99/month |
| 7. Withdrawal fees | Wire transfer, processing | $0-30 per withdrawal |
| Total before first dollar | The real price of getting funded | $77-1,500+ |
Total Cost to First Payout: Firm by Firm (50K Account)
The only number that matters is: how much do I spend before my first real withdrawal? Here's the math for each major firm, assuming a 50K account and passing on the first attempt.
| Cost Item | Apex (sale) | Topstep | MFFU Core | Tradeify Growth | TPT (Take Profit Trader) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Eval fee | $20 | $49 | $77 | $139 | $170 |
| Activation fee | $160 | $149 | $0 | $0 | $130 |
| PA fee (month 1) | $85 | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 |
| Total (best case, pass 1st try) | $265 | $198 | $77 | $139 | $300 |
| + 2 failed evals | $305 | $296 | $231 | $417 | $640 |
| + data fees (1 month)* | Included | $12-124+ | $12-124+ | $12-124+ | $12-124+ |
| Realistic total (Non-Pro data)* | $305 | $308 | $243 | $429 | $652 |
Lowest total cost (best-case scenario): MFFU Core at $243. No activation fee and no PA fee make the biggest difference. Apex looks cheapest upfront ($20 eval) but $160 activation + $85/month PA add significant friction. *Data fees range from ~$12 (Non-Professional) to $124+/month (Professional classification, March 2026). Check with your firm whether data fees are included or if you'll be classified as Professional. See the data fees section below for details.
Best-case Apex ($265) costs more than best-case Topstep ($198), though they converge at roughly the same realistic total (~$305-308) when you include failed attempts. The real difference shows up over time: Apex charges $85/month ongoing, Topstep charges $0. TPT is the most expensive path despite having fast payouts.
The Cost of Failing: Eval Resets
Most traders don't pass on their first attempt. Industry estimates suggest 70-90% of traders fail their first evaluation. Budget for failure.
| Attempts | Apex ($20 sale) | Topstep ($49/mo) | MFFU Core ($77/mo) | TPT ($170/mo) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 attempt (pass first try) | $20 | $49 | $77 | $170 |
| 3 attempts | $60 | $147 | $231 | $510 |
| 5 attempts | $100 | $245 | $385 | $850 |
| 10 attempts | $200 | $490 | $770 | $1,700 |
This is where Apex's sale pricing genuinely shines. At $20 per eval, failing 5 times costs $100. On TPT at $170/month, failing 5 times costs $850. If you're not confident you'll pass quickly, cheaper evals reduce your learning cost.
But here's what most traders miss: the cost of failing isn't just the eval fee. It's also the time, the emotional toll, and the bad habits you reinforce by rushing through evaluations without fixing the underlying problem. A trading journal that identifies why you failed is worth more than a cheaper eval fee.
PA Fees: The Monthly Drain Nobody Advertises
Some prop firms charge monthly fees on funded accounts. These fees accumulate silently while you trade — whether you're profitable or not.
| Firm | Monthly PA Fee | 3 Months Funded | 6 Months Funded | Lifetime Option |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Apex (Rithmic) | $85/mo | $255 | $510 | ~$140 one-time |
| Apex (Tradovate) | $105/mo | $315 | $630 | N/A |
| Topstep | $0 | $0 | $0 | N/A (no PA fee) |
| MFFU | $0 | $0 | $0 | N/A (no PA fee) |
| Tradeify | $0 | $0 | $0 | N/A (no PA fee) |
| TPT | $0 | $0 | $0 | N/A (no PA fee) |
Apex is the only major firm with ongoing PA fees. If you stack 3 accounts on Apex for 6 months, PA fees alone cost $1,530. On MFFU, Topstep, or Tradeify: $0. This is the single biggest hidden cost difference between firms.
For full Apex payout mechanics, see Apex payout rules explained.
Data Feed Fees: The 2026 Bombshell
As of March 2026, CME is classifying funded prop firm traders as Professional — increasing exchange data fees from ~$12/month to ~$124/month per exchange.
| Classification | CME Level I Bundle | CME Level II Bundle |
|---|---|---|
| Non-Professional (retail) | ~$12/month | ~$41/month |
| Professional (funded traders) | ~$124/month per exchange | Significantly higher |
Which firms include data fees:
- Apex: All data and platform fees included in evaluation cost — no separate data fees
- Others: Data fees vary and are often the trader's responsibility. Verify with your firm before committing.
This is a new and evolving situation. The Professional classification for prop firm traders may change as firms negotiate with exchanges. But as of March 2026, it's a real cost that can add $100-500/month to your overhead.
Platform and Software Costs
Your trading platform costs money too — sometimes more than you expect.
| Platform | Free Option | Monthly | Lifetime |
|---|---|---|---|
| NinjaTrader/Tradovate | Yes (higher commissions) | $99/mo | $1,499 |
| TradingView | Yes (limited) | $15-60/mo | N/A |
| Sierra Chart | No | $26-56/mo | N/A |
| TopstepX | Included with Topstep | $0 | N/A |
| Quantower | Yes (basic) | $40-100/mo | N/A |
The cheapest stack: NinjaTrader/Tradovate Free plan + Apex (includes data fees) = $0/month platform cost. The most expensive: NinjaTrader Monthly ($99) + Quantower ($40) + CME Professional data ($124+) = $263+/month before you trade a single contract.
For the full NinjaTrader vs Tradovate breakdown, see our platform comparison.
Account Stacking: When Costs Multiply
Running multiple prop firm accounts multiplies every cost. Here's what 5 accounts actually costs on different firms:
| Cost (5 accounts, 3 months) | Apex | Topstep | MFFU Core |
|---|---|---|---|
| Eval fees (pass 1st try) | $100 | $245 | $385 |
| Activation fees | $800 | $745 | $0 |
| PA fees (3 months) | $1,275 | $0 | $0 |
| Total overhead (3 months) | $2,175 | $990 | $385 |
Apex stacking costs $2,175 in overhead alone for 5 accounts over 3 months. That's money spent before any trading profit. On MFFU, the same 5 accounts cost $385 total. The difference: $1,790. That's not a rounding error — it's a structural disadvantage.
Account stacking only makes sense when your per-account profit consistently exceeds per-account cost. For the full stacking economics, see Apex vs Topstep.
5 Costs Prop Firms Don't Advertise
- Reset fees after breach. Blow your account? Some firms charge $50-100 to reset. Others give you a new eval at discounted price. Either way, it's money on top of the original eval fee.
- Withdrawal processing fees. ACH is usually free. Wire transfers cost $30 domestic, more international. International traders using Deel/Plane/RiseWorks may face conversion fees. Small payouts get eaten by processing fees.
- Platform inactivity fees. NinjaTrader/Tradovate charge $35/month if you don't trade on a funded account. If you're holding an account you're not actively trading — you're paying for nothing.
- The time cost of payout gates. Apex's 50% consistency rule forces you to keep trading after a big winning day just to qualify for payout. Every additional trade is risk. The 5-day qualifying requirement delays each payout by a week minimum. Time is a cost.
- Opportunity cost of contract reduction. If Apex gives you 6 contracts on eval but only 4 funded (starting at 2), your profit potential drops 50-67% immediately. The same winning strategy generates less money. That's a hidden cost that never appears on a pricing page.
The Cheapest Realistic Path to a Funded Account
If minimizing total cost is your priority, here's the optimal path:
- Track 50+ trades in a free trading journal before paying for any evaluation
- Verify your strategy passes prop firm rules using our rules cheatsheet and drawdown calculator
- Choose MFFU Core ($77/month eval, $0 activation, $0 PA fee) — cheapest total cost
- Or Topstep ($49/month eval, $149 activation) if you want the simplest rules
- Or Apex on 90% sale ($20 eval) if you want multiple accounts — but budget for $160 activation + $85/month PA per account
- Use the free NinjaTrader/Tradovate plan to avoid platform costs
- Check if your firm includes data fees — if not, budget $12–41/month (Non-Professional) or $124+/month if classified as Professional (see data fees section)
Cheapest possible total: $77 (MFFU Core, pass first try, firm includes data, free platform). Realistic total: $200-400 including 2-3 eval attempts. Expensive path: $800+ on premium firms with multiple failures.
Verify Current Costs
Pricing changes frequently. Check these pages before paying:
How We Calculated These Costs
This guide is based on:
- Official pricing pages for all 5 firms, verified March 2026
- Activation and PA fee documentation from official support articles
- CME exchange fee schedules including 2026 Professional classification changes
- Platform pricing from NinjaTrader, Tradovate, TradingView, Sierra Chart
- User reports on actual payout timelines and hidden fees from Reddit r/PropFirms
We did not receive compensation from any firm listed. For our full process, see our editorial methodology.
Final Verdict
The eval fee is the smallest cost of prop firm trading. Activation fees, PA fees, data feeds, platform costs, and failed attempts add up to 3-10x the headline price. The firms that look cheapest at the top of the funnel aren't always cheapest at the bottom.
Before you pay for any evaluation:
- Calculate total cost to first real payout — not just eval price
- Budget for 2–3 failed attempts
- Check whether data fees are included
- Understand ongoing costs (PA fees, platform fees)
- Make sure your journal data and prop firm calculator say you're ready
The cheapest prop firm is the one you pass on the first try. And the best way to pass on the first try is to know your numbers before you start.
