What you are signing up for
A prop firm evaluation is a test where you trade with simulated capital to prove you can be profitable. If you pass, the firm allows you to trade their capital and share the profits.
Halcyon Trader Funding offers one-time payments. For a 50K account, you can pay $68 for the "Lite" version or $77 for the "Prime" version. These are one-time fees, meaning you pay once and the account stays active as long as you do not break a rule or stay inactive for 30 days.
Hola Prime Futures uses a subscription model for its "1-Step Prime" accounts. A 50K account costs $159 every 30 days until you pass. They also offer "Direct Accounts," which give you immediate access to funding without a test, but they are much more expensive ($548 for a 50K account).
How hard each one is
The difficulty depends on the risk rules. The most important rule is the drawdown, which is the maximum amount you are allowed to lose before the account is closed.
- Halcyon Trader Funding: Their "Lite" accounts use an "Intraday Trailing Drawdown." This means your loss limit moves up in real-time as your profit increases, even if you haven't closed the trade. Their "Prime" accounts use an "End-of-Day Drawdown," which only updates at the end of the day based on your closing balance.
- Hola Prime Futures: They use an "End-of-Day Drawdown" for all evaluation accounts. This is generally easier because it doesn't penalize you for profits that fluctuate during the trading session. However, they have a "consistency rule" of 40%, meaning no single day can account for more than 40% of your total profit target.
How long it takes
In this industry, firms often require a minimum number of trading days to ensure your success wasn't just luck.
- Halcyon Trader Funding: You can pass a Lite or Dynamic evaluation in just 1 day. The Prime version requires 3 days, although you can buy a "1-Day Pass" add-on to speed it up.
- Hola Prime Futures: There are no minimum trading days. If you reach the profit target—the specific amount of money you must earn to pass—in a single hour, you have completed the evaluation.
Where beginners fail
Most beginners fail because of the drawdown. At Halcyon Lite, the "trailing" nature of the drawdown means if you are up $1,000 but don't close the trade and it drops back to zero, your loss limit has stayed at that higher level, leaving you with less room for error.
At Hola Prime, beginners often fail due to "prohibited strategies." They strictly forbid "tick scalping" (opening and closing trades in seconds) and require a mandatory "stop loss" (an automatic order to exit a losing trade) on funded accounts. If you forget to set a stop loss, you lose the account.
What happens if you make it
Once you pass, both firms offer a 90% profit split, meaning you keep 90% of what you earn.
- Halcyon Trader Funding: You must trade for 6 "qualifying days" (days with a minimum profit) before asking for a payout. There is a maximum payout limit for the first five withdrawals. After the fifth, they may move you to a "Live Brokerage" account with 100% profit split.
- Hola Prime Futures: They have 7-day payout cycles. You can request money every week if you have five profitable days. Like Halcyon, they can invite you to a professional "Live" account after you have withdrawn $50,000.
If it is your first time
For a complete beginner, Hola Prime Futures is slightly better despite the subscription cost. The "End-of-Day Drawdown" is much more forgiving than Halcyon’s "Intraday Trailing" model. It allows you to breathe during the trading day without worrying that a temporary profit will move your "death line" higher. However, if you are on a tight budget and want to avoid recurring monthly bills, Halcyon’s "Prime" account (not Lite) offers a one-time fee with the same End-of-Day drawdown benefit.
Frequently asked questions
Which is cheaper for a first 50K evaluation, Halcyon or Hola Prime?
Halcyon Trader Funding is significantly cheaper. A 50K Lite evaluation costs a one-time fee of $68, while a 50K Prime account at Hola Prime Futures costs $159 and renews every 30 days. This means Halcyon is better for traders who want to take their time without the pressure of a monthly subscription.
Which firm has the easiest drawdown rule for beginners, Halcyon or Hola Prime?
Hola Prime Futures is easier because it only uses an End-of-Day drawdown, which only tracks your balance when the market closes. Halcyon Trader Funding offers this in its "Prime" plan, but its most popular "Lite" plan uses an Intraday Trailing drawdown, which is much harder because it tracks your highest profit point during the trade.
Can I use TradingView with both Halcyon and Hola Prime?
No. Halcyon Trader Funding officially supports TradingView through its platform partners. Hola Prime Futures focuses on NinjaTrader, Tradovate, and WealthCharts. If TradingView is your preferred tool for execution, Halcyon is the compatible choice for your first challenge.
Who pays out faster after passing, Halcyon or Hola Prime?
Hola Prime Futures has a faster cycle, allowing for payouts every 7 calendar days. Halcyon Trader Funding requires 6 "qualifying" trading days (days where you meet a minimum profit requirement) before each request. While both process payments within 1 to 3 days, Hola Prime's weekly cycle is more frequent than Halcyon's requirement-based system.























