Prop Firm Checklist 2025: What Actually Matters Before You Pay

There’s a lot of marketing noise around prop firms. Here’s a trader-first checklist you can run before you pull out a card.

## 1) Drawdown Rules You Can Live With

The biggest account killers are the rules you forget about mid-trade. Clarify:

- Type: trailing, static, or end-of-day

- What it follows: realized only, or unrealized equity too

- Precision: does it trail tick-by-tick or at close?

- Example math: if the account peaks at \$51,714.70, where’s the new floor?

> Tip: If you can’t explain the drawdown in one sentence to a friend, you don’t fully understand it yet.

## 2) Payout Friction (and Minimums)

You want predictable cadence, low friction, and clear minimums. Ask:

- Minimum withdrawal (\$250? \$500?)

- Processing window (business days or calendar)

- Method (ACH, wire, crypto) and fees

- Any static equity buffer that can’t be withdrawn

## 3) Platform + Data You’ll Actually Use

Execution and charting are not interchangeable. Confirm:

- Supported platforms (desktop + mobile)

- Data feed stability and symbols you need

- If you can replay sessions for journaling

## 4) Support That Answers Like a Human

Try support before you buy. Send one pre-sales question and rate the reply:

- Did they answer directly?

- Did they cite docs instead of guessing?

- Was the tone confident, not canned?

## 5) Fees That Don’t Boomerang

Scan for:

- Resets, upgrades, inactivity

- Data/platform add-ons

- Currency conversion if you’re outside the US

## 6) A Rules Page That Ages Well

Bookmark the rules page and re-check it weekly during your first month. Policies do change; you don’t want surprises on payout week.

## Bottom Line

A firm that’s transparent about rules, payouts, and support is a firm you can plan around. The right choice is the one whose rules match your rhythm and risk. Journal, review, and scale only when your process feels boring—in a good way.