TL;DR — the cheapest tier compared
Prop firms (companies that fund traders who pass an evaluation) now cost less than a dinner out to try. Here is the low-cost tier as of June 2026.
| Firm | Lowest price | Model | Caveat |
|---|---|---|---|
| The5%ers | from $19 ($2,500 High Stakes Step 1) | One-time fee | Founded 2016; the account is small |
| FundingPips | around $29 ($5,000, 2-Step Pro) | One-time fee | Founded 2022; pricing gets reworked often |
| City Traders Imperium | from $29 ($2,500 1-Step) | One-time fee | Founded 2018; mid-sized, thinner review record |
| ThinkCapital | from $35.10 (sale; normally $39) | One-time fee | Launched 2024; 90% split requires a paid add-on |
| Topstep | from $49/month | Subscription | Futures only; fees accumulate until you pass |
| FundedNext | from $59 ($6,000 account) | One-time fee | Founded 2022; rules change often |
| FTMO | from $89 ($10,000 account) | One-time fee | Not the cheapest, but fee refunded on passing (conditions apply) |
| Apex Trader Funding | from $137/month | Subscription (lump-sum plans too) | Futures only; US session hours |
The5%ers’ $19 and City Traders Imperium’s $29 were both checked on their official sites on 30 July 2026. We could not load FundingPips’ own pricing page, so its figure is given as “around $29” — confirm it at checkout. Prices move with sales and plan revisions; the official checkout page is the only source of truth before paying. Every tracked firm’s fee and operating history is in our comparison table.
If what you actually want to compare is the net cost after refunds — what comes back when you pass — see prop firm evaluation costs after refunds.
”Cheap” comes in three flavors
Not all low prices work the same way. Knowing which type you are buying changes how you should calculate the real cost.
1. Low one-time fees
Pay $19–$59 once and you are in. The5%ers, FundingPips, City Traders Imperium, ThinkCapital, and FundedNext all live here, mostly by shrinking the account to $2,500–$6,000. Note that established firms show up in this band too — cheap does not automatically mean new. Total cost is fixed and fully predictable, the most transparent flavor of cheap.
2. Monthly subscriptions
Topstep (from $49/month) and Apex (from $137/month) charge by the month while you attempt the evaluation. The first month looks cheap; the bill keeps running until you pass. This model rewards traders who pass quickly.
3. Sales and coupon codes
Some firms have higher list prices that drop during promotions. ThinkCapital’s $35.10 is a sale price (normally from $39), and most firms run seasonal campaigns.
Worth separating out: firms whose discount never ends. A “$99, now 60% off, yours for $39” banner that runs all year means $39 is the real price and the discount is the marketing. Judge those firms on the list price, not the crossed-out one. We track the codes and offers we can verify on our coupons and deals page.
Firm by firm: the low-cost options
The5%ers — $19, and ten years of operating history
Founded 2016, based in Israel. Step 1 of the High Stakes $2,500 account costs $19, the lowest fee we could confirm on any official site on 30 July 2026. The account is small, but the firm publishes cumulative payout figures and has been running for a decade — a rare combination in the sub-$30 band.
It also refunds 70% of the fee once you meet its conditions, which pushes the real cost of a small test lower still. Full review: The5%ers.
FundingPips — around $29, with a fast payout cycle
Founded 2022, based in Dubai. The $5,000 account sits around $29 on the 2-Step Pro track, the 5-day payout cycle is among the fastest in the industry, and several evaluation models are available.
The trade-offs: a short operating history, frequent pricing and plan reshuffles, and variable support quality. Our trust rating is medium, and you should confirm the current fee at checkout. Full review: FundingPips.
City Traders Imperium — from $29, founded 2018
London-based, trading since 2018. The $2,500 1-Step challenge is $29 and the 2-Step is $39, both checked on the official site on 30 July 2026. Along with The5%ers, it is one of only two sub-$30 options with more than five years behind it.
It is a mid-sized firm, though, with a thinner independent review record than the largest names. Full review: City Traders Imperium.
ThinkCapital — $35.10 on sale, with TradingView integration
Launched in 2024 but backed by the regulated broker ThinkMarkets. Fees start at $35.10 during sales (normally from $39), with no time limit and no consistency rule. It is one of the few firms where you can trade directly from TradingView.
One catch: the default profit split is 80%, and reaching 90% requires the Profit Split Booster add-on (roughly 25% of the fee). Calculate “cheapest” with the add-on included. Full review: ThinkCapital.
FundedNext — from $59, with the widest model menu
Founded 2022, Dubai-based. The $6,000 account starts at $59, and the Evaluation, Express, and Stellar tracks give the broadest model selection in the budget tier.
For a head-to-head with FundingPips, see FundedNext vs FundingPips.
FTMO — not the cheapest, but the fee comes back if you pass
FTMO’s entry point is $89 for a $10,000 account — above the budget tier. But FTMO refunds the evaluation fee together with your first payout (conditions apply), so for traders who actually pass, the effective entry cost drops substantially.
Add the longest payout track record among the firms covered here, and FTMO becomes the “start modest, stay long” candidate. Full review: FTMO.
Topstep and Apex — futures subscriptions
Topstep (from $49/month) and Apex Trader Funding (from $137/month) are US futures specialists. The subscription keeps the upfront cost small and makes monthly retries easy.
Note that both trade CME futures, not FX/CFD, and the main sessions run on US hours. For how subscriptions compare against one-time fees in practice, see FTMO vs Topstep.
The trap of cheap — four ways low prices get expensive
Trap 1: subscriptions accumulate
A $149/month plan costs $447 after three months without passing, and $894 after six. A one-time fee of around $215 wins in any long campaign. If you choose a subscription, decide in advance how many months you will fund the attempt — and pause it when the plan slips.
Trap 2: tiny accounts produce tiny profits
A $19–$29 fee buys a $2,500–$5,000 account. On $5,000, even an excellent month of +5% yields $250 in profit, and an 80% split makes that about $200 in your pocket — half that on a $2,500 account. The cheapest accounts are not income; they are a paid rehearsal. Use them to test the system, not to get paid.
Trap 3: failing means paying again
If you fail the evaluation, the fee is generally gone. Retrying means buying a new challenge or paying a reset fee. Fail a $19 challenge three times and you have spent $57 — enough for a larger plan from the start. Cheap entry without preparation is the most expensive option of all.
Trap 4: cheap is not the same as trustworthy
The lowest-priced tier is dominated by firms founded from 2022 onward, whose long-term payout records are still being established. In the sub-$30 band, only The5%ers (2016) and City Traders Imperium (2018) clear five years. A rock-bottom price usually signals a volume business model.
If you are buying on price, check three things first: years in operation (five as a rough floor), independent review volume, and whether payout figures are published at all. Then run the firm through how to choose a prop firm, prop firm red flags, and our notes on scam risks.
The correct low-cost strategy
Starting cheap is rational. Trying to earn from the cheapest account is the mistake. A realistic sequence:
- Use a $19–$59 account to walk through the full pipeline once — evaluation, rules, and a payout request.
- Verify that your actual trading style survives the drawdown and daily-loss rules.
- Once verified, move to a standard-size account at a firm with a long track record, and scale there.
As a budget guide: under $50 buys one small account, under $100 runs two firms in parallel, under $200 covers three trial evaluations. On running several at once, see the multi-prop-firm strategy.
Nothing in this process guarantees a pass or a profit. If the cheap test reveals the model does not fit you, that conclusion alone was worth the small fee.
Cutting the cost further with coupons
The same firm can cost less depending on how you enter.
- We keep verified codes and offers updated on the coupons and deals page.
- The5%ers accepts the referral code HZZS4 at checkout — see the The5%ers coupon code guide.
- FTMO’s effective deal is not a discount but the evaluation fee refund on passing.
Whether a promotion applies depends on the campaign running at the time, so always confirm the final price on the official checkout page before paying.
FAQ
How cheap can I start with a prop firm?
On 30 July 2026, The5%ers’ $2,500 account at $19 (Step 1) was the lowest fee we could confirm on an official site, with City Traders Imperium at $29 and FundingPips around $29. Prices change often — verify on the official site.
Are cheap prop firms unsafe?
Cheapness itself is not the danger; short operating history is the thing to scrutinize. Only The5%ers and City Traders Imperium clear five years in the sub-$30 band. Test small, withdraw once, then decide.
One-time fee or subscription — which is cheaper?
Whichever matches your passing speed. Fast passers save with subscriptions; everyone else gets predictability from a one-time fee.
Is the fee refunded if I fail?
Generally no. FTMO is the notable exception: it refunds the fee with your first payout if you pass, subject to conditions.
Prop trading is speculative and nothing here guarantees a payout or profit. Final investment decisions are your own; this site does not provide investment advice.
Recommended prop firms
Two industry mainstays, by use case.
The5%ers — start without an evaluation
A 10-year veteran (since 2016). The Instant Funding program starts immediately with no evaluation pressure, and profit splits scale up to 100%.
→ Visit The5%ers official (use coupon code “HZZS4” for a discount)
FTMO — the industry standard
Operating for 11 years (since 2015). The orthodox challenge-then-funding model, with one of the industry’s largest published payout track records.