How much can you earn prop trading? Real numbers for 2025
You'll see a lot of screenshots from traders claiming five figures a month. Let's skip that and look at what the math actually says — for normal traders, with normal returns, on real account sizes.
Let's be straight about the numbers
Most traders earn 1–4% per month consistently. Some months are 0%. Some months are negative. Professionals who survive long term do so by being consistent and protecting capital — not by hitting 10% months regularly.
That's actually fine when you're trading a $100,000–$200,000 funded account. At 2–3% per month, the dollar amounts become meaningful even with normal trading results. The leverage of the funded account size is where prop trading earns its income potential.
The figures below are illustrative. Trading results vary significantly. Past performance doesn't predict future results. These are example calculations, not income guarantees.
Monthly earnings by account size
| Account size | Monthly return | Profit split | Monthly take-home | Annual take-home |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| $25,000 | 2% | 80% | $400 | $4,800 |
| $50,000 | 3% | 80% | $1,200 | $14,400 |
| $100,000 | 3% | 80% | $2,400 | $28,800 |
| $200,000 | 3% | 90% | $5,400 | $64,800 |
Based on consistent monthly returns with no drawdown months.
What "3% per month" actually looks like
Three percent per month sounds modest. On a $200,000 account, that's $6,000 gross profit. After an 80/20 split, you keep $4,800. After a 90/10 split (which OA Funded offers as you scale), you keep $5,400. Annualised, that's $57,600–$64,800.
Now factor in that you can hold multiple funded accounts simultaneously, and the numbers scale further. Two $100,000 accounts hitting 3% is better risk management than one $200,000 account — your drawdown on each is isolated.
The key word in all of this is consistent. One 10% month followed by three losing months is worth far less than six straight months of 2–3%. Drawdown protection is where most traders lose funded accounts, not from lack of ability.
Ways traders actually grow their earnings
Scale account size after proving consistency
Most prop firms allow you to increase account size once you have a track record. Consistent monthly withdrawals help here — they demonstrate to the firm that you're profitable over time.
Hold multiple funded accounts
Nothing stops you from running two or three funded accounts at different firms. The diversification also protects you — one account blowing doesn't zero out all your income.
Improve split by negotiating or scaling
Some firms, including OA Funded, offer a higher split as you grow. An extra 5–10% on the split compounds quickly across a full year.
Reduce the challenge fee cost per cycle
Firms that include a retake reduce your cost per funded account significantly. Factor total challenge costs into your effective earnings, not just the profit split.
The realistic path to $3,000+/month
It goes roughly like this: pass a $100,000 challenge, trade it profitably for 3–6 months, then scale to $200,000. With a 3% average monthly return on $200,000 at 90% split, you're at $5,400/month — before accounting for any additional accounts.
That's not a guarantee and it's not a fast path. But it's a credible one for traders who are actually disciplined. The challenge fee is the only real upfront cost, and a firm that includes a retake cuts the total cost further.
Start building funded account income
OA Funded offers accounts up to $200,000, 80–90% profit splits, and weekly payouts from $25. No time limit on the challenge, and one retake included at a 60% split.
View challenge plans →