The basics of running automated strategies on funded accounts.
What is a prop firm, and how does funding work?
A proprietary trading firm gives you access to a funded trading account after you pass an evaluation (often called a challenge). You pay a one-off fee or subscription, hit a profit target while staying inside loss limits, and once funded you keep a share of the profits — typically 75–100% — while the firm absorbs the losses. You never risk your own capital beyond the evaluation fee.
Can I really run an EA or trading bot on a funded account?
At the firms listed here, yes — but the fine print varies enormously. Some firms allow any automation that respects risk limits; others ban specific styles (grid, martingale, HFT, latency arbitrage), require the bot to be your own original work, or insist a human supervises it at all times. That fine print is exactly what this site tracks. Always confirm the current policy on the firm's own site before purchasing.
What's the difference between static and trailing drawdown?
Static drawdown is a fixed floor — lose more than, say, 10% of the starting balance and the account fails. Trailing drawdown moves up as you profit: if it tracks unrealised profit intraday, an open winner that retraces can breach the limit even though you never closed a losing trade. Static is far more predictable for bots; intraday trailing is the hardest mode for algos that let winners run.
What is a consistency rule and why does it matter for bots?
A consistency rule caps how much of your total profit can come from a single day or trade — for example, no day may exceed 30–50% of overall profit. Bots that trade rarely but win big can fail these rules even while being genuinely profitable. Firms with no consistency rule score higher on our EA freedom rating.
How does this site make money?
Through affiliate partnerships. If you visit a firm through our links and sign up, we may earn a commission at no extra cost to you — often the discount codes shown here actually save you money versus going direct. Affiliate status never changes a firm's score, which is calculated from its published rules using our methodology.
Is the data here guaranteed to be accurate?
No — prop firm rules change constantly, sometimes overnight. We track changes in our rule-changes feed, but the firm's own terms and conditions are always the final word. Treat this site as a research starting point, and verify every rule that matters to your strategy before paying for an evaluation.