The barrier to entry in this industry is a website and a Telegram account, which means quality varies enormously. Here is how to separate an operating desk from someone reselling hope.
Ask for evidence, not claims
Any provider can put a pass rate on a homepage. Ask them to show you something behind it: dated evaluation certificates, account statements with identifying details removed, a client who will speak to you.
A real desk will have this material and will not be offended that you asked. Hesitation here tells you what you need to know.
Be suspicious of guarantees
This is counterintuitive, because a guarantee feels like reassurance. But nobody can guarantee a trading outcome, so a guarantee is either meaningless or hedged into uselessness in the terms.
When you see one, read exactly what triggers it, what it pays, and what the exclusions are. Frequently the refund applies only in circumstances that rarely occur, or is paid as credit toward another attempt rather than as money.
We do not offer one, and we would rather explain why than compete on a promise we cannot keep.
Check they know your firm's rules
Ask about the specific firm you intend to use. A desk that trades these accounts daily will immediately know whether the drawdown is static or trailing, whether there is a consistency requirement, and what the minimum trading days are.
Vagueness on this is disqualifying. They are telling you they have not worked with that firm.
Understand the risk framework
Ask what percentage of the daily limit they are willing to risk on a single position, and what happens after a losing day. You are looking for specific numbers and a defined stopping rule.
An answer built around "we only take high-probability setups" without numbers attached is marketing, not a framework.
Look at how they communicate before you pay
Response time and directness before a sale are the best available predictor of what happens after one. Send a question that requires an actual answer rather than a brochure, and see what comes back.
Read the terms on the funded account
Establish what happens after the pass. Does the arrangement end there? Can they continue trading it, and on what split? Are you free to trade it yourself immediately?
This matters more than most people realise at the point of purchase, because the funded account is the part that actually produces income.
Warning signs worth walking away from
- Pressure to decide quickly, or a discount that expires in hours.
- A pass rate quoted with no evidence and no methodology.
- Any suggestion that you should hide the arrangement from the prop firm.
- Unwillingness to put terms in writing.
- Requests for anything beyond the evaluation account credentials. No legitimate provider needs your bank access or identity documents.
- Promises about monthly returns on the funded account stated as fact rather than as a target.
A reasonable way to decide
Shortlist two or three, ask all of them the same questions, and compare the answers side by side. The differences become obvious quickly, and the provider who gives you the least comfortable answer is often the most honest one.
If you want to run those questions past us, message us on Telegram. We will answer them directly, including the ones where the answer is not in our favour.
A scoring approach
Shortlist three providers, ask each the same questions, and score them. The exercise takes an hour and makes differences obvious that a website cannot.
| Criterion | What a good answer looks like | Weight |
|---|---|---|
| Evidence of record | Dated certificates or statements, offered without hesitation | High |
| Risk framework | Specific numbers for per-trade risk and daily stop | High |
| Knowledge of your firm | Knows the drawdown type and consistency rule without looking | High |
| Written terms | Sent before payment, in plain language | High |
| Response time | Consistent, and answers the question asked | Medium |
| Funded account terms | Clear on split, notice period and your right to take over | Medium |
The questions, written out
Copy these and send them as they are:
- What is your pass rate, over how many accounts, and can you show evidence?
- What percentage of the daily loss limit do you risk on a single position?
- At what loss do you stop trading for the day?
- For [your firm], is the drawdown static or trailing, and is there a consistency rule?
- What exactly happens if the evaluation fails?
- Can you send your terms before I pay anything?
- If I want to take over the funded account myself, what notice do you need?
You are testing two things at once: whether the answers are good, and whether they arrive without evasion.
Reading the answers
Specificity is the signal. "We use strict risk management" is not an answer. "We risk 0.5% per position and stop for the day at 1.5%" is an answer, and it can be held against them later.
Equally, a provider who volunteers a downside without being pushed is usually telling you the truth about the rest. If nobody in your shortlist has mentioned that the evaluation might fail, none of them are being straight with you.
Common questions
Is a higher advertised pass rate better?
Only if it comes with evidence and a denominator. A 99% rate over eleven accounts means very little. Ask how many accounts the figure covers and over what period.
Should I pick the cheapest provider?
Price is a weak signal in both directions. A cheap provider under pressure to work volume tends to take more risk per account, which is the opposite of what you want. Judge on the risk framework and the evidence instead.
What if a provider refuses to show evidence?
Treat that as a complete answer and move on. Client confidentiality is a reasonable reason to redact names, not a reason to have nothing to show.
How much contact should I expect during the evaluation?
Enough to know what is happening. Regular progress updates, and immediate contact if something goes wrong. Silence for a fortnight is not acceptable, including when the honest update is that conditions are poor and the desk is waiting.