FundingPips Zero Model Review: Is Instant Funding Worth the Fee?

FundingPips Zero sounds perfect on paper. No evaluation. No profit targets. Instant funded account. Start earning day one.

Then you read the rules.

The Zero model has a 5% trailing drawdown (every other FundingPips model uses static), a 3% daily loss limit (tighter than the Standard's 5%), a 15% consistency rule (permanent, not optional), no weekend holding, a 1% floating loss cap, and a 10-minute news restriction window (vs. 5 minutes on other models). Every single rule is tighter than what you'd face after passing a 2-Step Standard evaluation.

You're not skipping the evaluation. You're replacing it with a permanently harder trading environment.

I've traded both the 2-Step Standard and observed the Zero model closely through community trading logs. Here's whether the instant access is worth the tradeoffs.

Tested firsthand: I've traded multiple FundingPips accounts—passed evaluations on 2-Step Standard and Pro, dealt with the funded-stage rule switches, and withdrawn real money through Tuesday Payday. What you're reading comes from live funded trading, not from reading their marketing page.

For the complete breakdown of every FundingPips account type—including how 2-Step Standard, Pro, 1-Step, and Zero differ in drawdown rules, profit splits, and pricing, plus which account size actually makes sense for your trading style—read my full FundingPips accounts overview. It covers all five sizes from $5K to $100K with real cost analysis. For the absolute latest, check FundingPips' website or their FAQ section.

Zero Model Specs at a Glance

Account sizes: $5,000 to $100,000

Pricing: $69 ($5K), $129 ($10K), $249 ($25K), $399 ($50K), $499 ($100K)

Evaluation: None. Instant funded account.

Daily loss limit: 3% of account balance

Maximum drawdown: 5% trailing (moves up with equity peaks, locks after 5% profit)

Leverage: Up to 1:50

Profit split: 95% bi-weekly

Consistency rule: 15% — your best single trading day cannot exceed 15% of total profits in the payout cycle

Minimum trading days for payout: 7 profitable days per month (minimum 0.25% gain each)

Weekend holding: Not allowed. Close all positions before Friday market close.

News restriction: 10 minutes before and after high-impact events (vs. 5 minutes on other models)

Floating loss cap: 1% — open positions cannot show combined unrealized loss exceeding 1% of account size

Fee refund: Not available on Zero accounts

The Trailing Drawdown Problem

This is the single biggest difference between Zero and every other FundingPips model.

On 2-Step Standard, Pro, and 1-Step accounts, drawdown is static. If your $50K account has a 10% max drawdown, your floor is $45,000 permanently. Whether your balance grows to $55,000 or $60,000, the floor stays at $45,000. You can build a cushion.

On Zero, the drawdown trails. If your $50K account grows to $52,000, your new drawdown floor moves to $49,500 (5% below the peak). It only moves up, never down. This means every dollar of profit you make raises the bar. Your margin for error shrinks as you succeed.

The trailing drawdown locks once you've accumulated 5% profit ($2,500 on a $50K account). After that, it becomes static at your current floor level. But reaching that 5% lock without breaching requires extremely tight risk management.

Practical example: You start with $50,000. Drawdown floor: $47,500 (5% below $50K). You have a good week and your balance reaches $51,200. New drawdown floor: $48,640 (5% below $51,200). You now have $2,560 in drawdown room instead of the original $2,500. Barely any improvement despite $1,200 in profit. And if you have a losing day that pulls your balance down to $48,500? You're $140 from being terminated.

Compare this to the 2-Step Standard funded account where your floor stays at $45,000. You could dip to $45,100 and still be alive. That's $3,400 more room in the same scenario.

The 15% Consistency Rule

This rule means no single trading day can account for more than 15% of your total profits in a payout cycle.

If you've made $2,000 total in a cycle, your best single day can't exceed $300. If you have one exceptional day where you make $500, you need your total cycle profits to reach at least $3,334 before requesting a payout ($500 / 15% = $3,334).

This punishes traders who have occasional big winners. If your edge produces 2-3 large winning days and many small winners, you'll constantly run into the consistency cap. You'll either need to limit your size on good days (leaving money on the table) or extend your payout cycle until the ratio normalizes.

The Standard and 1-Step accounts only apply the consistency rule (35%) on the On-Demand payout option. The Zero applies 15% permanently with no alternative.

The 1% Floating Loss Cap

This is the rule most Zero traders underestimate. If your open positions show a combined unrealized loss exceeding 1% of your account size ($500 on a $50K account), the account is terminated. Immediately. Hard breach.

That means you cannot hold a single position with more than $500 in unrealized drawdown. If you enter EUR/USD at 1.0500 and it drops to 1.0450 (50 pips), you're at roughly $500 loss on a standard lot. You'd breach at 1 lot on a $50K account from a 50-pip move against you—which is normal market noise during London session.

This rule forces extremely small position sizes or very tight stop losses. Most traders who fail Zero accounts cite this rule as the primary cause.

Who Zero Actually Works For

Despite the harsh rules, the Zero model suits a specific trader profile:

Proven, consistently profitable traders who want to skip the 2-4 week evaluation process and start earning immediately. If your win rate is above 65% and your average winner comfortably exceeds your average loser, the tight rules are manageable.

Scalpers with small, frequent wins. The consistency rule actually favors traders who make many small profits rather than few large ones. If your average winning trade is $50-$150 and you take 5-10 trades per day, you'll naturally stay within the 15% consistency cap.

Traders who don't hold positions for extended periods. No weekend holding and the 1% floating loss cap aren't issues if you close everything within the session.

Who Should Avoid Zero

Swing traders. The no-weekend-holding rule and 1% floating loss cap make multi-day positions nearly impossible.

Traders with inconsistent daily P&L. If you have occasional large winning days followed by smaller ones, the 15% consistency rule will constantly block your payouts.

Traders new to prop firms. Zero's rules are the strictest of any FundingPips model. Learning prop firm trading under these constraints is unnecessarily punishing. Start with the 2-Step Standard.

Risk-tolerant traders who use wider stops. The 1% floating loss cap doesn't allow positions with 30-40 pip stops at meaningful lot sizes. If your strategy requires breathing room, Zero eliminates it.

Cost Comparison: Zero vs. 2-Step Standard

The Zero costs more upfront with no fee refund. The 2-Step Standard costs less and refunds the fee after your 4th payout.

For a $50K account: Zero costs $399 with no refund. 2-Step Standard costs $289, refundable after 4 payouts. If you succeed on the Standard, you effectively got funded for free after 4 payouts. On Zero, the $399 is gone permanently.

The profit split difference (95% on Zero vs. 60-100% on Standard depending on payout frequency) partially offsets the higher fee—but only if you survive long enough to accumulate meaningful profits.

My Verdict

The Zero model is a trap for most traders. The marketing emphasizes "instant funding" and "no evaluation," but the rules are designed to be significantly harder to survive long-term than a Standard funded account.

If you can pass a 2-Step Standard evaluation—and the unlimited time limit means most disciplined traders eventually can—you'll get a funded account with substantially more favorable rules: static drawdown, higher daily loss limit, no floating loss cap, weekend holding allowed, 5-minute news window instead of 10, and payout frequency choices.

The 2-4 weeks you spend on the evaluation isn't wasted time. It's time you'd otherwise spend on a Zero account barely surviving while your trailing drawdown closes in.

My recommendation: 2-Step Standard for 90% of traders. Zero only for consistently profitable scalpers who've already proven their edge on another funded account and want a second revenue stream without the evaluation time.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I switch from Zero to a different model if the rules are too strict?

No. Your account type is set at purchase. If Zero isn't working, you'd need to purchase a separate 1-Step or 2-Step challenge. Your Zero account continues independently. Some traders run both simultaneously—a Zero for immediate income and a 2-Step evaluation as a backup.

What happens when the trailing drawdown locks?

Once you've accumulated 5% profit (e.g., balance reaches $52,500 on a $50K account), the drawdown floor stops trailing and becomes static at its current level. From that point, the Zero account behaves more like a standard funded account in terms of drawdown—though the other restrictive rules (consistency, floating loss cap, news window, no weekend holding) remain.

Is the 1% floating loss cap calculated per position or across all open positions?

Across all open positions combined. If you have three positions open showing -$200, -$150, and -$200 unrealized loss, your combined floating loss is $550—which would breach the 1% cap on a $50K account ($500 limit). This means you effectively cannot hold multiple losing positions simultaneously.

Can I use EAs on a Zero account?

Yes, with the same restrictions as other FundingPips models. Risk management and trade management EAs are permitted. Third-party trading EAs that execute strategies autonomously may be restricted. Given the Zero model's tight rules, a well-configured risk management EA that automatically closes positions approaching the 1% floating loss cap could be valuable.

How does the 15% consistency rule interact with the payout cycle?

The 15% rule applies within each payout cycle. If you start a new cycle, the calculation resets. However, you need at least 7 profitable trading days (minimum 0.25% gain each) per month to qualify for a payout. Both the consistency rule and the minimum day requirement must be met simultaneously.

Are the Zero account sizes the same as other models?

Zero accounts start at $5K and go up to $100K, matching other FundingPips models. However, the pricing is significantly higher than evaluation-based models at equivalent sizes. A $50K Zero costs $399 vs. $289 for a 2-Step Standard—a $110 premium for instant access. And unlike the Standard, the Zero fee is never refunded.

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