A prop firm profit target is the net gain a trader must reach for a specified evaluation phase or account objective. Calculate the target as account reference size × target percentage, but do not treat the result as the only passing condition. Loss limits, trading days, open positions, conduct rules and review requirements can still determine progression.
Prop Firm Profit Targets: Key Points
- Convert the percentage into account currency before trading.
- Track net progress, not gross winning trades.
- Reaching the target does not erase another rule breach.
- Each phase may have a different target.
- Pace the target from valid setups instead of increasing risk near the finish line.
Last AIFO FAQ review: . AIFO figures below come from the current 1-Step, 2-Step, Instant and Sprint FAQs.
The target is easy to calculate and easy to misunderstand. A trader can produce enough gross winning trades but remain below the target after losses, commission or swap. A trader can also display the target amount and still need minimum trading days or a final review.
Use the prop firm challenge rules guide for the complete rule stack. This page focuses on target calculation, progress measurement and risk pacing.
What Is a Prop Firm Profit Target?
A profit target is the account result required for a defined stage. In a multi-phase evaluation, each phase can have its own target and starts from its own account reference. The target is not a forecast of what a trader should earn every month and does not guarantee a payout.
The basic calculation is:
Target Amount = Account Reference Size × Profit Target Percentage
Remaining progress can be estimated as:
Remaining Target = Target Amount − Current Net Profit
Use the provider’s displayed account result and FAQ definition when the platform treats balance, equity, open profit or fees differently. Do not substitute gross gains from winning trades for the account’s net result.
Profit Target Examples by Account Size
| Account reference | 5% target | 8% target | 10% target |
|---|---|---|---|
| $10,000 | $500 | $800 | $1,000 |
| $25,000 | $1,250 | $2,000 | $2,500 |
| $50,000 | $2,500 | $4,000 | $5,000 |
| $100,000 | $5,000 | $8,000 | $10,000 |
These are arithmetic examples, not prices, payouts or income expectations. The account reference size is the calculation base.
Balance, Equity and Closed Profit
Before deciding that a target is complete, answer three questions:
- Does the programme measure closed balance, current equity or another displayed metric?
- Must all positions and pending orders be closed before review?
- Do commission and swap reduce the result used for progression?
A floating winner can disappear before it is closed. Even when equity briefly reaches the target, the final reviewed result may be lower after price movement and costs. Use the current account FAQ and Dashboard status rather than a screenshot of one intraday peak.
Current AIFO Target Structures
| Programme | Target structure | Related condition |
|---|---|---|
| 1-Step | 10% evaluation target | At least 2 trading days; 3% Daily Loss and 6% Static Maximum Loss |
| 2-Step | 8% in Step 1; 5% in Step 2 | At least 3 trading days before progression; 5% Daily Loss and 10% Static Maximum Loss |
| Instant | No traditional evaluation Profit Target | Risk, consistency and payout conditions still apply |
| Sprint | 3% inside the Sprint framework | 24-hour challenge window and Sprint-specific trading rules |
Targets Across Challenge Phases
A two-step challenge should not be evaluated by adding the phase percentages as if they were one continuous target. Each stage is a separate performance period with its own starting point and review. Passing the first stage does not make the second target partially complete.
Compare the whole route instead:
- target in every phase;
- Daily and Maximum Loss in every phase;
- minimum trading days;
- review or verification steps;
- the rules that apply after progression.
How to Pace a Profit Target Without Over-Risking
Estimate how many valid setups the strategy normally produces and the average result per setup. Then compare that evidence with the remaining target.
Required Average per Remaining Setup = Remaining Target ÷ Expected Valid Setups
If the required average is far above the strategy’s tested expectancy, the plan is relying on larger risk, unusual winners or forced frequency. Extend the timeline where permitted or choose a structure that fits the strategy; do not change a tested process only because the target is visible.
| Warning sign | Why it matters | Safer response |
|---|---|---|
| Risk increases after a slow week | The target starts controlling position size | Keep risk tied to drawdown headroom |
| Extra setups appear near the target | Selection quality is falling | Trade only written setups |
| A single open winner is treated as completion | Floating profit can reverse | Check the programme’s reviewed result |
| Trading continues after the personal stop | One day can consume the failure buffer | Stop before the hard Daily Loss boundary |
What Happens After the Target?
Stop assuming and follow the specified progression process. The account may require minimum trading days, all positions closed, an end-of-day check, identity verification or manual review. AIFO’s 1-Step and 2-Step FAQs state that the evaluation period is reviewed before funded progression.
After reaching the target, avoid an unnecessary “extra” trade unless a rule or minimum day still requires legitimate activity. Protect the compliant result and wait for the account status to update.
Profit Target Checklist Before Each Session
Record the starting reference balance, target percentage, target amount, realised progress and remaining distance in the same worksheet. Beside those numbers, keep the applicable Daily Loss and Maximum Loss limits visible. This prevents the profit objective from being viewed without the risk boundaries that determine whether the result remains valid.
Before placing a trade, ask whether the setup would still be acceptable if no target existed. After the session, reconcile closed profit, open risk, commissions and any other costs shown by the platform. When the remaining target becomes small, keep the same selection and sizing rules. The final portion of an evaluation is not a reason to lower setup quality or increase exposure.
Frequently Asked Questions
A prop firm profit target is the required net gain for an evaluation phase or account objective. It is normally expressed as a percentage of the account reference size and must be reached while all applicable loss, trading-day and conduct rules remain satisfied.
Multiply the account reference size by the target percentage. For example, a 10% target on a $100,000 account reference equals $10,000. Then subtract current net profit from the target amount to estimate the remaining progress.
Not necessarily. The account may still need the required trading days, closed positions, rule compliance and a final review. The exact FAQ for the selected programme controls progression.
The AIFO FAQs list a 10% target for 1-Step. For 2-Step, the targets are 8% in Step 1 and 5% in Step 2.
No. The AIFO Instant FAQ states that it is an immediate-access model without a traditional evaluation phase. Its risk, consistency and payout conditions still apply.
The AIFO Sprint FAQ lists a 3% profit target inside its 24-hour challenge framework, together with Sprint-specific time, floating-loss, instrument and position rules.
