What you are signing up for
A prop firm evaluation is a two-part process. First, you pay a fee to access a demo account. Then, you must reach a profit target—a specific amount of gain you need to earn—without breaking any risk rules. If you pass, the firm gives you access to a funded account where you keep a share of the profits.
- Hola Prime: Offers a very low entry point with a $2,000 account starting at just $9. For a standard $100,000 account, the price is around $569 to $579.
- Top One Trader: Has a unique "NOVA" plan where the entry fee is only $7 for any size, but you must pay a large activation fee (e.g., $550 for a $100,000 account) only after you pass. Their standard accounts cost about $531 to $575.
How hard each one is
The biggest hurdle is the drawdown. This is the maximum amount your account is allowed to lose before you are disqualified.
- Hola Prime: Uses a "static" drawdown for its main Pro and Prime plans. This means your loss limit is a fixed floor based on your starting balance. It does not move, which is much easier for beginners.
- Top One Trader: Most of its plans use a "trailing" drawdown. This means the loss limit follows your highest profit point. If you gain $1,000 and then lose it, you might still hit your limit because the "floor" moved up with your profit. This is much harder to manage.
- Safety Net: Top One Trader includes "EquityShield." This is a feature that automatically closes your trades if they lose 2% of your balance, preventing you from failing the whole account instantly.
How long it takes
You cannot pass these tests in a single minute. You must prove you are not just lucky.
- Phases: Both firms offer 1-step evaluations (faster but stricter) and 2-step evaluations (more breathing room).
- Minimum Days: At Hola Prime, you must trade for at least 2 or 3 days depending on the plan. At Top One Trader, some plans like X-DAILY have no minimum days, meaning you can finish as soon as you hit the target.
- Deadline: Neither firm has a maximum time limit. You can take months to pass as long as you place at least one trade every 30 days to keep the account active.
Where beginners fail
Most first-timers fail because of technical rules rather than bad trading.
- Stop Loss (SL): This is an automatic order to close a trade at a specific price to prevent further losses. Both firms require an SL on every trade. Top One Trader is stricter: you must set the SL at the exact moment you open the trade. If you forget, the trade is closed automatically.
- Consistency Rules: These prevent "gambling" everything on one lucky trade. Hola Prime requires 3 to 7 "profitable days" where you earn at least 0.5%. Top One Trader uses an "ESS" score, ensuring your best day doesn't represent too much of your total profit.
- News Trading: Beginners often get caught in volatile market news. Hola Prime Pro accounts ban trading 5 minutes before and after major news. Top One Trader also bans news trading on most funded accounts unless you buy a special "add-on" (an extra feature paid for at checkout).
What happens if you make it
If you pass, you move to the payout stage.
- Profit Split: This is your percentage of the earnings. Hola Prime gives you 80% to 95%. Top One Trader starts between 60% and 80%, but can scale up to 100%.
- Withdrawal Fees: Hola Prime charges a 2.5% fee per payout. Top One Trader charges a slightly lower 2% fee.
- Platforms: You need software to place trades. Hola Prime offers MetaTrader 5, cTrader, MatchTrader, and TradeLocker. Top One Trader offers a wider variety, including TradingView and DXTrade.
If it is your first time
If you are a complete beginner, Hola Prime is the safer recommendation. The main reason is the static drawdown. Having a fixed loss floor that doesn't move upward as you make profit removes a massive layer of stress and complexity.
Top One Trader has excellent platforms and the EquityShield safety net, but its trailing drawdown and strict Stop Loss requirements often catch beginners off guard. Hola Prime’s $9 entry for small accounts also allows you to practice the "real" evaluation process with almost zero financial risk.
Frequently asked questions
Which firm is cheaper for a $100,000 evaluation, Hola Prime or Top One Trader?
Top One Trader is generally cheaper for the initial purchase, with its 2-Step PRO v2 costing $531 compared to Hola Prime’s $569 for a similar 2-step plan. However, Top One Trader's "NOVA" plan has a deceptive $7 entry price that requires a $550 activation fee later, making the total cost almost identical to Hola Prime's standard pricing.
Does Hola Prime or Top One Trader have better rules for Stop Losses?
Hola Prime is more lenient for beginners because while it requires a Stop Loss, it doesn't force you to set it the exact millisecond you open a trade, as long as it is placed eventually. Top One Trader considers it a "soft breach" (a minor rule break) if a trade is opened without an SL, and their system will automatically close your position immediately.
Which firm pays out faster, Hola Prime or Top One Trader?
Top One Trader offers faster access to money through its "X-DAILY" plan, which allows for daily payout requests from the very first day you are funded. Hola Prime typically operates on a biweekly (14 days) or monthly cycle, though it does offer an "on-demand" option for Prime accounts if you select it during your initial purchase.
Is the risk of failing higher with Hola Prime or Top One Trader?
The risk of failing is technically higher with Top One Trader because most of its plans use a "trailing drawdown," where the loss limit rises as your account balance grows. Hola Prime uses a "static drawdown" on its Pro and Prime evaluations, meaning your maximum loss level stays at a fixed price, giving you more room to recover from losing streaks.
