Take Profit Trader uses three stages: the Test evaluation, the simulated PRO account, and the live-market PRO+ account. The most important detail is that the drawdown calculation changes between stages. Test accounts use end-of-day trailing drawdown, PRO accounts use intraday trailing drawdown, and PRO+ returns to an end-of-day structure.
This guide covers the current Take Profit Trader rules, payout mechanics, consistency requirement, trading hours, prohibited activity, and the August 2026 payout-speed update. It reflects official information available on August 23, 2026. Traders should confirm their contract and dashboard because policies can change. See our Take Profit Trader review for the broader firm profile.
Take Profit Trader Rules at a Glance
| Stage | Environment | Drawdown model | Consistency | Profit split |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Test | Simulated evaluation | End-of-day trailing | 50% | Not applicable |
| PRO | Simulated funded | Intraday trailing | None stated for payouts | 80/20 |
| PRO+ | Live market | End-of-day | Performance reviewed | 90/10 |
The Test determines whether the trader can reach the profit target without breaching the drawdown, contract, trading-hours, or consistency rules. Passing leads to a PRO account where eligible profits can be withdrawn. Movement to PRO+ is discretionary and based on broader risk and performance review rather than a single fixed target.
Test Account Sizes, Targets and Drawdown
Take Profit Trader currently publishes these Test parameters:
| Account size | Profit target | Target % | Maximum trailing drawdown | Maximum contracts |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| $25K | $1,500 | 6% | $1,500 | 3 |
| $50K | $3,000 | 6% | $2,000 | 6 |
| $75K | $4,500 | 6% | $2,500 | 9 |
| $100K | $6,000 | 6% | $3,000 | 12 |
| $150K | $9,000 | 6% | $4,500 | 15 |
The percentage column is calculated from Take Profit Trader’s official dollar targets. The current official Test drawdown rule lists the same target, position-size, and drawdown values.
The account label is simulated buying power. The actual risk budget is the distance to the Maximum Trailing Drawdown, not the full account size.
How the Test EOD Drawdown Works
On the Test, the trailing drawdown is calculated at the end of the trading day rather than following every unrealized intraday high.
Suppose a $50K Test begins with a $48,000 minimum balance. If the account closes the day with a $500 gain, the threshold can move up by $500 for the next session. An intraday high that later disappears does not pull the threshold higher during that same day.
That does not mean traders can ignore open losses. The active minimum balance remains a breach line, and the dashboard displays it as the “Minimum Account Balance.” If account equity reaches the active threshold, the Test can fail.
The threshold trails upward but does not move back down after a losing day. Risk should always be calculated from the current displayed minimum rather than the original starting floor.
Minimum Trading Days and 50% Consistency
Take Profit Trader updated its official consistency rule on August 17, 2026. A Test now requires at least three trading days. A trading day is any day on which at least one trade is placed, and there is no stated maximum time to finish.
The best profitable day must also be below 50% of total net profit:
Highest-profit day ÷ total net P&L = consistency percentage
If a $50K Test has a $2,000 best day and $3,100 total net profit, the best day represents about 64.5%. The account has not failed, but it cannot qualify for PRO yet. Total profit must increase until the $2,000 best day falls below 50%.
With a $2,000 best day, total net profit must exceed $4,000. The adjusted objective appears in the dashboard.
This rule makes rushing the target counterproductive. A smaller, distributed profit curve can pass with less total profit than one dominated by a large single session.
Approved Products and Trading Hours
Take Profit Trader permits most futures products listed on CME, CBOT, NYMEX, and COMEX, subject to its approved-instrument list.
The standard futures trading window runs from 6:00 PM Eastern to 5:00 PM Eastern. Positions cannot be carried into the next trading day, and TPT says its system normally closes open positions at 4:55 PM Eastern.
The official trading-hours policy makes traders responsible for:
- Checking whether a specific product closes earlier.
- Following shortened holiday sessions.
- Exiting before a product reaches its own market close.
- Avoiding new positions until the next permitted session.
An earlier product close or holiday schedule overrides the normal 4:55 PM auto-close. Missing the applicable deadline can lead to liquidation.
No Counter Positions
Counter positions are prohibited across Test, PRO, and PRO+ accounts. A trader cannot hold opposite directions in the same product or in closely related products to create an offsetting or hedged position.
This applies across account types, not only within one account. Traders using multiple accounts or a copier should review direction before every order so an old position does not conflict with a new one.
What Changes in the PRO Account?
The PRO account is simulated, even though approved payouts are real. Its most important changes are:
- The drawdown becomes intraday trailing.
- There is a weekly activity requirement.
- Bots and algorithmic execution are prohibited.
- Prohibited-news flat periods apply.
- Eligible profits above the buffer use an 80/20 split.
- Withdrawals can be available from the first day after the buffer requirement is met.
The official PRO rules and the trader’s signed PRO contract control the account.
Intraday Trailing Drawdown in PRO
PRO drawdown follows the peak account balance in real time, including unrealized gains. The drawdown amount is the same dollar distance assigned to the passed Test and stops moving when the minimum balance reaches the original starting balance.
For a $25K PRO account with a $1,500 drawdown, assume an open trade reaches $1,000 in unrealized profit. The minimum balance can rise to $24,500. If the trade later closes with only $500 realized profit, the account balance may be $25,500 while the minimum remains $24,500. The usable buffer is then $1,000 rather than $1,500.
If realized or unrealized equity touches the minimum balance, the PRO account is immediately liquidated.
This is less forgiving than the Test’s EOD calculation. Traders should monitor peak equity, reduce size after large open gains, and avoid letting profitable positions reverse toward the newly raised threshold.
PRO Buffer and Withdrawal Rules
A PRO trader can request withdrawals from day one, but must first build the required buffer. The buffer equals the account’s maximum drawdown above the starting balance:
| PRO size | Balance required to clear buffer |
|---|---|
| $25K | $26,500 |
| $50K | $52,000 |
| $75K | $77,500 |
| $100K | $103,000 |
| $150K | $154,500 |
Once the buffer is cleared, eligible withdrawals use an 80/20 split, with the trader receiving 80%.
The official PRO withdrawal policy also addresses profit inside the buffer. That profit can be withdrawn only after the account is terminated. If the PRO account was traded for 60 trading days or fewer, the trader receives 50% of the buffer profit; after more than 60 trading days, the share is 80%.
Traders should therefore distinguish between total account profit, the protected buffer, and profit currently eligible for a normal withdrawal.
August 2026 Payout-Speed Update
Take Profit Trader updated its payout process on August 20, 2026 for eligible Tradovate PRO accounts. The account-to-wallet step is now automated and is described as taking about five to 10 seconds when the request passes the automated checks.
Eligibility did not change. The trader must be flat with no open positions or working orders when submitting the request. The dashboard balance updates around 8:00–9:00 PM Eastern.
According to TPT’s official payout-speed update, a request may be rejected because of:
- Insufficient eligible funds.
- An open position or working order.
- Tradovate maintenance.
- A Tradovate API issue.
A rejected request can be corrected and resubmitted without entering a new manual-review queue.
PRO Trading Restrictions
The PRO account requires at least one traded day during each calendar week from Sunday through Friday. A qualifying active day requires at least one round trip. Traders who need a temporary exception should contact support before violating the activity rule.
PRO trading must be manual. Take Profit Trader explicitly prohibits trading bots and algorithmic systems in PRO accounts.
The trader must also exit before an exchange limit-up or limit-down level is reached. Holding through an activated price limit can terminate the account.
Prohibited News Windows
PRO accounts must have no open positions or working orders from one minute before until one minute after specified releases. Current examples include:
- FOMC statements and announcements.
- Non-Farm Payroll.
- CPI.
- Crude-oil inventory releases for crude-oil products.
- Bond auctions for affected 10-year and 30-year contracts.
The firm’s calendar and current PRO contract should be checked before each session.
PRO+ Live Account Rules
PRO+ routes the trader to the live market and changes the profit split to 90/10. It removes the PRO buffer requirement and returns to an EOD drawdown model.
Published PRO+ benefits include:
- Live exchange routing.
- A 90% trader profit share.
- No withdrawal buffer.
- EOD drawdown rather than PRO’s intraday trailing model.
PRO+ still requires at least one traded day per calendar week, prohibits counter positions, enforces approved products and hours, and applies the prohibited-news flat windows. Open equity must remain above the active EOD drawdown threshold.
Movement from PRO to PRO+ is not guaranteed by one profit figure. The PRO+ upgrade process says TPT reviews consistency, execution, risk management, and overall trading discipline.
Some traders may be placed in a PRO+ Development account with reduced size and additional risk controls based on observed behavior.
Common Take Profit Trader Mistakes
The most common misunderstandings are:
- Assuming the PRO drawdown stays EOD—it changes to intraday trailing.
- Ignoring unrealized profit when calculating the PRO high-water mark.
- Reaching the Test profit target without completing three trading days.
- Exceeding 50% consistency and assuming the account failed instead of continuing.
- Treating the PRO buffer as normal withdrawable profit.
- Using bots or algos after entering PRO.
- Holding positions through prohibited news or exchange price limits.
- Missing a shortened product or holiday close.
- Holding counter positions across accounts.
- Assuming a PRO+ upgrade is automatic.
Who May Prefer Take Profit Trader?
Take Profit Trader may appeal to futures traders who want a single evaluation, defined 6% targets, no fixed completion deadline, and PRO withdrawals without a traditional multi-week payout window after the buffer is built.
It may be less suitable for automated traders, overnight position holders, or traders who allow large unrealized profits to reverse. The PRO intraday trailing drawdown can tighten quickly, and the buffer must be understood before planning withdrawals.
Final Verdict
Take Profit Trader’s Test rules are built around the profit target, EOD trailing drawdown, three trading days, and 50% consistency. The PRO account provides daily withdrawal access but introduces a more demanding intraday trailing drawdown, an 80/20 split, a protected buffer, and stricter operating rules.
PRO+ improves the split to 90/10, removes the buffer, and moves back to EOD drawdown, but promotion is discretionary. Traders should treat each stage as a separate risk model and confirm the live minimum balance, news calendar, and permitted hours before every session.