How prop firms work, in plain words.
The rules that decide whether an account survives: drawdown types, payout rules, activation fees and how much you can safely cash out.
The whole idea in four lines
- A prop firm sells you a test account for a small fee. Pass the test and you get a funded account.
- You risk the fee, never your personal savings.
- Funded accounts are still simulated, but the firm pays you real cash for the profits, minus its split.
- The firm makes money when traders break the rules, so the rules are strict and written in confusing language. This guide fixes that.
You
- Open the prop firm accounts (we tell you which and how).
- Connect them once with our help.
- Decide when to cash out, using the safe numbers below.
Lattice Nine
- Run the live strategies on every connected account.
- Manage risk, stops and daily limits so accounts stay inside the rules.
- Keep testing, publish every change and add strategies as they pass.
Test, get paid, grow.
Like a driver's license: pass the test, drive for real, then add more vehicles.
Test
Hit a profit target without breaking the loss limit. On a 50K that is usually about $3,000 of profit with a $2,000 to $2,500 cushion.
Get paid
Some firms charge a one-time activation fee once you pass. Profits on the funded account can be withdrawn to your bank, inside the firm's payout rules.
Grow
Add accounts one at a time, funded by payouts rather than new cash, so several accounts take the same trades.
Every term, explained.
Evaluation
The paid test. Hit the profit goal without breaking the loss rule and you pass. The test is the gate, not where you earn.
Funded account
What you get after passing. Still simulated, but the firm pays you real cash for profits, minus its split.
Drawdown (cushion)
How much the account can lose before it shuts off. A 50K usually has a $2,000 to $2,500 cushion. This is the number that matters most.
End-of-day drawdown
The loss line only moves up once a day, at the close. Dips during the day do not move it. The most forgiving type.
Trailing drawdown
The loss line follows your highest balance in real time, all day. Cheaper accounts, less room.
Static drawdown
The loss line is fixed from day one and never moves. The simplest to size against.
Daily loss limit
A separate cap on one day's loss. Hitting it locks the account for the rest of the day.
Profit target
What you must make to pass, usually about 6% of the account size.
Profit split
How profits are shared. 90/10 means you keep 90%. Many firms pay 100% of the first part.
Consistency rule
A cap on how much of your total profit can come from one day, often 40% to 50%. It trips up more people than any other rule.
Activation fee
A one-time fee some firms charge to turn a passed test into a funded account. Others skip it because you pay upfront.
Reset fee
A fee to restart a failed test, usually cheaper than a new account.
Inactivity rule
Some firms close a funded account that is not traded for about five days.
Example: a $2,000 cushion. The account makes $500, gives back $200, then makes $300, ending the day up $600. The loss line stays frozen all day and moves up $600 at the close. The dip never counted.
Same day on a trailing account: when the account was up $500, the line had already moved up $500. It follows the best moment, not the close, so a normal pullback can run into it.
The firms we work with.
Rules as of October 2026. "Firm terms" means taken from the firm's own help center. "Verify" means third-party notes: confirm on your dashboard before you buy.
Lucid Trading LucidFlex
Firm terms- Drawdown
- End-of-day trailing. 50K: $2,000. Locks at $50,100 once the balance closes above $52,100.
- Test
- 50K: $3,000 target, no daily loss limit, 50% consistency rule. One-time fee, no activation fee.
- Payouts
- 5 days of at least $150 profit, net positive cycle. Minimum $500, up to 50% of profit and $2,000 per request on a 50K. 90/10 split.
- Size
- Funded 50K starts at 2 minis (20 micros) and scales to 4 minis (40 micros) as profit builds.
Watch outA payout request moves the loss line up to the locked level. Only cash out when you are well above it.
Bulenox 50K
Verify- Drawdown
- Choose trailing (Option 1) or end-of-day (Option 2). $2,500 on a 50K.
- Test
- $3,000 target. Can pass in one day. Monthly subscription, about $15 to $20 with code DRAOZ.
- Payouts
- Activation about $147. Payout after 10 trading days, minimum $1,000. Keep a $2,600 buffer on a 50K.
- Accounts
- Up to 11 funded accounts.
Watch outFunded accounts close after about 5 days without trading. The strategies keep connected accounts active.
Topstep 50K Combine and Express
Verify- Drawdown
- End-of-day, $2,000 on a 50K.
- Test
- $3,000 target, 50% consistency rule to pass. About $50 a month.
- Payouts
- Activation $150. Payout after 5 winning days of $200 or more. Minimum $150, maximum $5,000, at most 50% of the balance.
- Accounts
- Up to 5 funded.
Watch outA payout taken while the cushion is negative resets it to zero. Build $2,000 to $3,000 before the first payout.
Top One Futures 150K
Verify- Role
- Used as the lead account for copy trading. Every other account follows its trades.
- Terms
- Confirmed from the firm dashboard during onboarding.
Watch outCheck current drawdown, payout and copier rules on your own dashboard before connecting.
Use these at the firm's checkout.
| Firm | Code | What it does |
|---|---|---|
| Bulenox | DRAOZ | Lower monthly evaluation price |
| Lucid Trading | NPO | Tiered discount on your first accounts |
| Top One Futures | NPO | Extra discount on top of current promos |
| Tradeify | NPO | Discount on all accounts |
How much you can safely cash out.
Most lost accounts are lost to the payout trap: on some firms, requesting a payout locks the loss line just above your starting balance. Keep at least $1,000 of room above that line at all times. The tables show the balance to reach before you ask for a payout.
Bulenox: the firm holds the reserve
| Account | Reserve kept in | Reach this to pull $1,000 | Reach this to pull $1,500 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 50K | $2,600 | $53,600 | $54,100 |
| 100K | $3,100 | $104,100 | $104,600 |
| 150K | $4,600 | $155,600 | $156,100 |
Lucid and Tradeify: you protect yourself (includes a $1,000 buffer)
| Account | Locked loss line | Reach this to pull $1,000 | Reach this to pull $1,500 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 50K | $50,100 | $52,100 | $52,600 |
| 100K | $100,100 | $102,100 | $102,600 |
| 150K | $150,100 | $152,100 | $152,600 |
Requesting a payout.
- Check your balance against the cash-out table. If you are not at the "reach this" number, wait.
- Confirm you have met the firm's minimum trading days.
- Open the firm dashboard and read the live "available to withdraw" figure. Never go from memory.
- Request an amount that keeps you above the safe line.
- Submit and note the date. Most payouts arrive within a few business days.
- Let the account rebuild before the next request.
Add accounts slowly, with payouts.
The rule that never changes: grow from payouts, not from new cash.
One lead account plus a few 50K followers
Learn the payout rules on a small group. Protect the cushion first.
Add accounts one at a time
Grow from payouts, not new cash. Prefer firms with end-of-day drawdown and no activation fee.
Accounts across two or three firms
Different firms, different rules, so one firm's rule change does not hit every account.
Prop firm questions.
How much do I need to start?
The Lattice Nine setup and first month, plus the cost of your accounts at the firm. Budget for activation fees on firms that charge them, and for resets.
Can I lose my own money?
On prop firm accounts, what you can lose is what you pay the firm and us. You never owe the firm for losses on its simulated accounts.
How long until a first payout?
It depends on the firm and the market. You must pass the test, activate the account if required, build a cushion and meet minimum trading days. Some accounts never reach a payout.
Why do accounts get closed?
Almost always the loss line, often after cashing out too much too early. Follow the safe cash-out numbers and check the live dashboard figure.
Let Lattice Nine run the strategies. You run the payouts.
Trading futures involves substantial risk of loss and is not suitable for all investors. You can lose all of the money you pay for prop firm accounts, fees and subscriptions, and in a personal brokerage account you can lose more than you deposit. Past performance, backtested or live, is not indicative of future results. Lattice Nine is software and education from NutriCove. It is not investment advice, not a recommendation to buy or sell any futures contract, and not a guarantee of passing any evaluation or receiving any payout. NutriCove is not a registered commodity trading advisor or broker.