# Buffer: the balance kept before payouts

> The buffer is a balance that a funded Cycle or Stream account must keep in the account before profit can be withdrawn. It equals the starting balance plus the initial Max Loss Limit plus $100: $26,100 on a 25K, $103,100 on a 100K. Clear and Direct accounts have no buffer.

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

## What is the buffer?

A cushion that stays in the account. Once funded on a Cycle or Stream account, your balance has to be above the buffer before any profit can be withdrawn. The buffer equals the starting balance plus the initial Max Loss Limit plus $100: the exact point where the trailing limit locks.

Buffer per account type and size

| Account type | 25K | 50K | 100K | 150K |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| [Cycle](https://startrading.io/accounts/cycle) | $26,100 | $52,100 | $103,100 | $154,600 |
| [Clear](https://startrading.io/accounts/clear) | None | None | None | None |
| [Stream](https://startrading.io/accounts/stream) | $26,100 | $52,100 | $103,100 | $154,600 |
| [Direct](https://startrading.io/accounts/direct) | None | None | None | None |

## Why does the buffer exist?

Because the Max Loss Limit locks at the starting balance plus $100. Once your balance is above the buffer, a full drawdown down to the locked limit still leaves you above the starting balance. In other words, the buffer guarantees that a payout is taken from real cushion, not from the trailing room.

## How does the buffer interact with payouts?

Everything above the buffer is profit that can be requested, subject to the payout rules of the account type. On [Cycle](https://startrading.io/accounts/cycle), you also need to reach the cycle goal and pass the [consistency check](https://startrading.io/rules/consistency-rule), and the first payout is capped. On Stream, everything above the buffer can be requested every day with no cap per request.

100K Cycle, funded

-   Buffer: $103,100. Cycle goal: $750. First payout cap: $2,500.
-   Balance reaches $104,600: $1,500 above the buffer, above the $750 goal.
-   You may request up to $1,500 (within the $2,500 cap). You receive 90%, $1,350. Balance after payout: $103,100.

50K Stream, funded

-   Buffer: $52,100.
-   Tuesday close: $53,400. You request $1,300 the same day; balance back to $52,100.
-   Wednesday close: $52,800. You request $700. No cap, no cycle goal, only a positive net since the last payout.

## Which accounts have no buffer?

Clear and Direct. On Clear, the safeguard is the five-day rule with a cap at 50% of the cycle profit. On Direct, it is the 20% consistency rule and cycle goals. Neither keeps a fixed balance in the account.

## Common mistakes

-   Counting the buffer as withdrawable profit when planning the first payout.
-   Forgetting the extra $100: the buffer is not “starting balance + limit” but that amount plus $100.
-   On Stream, requesting a payout below the $500 minimum because the amount above the buffer is small.

## Frequently asked questions

### Can I withdraw the buffer?

No. The buffer stays in the simulated account for as long as the account exists. What you withdraw is the profit above it. On Stream accounts, everything above the buffer is withdrawable every day.

### Why do Clear and Direct have no buffer?

Clear replaces the buffer with the five-day payout rule and a cap at half the cycle profit. Direct replaces it with the 20% consistency rule and a higher price. Each account type has one main safeguard rather than several.

### Does the buffer change over time?

No. It is fixed at purchase: starting balance plus initial Max Loss Limit plus $100. It does not follow the trailing limit and does not grow after payouts.