TakeProfitTrader Rules Overview 2026: The Definitive Guide

TakeProfitTrader has 7 core rules that determine whether you pass your evaluation, stay funded, or get terminated. After trading multiple TakeProfitTrader accounts—passing evaluations, breaching a PRO account (learned that lesson the hard way), and managing funded capital across several accounts simultaneously—I can tell you the rules aren't complicated. But they interact in ways that trip up even experienced traders.

The biggest issue: rules change between account tiers.

Your Test evaluation runs on EOD trailing drawdown. Your PRO account switches to intraday trailing. Your PRO+ switches back to EOD.

If you don't adjust your strategy for each transition, you'll breach accounts you should've kept alive.

Quick heads-up: This article is based on my real experience with TakeProfitTrader and the info available when I published/updated this. Things change in prop trading — rules, payouts, promos, all of it.

For the absolute latest, check TakeProfitTrader´s website or their knowledge base.

Rule 1: Hit Your 6% Profit Target (Test Only)

Every TakeProfitTrader Test account has a 6% profit target, regardless of size. Hit it while satisfying all other rules, and you're eligible to pass.

There's no time limit to reach your target. You can take 5 days or 5 months. But every 30 days, your subscription renews. So taking 3 months on a $50K account ($170/month) means you've spent $510 before activation.

Strategy: Target $400-$600 per day on a $50K account. That hits $3,000 in 5-8 trading days. Don't go for home runs trying to pass in the minimum 5 days. Steady, controlled daily profits are the fastest path because you're not fighting the consistency rule or burning emotional capital on oversized positions.

Rule 2: Don't Exceed Maximum Position Size

Each account has strict contract limits. Exceed them by even one contract and your account gets terminated instantly.

Position limits by account size:

• $25K: 3 minis / 30 micros
• $50K: 6 minis / 60 micros
• $75K: 9 minis / 90 micros
• $100K: 12 minis / 120 micros
• $150K: 15 minis / 150 micros

The system will typically reject orders that exceed limits, but don't rely on that. I've heard of edge cases where scaling into positions during fast markets caused brief over-allocation before the system caught up. Set hard position limits in your trading platform and never trade without them.

The micro-to-mini ratio is 10:1. So on a $50K account, you can trade 6 minis, or 60 micros, or any combination that doesn't exceed the equivalent of 6 minis (like 4 minis + 20 micros).

My approach: I almost never use more than 50% of available contracts during the Test phase. On a $50K account, I trade 2-3 NQ contracts max. This gives me room for scaling in on strong setups without accidentally breaching the limit, and keeps my risk per trade manageable relative to the drawdown limit.

Rule 3: End-of-Day Maximum Trailing Drawdown (The Rule That Matters Most)

This is the rule that kills most accounts. Not because it's unfair—because traders don't understand how it changes between account tiers.

How EOD Trailing Drawdown Works (Test and PRO+)

Your maximum drawdown is calculated based on your account balance at market close (5 PM ET), not during the session. The drawdown "trails" upward as your end-of-day balance increases, but it never moves down.

Example (50K Test account, $2,000 max drawdown):

• Day 1 close: $50,000 → Drawdown floor: $48,000
• Day 2 close: $51,200 → Drawdown floor moves up to $49,200
• Day 3 close: $50,800 → Drawdown floor stays at $49,200 (only trails up)
• Day 4 close: $52,500 → Drawdown floor moves to $50,500

Critical insight: during Day 3, you could have been down to $49,300 intraday and it wouldn't matter. Only the end-of-day balance counts. This is why the EOD drawdown structure is so forgiving during evaluation.

How Intraday Trailing Drawdown Works (PRO Only)

PRO accounts use intraday trailing drawdown. Your drawdown floor moves in real-time based on your highest intraday balance.

Example (50K PRO account, $2,000 max drawdown):

• 10:00 AM: Balance $50,000 → Floor: $48,000
• 10:30 AM: Open trade profits +$1,500, balance peaks at $51,500 → Floor jumps to $49,500
• 11:00 AM: Trade reverses, close at $50,500 → Floor stays at $49,500
• Result: You're now only $1,000 from breach, not $2,000

This is the trap. You had a $1,500 winner that you let slide back to +$500. On a Test account with EOD drawdown, no problem—you'd close the day at $50,500 with a floor of $48,500. On PRO, your floor permanently jumped to $49,500 during the intraday peak.

I breached my first PRO account exactly this way. Had a $1,200 unrealized gain on 3 NQ contracts during an RTH open move. Didn't take profit because "the trend looked strong." Trade reversed, I closed at +$400, but my drawdown floor had already moved up by $1,200. Two days later, a normal -$800 losing day put me within $200 of breach. I tightened up, but the damage was done—one more average losing day finished me.

The lesson: On PRO accounts, treat unrealized gains like real money. If you're up $1,000, your drawdown limit just got $1,000 tighter. Take partial profits aggressively.

For a deeper breakdown of this concept, I compared intraday vs end-of-day drawdown across multiple firms.

Rule 4: Trade Approved Products During Approved Hours

TakeProfitTrader is a futures-only firm. You can trade products listed on CME, CBOT, COMEX, and NYMEX exchanges—including their micro versions.

Approved Products

The most commonly traded contracts:

• Equity Index Futures: ES (S&P 500), NQ (Nasdaq 100), YM (Dow Jones), RTY (Russell 2000) + all micro versions (MES, MNQ, MYM, M2K)
• Energy Futures: CL (Crude Oil), NG (Natural Gas), QM (E-mini Crude) + micros (MCL)
• Metals: GC (Gold), SI (Silver), HG (Copper) + micros (MGC, SIL)
• Interest Rates: ZB (30-Year Bond), ZN (10-Year Note), ZF (5-Year Note)
• Agricultural: ZS (Soybeans), ZW (Wheat), ZC (Corn)

No forex. No crypto. No stocks. Just futures.

Trading Hours

Trading hours run from 6 PM ET to 5 PM ET the following day (23-hour cycle). All positions must be closed by 5 PM ET. This is non-negotiable—holding a position past 5 PM ET results in immediate termination, even during evaluation.

I set an alarm for 4:45 PM ET every trading day. By 4:50 PM, I'm flat. No exceptions. The 10-minute buffer gives me time to close everything cleanly without rushed market orders during the final seconds.

One thing that sometimes confuses new traders: the session opens at 6 PM ET (Sunday through Thursday). So if you're in Europe or Asia, make sure you know exactly when 5 PM ET falls in your time zone.

Rule 5: The 50% Consistency Rule (Test Only)

No single trading day can account for more than 50% of your total profits. This rule only applies during the Test evaluation—PRO and PRO+ accounts have no consistency requirement.

How it works:

You have a $50K account with a $3,000 profit target. If you make $2,000 on a single day, that's fine—but you can't pass yet because $2,000 is 66% of $3,000. You need to keep trading until your total profits reach at least $4,000, at which point your $2,000 day becomes 50% or less.

Real scenario from my trading:

I hit a strong NQ trend on Day 3 of an evaluation and made $1,800. At that point, my total profit was $2,500, so my best day was 72% of total. I needed to grow total profits to $3,600 before I could pass, even though I'd already exceeded the $3,000 target.

Solution: I traded conservatively for two more days, averaging $300-$400 per day. By Day 6, my total was $3,700, best day was 48.6%. Passed.

The 50% rule isn't hard to beat. It just requires patience. My strategy: aim for $400-$600 per day and spread profits evenly. If you accidentally have a big day early, accept that you'll need extra days and trade smaller until consistency sorts itself out.

Your dashboard shows your "Highest Profit Day" and "Consistency Percentage" in real-time. Check it after every session.

Rule 6: Minimum 5 Trading Days (Test Only)

You must have at least 5 separate trading days before you're eligible to pass your Test. A "trading day" means you executed at least one complete round-trip trade (entry + exit) on any approved futures product.

This is straightforward. Even if you hit your profit target on Day 3, you need to trade 2 more days. These can be minimal trades—even a single micro contract opened and closed counts as a trading day.

Strategy: If you've hit your profit target before Day 5, place small trades on the remaining days. I'm talking 1 micro contract, hold for a minute, close. Don't risk blowing your already-achieved target by taking real positions on days you're just filling the requirement.

Rule 7: No Bots, No Algos, No Automated Trading

TakeProfitTrader requires all trades to be manually executed. No trading bots, no Expert Advisors, no automated strategies of any kind. This applies across all tiers—Test, PRO, and PRO+.

Copy trading is technically allowed (mirroring your own trades across multiple accounts), but you must be the one initiating the trades. The distinction: a human places the trade on Account A, and copy software mirrors it to Accounts B-D. That's allowed. A bot autonomously placing trades? That's a violation.

I use copy trading software to mirror trades across my TakeProfitTrader accounts. The key is that every trade originates from my manual execution on one "leader" account. The copies are automated, but the decision is human. TakeProfitTrader allows this.

Additional Rules That Catch Traders Off Guard

News Trading Restrictions (PRO and PRO+ Only)

Test accounts allow trading during all news events. But once you're funded (PRO or PRO+), you must flatten positions before FOMC rate decisions and Non-Farm Payroll (NFP) releases.

This catches traders who developed their edge during evaluation by trading news volatility. You need a separate approach for funded accounts during news events.

I check the economic calendar every Sunday night and mark FOMC and NFP dates. On those days, I either don't trade at all or close everything 30 minutes before the event.

Overnight Holds Are Prohibited

No holding positions past 5 PM ET. No overnight trades. No weekend holds. This applies to all tiers. Violation results in immediate termination.

Inactivity Rule

You must place at least one trade per week to avoid an inactivity flag on your Test account. If you're on vacation or taking a break, place one micro trade to keep the account alive.

Counter-Positioning Across Accounts

If you run multiple TakeProfitTrader accounts, you cannot hold opposing positions (long ES on Account 1, short ES on Account 2). TakeProfitTrader monitors for this and will flag violations.

The Free Monthly Reset Trick

When your Test subscription renews every 30 days, you automatically get a fresh account. So if you breach your Test on Day 3, you have two options: pay $100 for an immediate reset, or wait until your subscription renews and get a free fresh start. If there's no rush, waiting saves $100.

The calculation: If you breach within the first 10 days of a billing cycle, paying $100 for instant reset makes sense—you get 20+ days to trade. If you breach after Day 20, just wait for the renewal. The sweet spot depends on your confidence level and how close your renewal date is.

The Buffer Zone Return Policy

Something most articles skip: when you close a PRO account, TakeProfitTrader returns a portion of the buffer. If the account was active for 60 days or less, they return 50%. Active for more than 60 days? They return 80%. This means there's a financial incentive to keep PRO accounts active longer before closing them—especially if you've built profits inside the buffer that you haven't been able to withdraw yet.

How TakeProfitTrader Rules Compare to Other Prop Firms

Let me put TakeProfitTrader's rules in context against firms I've also traded with:

TakeProfitTrader's edge: no daily loss limit during evaluation (huge), day-one withdrawals on funded accounts, and no consistency rule on PRO/PRO+. The drawbacks: intraday trailing on PRO makes it harder to maintain funded accounts than some competitors, and the 50% consistency rule during evaluation can force extra trading days.

For a broader comparison of firms, check out the best futures prop firms or see how TakeProfitTrader stacks up in the full review.

Frequently Asked Questions About TakeProfitTrader Rules

Does TakeProfitTrader have a daily loss limit?

No daily loss limit on Test accounts (removed January 2025). PRO accounts do have daily loss limits that vary by account size. PRO+ accounts have no daily loss limit. Only the maximum trailing drawdown applies across all tiers.

What happens if I violate the 50% consistency rule?

Nothing immediate—you just can't pass yet. Keep trading until your total profits grow enough that no single day exceeds 50%. Your dashboard tracks this in real-time. It's not a violation that terminates your account.

Can I trade during news at TakeProfitTrader?

Test accounts: yes, all news events allowed. PRO and PRO+: you must close positions before FOMC and NFP releases. Other economic events are generally allowed. Always check the current restricted events list in the knowledge base.

What's the minimum number of trading days to pass?

5 days. Each day requires at least one complete round-trip trade. Even if you hit your profit target on Day 3, you must trade 2 more days. These can be minimal trades to minimize risk to your already-earned profits.

Does TakeProfitTrader allow EAs or automated trading?

No. All trades must be manually executed. Trading bots, Expert Advisors, and fully automated strategies are prohibited across all tiers. Copy trading (mirroring your own manual trades) is allowed.

How does the TakeProfitTrader trailing drawdown actually work?

Test and PRO+: drawdown calculated at end of day only. Your floor only moves up as your closing balance makes new highs. PRO: drawdown trails intraday in real-time. Your floor moves up with every new intraday equity peak, making it significantly stricter.

What products can I trade at TakeProfitTrader?

CME, CBOT, COMEX, and NYMEX futures including micros. Most popular: ES, NQ, YM, RTY, CL, GC, SI, ZB. No forex, crypto, or stocks. Full product list available on TakeProfitTrader's website.

What happens if I accidentally hold a position past 5 PM ET?

Immediate account termination. No warnings, no second chances. Set a daily alarm for 4:45 PM ET and close everything by 4:50 PM at the latest. This is the most easily avoidable rule violation at TakeProfitTrader.

Can I hold opposing positions across multiple TakeProfitTrader accounts?

No. TakeProfitTrader monitors for counter-positioning. You cannot be long ES on one account and short ES on another simultaneously. All accounts must trade in the same direction on the same product.

How many resets do I get at TakeProfitTrader?

Test accounts: unlimited resets at $100 each. Alternatively, wait for your monthly subscription renewal which includes a free fresh account. PRO accounts: maximum 3 resets at $399-$999 depending on account size. After 3 PRO resets, you must start a new Test.

Is TakeProfitTrader's 50% consistency rule fair?

Compared to other firms, 50% is actually generous. Apex uses 30%. Some firms use even stricter thresholds. The 50% rule mainly prevents "one lucky trade" passes—traders who hit a home run on day 1 and want to immediately pass. If you trade consistently at $400-$600/day, the 50% rule is almost never an issue.

Does the drawdown ever stop trailing?

No. The trailing drawdown follows your equity highs permanently. It never locks in or converts to a static level. Some firms offer drawdown that locks once you reach a certain profit level—TakeProfitTrader doesn't. Plan your risk management accordingly.

What's the most common rule violation at TakeProfitTrader?

The EOD/intraday trailing drawdown breach. Most traders breach because they either don't understand the trailing mechanic (especially the switch from EOD to intraday on PRO) or because they size positions too aggressively relative to their remaining drawdown. The fix: always know your exact drawdown floor before entering a trade.

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