Do Prop Firm Challenges Still Have a 30-Day Time Limit to Pass in 2026?

"Make 10% in 30 days" used to be the standard prop challenge. It pushed traders to oversize near the deadline. Most large firms have moved on, but the details of what replaced it matter.

What people on X are asking

In October 2026 a trader asked simply: which prop firm has no time limit on its challenge? In September 2026 a reviewer described a $1K one-step evaluation with an 8% target, 4% daily drawdown and no time limit. And a 2025 prop-firm trivia post listed "2 minimum trading days, no time limit, 12% profit target, 9% trailing drawdown" as a challenge spec. "No time limit" is now a selling point; we checked what it means at two large firms with public rules.

The fact-checked answer

FTMO: limits removed in July 2023. In a blog post published July 13, 2023, FTMO said "the 30 or 60 calendar days to complete the Evaluation Process are gone", and that free repeats and 14-day extensions were therefore no longer needed. Its earlier objectives were 10% in 30 days for the Challenge and 5% in 60 days for the Verification. The change applied only to accounts bought after 11 a.m. CEST on July 13, 2023; older orders kept their rules. FTMO's site in November 2026 still lists "no time limit".

But FTMO watches inactivity. The same post says that if you leave an account inactive for a few weeks, FTMO will contact you to make sure it isn't sitting unused, and that you can request a "freeze" for planned breaks such as a holiday. It also warns that holding positions for days can cost several percent in swaps; see why you pay swap fees overnight.

Topstep: no limit, but a monthly bill. Topstep's help centre says the Trading Combine "is a monthly subscription" that "rebills every 30 days" until you pass and earn an Express Funded Account, or cancel, with "no time limit for passing". It can't be paused. So you can take six months, but you pay six times. Breaking the maximum loss limit doesn't stop the billing either; the account becomes ineligible until reset.

Time limits: old style vs FTMO vs Topstep

From FTMO's July 13, 2023 blog post and site, and Topstep's Trading Combine subscription help article, read November 10, 2026. Other firms' rules differ and change; check the current terms of the exact programme. Tap a column header to sort.

Point	Old fixed window (e.g. FTMO before July 2023)	FTMO now	Topstep Trading Combine
Time to pass	30 days (Challenge), 60 days (Verification)	No time limit	No time limit
How you pay	One fee per attempt	One fee per attempt	Monthly subscription, rebills every 30 days
Extra time	Free repeats, 14-day extensions	Not needed	Keep paying
Inactivity	n/a	Contact after weeks unused; freeze on request	Subscription continues
Pressure created	Deadline pushes size up	Little time pressure	Cost pressure each month

Why it matters for risk. With a deadline, traders behind schedule tend to raise size near the end, which is how many accounts fail; FTMO's own post calls the time limit "the biggest obstacle" for conservative traders who increased positions to hit the target. Without one, you can pace the target: an 8–10% target at 0.5% risk per trade needs about 16–20 net winning trades' worth of R, however long that takes. See what percent to risk on a challenge and how to pass a prop firm challenge.

Minimum days still apply. Removing the maximum doesn't remove the minimum: many programmes require a number of trading days before you can pass; see why prop firms require minimum trading days. And the profit target, daily loss and maximum loss rules don't change because time is open; see 1-step vs 2-step challenges.

Hidden costs of "no time limit".

• Subscriptions: a monthly fee turns time into money; at $100 a month, a five-month pass costs $500. See how much a prop firm challenge costs.
• Swaps and carry: holding trades for weeks costs swaps and affects daily loss calculations.
• Promotions: discounted or "instant" programmes can carry different rules from the firm's main product.
• Rule changes: firms change rules for new purchases; FTMO's own change applied only to accounts bought after the announcement.

Quick poll

Your challenge has no time limit. How do you pace an 8% target?

• Push hard in week one to get it over with
• Fixed small risk per trade, however long it takes
• Wait for perfect setups and trade once a month
• Raise size after losses to catch up

Save my answer

What each answer means

• Push hard in week one to get it over with: Unnecessary without a deadline, and oversizing is the main way challenges fail.
• Fixed small risk per trade, however long it takes: Best fit: no deadline means no reason to raise size. Watch inactivity and any monthly fee.
• Wait for perfect setups and trade once a month: Check inactivity rules; some firms contact or flag unused accounts.
• Raise size after losses to catch up: That is revenge trading, which the daily loss limit punishes.

Your answer is stored only in this browser (localStorage). UXS does not collect, count or publish votes, so no totals are shown.

Decision helper

Common mistakes

• Assuming "no time limit" means no cost of time.
• Forgetting the minimum trading days.
• Letting an account go inactive for weeks.
• Reading an old review instead of current rules.

FAQ

Does FTMO have a time limit?

No; FTMO removed its 30-day and 60-day limits for accounts bought after July 13, 2023.

What was FTMO's old time limit?

30 days for the Challenge (10% target) and 60 days for the Verification (5% target).

Does Topstep have a time limit?

No time limit to pass the Trading Combine, but it rebills every 30 days.

Do any prop firms still have time limits?

Some programmes and promotions still use fixed windows; check the current rules.

Can I pause a challenge?

FTMO allows a freeze on request; Topstep's Trading Combine can't be paused.

Is no time limit better?

Usually, because it removes deadline pressure, but count any monthly fees.