Take Profit Trader rules, explained
By Tyler Branstiter · Updated October 13, 2026 · Last reviewed October 13, 2026 · 9 min read
Take Profit Trader (TPT) sells one evaluation, called a Test, and one funded product you'll actually trade, a PRO account. The pitch is simple: pass a short test, then take withdrawals from day one. The details that catch traders out are the ones that change between the two: the drawdown switches from end-of-day to intraday, the consistency rule disappears, and a news rule and a buffer appear.
Rules and prices on this page were checked against TakeProfitTrader's help center and website on Oct 13, 2026. TPT changes terms and runs frequent promotions, so confirm your account's numbers in your dashboard before you trade. Sources are listed at the bottom.
The three stages at a glance
- Test. A monthly subscription with no time limit. Simulated. Pass it and the subscription cancels itself.
- PRO. The funded account, also simulated. There's no monthly fee, a one-time activation fee, and you can withdraw from day one once you've built a buffer. The profit split is 80/20.
- PRO+. Live capital with a 90/10 split, no buffer and end-of-day drawdown. It's by invitation only, at TPT's discretion, so don't plan around it.
Account sizes and numbers
| Account | Profit target | Max trailing drawdown | Max position | Test (monthly) | Test reset | PRO reset | Buffer zone |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 25K | $1,500 | $1,500 | 3 minis / 30 micros | $150 | $79 | $449 | $26,500 |
| 50K | $3,000 | $2,000 | 6 minis / 60 micros | $170 | $99 | $649 | $52,000 |
| 75K | $4,500 | $2,500 | 9 minis / 90 micros | $245 | $139 | $799 | $77,500 |
| 100K | $6,000 | $3,000 | 12 minis / 120 micros | $330 | $169 | $999 | $103,000 |
| 150K | $9,000 | $4,500 | 15 minis / 150 micros | $360 | $199 | $1,499 | $154,500 |
Monthly prices are TPT's list prices, before promo codes. The PRO activation fee is a one-time $130, which some promo codes waive. Contract limits are the same in Test and PRO, and there is no scaling plan.
Micros count at a 10:1 ratio. There's no time limit on the Test. It keeps billing on the same calendar day each month until you pass or cancel, and breaking a rule doesn't cancel the subscription on its own.
The Test, rule by rule
TPT lists six core rules for the Test.
Rule 1 and 2: profit target and position size
Reach the target for your size and never hold more than the maximum position. The limit is a static number of contracts open at once.
Rule 3: the end-of-day trailing drawdown
Your minimum account balance starts at the starting balance minus the drawdown ($48,000 on a 50K). It trails your highest end-of-day balance upward and stops once it reaches the starting balance, and from then on it stays fixed. It's calculated at the end of the day, not on open trades, but the account is liquidated immediately if your balance touches the minimum at any time through realized or unrealized losses.
A day-by-day walk through on a 50K Test ($2,000 drawdown):
| Day | P&L | Closing balance | Minimum balance after the close |
|---|---|---|---|
| Start | — | $50,000 | $48,000 |
| 1 | +$1,200 | $51,200 | $49,200 |
| 2 | −$500 | $50,700 | $49,200 (never moves down) |
| 3 | +$1,000 | $51,700 | $49,700 |
| 4 | +$400 | $52,100 | $50,000 (stops at the starting balance) |
Day 4 would take the minimum to $50,100, but it can't go above the starting balance, so it locks at $50,000.
You can check the same path with the free trailing drawdown calculator, which has a TPT preset. The mechanics are covered in Trailing drawdown, explained.
Rule 4: approved products and hours
You can trade most futures on CME, CBOT, NYMEX and COMEX from TPT's approved list. The Test trading window runs from 6 PM Eastern to 5 PM Eastern, and positions can't be carried into the next day. TPT automatically closes any open position at 4:55 PM Eastern. Be aware of product-specific and holiday closes: if a market closes before 5 PM Eastern and you can't exit, the account is liquidated.
Rule 5: be consistent
See the next section.
Rule 6: no counter positions
You can't hold open positions in opposite directions in the same or closely related products. This applies in Test, PRO and PRO+.
The consistency rule, with numbers
There are two parts, and both have to be met before you move to PRO:
- At least 3 trading days. A trading day is any day you place a trade. Hit the target in two days and you still need one more.
- Your best day must be below 50% of your total net profit.
If your best day is 50% or more, you haven't failed. The profit goal rises instead: your total has to exceed twice your best day's profit.
Worked example on a 50K ($3,000 target):
- Day 1: +$1,800
- Day 2: +$700
- Day 3: +$600
Total is $3,100, so your best day is $1,800 / $3,100 = 58%, too high even though you cleared the $3,000 target. Updated goal: more than $1,800 × 2 = $3,600. Make another $501 or more without a bigger day and you're through.
The rule goes away in PRO. For how firms differ, see The consistency rule, explained.
The PRO account
When you pass, the subscription cancels and you activate a PRO account. There's no recurring fee. Your PRO drawdown dollar amount is the same as in the test you passed.
The drawdown switches to intraday
In PRO, the trailing drawdown is calculated intraday on your peak balance, which includes unrealized gains. It rises in real time as an open trade moves in your favor and doesn't come back down if the trade does. It still stops trailing at the starting balance.
TPT's own example on a 25K account: with a $1,500 drawdown, an open unrealized profit of $1,000 lifts your minimum balance to $24,500 immediately. Close it for a $500 realized gain and your balance is $25,500, but the minimum stays at $24,500, so you're only $1,000 from the limit rather than the $1,500 you'd expect.
That's the practical difference from the Test: a trade that runs and comes back costs you room even though it closes small.
Other PRO rules
- No bots or algos. Every trade must be executed manually.
- Trade at least one day per calendar week (Sunday to Friday). A traded day needs at least one round trip. Contact support if you need an exception.
- No open positions or orders one minute before, during or one minute after FOMC statements (Wednesdays at 2:00 PM ET), the monthly Non-Farm Payroll and CPI. FOMC speakers and minutes are allowed.
- Exit before a price limit. If a CME price limit is hit while you're in a position, you lose the PRO account.
- Five active PRO accounts at most, and 10 passed tests activated per 30 days.
- Trade copiers are allowed on accounts you own, from TPT's approved list (including platform-native copiers).
Payouts and the buffer zone
- Split: 80/20 in PRO.
- Day one: you can withdraw from day one, but you must build a buffer first. The buffer zone equals your maximum drawdown, so on a 50K you need a balance of $52,000 before you can withdraw at 80%.
- No other gates: TPT lists no minimum number of winning days, no payout cap and no waiting window.
- Closing the account: you can withdraw 50% of your buffer zone after the account is closed.
- Fees: withdrawals from the wallet over $250 are free. $250 or less costs $50.
- Methods: Plaid for US banks, PayPal or Wise elsewhere. The bank or account holder must match the registered trader.
The buffer is the part to plan around. Hitting $52,000 on a 50K doesn't pay you $2,000: it only unlocks withdrawing profit above the buffer at the 80% split. For how payout gating compares across firms, see Payout buffer and days to payout, explained.
PRO resets
A PRO reset skips the evaluation and gives you a fresh account with the original PRO rules, and you can still withdraw from day one. Each PRO account can be reset up to three times, at $449 to $1,499 depending on size (see the table). It's optional, and it's not available once the PRO subscription status is disabled.
The mistakes that fail TPT accounts
- Trading the Test's drawdown rules in PRO. In the Test, an intraday spike doesn't move your floor. In PRO it does. Size and exit as if peak unrealized profit is already banked, because for the floor it is.
- Forgetting the 4:55 PM close. A position held past the daily close is closed for you, and a product that closes early can liquidate the account.
- Holding through FOMC, NFP or CPI in PRO. Flat one minute before until one minute after.
- One huge Test day. It doesn't fail you, but it can double the profit you still need.
- Going a week without trading. One round trip per Sunday to Friday week keeps the account alive.
- Mistaking the buffer for a payout. Know the balance you need before you plan your withdrawal.
What it costs to get funded
At list prices a 50K Test is $170 a month. Pass in one month and the full cost is $170 plus the $130 PRO activation, or $300. Pass in two and it's $470. Add one Test reset ($99) and a two-month attempt is $569. Promo codes can lower or remove the activation fee, so check checkout.
Run your own plan through the eval cost calculator, which has a TPT preset, to see months to pass, resets and payouts against what you spend.
Track it against your account
Save TPT's numbers as a rule set in Tradervana and attach it to each Test and PRO account. Start from the Take Profit Trader entry in the rule catalog, then check each number against the table above. With Pro, you get:
- Live drawdown room, the distance to your minimum balance, with the lock applied once the floor reaches your starting balance
- Consistency tracking during the Test: your best day as a share of total profit, and the profit goal it implies
- Breach and pass detection, and inactivity alerts so a week with no trades doesn't catch you out
- A payout tracker that weighs Test fees, resets and activation against what you've actually withdrawn
- And more
On syncing: Tradervana's Tradovate sync works for accounts that live on Tradovate, and TPT's help center describes viewing CQG-feed accounts through Tradovate's web platform. We haven't verified a TPT account through our own sync, so if sync doesn't pick up your account, the free plan's CSV import works with any export.
Save your TPT numbers as a rule set and see your drawdown room, consistency and fees against payouts on every account, updated as you trade.
FAQ
Does Take Profit Trader have a daily loss limit?
No. TakeProfitTrader's own comparison table lists the daily loss rule as none for Test, PRO and PRO+. The rules that end an account are the trailing drawdown, the position size limit, the approved hours, and in the Test the consistency rule.
Is the Take Profit Trader drawdown trailing or static?
Trailing. In the Test it's end-of-day: the minimum account balance follows your highest closing balance and stops once it reaches your starting balance. In a PRO account it's intraday and follows your peak balance including unrealized gains, again stopping at your starting balance. PRO+ goes back to end-of-day.
What is the Take Profit Trader consistency rule?
In the Test you need at least 3 trading days, and your best day has to be below 50% of your total net profit. If it isn't, you haven't failed: your profit goal rises to more than twice your best day's profit. There's no consistency rule in PRO.
What is the buffer zone?
It's the balance you have to reach in a PRO account before you can withdraw at the full 80% split. It equals your maximum drawdown above your starting balance: $52,000 on a 50K account. TakeProfitTrader's own example uses exactly that account.
How much does a Take Profit Trader reset cost?
A Test reset is $79 / $99 / $139 / $169 / $199 for 25K / 50K / 75K / 100K / 150K. A PRO reset is $449 / $649 / $799 / $999 / $1,499, and each PRO account can be reset up to three times.
How many PRO accounts can I have?
Up to five active funded accounts per person, and up to 10 passed tests can be activated in any 30 calendar days. You can run as many Tests as you like at the same time.
Sources
All official TakeProfitTrader pages, accessed Oct 13, 2026:
- Rule 1: Hit Your Profit Target
- Rule 2: Do Not Exceed Maximum Position Size
- Rule 3: Do Not Hit End-Of-Day (EOD) Maximum Trailing Drawdown
- Rule 4: Trade Approved Products, During Approved Hours
- Rule 5: Be Consistent
- PRO Account Rules
- PRO Account Profit Split & Withdrawal Rules
- Test Subscriptions
- Resetting Your Test Account
- Resetting A PRO Account
- Withdrawal Fees
- Payout System
- Rules for Multiple Accounts
- Trade Copier Policy
- Advantages of PRO+
- How to Keep Track Of Your Drawdown
- TakeProfitTrader home page: plan prices, PRO activation fee and stage comparison
Not financial advice. Futures trading involves substantial risk of loss. TakeProfitTrader is a trademark of its owner. Tradervana isn't affiliated with TakeProfitTrader.