Most traders assume that getting a funded account requires a serious upfront investment. The reality in 2026 is very different. Competition between prop firms has driven entry costs down dramatically, and you can now access legitimate funded trading challenges for as little as $13.
But cheap entry fees mean nothing if the rules are impossible to pass, payouts are unreliable, or hidden fees wipe out the savings. This ranking accounts for all of that — real entry cost, rule fairness, and payout track record.
Every firm on this list is reviewed and tracked on Responsible Trading. Only firms we have independently verified are included.
What Makes a Prop Firm Truly Cheap?
The challenge fee you see advertised is rarely the full picture. Before ranking these firms, we looked at three costs that determine what funded trading actually costs you:
- Challenge fee — what you pay upfront to enter the evaluation
- Reset cost — what you pay if you fail and want to retry
- Hidden fees — activation fees, platform fees, or inactivity charges that some firms add after you pass
A firm advertising a $25 challenge that charges a $150 activation fee after passing is not cheap. Every firm ranked below has transparent pricing with no activation fees unless clearly stated.
The 5 Cheapest Prop Firms in 2026
1. Maven Trading — From $13
Maven Trading is the cheapest legitimate prop firm operating in 2026. Their 3-Step Challenge starts at just $13 for a $2,000 account — the lowest entry fee we have verified across the entire funded trading industry.
The low price does not come with impossible rules. Maven offers five challenge types (1-Step, 2-Step, 3-Step, Instant Funding, and Mini), all with no time limit. You can take as long as you need to hit the profit target, which removes one of the most common reasons traders fail evaluations.
| Challenge | $5K Price | $10K Price | $100K Price | Profit Split |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1-Step | $19 | $37 | $380 | 80% |
| 2-Step | $22 | $44 | $440 | 80% |
| 3-Step | $17 | $38 | $299 | 80% |
| Instant | $19 | $37 | $380 | 80% |
The 2-Step Challenge uses a static 8% drawdown, which is significantly more forgiving than trailing drawdown models. Your floor does not move as your balance grows, giving you more room to trade your actual strategy without being punished for profitable sessions.
Payouts are processed every 10 business days. The challenge fee is refunded on your third withdrawal, so the long-term cost of trading with Maven is effectively zero if you remain funded.
The main limitation is the $10,000 maximum payout per 30-day cycle, which caps earnings for high-performing traders. For anyone starting out or testing a strategy on minimal capital, though, Maven is unmatched on price.
Platforms: MT5, Match-Trader, cTrader
Instruments: Forex, Indices, Commodities, Crypto
Min account size: $2,000
Cheapest challenge: $13 (3-Step, $2K account)
2. RebelsFunding — From $19
RebelsFunding offers 2-Step challenges starting at $19 for a $5,000 account — one of the lowest entry points for a conventional two-phase evaluation in the industry. What sets them apart at this price point is a 90% profit split, which is exceptionally generous for a budget firm.
Payouts are processed within 12 hours of request, making RebelsFunding one of the fastest-paying firms on this list. For traders who want to move money quickly after hitting profit targets, this is a meaningful advantage over firms with 14-day or monthly payout cycles.
| Account Size | Challenge Fee | Profit Target | Profit Split |
|---|---|---|---|
| $5K | $19 | 5% | 90% |
| $10K | $29 | 5% | 90% |
| $25K | $69 | 8% | 90% |
| $50K | $119 | 8% | 90% |
| $100K | $199 | 10% | 90% |
| $200K | $349 | 10% | 90% |
The profit targets on smaller accounts are notably lower than the industry standard — 5% on the $5K and $10K accounts versus the usual 8-10%. This makes the smaller RebelsFunding challenges among the most passable budget evaluations available.
Platforms: MT5, cTrader
Instruments: Forex, Indices, Commodities
Cheapest challenge: $19 (2-Step, $5K account)
3. The5ers — From $22
The5ers has been funding traders since 2016, making them one of the longest-running prop firms on this list. Their High Stakes 2-Step Challenge starts at $22 for a $2,500 account — and that price includes access to a firm with a near-decade track record of reliable payouts.
Longevity matters in prop trading. Many cheap prop firms that launched in 2022 and 2023 have since closed. The5ers has consistently paid traders across multiple market cycles and has never had a significant payout scandal.
| Account Size | Challenge Fee | Profit Target | Profit Split |
|---|---|---|---|
| $2.5K | $22 | 10% / 5% | 80% |
| $5K | $39 | 10% / 5% | 80% |
| $10K | $100 | 10% / 5% | 80% |
| $25K | $195 | 10% / 5% | 80% |
| $50K | $309 | 10% / 5% | 80% |
| $100K | $545 | 10% / 5% | 80% |
Their Bootcamp 3-Step program is also worth noting for budget traders — the $100K version costs just $95 upfront, with a further $50 due when you receive funding. This structure makes large account access unusually affordable if you are willing to work through three evaluation phases.
The5ers also offers a scaling path to $4 million in funded capital, which gives budget traders a long-term growth runway that many cheaper firms do not provide.
Use code MATCH for 5% off any challenge.
Platforms: MT5, cTrader
Instruments: Forex, Indices, Commodities
Cheapest challenge: $22 (High Stakes 2-Step, $2.5K account)
4. ATFunded — From $25
ATFunded offers one of the cleanest value propositions at the budget end of the market. Their 2-Step Challenge starts at $25 for a $5,000 account — straightforward pricing with no activation fees, no platform charges, and an 80% profit split from the first payout.
| Challenge | $5K Price | $25K Price | $100K Price | Profit Split |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2-Step | $25 | $79 | $249 | 80% |
| 1-Step | $29 | $99 | $299 | 80% |
Payouts are bi-weekly, which is among the more frequent schedules at this price point. ATFunded supports both MT5 and standard trading tools, making it accessible to traders coming from any background.
For traders who want the lowest possible barrier to a properly structured two-phase evaluation — without any of the unconventional rules that some ultra-budget firms use to protect themselves — ATFunded is one of the most transparent options available.
Platforms: MT5, cTrader
Instruments: Forex, Indices, Commodities
Cheapest challenge: $25 (2-Step, $5K account)
5. FundingPips — From $29
FundingPips rounds out the top five with a 2-Step Pro Challenge starting at $29 for a $5,000 account. With over 39,000 Trustpilot reviews and weekly payouts, FundingPips offers something none of the other firms on this list can match at the budget tier: scale and verified payout volume.
The 2-Step Pro uses tighter rules (6%/6% profit targets, 3% daily drawdown) in exchange for the lower price. Traders who prefer more breathing room can step up to the Standard 2-Step at $36 — still among the cheapest legitimate evaluations available.
| Challenge | $5K Price | $25K Price | $100K Price | Profit Split | Payout |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2-Step Pro | $29 | $99 | $399 | 80% | Weekly |
| 2-Step Standard | $36 | $156 | $529 | 80% | Weekly |
| 1-Step | $59 | $199 | $555 | 80% | Weekly |
| Zero (Instant) | $69 | $199 | $499 | 95% | Bi-weekly |
Weekly payouts are rare at this price point — most firms paying under $40 for a $5K challenge use bi-weekly or monthly payout schedules. FundingPips processes withdrawals every 7 days, which is a meaningful practical advantage for active traders.
Use code SAVE10 for 10% off any FundingPips challenge.
Platforms: MT5, cTrader, MatchTrader, TradeLocker
Instruments: Forex, Indices, Commodities, Crypto
Cheapest challenge: $29 (2-Step Pro, $5K account)
Cheapest Prop Firms Compared
| Firm | Cheapest Entry | Account Size | Profit Split | Payouts | No Time Limit |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Maven Trading | $13 | $2,000 | 80% | Every 10 days | Yes |
| RebelsFunding | $19 | $5,000 | 90% | Within 12 hours | Yes |
| The5ers | $22 | $2,500 | 80% | Bi-weekly | Yes |
| ATFunded | $25 | $5,000 | 80% | Bi-weekly | Yes |
| FundingPips | $29 | $5,000 | 80% | Weekly | Yes |
How to Choose the Right One
If you want the absolute lowest cost: Maven Trading at $13. Nothing else comes close, and the no-time-limit rules mean you are not paying extra retry fees because of an arbitrary deadline.
If you want the fastest payouts: RebelsFunding pays within 12 hours and offers 90% split at a $19 entry price. That combination is hard to beat at the budget tier.
If you want the safest firm: The5ers has been operating since 2016 — longer than almost any other prop firm on this list. For traders who prioritize longevity over cutting-edge pricing, that track record matters.
If you want weekly payouts: FundingPips is the only firm on this list paying weekly at budget prices. For traders who want frequent access to profits, that cadence justifies the slightly higher entry fee.
The Bottom Line
Getting funded does not require spending hundreds of dollars. Every firm on this list offers a legitimate path to a funded trading account for under $30 — with real payout histories, transparent rules, and no activation fees hidden after you pass.
The cheapest challenge is not always the best challenge. Match the rules to your strategy, verify recent payout proof on Trustpilot, and choose the firm you can actually pass — not just the one with the lowest price tag.
All five firms on this list are independently reviewed on Responsible Trading. Click any firm name to read the full breakdown before buying.