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Free PDF · checked October 2026The Prop Firm Rules Cheat Sheet
The rules that breach funded accounts, side by side for 10 popular firms: daily loss, how max loss trails, news windows, holding rules, consistency, and the fine print most traders only find after they fail.
- 10 firms across forex, CFDs and futures
- Balance vs equity vs end-of-day drawdown, explained per firm
- News windows and what happens to trades inside them
- The “easy to miss” rules that block payouts
The five rules that breach the most accounts
1. Daily loss is measured from a different starting point at every firm
Some firms measure your daily loss from the starting balance, some from yesterday’s closing balance, and some from the higher of your balance or equity when the day resets. If you’re up on open trades at the reset, that higher number becomes your starting point, and your room for today shrinks.
2. Trailing max loss follows your highs, not your start
A trailing drawdown moves your floor up as you make new highs. Firms trail your highest balance, your highest equity including open profit, or only your end-of-day balance. That difference decides whether giving back open profit can breach you.
3. News windows can void profit or end the account
Some firms let you trade news but keep only part of the profit. Others treat any trade opened, closed or even held near high-impact news as a hard breach. Know which kind your firm is before red news hits.
4. Weekend and overnight holds
Many instant-funding accounts close or breach anything held into the weekend. Most futures evaluations require you to be flat before the daily close.
5. Consistency rules block payouts, not trades
A consistency rule caps how much of your profit can come from one day. Break it and you usually aren’t breached. You just can’t withdraw until the rest of your days catch up.
Firms in the cheat sheet
- FXIFY Instant Funding
- FXIFY Instant Funding Lite
- FundingPips Zero
- FundingPips Instant Funded
- FundedNext Stellar Instant
- Goat Funded Instant HERO
- FTMO 1-Step (challenge)
- The5ers High Stakes (Phase 2)
- Topstep Trading Combine (50K)
- Apex Trader Funding · Intraday evaluation (50K)
Want the rules tracked for you instead? Proof watches every rule on every account: daily loss left, distance to max loss, open risk, news windows and payout dates.
Frequently asked questions
Which prop firms are in the cheat sheet?
FXIFY Instant Funding and Instant Funding Lite, FundingPips Zero and Instant Funded, FundedNext Stellar Instant, Goat Funded Instant HERO, FTMO 1-Step, The5ers High Stakes, the Topstep Trading Combine and the Apex Trader Funding intraday evaluation.
How often are the rules checked?
The cheat sheet was checked in October 2026 against each firm’s published rules. Firms change rules often, so always confirm in your firm’s own dashboard before you trade.
What’s the difference between balance-based and equity-based drawdown?
Balance-based limits only count closed trades. Equity-based limits also count open, floating losses, so a trade that’s down but still open can breach you before you close it.
What does trailing drawdown mean?
Your max loss floor moves up as your account makes new highs. Some firms trail your highest balance, some your highest equity including open profit, and some only your end-of-day balance. Most stop trailing once the floor reaches your starting balance.
Is the cheat sheet free?
Yes. Enter your email and the PDF downloads right away.