FundingPips Account Sizes Compared: Which Has the Best ROI? (2026)

Meta Description: FundingPips $5K to $100K accounts compared: fee-to-profit ratios, drawdown room per dollar, break-even timelines, and which account size delivers the best return on investment.

FundingPips offers five account sizes: $5K, $10K, $25K, $50K, and $100K. The obvious assumption is that bigger is better—more capital, more profit. But when you factor in evaluation fees, breach risk, emotional impact, and funded-stage constraints like lot limits, the "best" size isn't always the largest one you can afford.

I've traded multiple FundingPips account sizes and analyzed the ROI math at each level. The optimal choice depends on your budget, experience, and how you define "return on investment."

Quick heads-up: This article is based on my real experience with FundingPips and the info available when I published/updated this. Rules change. For the absolute latest, check FundingPips' website.

The Complete Size Comparison (2-Step Standard)

<div style="width:100%;overflow-x:auto;-webkit-overflow-scrolling:touch;">
 <table style="border-collapse:collapse;width:100%;min-width:580px;border:1px solid #e5e5e5;border-radius:8px;">
   <thead style="background:#f9f9f9;">
     <tr>
       <th style="border:1px solid #e5e5e5;padding:10px;text-align:left;min-width:150px;">Metric</th>
       <th style="border:1px solid #e5e5e5;padding:10px;text-align:left;min-width:80px;">$5K</th>
       <th style="border:1px solid #e5e5e5;padding:10px;text-align:left;min-width:80px;">$10K</th>
       <th style="border:1px solid #e5e5e5;padding:10px;text-align:left;min-width:90px;">$25K</th>
       <th style="border:1px solid #e5e5e5;padding:10px;text-align:left;min-width:90px;">$50K</th>
       <th style="border:1px solid #e5e5e5;padding:10px;text-align:left;min-width:90px;">$100K</th>
     </tr>
   </thead>
   <tbody>
     <tr>
       <td style="border:1px solid #e5e5e5;padding:10px;font-weight:600;">Evaluation fee</td>
       <td style="border:1px solid #e5e5e5;padding:10px;">$36</td>
       <td style="border:1px solid #e5e5e5;padding:10px;">$72</td>
       <td style="border:1px solid #e5e5e5;padding:10px;">$169</td>
       <td style="border:1px solid #e5e5e5;padding:10px;">$289</td>
       <td style="border:1px solid #e5e5e5;padding:10px;">$529</td>
     </tr>
     <tr>
       <td style="border:1px solid #e5e5e5;padding:10px;font-weight:600;">Phase 1 target</td>
       <td style="border:1px solid #e5e5e5;padding:10px;">$400</td>
       <td style="border:1px solid #e5e5e5;padding:10px;">$800</td>
       <td style="border:1px solid #e5e5e5;padding:10px;">$2,000</td>
       <td style="border:1px solid #e5e5e5;padding:10px;">$4,000</td>
       <td style="border:1px solid #e5e5e5;padding:10px;">$8,000</td>
     </tr>
     <tr>
       <td style="border:1px solid #e5e5e5;padding:10px;font-weight:600;">Phase 2 target</td>
       <td style="border:1px solid #e5e5e5;padding:10px;">$250</td>
       <td style="border:1px solid #e5e5e5;padding:10px;">$500</td>
       <td style="border:1px solid #e5e5e5;padding:10px;">$1,250</td>
       <td style="border:1px solid #e5e5e5;padding:10px;">$2,500</td>
       <td style="border:1px solid #e5e5e5;padding:10px;">$5,000</td>
     </tr>
     <tr>
       <td style="border:1px solid #e5e5e5;padding:10px;font-weight:600;">Max drawdown ($)</td>
       <td style="border:1px solid #e5e5e5;padding:10px;">$500</td>
       <td style="border:1px solid #e5e5e5;padding:10px;">$1,000</td>
       <td style="border:1px solid #e5e5e5;padding:10px;">$2,500</td>
       <td style="border:1px solid #e5e5e5;padding:10px;">$5,000</td>
       <td style="border:1px solid #e5e5e5;padding:10px;">$10,000</td>
     </tr>
     <tr>
       <td style="border:1px solid #e5e5e5;padding:10px;font-weight:600;">Daily loss ($)</td>
       <td style="border:1px solid #e5e5e5;padding:10px;">$250</td>
       <td style="border:1px solid #e5e5e5;padding:10px;">$500</td>
       <td style="border:1px solid #e5e5e5;padding:10px;">$1,250</td>
       <td style="border:1px solid #e5e5e5;padding:10px;">$2,500</td>
       <td style="border:1px solid #e5e5e5;padding:10px;">$5,000</td>
     </tr>
     <tr>
       <td style="border:1px solid #e5e5e5;padding:10px;font-weight:600;">Max lots (funded)</td>
       <td style="border:1px solid #e5e5e5;padding:10px;">2</td>
       <td style="border:1px solid #e5e5e5;padding:10px;">5</td>
       <td style="border:1px solid #e5e5e5;padding:10px;">10</td>
       <td style="border:1px solid #e5e5e5;padding:10px;">20</td>
       <td style="border:1px solid #e5e5e5;padding:10px;">40</td>
     </tr>
     <tr>
       <td style="border:1px solid #e5e5e5;padding:10px;font-weight:600;">Monthly income (3%, 80%)</td>
       <td style="border:1px solid #e5e5e5;padding:10px;">$120</td>
       <td style="border:1px solid #e5e5e5;padding:10px;">$240</td>
       <td style="border:1px solid #e5e5e5;padding:10px;">$600</td>
       <td style="border:1px solid #e5e5e5;padding:10px;">$1,200</td>
       <td style="border:1px solid #e5e5e5;padding:10px;">$2,400</td>
     </tr>
     <tr>
       <td style="border:1px solid #e5e5e5;padding:10px;font-weight:600;">Break-even (months)</td>
       <td style="border:1px solid #e5e5e5;padding:10px;">< 1</td>
       <td style="border:1px solid #e5e5e5;padding:10px;">< 1</td>
       <td style="border:1px solid #e5e5e5;padding:10px;">< 1</td>
       <td style="border:1px solid #e5e5e5;padding:10px;">< 1</td>
       <td style="border:1px solid #e5e5e5;padding:10px;">< 1</td>
     </tr>
     <tr>
       <td style="border:1px solid #e5e5e5;padding:10px;font-weight:600;">Fee as % of drawdown</td>
       <td style="border:1px solid #e5e5e5;padding:10px;">7.2%</td>
       <td style="border:1px solid #e5e5e5;padding:10px;">7.2%</td>
       <td style="border:1px solid #e5e5e5;padding:10px;">6.8%</td>
       <td style="border:1px solid #e5e5e5;padding:10px;">5.8%</td>
       <td style="border:1px solid #e5e5e5;padding:10px;">5.3%</td>
     </tr>
     <tr>
       <td style="border:1px solid #e5e5e5;padding:10px;font-weight:600;">Annual income (3%, 80%)</td>
       <td style="border:1px solid #e5e5e5;padding:10px;">$1,440</td>
       <td style="border:1px solid #e5e5e5;padding:10px;">$2,880</td>
       <td style="border:1px solid #e5e5e5;padding:10px;">$7,200</td>
       <td style="border:1px solid #e5e5e5;padding:10px;">$14,400</td>
       <td style="border:1px solid #e5e5e5;padding:10px;">$28,800</td>
     </tr>
   </tbody>
 </table>
</div>


The ROI Analysis

Fee Efficiency

The fee-to-drawdown ratio decreases as account size increases: 7.2% on $5K, 5.3% on $100K. Larger accounts are marginally more fee-efficient—you're paying less per dollar of risk room.

But the absolute dollar difference is what matters practically. The $100K fee ($529) is 14.7x the $5K fee ($36). If you breach a $5K account, you've lost $36—a bad dinner. If you breach a $100K account, you've lost $529—a significant expense for most traders. The psychological impact of that loss affects your next trading decision, whether you admit it or not.

Income-to-Fee Ratio

The real ROI metric: how quickly does the account pay for itself?

At 3% monthly return with 80% bi-weekly split, every FundingPips account recovers its fee within the first month. The $5K account earns $120/month against a $36 fee (3.3x return in month one). The $100K earns $2,400/month against a $529 fee (4.5x return in month one). By this metric, the $100K has a slightly better ROI—but only because 3% of a larger number is a larger number. The percentage math is identical.

Where the ROI diverges is in what happens after a breach. If you pass a $100K Standard, trade it for 3 months ($7,200 earned at 80% split), then breach in month 4—your net is $7,200 – $529 = $6,671. If you'd run two $50K accounts instead, one might breach while the other survives. Net from the surviving account: $3,600 – $289 = $3,311, and you still have an active funded account generating income. Plus the fee refund is closer on the surviving account.

The True Cost of Failure

This is where smaller accounts show their value:

$5K account failure cost: $36. You try again tomorrow.

$25K account failure cost: $169. Annoying but manageable. Two months of a streaming subscription.

$50K account failure cost: $289. Stings but recoverable. Many traders budget for 2–3 attempts.

$100K account failure cost: $529. Meaningful financial hit. If you budget $1,000 for prop firm challenges, that's half your budget in one failed attempt.

The expected cost of getting funded includes not just the successful attempt, but all the failed ones too. If your pass rate is 30% (roughly average for disciplined traders on the Standard), the expected cost of getting funded is: $5K = $120 (3.3 attempts × $36), $25K = $563 (3.3 × $169), $50K = $963 (3.3 × $289), $100K = $1,763 (3.3 × $529).

At $50K, the expected cost of reaching a funded account is under $1,000. At $100K, it's nearly $1,800. Both accounts generate income once funded, but the path to funding costs almost twice as much at $100K.

Which Size Wins by Trader Profile

The Beginner ($5K–$10K)

Your first FundingPips account should be small. Not because you can't afford larger, but because you'll learn funded-stage rules, payout processes, and your own emotional responses at minimal cost. If a $5K at $36 teaches you that you panic during the funded stage, that lesson cost $36 instead of $529.

The income from a $5K account ($120/month at 3%) won't change your life. That's fine—it's tuition, not income. Graduate to $25K–$50K after sustaining the small account for 2–3 months.

The Developing Trader ($25K–$50K)

The $25K is underrated. At $169, it's cheap enough for multiple attempts but large enough to produce meaningful income ($600/month at 3%, 80% split). The 10-lot funded limit is sufficient for most forex strategies on 1–2 instruments.

The $50K is the sweet spot for most serious traders. $289 is recoverable after a breach, $1,200/month at 3% is real supplemental income, and the 20-lot funded limit handles multi-pair strategies comfortably.

The Experienced Trader ($50K–$100K)

If you've proven you can pass and sustain a funded account, the $100K makes sense—but only as part of a portfolio. One $100K plus one $50K ($150K total, $818 in fees) gives you meaningful capital with partial risk diversification: if the $100K breaches, the $50K survives.

Running a single $100K with no backup is high-variance. If it works, the income is excellent. If it breaches, you're starting from zero with $529 less in your budget.

The Portfolio Builder ($50K × 6)

Six $50K Standard accounts ($1,734 total) fills the $300K allocation cap with maximum diversification. Each account is independently managed, independently breachable, and independently refundable. At 3% monthly across all six with 80% split, that's $86,400/year.

This is the endgame for most prop firm traders. Not one large account, but a portfolio of moderate accounts that collectively generate significant income while limiting the damage from any single breach.

The Lot Size Factor

Lot limits on the funded stage create practical constraints that differ by account size:

On a $5K funded account with a 2-lot limit, you can realistically hold 1 position at 0.5–1.0 lots. On a $50K with 20 lots, you can hold 4–10 positions depending on size. On a $100K with 40 lots, multi-pair strategies with 3–5 lots per position have plenty of room.

If your strategy requires holding 5+ simultaneous positions at 2+ lots each, you need at least a $50K account. If you trade one instrument with 1–2 lot positions, even a $10K account works. Match your account size to your strategy's position requirements, not just your income goals.

The Fee Refund Timeline

On 2-Step Standard and 1-Step accounts, your fee is refunded after the 4th payout. At bi-weekly payouts:

The $50K refunds $289 after 8 weeks of funded trading. The $100K refunds $529 after 8 weeks. Both become effectively free investments if you sustain funded trading for 2 months.

This refund mechanism means the long-term ROI of any Standard account is technically infinite—you got your money back, and everything earned is pure profit. The only real cost is the opportunity cost of the capital during the evaluation period and the risk premium of attempting the challenge.

My Verdict: The Optimal Starting Point

If this is your first prop firm: $10K Standard ($72). Learn everything at minimal cost.

If you've traded prop firms before: $50K Standard ($289). Best balance of income potential and breach cost.

If you're building a portfolio: Start with two $50K Standards ($578). Add accounts progressively as you prove profitability.

If you want maximum income immediately: Consider whether you truly need $100K or whether two $50K accounts serve you better. The diversification almost always wins.

Frequently Asked Questions

Does the $5K account have different rules?

All account sizes use the same percentage-based rules (8%/5% targets, 10% drawdown, 5% daily loss on Standard). The only differences are absolute dollar amounts and funded-stage lot limits.

Can I upgrade from $25K to $50K without starting over?

No. Each account size requires a separate evaluation purchase. FundingPips may offer account merging for funded accounts—check current availability.

Is it worth paying more for the $100K if I can afford it?

Only if you've already proven you can pass and sustain a smaller account. The $100K amplifies everything—profits, losses, and emotional responses. Prove your edge at $50K first.

The Scaling Multiplier: Why Starting Size Matters Long-Term

Your starting account size determines your scaling ceiling. Through FundingPips' Hot Seat program, each account can eventually double its initial capital:

A $5K becomes $10K. A $10K becomes $20K. A $25K becomes $50K. A $50K becomes $100K. A $100K becomes $200K.

If you fill the $300K allocation cap with six $50K accounts and reach Hot Seat on all of them, your effective trading capital is $600K with 100% profit split. If you filled it with three $100K accounts, Hot Seat gives you $600K as well—same ceiling, different path.

But if you filled it with twelve $25K accounts (hypothetically, if the cap allowed), Hot Seat only gives you $600K too. The math converges at the top. The difference is in the journey: fewer, larger accounts are simpler to manage and scale, but more, smaller accounts offer better diversification during the scaling process.

The Hidden Cost: Emotional Capital

Every breach costs emotional capital alongside financial capital. Breaching a $5K account is shrug-worthy—$36 lost, try again. Breaching a $100K account after 2 months of funded trading and $4,000 in accumulated profits stings deeply. Not just the $529 fee—the lost profits, the wasted time, the hit to confidence.

Emotional capital is finite and often undervalued. Traders who blow through three $100K accounts ($1,587 in fees, months of effort, thousands in lost profits) frequently burn out entirely. The same trader running $50K accounts loses less per breach, recovers faster emotionally, and stays in the game longer.

Longevity matters more than account size. A $50K trader who stays funded for 18 months earns $21,600 at 3% monthly. A $100K trader who breaches every 3 months and re-evaluates spends $2,100+ in fees over the same period and earns less net despite the larger account.

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