Consistency Rule
Also known as: consistency, 30% rule, 40% rule, best-day rule
Direct Answer
A consistency rule caps how much of your total profit can come from a single trading day, typically thirty to fifty percent. Prop firms use it to discourage all-or-nothing trades and reward steady performance. Break the threshold at payout time and the firm may delay, reduce, or void your withdrawal entirely.
Most consistency rules are evaluated at the moment you request a withdrawal. The firm looks at every trading day since your last payout, finds the best one by P/L, and divides it by the cumulative profit for the period.
If that best-day percentage exceeds the firm's limit, the payout is either reduced to the compliant amount or denied until you trade additional days to bring the ratio back in line. The fix is rarely about cutting winners — it's about steadily adding more medium-sized winning days.
Always check whether the rule applies to the evaluation, the funded account, or both — firms differ.
Which firms enforce this rule
| Firm | Strictness |
|---|---|
| Topstep | Strict |
| Apex Trader Funding | Strict |
| FundedNext | Standard |
Example scenarios
Scenario
Trader makes $4,000 across 12 days, $1,800 of it on a single Tuesday. Best-day is 45% — over a 40% cap.
Outcome
Payout reduced to the compliant share or denied until more trading days bring the ratio under 40%.
Scenario
Trader spreads $3,000 across 15 days with no day above $600 (20%).
Outcome
Full payout approved on first request.
Frequently asked questions
When is the consistency rule checked?
Does it apply to losing days?
Can I avoid it by trading smaller?
Is the rule the same on evaluation and funded accounts?
What happens if I breach it?
Related rules
Profit Target
A profit target is the percentage gain you must reach in an evaluation phase to advance or get funded. Most one-step challenges set targets between eight and ten percent, two-step models five to ten percent per phase. Hitting it without breaking any other rule unlocks the next stage or funded status immediately.
Minimum Trading Days
A minimum trading days rule requires you to place at least one qualifying trade on a set number of separate days before passing or withdrawing. Most firms ask for three to ten days, ensuring evaluations reflect process not a single lucky session. Skipping days delays payouts even when the profit target is met.