One-step evaluations eliminate the second phase entirely, meaning once you hit the profit target while following the rules, you move directly to funded status — without the added time of a verification phase. However, one-step programs often come with stricter rules or higher fees to compensate.
Why It Matters
- 1One-step evaluations are the fastest path to a funded account, often taking half the time of two-step programs.
- 2They're increasingly popular because traders can start earning real payouts sooner.
- 3However, one-step evaluations sometimes come with stricter drawdown rules or higher evaluation fees to compensate for the reduced screening.
- 4The trade-off between speed and cost is a key decision when choosing a firm.
Example
- 1You purchase a $100,000 one-step evaluation for $499 with a 6% profit target ($6,000), 4% daily loss limit, and 6% trailing drawdown.
- 2You pass in 8 trading days and receive your funded account within 24-48 hours.
- 3Compare this to a two-step evaluation that might take 20-40 trading days across both phases.
Common Mistakes
- ✖Assuming one-step is always better — some one-step programs have tighter drawdown limits
- ✖Not comparing the total cost including higher evaluation fees
- ✖Overlooking that some one-step programs have higher profit targets to compensate for fewer phases