# Futures prop firm with transparent rules

> StarTrading funds futures traders through four account types, Cycle, Clear, Stream and Direct, in 25K, 50K, 100K and 150K sizes. You pay one fee, keep 90% of the profits and request payouts from $500 with no fixed window. Every limit, cap and rule is published on this site.

Source: https://startrading.io/ · Updated 2026-09-08

## Trade our capital. Keep 90% of the profits.

Four account types, four sizes from 25K to 150K, one fee. Every rule, limit and cap is published on this site before you pay.

- to the trader: 90%
- minimum payout: $500
- business days to wire: 2

## Four ways to get funded

Same profit targets, Max Loss Limits and position sizes per size. The account type sets what happens around the drawdown, the consistency rule and the payouts.

- **Cycle** (https://startrading.io/accounts/cycle): Structured evaluation, end-of-day trailing drawdown, payouts by cycle. Cycle accounts are one-phase evaluations with an end-of-day trailing Max Loss Limit and a soft Daily Loss Limit from 50K. Once funded, you keep 90% of profits, build a buffer before the first payout and follow a 40% consistency rule. Only the first payout is capped.
- **Clear** (https://startrading.io/accounts/clear): No consistency rule and no buffer once funded, payouts from five profitable days. Clear accounts have no consistency rule and no buffer once funded. The evaluation applies a 50% consistency check. The Daily Loss Limit is soft at every size and pauses the day; only the end-of-day trailing Max Loss Limit fails the account. Payouts require five days above a minimum daily profit and pay up to 50% of the cycle profit.
- **Stream** (https://startrading.io/accounts/stream): Daily payouts, intraday trailing drawdown, risk you configure at checkout. Stream accounts pay out every trading day: request any profit above the buffer, from $500, with no cap per request. The funded drawdown is always intraday trailing. At checkout you choose an intraday or end-of-day evaluation drawdown and whether to keep the Daily Loss Limit. Red-folder news is off limits once funded.
- **Direct** (https://startrading.io/accounts/direct): Funded from day one, no evaluation, 20% consistency rule. Direct accounts skip the evaluation: you trade a funded simulated account from day one with an end-of-day trailing Max Loss Limit and a soft Daily Loss Limit from 50K. The 20% consistency rule and a profit goal per cycle gate each payout. Caps rise from the fourth payout.

## From evaluation to Live in three steps

1. **Choose an account** Cycle, Clear, Stream or Direct, from 25K to 150K. One fee, no subscription.
2. **Pass the evaluation, or skip it with Direct** Reach the profit target without hitting the Max Loss Limit. No minimum days. Direct is funded from the first trade.
3. **Trade funded, get paid, go Live** Request payouts from $500 with a 90% split. After five payouts the account moves to Live with daily payouts and no caps.

## Every rule, published

| Rule | What it does |
| --- | --- |
| [Max Loss Limit](https://startrading.io/rules/max-loss-limit) | Trailing drawdown, computed at end of day, locks at starting balance + $100. The only rule that fails an account. |
| [Daily Loss Limit](https://startrading.io/rules/daily-loss-limit) | Soft limit: positions closed and trading paused until the next session. Never fails the account by itself. |
| [Consistency rule](https://startrading.io/rules/consistency-rule) | Largest day ≤ 40% (Cycle funded), 50% (Clear and Stream evaluation), 20% (Direct) of the cycle profit. Never fails an account. |
| [Buffer](https://startrading.io/rules/buffer) | Cycle and Stream: starting balance + Max Loss Limit + $100 stays in the account before payouts. None on Clear and Direct. |
| [News trading](https://startrading.io/rules/news-trading) | Allowed on every account, including evaluations. Funded Stream accounts: flat one minute before and after red-folder releases. |
| [Flat time on Rithmic and Tradovate](https://startrading.io/rules/flat-time) | Flat by 4:15 pm ET (Rithmic) or 4:45 pm ET (Tradovate). Auto-close, no failure. Reopens 6:00 pm ET Sunday to Thursday. |
| [Payout policy](https://startrading.io/rules/payout-policy) | 90% to the trader, $500 minimum, no window, wire in 2 business days. Caps depend on the account type. |
| [Live program](https://startrading.io/rules/live-program) | After 5 sim payouts: Live account from $0 with a starting drawdown by size, no DLL, no consistency, daily payouts, one-time Live Bonus. |
| [Scaling](https://startrading.io/rules/scaling) | Max position 2/4/6/10 minis (micros ×10). Funded DLL scales to 60% of the best closed day and never comes down. |
| [Prohibited practices](https://startrading.io/rules/prohibited-practices) | HFT, hedging (including across accounts, permanent ban) and micro-scalping (> 50% of profit from trades ≤ 5 seconds). |
| [Copy trading](https://startrading.io/rules/copy-trading) | Allowed across your accounts and from external signals. Same direction only: opposite positions across accounts are hedging. |
| [Bots and algos](https://startrading.io/rules/bots-and-algos) | Allowed on every account. No HFT. Bots must respect flat time, position limits and funded-Stream news windows. |

## Questions traders ask before buying

### How fast can I pass the evaluation?

There is no minimum number of trading days. A Cycle evaluation can be passed in one day. Clear and Stream apply a 50% consistency check during the evaluation, so two days is the realistic minimum. Direct has no evaluation.

### Is the Daily Loss Limit a hard breach?

No. The Daily Loss Limit is soft on every account. Hitting it pauses trading until the next session. Only the Max Loss Limit fails an account.

### Which platforms can I trade on?

Rithmic, with NinjaTrader, Quantower, ATAS, Sierra Chart, Bookmap or R | Trader Pro, and Tradovate on web, desktop, mobile or TradingView. Flat time is 4:15 pm ET on Rithmic and 4:45 pm ET on Tradovate.

### Can I hold trades overnight or over the weekend?

No. Every account must be flat at the platform's flat time on weekdays. Open positions are closed automatically and the account is not failed.

### What happens after five payouts?

Your account enters the Live review pool. Funded accounts with at least one payout move to a Live account together. The Live account starts at $0 with a starting drawdown equal to your original Max Loss Limit, no Daily Loss Limit and no consistency rule.

### Do you charge a subscription or an activation fee?

No. You pay the evaluation once. There is no monthly fee, no time limit and no activation fee when you get funded.

Futures trading involves substantial risk of loss and is not suitable for every investor. Evaluation and funded accounts are simulated until the Live stage. Nothing on this site is investment advice.