Funded Account Growth Calculator
Project funded account growth over time factoring in profit targets and scaling plans. Enter values for instant results with step-by-step formulas.
Calculator
Adjust values & calculateMonthly Breakdown
Formula
Each month, gross profit is calculated as account size times monthly return rate. The trader receives their profit split percentage, then withdraws a portion and reinvests the rest. When cumulative returns reach the scaling threshold, account size is multiplied by the scaling factor.
Last reviewed: December 2025
Worked Examples
Example 1: Standard $100K Account Growth Over 12 Months
Example 2: Conservative $50K Account With Full Reinvestment
Background & Theory
The Funded Account Growth Calculator applies the following established principles and formulas. Foreign exchange markets facilitate the conversion of one currency into another and serve as the largest and most liquid financial markets in the world, with daily turnover exceeding seven trillion US dollars. Exchange rates are quoted as currency pairs, expressing the price of one unit of a base currency in terms of a quote currency. For example, a EUR/USD rate of 1.0850 means one euro buys 1.0850 US dollars. The smallest standardized price movement in most pairs is the pip, typically the fourth decimal place, with a value of 0.0001 per unit for USD-denominated pairs. The bid price is the rate at which a dealer will buy the base currency, while the ask price is the rate at which it will sell. The spread between bid and ask represents the dealer's compensation and varies with liquidity and volatility. Leverage amplifies both gains and losses by allowing traders to control positions larger than their deposited margin. A 100:1 leverage ratio means a one-percent adverse move eliminates the entire margin, making position sizing and risk management critical. Two parity conditions from international economics anchor exchange rate theory. Purchasing Power Parity (PPP) holds that exchange rates should adjust over time so that identical goods trade at equivalent prices across countries: S = P_d / P_f, where S is the spot rate and P_d and P_f are domestic and foreign price levels. PPP performs well over long horizons but poorly in the short run due to trade barriers, non-tradable goods, and capital flows. Covered Interest Rate Parity (CIRP) is a near-arbitrage condition stating that forward exchange rate premiums or discounts exactly offset interest rate differentials between two currencies: F/S = (1 + r_d) / (1 + r_f). Deviations from CIRP create riskless arbitrage opportunities that traders rapidly eliminate. Uncovered Interest Rate Parity posits that high-yielding currencies should depreciate to offset their interest advantage, though empirical evidence is mixed and the carry trade — borrowing in low-rate currencies to invest in high-rate ones — has generated persistent returns.
History
The history behind the Funded Account Growth Calculator traces back through the following developments. For much of the nineteenth century and early twentieth century, the international monetary system operated under the classical gold standard, under which each participating currency was fixed to a defined weight of gold, making bilateral exchange rates effectively constant. The system provided price stability and facilitated global trade but constrained governments' ability to respond to economic downturns. World War One shattered the gold standard as nations suspended convertibility to finance wartime expenditures. The interwar period saw attempts to restore gold convertibility, most notably the British return to the gold standard in 1925 at the pre-war parity, a decision criticized by John Maynard Keynes as deflationary. The Great Depression forced widespread currency devaluations and the effective collapse of the international gold standard by the early 1930s. The Bretton Woods Conference of July 1944 established a new order in which member currencies were pegged to the US dollar, while the dollar alone was convertible into gold at 35 dollars per troy ounce. The International Monetary Fund and World Bank were created at the same conference to oversee the system. Bretton Woods delivered exchange rate stability during the postwar growth era but came under strain as US deficits and European dollar accumulation outpaced American gold reserves. On August 15, 1971, President Nixon announced the suspension of dollar-gold convertibility — the so-called Nixon Shock — effectively ending the Bretton Woods system. By 1973, major currencies had transitioned to floating exchange rates determined by market supply and demand, a regime that has persisted. On September 16, 1992, hedge fund manager George Soros shorted the British pound against the European Exchange Rate Mechanism constraints, forcing the UK's withdrawal in what became known as Black Wednesday. Electronic trading platforms emerged in the 1990s and 2000s, replacing voice-brokered interbank markets and dramatically reducing transaction costs for institutional and retail participants alike.
Frequently Asked Questions
Formula
Monthly Payout = Account Size x Monthly Return x Profit Split x Withdrawal %
Each month, gross profit is calculated as account size times monthly return rate. The trader receives their profit split percentage, then withdraws a portion and reinvests the rest. When cumulative returns reach the scaling threshold, account size is multiplied by the scaling factor.
Worked Examples
Example 1: Standard $100K Account Growth Over 12 Months
Problem: A trader has a $100,000 funded account with 80% profit split, 5% monthly return, 50% withdrawal rate, and 10% scaling threshold with 1.25x multiplier.
Solution: Month 1-2: $100K x 5% = $5,000/mo gross, $4,000 trader share, $2,000 payout\nCumulative return after Month 2: 10% = scaling triggered\nMonth 3: Account scales to $125K, resets cumulative\nMonth 3-4: $125K x 5% = $6,250/mo gross, $5,000 trader share, $2,500 payout\nCumulative after Month 4: 10% = scaling again to $156,250\nContinues scaling every 2 months at 5% monthly
Result: After 12 months: Account grows to ~$300K | Total payouts: ~$38,000 | 6 scale-ups achieved
Example 2: Conservative $50K Account With Full Reinvestment
Problem: A trader has a $50,000 account, 3% monthly return, 80% split, 0% withdrawal (full reinvestment), 10% threshold, 1.25x scaling.
Solution: Months 1-4: $50K x 3% = $1,500/mo gross, all reinvested\nCumulative return after ~3.3 months: 10% = scaling\nMonth 4: Account scales to $62,500\nMonths 4-7: $62,500 x 3% = $1,875/mo gross\nScaling again around Month 7 to $78,125\nAll profit stays in account, accelerating scaling
Result: After 12 months: Account grows to ~$120K | Total accumulated profit: ~$25,000 | 3-4 scale-ups
Frequently Asked Questions
How does funded account growth work with prop firms?
Funded account growth with prop firms follows a specific progression model where traders start with an initial account size and can scale up based on consistent performance. After passing a challenge or evaluation, traders receive a funded account (typically ranging from $10,000 to $400,000) with specific rules about drawdown limits, profit targets, and trading restrictions. As traders demonstrate consistent profitability, many firms offer scaling plans that increase the account size by 25 to 100 percent at defined profit milestones. Profits are shared between the trader and the firm at ratios typically ranging from 70/30 to 90/10 in the trader's favor. This model allows skilled traders to access significant capital without risking their own money.
What monthly return is realistic for funded account trading?
Realistic monthly returns for funded account trading range from 2 to 8 percent, with 3 to 5 percent being the most sustainable target for consistent traders. While some traders achieve 10 percent or more in individual months, maintaining that level consistently while staying within drawdown limits is extremely difficult. Prop firm rules typically cap daily drawdown at 4 to 5 percent and overall drawdown at 8 to 12 percent, which naturally limits how aggressively traders can pursue returns. A trader averaging 4 percent monthly on a $100,000 account with an 80 percent profit split earns $3,200 per month before taxes. The key is consistency rather than maximum returns, as losing the account to a drawdown violation resets all progress.
What happens if I lose a funded account?
If you violate the drawdown rules of your funded account, the account is typically terminated and you lose access to the capital. You do not owe money to the prop firm since you traded with their capital, but any unrealized profits are forfeited. Most firms allow you to repurchase a new challenge at a discounted price (typically 10 to 20 percent off). Some firms offer free retries or reset options as part of their subscription models. The financial impact is the loss of your challenge fee (typically $300 to $2,000 depending on account size) plus the time invested. To minimize this risk, many traders start with smaller account sizes to develop their strategy before scaling up. Having multiple funded accounts across different firms also provides diversification against account loss.
How many funded accounts can I have simultaneously?
Most prop firms allow traders to hold multiple funded accounts simultaneously, though there are usually limits. FTMO allows up to $400,000 in total funded capital across multiple accounts. MyFundedFX permits up to $600,000. Some firms allow multiple accounts at the same size. Managing multiple funded accounts can significantly increase total earning potential but also increases the complexity and mental load of trading. Traders typically manage 2 to 4 accounts from the same firm, often using similar strategies across all accounts. Some traders diversify by holding accounts at different firms with different rules, which provides a safety net if one firm changes its terms. The key challenge is maintaining consistent risk management across all accounts without compromising performance on any single one.
What is the best account size to start with at a prop firm?
The best starting account size depends on your experience level, capital for challenge fees, and income goals. For beginners, $25,000 to $50,000 accounts are recommended because the challenge fees are lower ($200 to $400) and the drawdown limits in dollar terms provide more room for learning. For experienced traders, $100,000 to $200,000 accounts offer meaningful income potential with 80 percent profit splits and 4 to 5 percent monthly returns generating $3,200 to $8,000 per month. The challenge fee for a $100,000 account is typically $500 to $600, which is relatively affordable considering the potential income. Avoid starting with the maximum account size unless you have extensive experience, as the pressure of managing larger positions can negatively impact trading psychology and decision-making.
How long does it typically take to scale a funded account?
Scaling a funded account typically takes 4 to 8 months per tier, depending on the firm's requirements and your consistency. At FTMO, the first scale-up requires a minimum of 4 months and a cumulative 10 percent profit, which at 3 percent monthly means approximately 4 months. Subsequent scale-ups follow similar timelines. Growing a $100,000 account to $400,000 through their scaling plan would take approximately 16 to 24 months of consistent profitable trading. At firms with more aggressive scaling plans, this timeline can be shorter. The biggest factor is consistency rather than speed because aggressive attempts to hit scaling targets faster often lead to drawdown violations. Successful traders approach scaling as a marathon rather than a sprint, prioritizing capital preservation and steady growth.
References
Reviewed by Daniel Agrici, Founder & Lead Developer · Editorial policy