For traders seeking a direct route to funding, one-step evaluations offer a faster alternative to multi-phase challenges. This analysis compares the one-step programs from The Trading Pit, a firm known for its structured and professional approach, and FundingPips, renowned for its innovative features and ambitious scaling. We will dissect their rules, funded terms, and unique philosophies to determine the best fit for your trading style.
1. Program Overview & Core Philosophy
The Trading Pit: The Professional’s Path
The Trading Pit offers two one-step options: the Prime One-phase and the Classic One-phase. Their philosophy is built on discipline, education, and long-term career building. They aim to create professional fund managers, not just profitable traders. The structure, including minimum trading days, is designed to instill consistency and patience.
FundingPips: The Ambitious Innovator
FundingPips’ One-step Evaluation is designed for efficiency and high-growth potential. Their model is built around a unique and highly ambitious scaling system called the “Hot Seat,” which offers a path to a 100% profit split, a monthly salary, and account sizes up to $2,000,000. They cater to traders who are motivated by long-term, massive capital growth.
2. Trading Objectives & Rule Comparison
This is the core of the challenge. How do the rules you must follow compare?
| Trading Rule | The Trading Pit (Prime One-phase) | The Trading Pit (Classic One-phase) | FundingPips (One-step Evaluation) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Profit Target | 10% | 10% | 10% |
| Maximum Daily Loss | 4% | 4% | 4% |
| Maximum Loss | 7% (Static, Balance-Based) | 7% (Trailing Drawdown) | 6% (Static, Balance-Based) |
| Minimum Trading Days | 5 Days | 5 Days | 3 Days |
| Time Limit | Unlimited | Unlimited | Unlimited |
Key Takeaways on Rules:
- The Drawdown Duel: Static vs. Trailing
- The Trading Pit (Prime) and FundingPips both use a static, balance-based drawdown. This is a fixed barrier and is considered the most trader-friendly model. FundingPips’ 6% is slightly tighter than The Trading Pit’s 7%.
- The Trading Pit (Classic) uses a 7% trailing drawdown, which is more challenging to manage than a static one but offers a 1% larger buffer than FundingPips’ static model.
- Minimum Trading Days:
- FundingPips requires only 3 days, offering a faster path to completion for disciplined traders.
- The Trading Pit requires 5 days for both programs, enforcing a more measured and consistent approach.
Challenge Difficulty Verdict: FundingPips offers a slightly more accessible challenge due to its lower minimum trading day requirement and a static drawdown that is only 1% tighter than The Trading Pit Prime’s. The Trading Pit Classic, with its trailing drawdown, is the most difficult of the three.
3. The Funded Account Experience & Payouts
What you get after passing is more important than the challenge itself.
| Funded Feature | The Trading Pit (Prime One-phase) | The Trading Pit (Classic One-phase) | FundingPips (One-step Evaluation) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Starting Profit Split | 80% | 50%-60% | 80% |
| Maximum Profit Split | 80% | 70%-80% | 100% + Monthly Salary |
| First Payout | 14 Calendar Days | 14 Calendar Days | First Tuesday after 1% Profit |
| Future Payout Frequency | Bi-weekly | Bi-weekly | Weekly (80%), Bi-weekly (90%), Monthly (100%) |
| Minimum Withdrawal | $100 | $100 | 1% of Account Balance |
Key Takeaways on Payouts & Splits:
- Profit Split Potential: FundingPips is Unmatched. The path to a 100% profit split and a monthly salary is the most ambitious in the industry. The Trading Pit’s splits are strong but fixed (Prime) or have a lower ceiling (Classic).
- Payout Flexibility: FundingPips Offers Choice. You can choose your payout frequency, which directly impacts your profit split. The Trading Pit operates on a standard bi-weekly schedule.
- Starting Split: The Trading Pit Prime and FundingPips are equal at 80%. The Trading Pit Classic starts significantly lower (50%-60%).
4. Scaling Plan: The Path to Growth
This is where the firms’ long-term visions diverge dramatically.
- The Trading Pit Scaling Plan:
- Model: After 2 months with 2 payouts and 10% total profit, you get a 25% account increase. The scaling is steady and predictable.
- Classic Program: Features a detailed plan to grow an account up to $5,000,000.
- Verdict: A professional, structured approach to capital growth.
- FundingPips Scaling Plan (“Hot Seat”):
- Model: A multi-stage journey based on the number of payouts and total profit. It includes:
- Account Increases: Up to a 100% increase (doubling your capital).
- Drawdown Scaling: Your daily and maximum loss limits increase.
- The “Hot Seat”: After 16 payouts and 40% total profit, you unlock the ultimate benefits: 100% profit split, on-demand payouts, monthly salary, and a path to $2,000,000.
- Verdict: The most comprehensive, rewarding, and ambitious scaling plan in the prop firm industry. It’s a full career pathway.
- Model: A multi-stage journey based on the number of payouts and total profit. It includes:
Scaling Verdict: For sheer ambition and potential rewards, FundingPips’ “Hot Seat” program is in a league of its own. The Trading Pit offers a more conventional and still very attractive scaling plan.
5. Unique Features & Differentiators
The Trading Pit’s Unique Advantages:
- Extensive Education: A rich library of webinars, ebooks, podcasts, and tools for continuous learning.
- EU Regulated Brokers: Partnerships with FXFlat and GBE Brokers offer a sense of security and reliability.
- Stock Trading: Access to a wide range of stocks, which many other prop firms do not offer.
- Professional Dashboard: A well-designed interface for tracking progress.
FundingPips’ Unique Advantages:
- The “Hot Seat” Program: The flagship feature, offering a clear path to 100% splits, a salary, and million-dollar accounts.
- Payout Flexibility: Choose your schedule and corresponding profit split.
- News Trading Allowed (During Evaluation): A critical advantage for economic event traders.
- Higher Leverage (1:100): Available on other programs, showing a focus on providing traders with tools (Note: One-step is 1:50).
- Affordable Pricing: Generally lower evaluation fees compared to many top-tier firms.
Final Verdict: Which One-Step Program is for You?
Choose The Trading Pit (Prime One-phase) if:
- You value education and a professional structure.
- You prefer trading with well-established, EU-regulated brokers.
- You want to trade stocks in addition to other instruments.
- You are content with a strong, fixed 80% profit split and steady scaling.
Choose The Trading Pit (Classic One-phase) if:
- Your primary goal is long-term, massive capital growth (the $5M path).
- You are confident in your ability to manage a trailing drawdown.
- You are willing to accept a lower starting profit split for a higher future ceiling.
Choose FundingPips (One-step Evaluation) if:
- You are motivated by the most ambitious scaling plan in the industry (the “Hot Seat”).
- You want the potential to earn a 100% profit split and a monthly salary.
- You value flexibility in your payout schedule.
- You are a news trader and need the freedom to trade during events.
- You want a faster challenge (3-day minimum) and more affordable entry.
In summary, the choice is between a structured professional journey and an innovative, high-growth adventure.
- The Trading Pit is the university for traders—focused on building a disciplined, long-term career.
- FundingPips is the startup accelerator for traders—focused on rewarding high performance with unprecedented growth and earning potential.
Don’t forget to use the provided discount codes:
- The Trading Pit: TraffiliatesFX for a 10% discount.
- FundingPips: TraffiliatesFX for a 5% discount.
6. Deep Dive: The Psychology of Rules & Risk Management
Understanding the subtle psychological impacts of each firm’s rules is crucial for sustainability.
The Trading Pit’s 5-Day Minimum: The “Discipline Enforcer”
- Psychological Impact: This rule prevents a “lucky streak” from passing the evaluation. It forces the trader to demonstrate consistency over multiple market sessions and different conditions. This builds discipline but can also feel restrictive to traders who use low-frequency, high-conviction strategies.
- Strategic Implication: Traders must have a strategy that can identify a sufficient number of high-probability setups within a week. It favors active trading styles over very long-term swing trading for the evaluation period.
FundingPips’ 3-Day Minimum & “Hot Seat” Carrot: The “Motivator”
- Psychological Impact: The 3-day minimum is less restrictive, reducing initial pressure. However, the real psychological driver is the “Hot Seat.” This long-term goal (16 payouts) transforms the funded account from a finish line into a starting gate. It creates a powerful incentive for consistent, long-term performance rather than short-term profit-taking.
- Strategic Implication: The structure encourages a “marathon mindset.” Traders are incentivized to focus on steady, manageable growth over many months to unlock the ultimate rewards, which can lead to more sustainable trading habits.
7. The Broker & Trading Infrastructure: A Tale of Stability vs. Modernity
The quality of trade execution, spreads, and platform choice are critical.
| Aspect | The Trading Pit | FundingPips |
|---|---|---|
| Broker Partners | FXFlat & GBE Brokers (EU Regulated) | Undisclosed Tier-1 Liquidity Provider |
| Available Platforms | MetaTrader 4, MetaTrader 5 | MatchTrader, cTrader, TradeLocker, MetaTrader 5 |
| Key Implication | Stability & Familiarity. The use of established, regulated EU brokers provides a high degree of trust and reliability. The platform choice is standard and familiar to most traders. | Modernity & Choice. FundingPips offers access to newer, prop-focused platforms like TradeLocker and MatchTrader, which often have better-integrated rule tracking and user interfaces. The “Tier-1” promise suggests a focus on raw execution quality. |
Analysis:
- If you prioritize regulatory peace of mind and the classic MT4/5 experience, The Trading Pit is the clear choice.
- If you are a platform enthusiast who wants modern tools and a wider selection, FundingPips has a distinct advantage.
8. The “Hidden” Costs: Understanding Fees & Commissions
Ongoing trading costs directly eat into profits and must be considered.
- The Trading Pit:
- Commission: Variable. Trading costs are built into the spreads on their broker platforms. They do not charge a separate commission.
- Implication: You must check their demo accounts for live spreads. This model can be simpler but potentially more expensive for high-volume traders if the spreads are wide.
- FundingPips:
- Commission: A clear $2 per lot per side on Forex.
- Implication: This is transparent and very competitive. A round turn costs $4 per lot. This is ideal for scalpers and high-frequency traders who need predictable costs. The commission-free indices and crypto are also a significant benefit for traders focusing on those instruments.
Strategic Cost Consideration:
- Scalpers/HFT Traders: Will prefer FundingPips’ fixed, low commission model for cost certainty.
- Swing Traders & Beginners: Might prefer The Trading Pit’s commission-free model for its simplicity.
9. The Support & Community Ecosystem
A firm’s support system can be a lifeline, and its community can be a valuable resource.
- The Trading Pit:
- Trustpilot: 4.4/5 (Excellent) from nearly 600 reviews. Feedback highlights excellent support and transparency.
- Community & Education: This is a primary strength. They offer an extensive suite of webinars, ebooks, podcasts, and infographics. This indicates a firm invested in your growth as a trader.
- Analysis: The Trading Pit operates like a professional academy, providing the tools for you to improve your skills.
- FundingPips:
- Trustpilot: 4.4/5 (Excellent) from a massive pool of over 22,700 reviews. This indicates immense scale and user satisfaction.
- Community & Education: A massive Discord community (165k+). However, the review notes that FundingPips does not provide extensive formal educational content. The community is more peer-to-peer.
- Analysis: FundingPips’ strength is in its vast, active community and reliable support, but the onus for education is on the trader.
Analysis:
- For structured learning and self-improvement, The Trading Pit is superior.
- For peer support and a vast network of traders, FundingPips’ community is one of the largest and most active in the industry.
10. Final Strategic Decision Matrix
Use this matrix to guide your final choice based on your personal trading profile:
| Your Profile | Recommended Firm & Program | Primary Reason |
|---|---|---|
| The Learner (Wants to improve skills) | The Trading Pit (Any) | Unmatched educational resources and structured learning tools. |
| The Long-Term Visionary (Seeks maximum growth) | FundingPips (One-step) | The “Hot Seat” offers a unique path to 100% splits, a salary, and $2M. |
| The Cost-Conscious Scalper | FundingPips (One-step) | Low, fixed commissions and raw spread accounts are ideal for high volume. |
| The News & Event Trader | FundingPips (One-step) | News trading is allowed during the evaluation, a critical advantage. |
| The Traditionalist (Prefers MT4/5 & EU brokers) | The Trading Pit (Prime) | Regulated brokers and standard platforms offer a familiar, secure feel. |
| The Stock Trader | The Trading Pit (Any) | Exclusive access to a wide range of stock CFDs. |
| The Community-Oriented Trader | FundingPips (One-step) | One of the largest and most active Discord communities in prop trading. |
Ultimate Conclusion: A Choice of Identity and Ambition
Your selection between these two elite firms is a choice about what kind of trading partner you want.
- Choosing The Trading Pit is a commitment to a structured, educational, and professional development path. You are aligning with a firm that acts as a mentor, providing the resources and stable environment to build a disciplined, long-term career. It’s the choice for the trader who values the journey of becoming a professional as much as the profits.
- Choosing FundingPips is an embrace of high-octane ambition and community-driven growth. You are partnering with a firm that provides a powerful, innovative platform and then gets out of your way, rewarding extraordinary consistency with an unparalleled package of benefits. It’s the choice for the confident, self-directed trader who is motivated by a clear, ambitious, and highly lucrative finish line.
There is no wrong answer. For education, structure, and a professional pedigree, The Trading Pit is the definitive choice. For innovative features, community scale, and the highest earning potential in the industry, FundingPips presents an offer that is almost impossible to ignore.
Final Reminder:
- The Trading Pit: Use discount code TraffiliatesFX for a 10% discount.
- FundingPips: Use discount code TraffiliatesFX for a 5% discount.
