FundedNext is one of the three largest retail prop firms by funded-trader volume, alongside FTMO and Topstep. Founded in 2022, FundedNext popularized the one-step challenge format that has since spread across the sector — and remains the reference operator for that specific evaluation structure. The firm's flagship program, the Stellar Challenge, has funded tens of thousands of traders since launch.
This piece is the practical reference: FundedNext's account tiers, the difference between Stellar and Evaluation programs, the rulebook, payout terms, and how to pass. For the broader format context, see Prop firm challenge — the complete 2026 guide and One-step vs two-step prop firm challenges.
FundedNext programs at a glance
FundedNext runs four main program variants (specific product names change occasionally; check the current lineup at /exchanges/fundednext when entering):
Stellar Challenge (one-step) — the flagship. Single evaluation phase, hit 10% profit target, respect drawdown, get funded. Time-to-funding 15-45 days typical.
Stellar Lite (no time limit) — variant of Stellar with no time limit on the evaluation. Take as long as you need to hit the target within the drawdown envelope. See No time limit prop firms.
Evaluation (two-step) — traditional two-phase format similar to FTMO. Phase 1 = 10% target in 30 days, Phase 2 = 5% target in 60 days. See One-step vs two-step prop firm challenges.
Express (instant funding) — skip the evaluation entirely, pay a higher upfront fee, get direct access to a funded account with the same rulebook. Typically 2-4x the equivalent Stellar Challenge fee.
Account sizes and fees
FundedNext's Stellar Challenge lineup as of 2026 (fees are approximate; check current pricing before entering):
| Account size | Stellar (one-step) fee | Evaluation (two-step) fee | Express (instant) fee |
|---|---|---|---|
| $5,000 | ~$32 | ~$50 | ~$150 |
| $10,000 | ~$59 | ~$89 | ~$250 |
| $25,000 | ~$179 | ~$225 | ~$650 |
| $50,000 | ~$290 | ~$345 | ~$1,150 |
| $100,000 | ~$549 | ~$549 | ~$2,199 |
| $200,000 | ~$1,099 | ~$1,099 | ~$4,299 |
The $5,000 Stellar Challenge at ~$32 is the industry's cheapest entry point at a firm with a real payout track record. See Cheapest prop firm challenges 2026 for the broader comparison.
Fees are typically refunded on first funded-account payout — pay upfront, get the fee back with your first payout as a funded trader.
The Stellar Challenge rulebook
Single-phase evaluation. Four constraints define the challenge:
1. Profit target. 10% of starting balance. On a $100K account: hit $10,000 profit to pass.
2. Maximum daily loss. 5% of starting balance. On $100K: never let account drop more than $5,000 below the previous day's start-of-day balance. Breach → challenge failed regardless of prior profit.
3. Maximum overall loss. 10% of starting balance. On $100K: never let account balance drop more than $10,000 below the initial $100K at any point.
4. Minimum trading days. 5 days per evaluation. Must place at least one trade on 5 separate calendar days. Anti-gambling filter.
Additional common rules:
- No time limit on Stellar Lite — take as long as you need
- Standard time limit on regular Stellar — 30 days for the challenge window
- Consistency rule — some Stellar tiers cap single-day profit at ~40% of total challenge profit to prevent one-lucky-day passes
- News trading permitted — FundedNext allows trading through high-impact news (distinguishing feature vs some competitors)
- EA and copy trading permitted — with reasonable-use restrictions
How the funded FundedNext Account works
Pass Stellar → issued a FundedNext Account in the same size as the challenge.
Profit split: 80% to trader, 20% to FundedNext. Some higher tiers offer 85% or 90% split.
Payout mechanics: monthly payouts, typically 1-14 days after payout request. Payment via bank wire, crypto (USDT), Rise, Skrill, and other options depending on jurisdiction. FundedNext has historically offered UPI in India (verify current status).
Scaling plan: FundedNext Accounts can scale to $4,000,000 balance with continued profitability. Scaling triggers on 10% profit accumulated within a 4-month window with no rule breaches.
Loss rules on funded account: same 5% daily / 10% overall as the challenge. Breach → funded account terminated (reset options available for a fee).
FundedNext vs FTMO — the direct comparison
The two firms are the largest and most-commonly-compared retail prop firms:
| Dimension | FundedNext | FTMO |
|---|---|---|
| Founded | 2022 | 2015 |
| Primary format | One-step (Stellar) | Two-step (traditional) |
| $100K challenge fee | ~$549 | ~$540 |
| Profit split | 80% (up to 90% on higher tiers) | 80% |
| Refund on first payout | Yes | Yes |
| Time to funded (typical) | 15-45 days (Stellar) | 30-90 days (two-step) |
| Payout methods | Bank, USDT, Rise, Skrill, UPI (some markets) | Bank, USDT, Skrill, PayPal |
| Scaling ceiling | $4M | $2M |
| No-time-limit option | Yes (Stellar Lite) | No (standard) |
| News trading | Permitted | Not permitted on regular; permitted on Swing |
| Payout track record | ~4 years | ~11 years |
| User base scale | Hundreds of thousands | Hundreds of thousands |
Pick FundedNext if: you want the one-step format speed, you're a newer trader trying the format at low fee ($32 $5K entry), your strategy requires news trading, you want no-time-limit flexibility.
Pick FTMO if: you want the longest documented payout track record (11 vs 4 years), you prefer the two-step credential weight, you're building a long-term prop trading career and value maximum sector credibility. See FTMO Challenge guide for the FTMO deep-dive.
How to actually pass the Stellar Challenge
Four rules that distinguish traders who pass from those who fail:
1. Trade at 1-2% risk per position. Higher sizing accelerates target-hitting but also accelerates daily-loss breach risk. On a $100K Stellar: max risk $1,000-$2,000 per trade means ~5 losing trades before daily-loss caution kicks in.
2. Focus on the target, not the timing. 10% in 30 days averages 0.33% per day. If Stellar Lite (no time limit), even more relaxed. Traders who nail 3-4% in week one and coast to 10% over the following weeks pass more consistently than traders who front-load aggressively.
3. Set explicit daily-loss stops well before the 5% breach. If down 3% on the day, stop trading. The daily loss breach happens because traders try to recover during bad days and blow through 5% chasing.
4. Understand the consistency rule. On tiers where single-day profit is capped at 40% of total challenge profit, don't wait for one perfect day to hit target. Spread trading across the required minimum days plus additional trading days to build cumulative profit that satisfies the consistency rule.
For the general playbook applicable across firms, see How to pass a prop firm challenge.
What's distinctive about FundedNext in 2026
Three specific features that set FundedNext apart:
One-step format leadership. FundedNext popularized one-step and continues to refine it. If one-step fits your strategy, FundedNext is the reference operator.
No-time-limit availability. Stellar Lite is a legitimate no-time-limit product from a firm with real payout track record. See No time limit prop firms for the broader landscape.
Low entry point at $5K account for $32. The industry's cheapest legitimate paid challenge. Best used for format-testing at minimal cost.
Related surfaces
- /exchanges/fundednext — live FundedNext product listings on trading-tournaments.com
- /tournaments/challenges — all currently-live prop firm challenges
- Prop firm challenge — the complete 2026 guide — cornerstone explainer
- FTMO Challenge guide — direct comparison target
- One-step vs two-step prop firm challenges — FundedNext is the one-step reference
- No time limit prop firms — Stellar Lite is a key option
- Cheapest prop firm challenges 2026 — FundedNext $5K sits at the cheapest legit tier
- Free prop firm challenges 2026 — FundedNext runs periodic free promotional windows
- Top prop firms by payout track record — where FundedNext ranks
- How to pass a prop firm challenge — practical playbook
FundedNext is the second-largest single prop firm by funded-trader volume in 2026 and the reference operator for the one-step challenge format that has become industry-standard. Its combination of format speed, competitive pricing, no-time-limit availability, and multi-year payout track record makes it the natural first-choice for traders who value time-to-funding over the incremental credential weight of the older two-step firms.