Prop trading has become one of the fastest ways for skilled traders to access larger capital without risking their own savings. And that’s not wrong exactly. But if you’ve actually gone through a challenge or two, you already know the sticker price on the homepage is rarely the full story. While the entry point is often highlighted, the true value of a prop firm is found in the complete cost structure and the support it provides.
It is common for traders to select a prop firm based primarily on price, similar to choosing the lowest-cost option when shopping online. While this approach appears practical on the surface, a prop firm represents a long-term trading partnership rather than one-time purchase. The true cost of trading with a prop firm extends beyond the initial challenge fee. Additional factors such as payout processing fees can also impact a trader’s experience and profitability.
So let’s actually go through it, cost by cost, and evaluate a firm like Upcomers, compared to other proprietary trading firms in the industry, with an emphasis on transparency, clarity, and overall trader value.
1. Entry and Activation Fees
Almost every firm charges you a challenge fee to take the evaluation in the first place. Depending on account size that could be around from $50 up to $1,000+, and a lot of traders stop their research right there.
Upcomers took a different angle with their Pay After You Pass setup. Eligible CFD simulated evaluation starts at $5, and the remaining activation fee only comes due after you’ve actually passed. So you’re not putting real money down before you’ve proven anything.
Passing the challenge does not move you to the funded phase automatically. You decide when to activate by paying the activation fee. After passing, you have 14 days to complete the activation payment. Once it is paid, Upcomers will set up your funded account for you If the activation fee is not paid within 14 days, the passed challenge will expire and can no longer be activated.
a.) Pricing
By comparing the total cost structure, traders can determine the real value and affordability of a firm. Upcomers aims to provide a cost-effective path to funded trading compared to many other firms in the industry. This applies at any CFD challenge.
| Account Size | Entry Fee | Activation Fee After Pass | Total Paid After Activation |
| $5,000 | $5 | $22.70 | $27.70 |
| $10,000 | $5 | $30.30 | $35.30 |
| $25,000 | $5 | $53.10 | $58.10 |
| $50,000 | $5 | $75.90 | $80.90 |
| $100,000 | $5 | $151.90 | $156.90 |
| $200,000 | $5 | $265.90 | $270.90 |
| $300,000 | $5 | $395.10 | $400.10 |
| $400,000 | $5 | $531.90 | $536.90 |
| $500,000 | $5 | $657.30 | $662.30 |
| $600,000 | $5 | $752.30 | $757.30 |
| $700,000 | $5 | $847.30 | $852.30 |
| $800,000 | $5 | $942.30 | $947.30 |
| $900,000 | $5 | $1,037.30 | $1,042.30 |
| $1,000,000 | $5 | $1,132.30 | $1,137.30 |
2. Restart and Inactivity Fees
Some firms have additional charges like restart fees when a trader fails a challenge or funded account and wants to begin with a fresh balance. It is often offered as a paid option at a discounted rate instead of buying a new challenge.
If your account has no trading activity for a set period, usually 30 to 60 days, some firms apply inactivity charges. The purpose of the fee is to cover the ongoing costs for keeping the account active on servers, maintaining platform access, and managing compliance and data storage.
At Upcomers, there are no restart fees or inactivity charges. If you fail the challenge, you need to buy another challenge. Simple as that. Once you purchase a challenge, you are not charged to keep it open. However, if there is no trading activity for a continuous period of 35 days from the moment of purchase, the account will expire and the system will mark it as failed, but there are no fees associated with account expiration due to inactivity.
3. Account Upgrade/ Scaling Fee
Some firms have additional charges applied (depending on account size) when you scale your funded account to a larger size, often called Account Upgrade Fee. This is where you are required to pay a fee each time you want to increase your account balance, even after meeting profit targets and payout requirements.
Unlike them, Upcomers doesn’t list fees for account scaling. Scaling depends on its rules, but not on paying extra. The price for your Upcomers Account is a one-time payment that depends on the account you select and you are not held accountable for any financial losses incurred in the Funded Account.
4. Payout and Withdrawal Charges
Payout and withdrawal charges are one of the most overlooked costs in prop trading. While challenge fees get all the attention, what you actually pay to get your profits out can make a big difference.
Many prop firms charge a flat processing fee for every withdrawal, plus a percentage on top. Some also added extra fees for specific methods like bank transfer or crypto.
At Upcomers, withdrawals come with a processing fee of $19.90 + 2.49% for bank transfers, and $19.90 +30% if you prefer the cryptocurrency option.When a challenge is purchased using cryptocurrency, crypto withdrawals are processed at the lower fee because the funds already remain within the crypto payment system.
5. Reprocessing Fees
Sometimes a payout can be returned to the prop firm. Reprocessing fees are charges that apply when a payout request needs to be handled again due incorrect withdrawal details, the receiving bank rejecting the transfer, account restrictions on the recipient’s side, or other banking issues beyond our control. These fees are rarely mentioned but they can add up quickly if you make a mistake or if there’s an issue with your payout provider.
Most firms charge between $25-$50 as a flat reprocessing fee each time a payout has to be resent. Others don’t use the term “reprocessing” but still make you pay by requiring a new withdrawal request, meaning you pay the full processing fee again. Additionally, some firms with percentage-based models, like those taking 20% commission on withdrawals, would also deduct that same percentage again on a resend.
At Upcomers, a $30 reprocessing fee covers the operational costs of handling the return, including bank charges, administrative processing, and sending the payout again. It is very important to double check your bank details before submitting a payout request. If you are unsure whether your bank accepts transfers from a specific company, check with your bank first. A little extra care before submitting saves time and avoids the reprocessing fee for everyone.
Upcomers vs. the Other Prop Firms, Side by Side
Quick Comparison
| Fees and Hidden Charges | Other Prop Firms | Upcomers |
| Entry and Activation | Around $50 up to $1,000 challenge fee | Entry fee at $5, pay the activation fee after you pass |
| Restart and Inactivity | Around $50-$170 per reset, plus potential monthly inactivity fee of around $20-$50 | None |
| Account Upgrade/Scaling | The fee is depending on account size | None |
| Payout and Withdrawal | Around $30 for bank transfers, often $20-$50 flat per payout for cryptocurrency | $19.90 + 2.49% for bank transfers, $19.90+ 30% for cryptocurrency. If you originally paid with crypto, the fee is $19.90+ 2.49% |
| Reprocessing fee | $25-$50 flat processing fee | $30 |
Final Thoughts
Cheapest challenge fee doesn’t automatically mean cheapest firm. Between fees and hidden charges, a “budget” firm can end up costing you more than one that was upfront about pricing to begin with. Upcomers take a different approach by keeping the fee structure simple and transparent.
Before you buy any evaluation, it’s worth asking yourself a few honest questions: What am I actually paying from day one to first payout? Is everything disclosed, or am I going to find surprises later? What happens if I fail? How much of my own profit do I actually keep?
At the end of the day, the cheapest firm is the one where you keep the most of what you earn. If your goal is to keep more of what you earn, choose transparency. In prop trading, what you keep after fees matters more than what you pay to start.
