Entry price
The cost of starting depends on whether you are willing to prove your skills or if you prefer to pay for immediate access to capital.
- The Trading Pit Futures: For a $100,000 account, the entry price is $189. This is one of the most competitive prices in the futures market for a one-step challenge.
- Hyperticks Futures: The standard $100,000 Beginner challenge costs $278. However, they offer "Instant Pro Plus" accounts where you pay $958 for a $100,000 balance to avoid the evaluation period.
- Resets: If you fail at The Trading Pit Futures, a reset for the $100k account costs $149. Hyperticks Futures does not offer traditional resets but uses "Booster Tokens" to restore progress, though the exact cost is not fixed in the standard pricing.
What you pay while trading
Operating costs can quietly erode your profit buffer before you even request a payout.
- Market Data: The Trading Pit Futures provides Level 1 data for free if you certify as non-professional, but Level 2 (depth of book) costs between $16 and $41 per month. Hyperticks Futures does not charge monthly platform or data fees in its current catalog.
- Commissions: The Trading Pit Futures charges approximately $2.12 to $2.67 per side for standard contracts. Hyperticks Futures commissions vary by instrument, following official exchange tables, and they emphasize that there are no hidden activation fees for their funded accounts.
- Platforms: Both firms offer high-end tools like ATAS or TradingView. Using advanced platforms often carries its own subscription cost outside the firm, which is a factor for high-frequency traders.
What mistakes cost you
In these firms, a mistake is not just a loss of capital; it is the total cost of the entry fee plus the time invested.
- Drawdown types: The Trading Pit Futures uses an End-of-Day trailing drawdown that stops at the starting balance. This means once you have earned enough of a buffer, the risk of losing the account disappears. Hyperticks Futures uses a trailing drawdown (mostly End-of-Day, but intraday on HYPER Intra and Instant Flex) that follows your peak balance, making it more expensive to hold onto profits during volatile swings.
- Hard Rules: Hyperticks Futures has a strict 2% risk limit per trade idea. Exceeding this is a violation. They also ban "microscalping" (trades under 15 seconds), which means a fast-fingered error can cost you the account.
- Inactivity: The Trading Pit Futures will breach your account if you are inactive for 21 consecutive days. This is a "hidden" cost of time; you are forced to trade or you lose your initial investment.
What it costs to get paid
The percentage the firm keeps and the fees to move your money are the final hurdles.
- Profit Split: Hyperticks Futures is the winner here, allowing you to keep 90% of your gains. The Trading Pit Futures starts at 80%, though you can scale higher by reaching new levels in their "ladder" system.
- Payout Fees: Hyperticks Futures charges a $35 fee for withdrawals via Rise. The Trading Pit Futures has no payout fee, which is better for traders who prefer making smaller, more frequent withdrawals.
- The Buffer Requirement: At The Trading Pit Futures, you can only withdraw up to 50% of your profit buffer, capped at $3,500 for a $100k account. This "locks" half of your earnings in the account. Hyperticks Futures also imposes withdrawal caps based on account size (e.g., $3,000 for a $100k account) during the initial phase.
Where each one hides its cost
Every firm has rules that make it harder to reach a payout, effectively acting as an indirect cost.
- Hyperticks Futures: The cost is hidden in the consistency rule (35% to 40%) for Beginner accounts. If one day is too profitable, you are forced to trade many more days to "balance" the account, delaying your payout.
- The Trading Pit Futures: The cost is hidden in the scaling ladder. You don't get full access to the maximum contract limit immediately; you must hit profit targets to "unlock" the ability to trade larger sizes and earn more money. Also, the requirement of 5 winning days of at least $200 each before the first payout acts as a significant time barrier.
Cheapest for whom
- The Trading Pit Futures is cheapest for the conservative trader who wants the lowest possible entry fee ($189) and a drawdown that eventually stops trailing, providing a "safety net" for their capital.
- Hyperticks Futures is cheapest for the high-performance trader who values their time and wants the highest possible net return (90%) or is willing to pay more upfront ($958) to skip the evaluation phase and start earning immediately.
Frequently asked questions
Which firm is cheaper to start a $100,000 challenge, Hyperticks Futures or The Trading Pit Futures?
The Trading Pit Futures is cheaper, with an entry price of $189 for its $100k Prime Challenge. In comparison, Hyperticks Futures charges $278 for its $100k Beginner challenge. This makes The Trading Pit Futures the more accessible option for traders with a limited initial budget.
Does Hyperticks Futures or The Trading Pit Futures offer a better profit split?
Hyperticks Futures offers a better profit split of 90% for its main programs, including Beginner and HYPER. The Trading Pit Futures offers a standard 80% split, which can increase as the trader progresses through the different levels of their scaling plan.
Which firm has higher hidden costs for market data, Hyperticks Futures or The Trading Pit Futures?
The Trading Pit Futures has higher potential costs for market data if you need Level 2 (depth of book) information, which costs between $16 and $41 per month. While they offer Level 1 for free to non-professionals, Hyperticks Futures generally includes data and platform access without monthly fees in its current standard catalog.
Between Hyperticks Futures and The Trading Pit Futures, which one has stricter trading style restrictions?
Hyperticks Futures is stricter, as it prohibits "microscalping" (trades lasting less than 15 seconds or targeting less than 5 ticks) and limits risk to 2% per trade idea. The Trading Pit Futures allows more freedom in styles, including EAs and news trading, although it does have a 21-day inactivity rule that can result in account closure.
