Search for prop firm passing services and you will find three quite different products sold under the same name. One puts experienced traders on your account. One sells you software to run yourself. One teaches you to trade the evaluation better. They solve different problems, and choosing the wrong one is an expensive way to find that out.
Option 1: A managed desk
A team of traders works your evaluation account directly. You buy the challenge, share the platform login, and the desk trades it toward the target while staying inside the rules.
Where it helps: it removes the two things that fail most evaluations, time pressure and in-the-moment discipline. You do not need screen time, and the people trading have no emotional stake in your specific account.
Where it falls short: you learn little unless you study the trade log, and you are trusting a third party with an account. Some prop firms restrict third-party trading, so the firm’s terms matter.
Option 2: A prop firm passing EA
An expert advisor is software that places trades automatically. You buy it once, install it on a platform or a server, and let it run.
Where it helps: a one-off price, reusable across attempts, and no need to share a login with anyone.
Where it falls short: this is where firm rules bite hardest. Many firms ban automated trading outright or prohibit specific strategy types, and some flag accounts showing identical trades to other accounts, which is exactly what a widely sold EA produces. Backtested results also rarely survive contact with live spreads and slippage unchanged. You still own the setup, the server and the monitoring.
Option 3: Coaching or signals
Someone teaches you a method, reviews your trades, or sends you setups to take yourself.
Where it helps: it builds skill you keep, and you stay fully in control of the account.
Where it falls short: it solves a knowledge problem. Most failed evaluations are discipline problems, and those tend to follow you whoever is giving the advice.
Side by side
| Managed desk | EA | Coaching or signals | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Who places the trades | The desk | Software | You |
| Your time each day | Almost none | Setup and monitoring | Full sessions |
| Typical cost structure | Service fee, sometimes a profit share | One-off purchase | Subscription or course fee |
| Main rule risk | Third-party trading terms | Bans on automation and copied trades | Low |
| Fixes a discipline problem | Yes | Partly | Rarely |
| Builds your own skill | Only if you study the log | No | Yes |
| Outcome guaranteed | No | No | No |
Which one fits your problem
- You know what to do but break your own rules under pressure: a managed desk.
- You have a tested automated system and your firm explicitly allows EAs: running your own EA can make sense. A mass-market one you did not build carries far more risk.
- You are still learning to trade: coaching first. Paying someone else to pass an account you cannot yet trade only moves the problem to the funded stage.
Where PropFirmPeak sits
We are a managed desk. Our traders work your evaluation directly and you do not install or run anything. Plans are monthly and priced by account size, with a commission only on profits the funded account actually earns, and you can see the current numbers on our pricing page.
Our desk holds a 95% pass rate across the prop firms we support. That is a track record, not a guarantee, and you can see real FTMO payout certificates with their own verification links on our results page.
Red flags, whichever type you pick
- A guaranteed pass or guaranteed monthly return.
- Advice to hide the arrangement from your prop firm.
- No written terms before you pay.
- Performance claims with no evidence and no account count behind them.
Our checklist on how to choose a passing service turns these into questions you can send any provider.
Common questions
Is a prop firm passing EA allowed?
It depends entirely on the firm. Some allow automated trading, some ban it outright, and many prohibit specific strategy types or flag accounts that show identical trades to other accounts. Check the firm terms before buying any EA.
Which type of prop firm passing service is cheapest?
An EA usually has the lowest upfront price, but it shifts the risk and the work onto you. Compare the full cost of each option, including failed evaluation fees, rather than the headline price alone.
Are prop firm passing services legit?
Legitimate providers exist alongside poor ones. Look for evidence you can verify, written terms, honest answers about risk, and no promise of a guaranteed pass.
Can I combine coaching with a managed desk?
Yes. Some traders have a desk pass the evaluation while they study the trade log and build their own method, then take over the funded account once they are ready.