Which Fintokei challenge should you choose?
Want to try the trading challenge but don't know which program to choose? This article will help you.
You know how it goes—you finally commit to taking on the prop trading challenge, comparing different firms, and reading reviews. Then, when you’ve made your decision, you’re hit with several programs that seem almost identical. Different names, slightly tweaked terms, and you’re back to square one, comparing again. Best case? You power through. Worst case? Decision paralysis sets in and you just can’t choose.
To save you from this headache, we’ve written this guide. We’ll walk you through all the Fintokei programs and their challenges. Want to know which challenge is the easiest to complete? Which program offers the biggest rewards? Or how to reach payouts the fastest? That’s exactly what we’re breaking down today. So relax, and let’s dive in!
What programs does Fintokei offer?
Fintokei currently offers three core programs:
- StartTrader
- ProTrader
- SwiftTrader
How do they differ?
Mainly in how they test your trading skills. But there are other key differences, like the amount of virtual capital you receive after passing the challenge and how much profit you can withdraw. But let’s not get ahead of ourselves! Before any of that, you need to pass the evaluation phase—the trading challenge. So let’s break down each program and its challenge now.
Evaluation Phase of Fintokei Programs
Before you can start earning payouts, we need to see what you’re made of. That’s where the evaluation phase—or trading challenge—comes in. This is the point where many traders stumble, not because the requirements are unfair, but because they don’t choose the right program or know which metrics to focus on.
Choosing the right program and understanding the key performance metrics are crucial to passing this phase successfully. So let’s help you figure out what to look for.
Which metrics to watch for during the evaluation phase
Drawdown
Surprisingly, the most important factor in the evaluation phase isn’t your gains—it’s your losses. Why? Simple. In our programs, you often have unlimited time to generate the profits needed to pass the trading challenge (with one exception, but we’ll get to that). But if you exceed the maximum allowed drawdown even slightly, you’re out. That’s why controlling losses—known as risk management—is one of the traits of the most successful traders.
Your main focus should be on the daily and total drawdown, which are crucial metrics to keep an eye on. We’ve written a separate article explaining exactly how to manage and avoid exceeding these limits, and we highly recommend reading it.
For all our programs and their evaluation phases, the drawdown limits are the same:
- Max daily drawdown: 5%
- Max total drawdown: 10%
Profit Target
While managing losses is key, trading is ultimately about profits too. That’s why we set a Profit Target—the profit level you need to reach to move to the next round of the challenge. This target changes with each evaluation phase and is calculated as a percentage of your starting account balance, depending on the program you choose.
But remember, the Profit Target should be a secondary measure of your success. Even the most seasoned traders consider a 10% annual return a big win, so keep your focus on smart, sustainable trading!
Time Limit
Trading challenges are designed to test real skill, which is why we’ve set a minimum time limit for each round. Every round must be traded for at least 3 days. Why? To ensure traders aren’t just relying on luck. Some might try to pass by taking large, high-risk positions and hoping the market moves in their favor. But trading isn’t roulette. We’re looking for consistent traders, not gamblers.
Which Fintokei challenge should you choose?
StartTrader – The Most Accessible Challenge for Beginners
Prop trading is growing in popularity, especially among beginner traders. But most programs on the market aren’t beginner-friendly. That’s why we created StartTrader —your entry ticket to the world of prop trading, designed specifically for those just starting out.
The StartTrader challenge is divided into three phases, with each phase requiring a different profit target. Hit your target, move to the next phase—simple as that.
Successfully complete all three phases, and you’ll unlock accounts with up to CZK 2,000,000 in trading capital. Profits are split 50/50.
In the first phase of the StartTrader evaluation, your profit target is set at 2%, which is much lower compared to the 8% profit required by other programs like ProTrader.
Another key advantage of StartTrader is the drawdown limits during the evaluation phase. For example, the maximum total drawdown of -10% is higher than the profit target in each phase. This means that in the first round of the StartTrader €100,000 challenge, you only need to generate a profit of €2,000 (2% target), while your account cannot fall below €90,000 (due to the -10% drawdown limit). The daily drawdown, recalculated every night, is set at -5%, still higher than the 2% profit target.
This gives beginners more room for error and allows them to experiment with different strategies and techniques, especially in the first evaluation phase. As they move through the challenge, the conditions tighten, preparing them for tougher trading scenarios.
StartTrader also stands out as the only program with a maximum time limit of 180 days, giving you a generous 3 months to complete each of the three phases.
Consistency Rule
One of the unique aspects of StartTrader is the Consistency Rule, designed to teach beginner traders the importance of trading consistently. The goal? To repeat success without relying on luck.
In the early stages, traders often overtrade. When profitable, they start firing off trade after trade, as if they’re playing slot machines. And when on a losing streak, they try to dig themselves out with even more trades. Both approaches are flawed.
The Consistency Rule prevents this by allowing you to generate a maximum of 40% of the profit target for a given phase in one day. If you hit that limit, the platform switches to “read-only” mode—no more trading allowed. And why would you need to? You’ve already done your job for the day, so it’s time to rest.
While this may sound strict, it’s actually a powerful tool. What separates successful traders from the rest is a systematic approach. They stick to a clear plan. If they hit their target for the day, they stop. If they’re struggling, they stop after a set number of trades before falling into a losing spiral. This is how pros think—and exactly what we want to teach you in the StartTrader program.
ProTrader – A Challenge for the Experienced
The ProTrader challenge is one of the toughest we offer. It consists of two phases: the first with a profit target of 8%, and the second with 5%. This sets the bar high for traders, requiring not only skill but also discipline.
However, the difficulty is offset by fewer restrictions. No time limits—you can take as long as you need to meet your targets. Plus, unlike StartTrader, there’s no Consistency Rule. We trust that as an experienced trader, you already know how to manage your risk and trading strategy effectively.
The rewards for completing the ProTrader challenge are well worth the effort. If you succeed, you’ll gain access to trading accounts up to €400,000—the largest accounts Fintokei offers. Plus, we split profits with you 80/20, meaning you keep the majority. Even better, both your account size and profit share can grow with our scaling options.
SwiftTrader – The Fastest Way to Payout
SwiftTrader takes a completely different approach to the trading challenge compared to StartTrader and ProTrader. While those programs require you to pass various evaluation phases before you can trade with virtual capital or receive payouts, SwiftTrader lets you start earning from day one, even during the evaluation phase.
That’s right—SwiftTrader has no Profit Target. There’s also no daily drawdown limit.
To unlock payouts with SwiftTrader, you simply need to generate at least 10% profit. Anything beyond that is yours to withdraw, with profits split 50/50.
In practice, SwiftTrader offers accounts ranging from €1,000 to €50,000 for a fee. You can start trading immediately, and once your profits exceed the 10% mark (calculated on your account balance), you get to keep half. This program is ideal for traders who are confident in their skills and want to skip the traditional challenge structure.
Still Undecided? Try the Free Trial!
We’ve covered the trading challenges for our three programs—StartTrader, ProTrader, and SwiftTrader—but if you’re still unsure which one is right for you, we’ve got a solution. Try them all with our Free Trial—completely free of charge!
During the trial, you’ll also gain access to the MyFintokei client zone, where you’ll find valuable educational materials to help you sharpen your trading skills. This way, you can explore the platforms and make an informed decision with ease.
