The Cheapest Prop Firm Challenge in 2027? Do the Math Per $1K
The sticker price misleads. Cost per $1K, attempts and refunds tell the real story. Here is the formula, worked examples with real OctoFunded prices, and a check you can run yourself.
OctoFunded Trading DeskUpdated ยท 7 min read
The cheapest prop firm challenge is the one with the lowest net cost per $1K of simulated capital: fee divided by account size, times the attempts you need, minus any refund. At OctoFunded, that math starts at $62.10 for a $10,000 Classic 1-Step with OFF10, and drops to $4.18 per $1K on the $400,000.
We will not tell you we are the cheapest firm. We will give you the formula and our real prices. Then compare it yourself.
Why the sticker price is the wrong number
A $50 challenge on a $5,000 account and a $499 challenge on a $100,000 account are not comparable. One is $10 per $1K. The other is $4.99 per $1K.
The lowest ticket is not the lowest price. It is just the smallest account.
Three numbers matter more than the sticker:
| Number | Formula | What it tells you |
|---|---|---|
| Cost per $1K | Fee divided by size in thousands | Price on a common scale |
| Gross cost | Fee x attempts | What you actually spend |
| Net cost | Gross cost minus refund | What you are out of pocket after a first payout |
Step 1: Work out the cost per $1K
Take the fee. Divide by the account size in thousands.
- $69 on $10,000 = $69 / 10 = $6.90 per $1K
- $499 on $100,000 = $499 / 100 = $4.99 per $1K
- $1,859 on $400,000 = $1,859 / 400 = $4.65 per $1K
Same program. Same rules in percent. Different price per unit of account. That is the first thing a cheap prop firm headline hides.
Here is the curve on OctoFunded's Classic 1-Step:
| Account size (simulated capital) | List price | With OFF10 | Per $1K (list) | Per $1K (with OFF10) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| $10,000 | $69 | $62.10 | $6.90 | $6.21 |
| $25,000 | $169 | $152.10 | $6.76 | $6.08 |
| $50,000 | $289 | $260.10 | $5.78 | $5.20 |
| $100,000 | $499 | $449.10 | $4.99 | $4.49 |
| $200,000 | $949 | $854.10 | $4.75 | $4.27 |
| $300,000 | $1,409 | $1,268.10 | $4.70 | $4.23 |
| $400,000 | $1,859 | $1,673.10 | $4.65 | $4.18 |
Prices checked 30 October 2026.
Step 2: Multiply by the attempts you need
Cost per $1K tells you the price of one try. Most traders do not stop at one.
Every attempt that ends on a breached loss limit is another fee. That is why rules matter as much as price. A tighter daily loss limit or a trailing floor can end an attempt sooner. See static vs trailing drawdown and why traders fail prop firm challenges.
So be honest. If your worst day is close to a program's daily limit, budget for more than one attempt.
Gross cost = fee x attempts.
A deadline makes this worse. An attempt that expires without a breach still costs a new fee. OctoFunded evaluations have no time limit.
Step 3: Subtract the refund
A refund changes the math. But read the fine print on timing.
At OctoFunded, every 1-Step and 2-Step plan refunds the fee with your first payout, subject to the program rules. It returns one fee. It does not return the fees of failed attempts. Instant plans have no refund.
Net cost = (fee x attempts) minus one refunded fee.
Full mechanics in how the challenge fee refund works.
The math on real prices
Here are three illustrative paths on a $100,000 account, all with OFF10, each ending in a first payout. The attempt counts are picked to show the arithmetic. They are not pass rates or forecasts.
| Path (illustrative) | Plan | Fee with OFF10 | Attempts | Gross cost | Refund | Net cost | Net per $1K |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| A | Classic 1-Step $100,000 | $449.10 | 1 | $449.10 | $449.10 | $0.00 | $0.00 |
| B | Classic 2-Step $100,000 | $476.10 | 2 | $952.20 | $476.10 | $476.10 | $4.76 |
| C | Classic Instant $100,000 | $791.10 | 2 | $1,582.20 | $0.00 | $1,582.20 | $15.82 |
Prices checked 30 October 2026.
The arithmetic: A is $449.10 minus $449.10. B is 2 x $476.10 = $952.20, minus $476.10. C is 2 x $791.10, with nothing back.
The lesson is not that one plan wins. It is that attempts and refunds move the total more than the sticker does. A trader whose style suits the 2-Step's 5% daily limit and 10% static max loss may spend less there than on a lower ticket with tighter rules.
OctoFunded's lowest entry points
Here are the lowest ways in, by goal. Every price is a one-time fee on simulated capital.
| Goal | Plan | List price | With OFF10 | Per $1K (OFF10) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lowest ticket overall | Classic 1-Step $10,000 | $69 | $62.10 | $6.21 |
| Lowest ticket with a static floor | Classic 2-Step $10,000 | $79 | $71.10 | $7.11 |
| Lowest per $1K overall | Classic 1-Step $400,000 | $1,859 | $1,673.10 | $4.18 |
| Lowest Instant per $1K | Classic Instant $100,000 | $879 | $791.10 | $7.91 |
| Smallest account | Perpetuals Instant $2,000 | $159 | $143.10 | $71.55 |
| Lowest Perpetuals challenge ticket | Perpetuals 1-Step $5,000 | $159 | $143.10 | $28.62 |
| Lowest Perpetuals per $1K | Perpetuals 2-Step $1,000,000 | $6,999 | $6,299.10 | $6.30 |
| Lowest Futures ticket | Futures 1-Step $25,000 | $640 | $576.00 | $23.04 |
Prices checked 30 October 2026.
Notice the $2,000 Perpetuals Instant. It shares the lowest Perpetuals ticket, but costs $71.55 per $1K. Small accounts cost more per unit. That is the trade.
Every price for every size is in the full OctoFunded price list.
What a cheap funded account should still give you
Price is one line. Here is what comes with every OctoFunded plan:
- One-time fee. No monthly charge, so time does not turn into money.
- No time limit on 1-Step and 2-Step evaluations.
- Fee refund with the first payout on every evaluation plan, subject to the program rules.
- Splits of 80% to 100%: 80% on Classic 1-Step and 2-Step, 100% on Classic Instant, 90% on Perpetuals and Futures.
- EAs allowed. News trading and weekend holding allowed on Classic.
- Crypto checkout and payouts in USDT or USDC with a public on-chain transaction hash, subject to the program rules.
If a cheap prop firm skips any of these, add that to your cost. A monthly fee, a deadline or no refund all raise the net number. For a broader view of value, read what makes a challenge good value and the cheapest way to get funded.
Your 5-minute cheapest funded account check
Run this on any firm you are considering, including us.
- Pick your size. The same one at every firm.
- Divide the fee by size in thousands. Write down cost per $1K.
- Read the loss limits. Compare them with your worst day. Estimate attempts honestly.
- Multiply. Fee x attempts = gross cost.
- Subtract the refund, if there is one, and only one fee.
Lowest net number wins. Compare it yourself.
Make it 10% lower with OFF10
The public code OFF10 takes 10% off every OctoFunded plan, so every cost per $1K above drops by 10% too. The $100,000 Classic 1-Step goes from $4.99 to $4.49 per $1K.
How to apply it, plus the full list vs OFF10 table, is in the OctoFunded coupon code. For how codes work across the industry, see how prop firm discount codes work. New to challenges? Start with what a prop firm challenge is.
FAQ
What is the cheapest prop firm challenge in 2027?
There is no single answer, because the cheapest challenge depends on your size and how many attempts you need. Divide each fee by the account size in thousands, multiply by your expected attempts, subtract any refund, and compare it yourself.
How do I calculate the cost per $1K of a challenge?
Divide the fee by the account size in thousands. A $499 fee on a $100,000 account is $499 divided by 100, or $4.99 per $1K of simulated capital.
What is OctoFunded's lowest priced challenge?
The $10,000 Classic 1-Step at $69, or $62.10 with the public code OFF10. The lowest price per $1K is the $400,000 Classic 1-Step at $4.65, or $4.18 with OFF10.
Is a cheap prop firm worth it?
Only if the rules fit your trading. A low fee you pay three times costs more than a higher fee you pay once, so check the daily loss limit, max loss, drawdown type and refund before you buy.
Does a fee refund make the cheapest funded account free?
It can bring the net fee of one attempt to zero, but only if you reach a first payout under the program rules. The refund returns one fee, not the fees of failed attempts, and Instant plans have no refund.
Get your challenge for $62.10 with OFF10
You have the formula. You have our prices. Run the math, read the full program rules, and pick the plan that fits your trading.
