Compounding & payout calculator
What a funded account really pays over time, once the profit split, the scaling plan and the challenge fee you already paid are all in the same picture.
| Month | Account | Gross profit | Your share | Paid so far |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | US$100,000 | US$4,000 | US$3,700 | |
| 2 | US$100,000 | US$4,000 | US$6,400 | |
| 3 | US$100,000 | US$4,000 | US$9,600 | |
| 4 | US$100,000 | US$4,000 | US$12,800 | |
| 5 | US$100,000 | US$4,000 | US$16,000 | |
| 6 | US$100,000 | US$4,000 | US$19,200 | |
| 7 | US$100,000 | US$4,000 | US$22,400 | |
| 8 | US$100,000 | US$4,000 | US$25,600 | |
| 9 | US$100,000 | US$4,000 | US$28,800 | |
| 10 | US$100,000 | US$4,000 | US$32,000 | |
| 11 | US$100,000 | US$4,000 | US$35,200 | |
| 12 | US$100,000 | US$4,000 | US$38,400 |
A projection, not a forecast. It assumes you hit the same return every month and never breach a rule — neither of which is how trading actually goes. Losing months, resets and missed payout windows are not modelled here.
Common questions
Can you compound a prop firm account?
Not the way you compound your own capital. You withdraw your share and the account returns to its starting size, so your payouts stay flat. The account only grows if the firm runs a scaling plan, which typically raises your allocation after several consecutive profitable months.
What is a realistic monthly return?
A consistent 3-5% a month is a strong result. Most funded traders do not sustain double-digit monthly returns, and the firms whose rules assume you will are usually the ones with the tightest drawdown limits.
Do prop firms refund the challenge fee?
Many refund it with your first payout, and some do not refund it at all. It changes your break-even month materially, so it is a toggle here rather than an assumption.
Next: size a trade against a daily loss limit, or see which firms pay fastest.