Before paying for any prop firm evaluation, you need to understand the rules. Specifically: what will end your account, what limits apply to your trading, and how the rules on the evaluation differ from the rules on the funded stage.
This page covers every major Alpha Capital rule across all four evaluation programmes. All figures should be verified against the current help centre ( help.alphacapitalgroup.uk ) before you trade, as rule changes are communicated there first.
How Alpha Capital's Evaluation Model Works
Alpha Capital evaluations run on simulated accounts with simulated funds. You pay an assessment fee, trade through one or more evaluation phases, and if you meet the profit targets without breaking any rules, you advance to a Qualified Account where you can earn performance fees on your simulated profits.
The rules exist to filter for consistent, risk-managed trading. They are not designed to be impossible. A trader who sizes positions correctly, uses reasonable stops, and does not overtrade can work within these rules without coming close to the limits.
Breaking any rule results in account termination. You lose the assessment fee and would need to purchase a new evaluation to continue.
The Four Alpha Capital Programmes and Their Rules
All figures below are sourced from Alpha Capital's published materials and help centre. Confirm current rules on help.alphacapitalgroup.uk for your specific programme before trading.
Alpha One (1-Step Evaluation)
Alpha One is the fastest path. One phase, no Verification step. The trade-off is a trailing drawdown, which tightens as your balance grows. If you hit a 40% gain and then give back 6% from that peak, the account is closed. The trailing mechanism rewards consistent upward progress.
Alpha Pro (2-Step Evaluation)
Alpha Pro comes in three variants. The profit target, drawdown limit, and daily loss all match each other within each variant:
The defining feature of Alpha Pro is the ability to choose your risk profile at purchase. A lower variant (Pro 6%) means a lower profit target to pass but tighter drawdown limits. A higher variant (Pro 10%) gives more drawdown breathing room in exchange for a higher profit target. Pick the variant that matches the risk profile of your strategy.
One important note: weekend holds are allowed during the evaluation phases but are not permitted on the Qualified Account stage for Alpha Pro. If overnight and weekend holds are central to your strategy on an ongoing basis, Alpha Swing is the correct programme.
Alpha Swing (2-Step Evaluation)
Alpha Swing carries the largest drawdown allowance at 10% static and the widest daily loss limit at 5%. These are necessary to accommodate the wider stops and longer holding periods that swing trading requires. In exchange, the programme is priced higher than standard evaluations.
The news window rule on Swing works differently to the standard programmes: you are allowed to open trades within 2 minutes before or after a news release, but any trade entered in that window must remain open for more than 2 minutes to count as valid.
If your strategy holds positions for multiple days or weeks, Alpha Swing is the correct programme. Standard programmes do not allow weekend holds on the Qualified Account stage.
Alpha Three (3-Step Evaluation)
Alpha Three spreads the qualification process across three phases with smaller profit targets per step. The lower per-phase targets reduce pressure at the cost of a longer path to the Qualified Account stage. Full current targets and drawdown rules are on the help centre.
The Qualified Account Stage (After Passing)
Once you pass all evaluation phases, you advance to a Qualified Account with a 0% profit target. This is the funded stage in simulated terms. You can now request performance fees.
Key Qualified Account rules:
- Performance fee: Up to 80% of simulated profits
- Performance fee schedule: Bi-weekly or on-demand depending on programme. Alpha Swing is on-demand only. Alpha Pro, Alpha One, and Alpha Three support both (check your specific plan)
- 40% Best Day Rule: Applies to on-demand performance fees (see below)
- 2% minimum gross profit: Required before requesting a performance fee on on-demand plans
- Max allocation: Up to $400,000 total across all Alpha Capital simulated accounts
The Key Rules That End Most Evaluations
1. Maximum Simulated Drawdown
This is the most important number. If your account balance falls by the stated percentage from its starting point (static) or from its peak (trailing), the account is closed.
The type of drawdown matters:
Static drawdown is calculated from the initial balance only. If you start at $100,000 with a 10% static drawdown, you must never fall below $90,000. If you grow to $115,000, the floor is still $90,000. You now have 22% of headroom above the floor.
Trailing drawdown follows your highest balance. If you start at $100,000 with a 6% trailing drawdown and grow to $115,000, the floor moves to $107,900. Trailing drawdown tightens as you profit. It protects the firm from traders who build a large cushion and then take excessive risks.
Alpha Pro lets you choose between static options. Alpha One uses trailing. Alpha Swing uses static at 10%.
2. Daily Loss Limit
The maximum you can lose in a single trading day. Once this is hit, all open positions are typically closed and no further trading is permitted that day.
The daily limit applies to unrealised losses as well as realised losses in most cases. A position that is down significantly counts toward the daily limit even if you have not closed it. Do not leave large losing positions open overnight hoping they recover if you are close to the daily limit.
3. Minimum Trading Days
You cannot pass an evaluation in a single day. The minimum trading days requirement ensures you demonstrate consistency across multiple sessions rather than hitting the profit target on one outsized trade.
Alpha One requires 1 trading day. Alpha Pro, Alpha Swing, and Alpha Three require 3 per phase. A trading day counts when you open and close at least one position.
4. Inactivity Rule
Alpha Pro has a 30-day inactivity rule. If you do not place a trade for 30 consecutive days, the account is closed. This prevents traders from leaving evaluations open indefinitely without engaging with them.
The 40% Best Day Rule
This rule applies specifically to on-demand performance fees on the Qualified Account.
If you want to withdraw on-demand (rather than waiting for bi-weekly schedules), no single trading day can have contributed more than 40% of your total cumulative profit.
Example: If your account shows $10,000 in cumulative profit and your best single day produced $4,500 of that, your best day represents 45% of total profit. The 40% threshold has not been reached yet. You cannot request an on-demand withdrawal until your total profit grows enough to bring that best-day percentage down to 40% or below.
This rule exists to reward traders who build profit gradually across many sessions rather than relying on a single outsized day. It does not affect bi-weekly performance fee schedules.
The 2-Minute Minimum Trade Duration
All trades must be open for a minimum of 2 minutes. This prevents HFT-style scalping that exploits latency or execution quirks in the simulated environment. For most traders this rule is irrelevant. If your strategy involves trades that last seconds, you will need to adjust.
The 1% Cooling-Off Rule
Details on this rule are in the help centre. Verify its current application against your specific programme before trading.
Common Rule Mistakes and How to Avoid Them
- Stacking risk around news releases. Traders who increase position size ahead of major macro events to try to hit the profit target quickly are the most common accounts to breach the daily loss limit. One bad NFP candle can wipe a 4% daily limit in minutes. Treat news events as volatile, not as opportunity to size up.
- Forgetting about unrealised losses. A position that is down 3% is contributing 3% toward your daily loss limit even if it has not been closed. Watch your open drawdown, not just your closed trades.
- Confusing static and trailing drawdown. If you are on Alpha One with trailing drawdown and you have grown the account by 10%, your floor has moved up. You do not have the same cushion as when you started. Recalculate the floor every time your balance hits a new high.
- Not counting trading days. If you need 3 trading days and you have been in the evaluation for 3 calendar days but only opened and closed positions on 1 day, you have not met the requirement. Count days where you completed at least one round trip, not calendar days.
- Leaving the account dormant. On Alpha Pro, 30 consecutive days without a trade closes the account. Even if you are waiting for a setup, keep the account active.
Where to Verify Current Rules
The official source for all current Alpha Capital rules is the help centre:
- help.alphacapitalgroup.uk — Evaluation section and Qualified Trader section
- Rules are updated when the firm makes changes and announced through official channels
For any edge case or ambiguity, contact Alpha Capital support directly before trading. The rules are the rules regardless of what third-party sites say.
FAQs
What is the maximum drawdown on Alpha Capital?
It depends on your programme. Alpha One uses 6% trailing drawdown. Alpha Pro comes in three variants: Pro 6% (6% static drawdown, 6% Phase 1 target), Pro 8% (8% static, 8% Phase 1 target), Pro 10% (10% static, 10% Phase 1 target). Alpha Swing has 10% static drawdown. Full details are on help.alphacapitalgroup.uk .
What happens if I break the drawdown rule on Alpha Capital?
Your evaluation account is closed. You lose the assessment fee you paid. You can purchase a new evaluation to try again.
What is the daily loss limit on Alpha Capital?
Alpha One: 4%. Alpha Swing: 5%. Alpha Pro 6%: 3%. Alpha Pro 8%: 4%. Alpha Pro 10%: 5%. Check the help centre for your specific plan to confirm the current figure.
How many trading days do I need to pass Alpha Capital?
Alpha One requires 1 minimum trading day. Alpha Pro, Alpha Swing, and Alpha Three require 3 minimum trading days per phase. A trading day counts when at least one position is opened and closed during that session.
What is the 40% Best Day Rule at Alpha Capital?
If you use on-demand performance fees on a Qualified Account, no single day can represent more than 40% of your total cumulative profit before you request a withdrawal. This rule does not apply to bi-weekly performance fee schedules.
What is the difference between static and trailing drawdown?
Static drawdown is fixed from the initial balance and never moves regardless of how much profit you make. Trailing drawdown follows your highest balance, tightening the floor as you profit. Static gives experienced swing traders more flexibility. Trailing protects the firm from accounts that build a large buffer and then gamble.
Does Alpha Capital allow scalping?
Yes, with the 2-minute minimum trade duration restriction. Trades must remain open for at least 2 minutes. Strategies that open and close positions in under 2 minutes will breach this rule.
Where can I read the full Alpha Capital rules?
The full and current rules for each programme are on help.alphacapitalgroup.uk . Navigate to the Evaluation section for phase rules and the Qualified Trader section for funded-stage rules. Always check the live version before trading, not third-party summaries.
Ready to put your edge to the test?
Alpha Capital's evaluation rules are designed to reward consistent, risk-managed trading. Understand them, size your positions correctly, and your strategy will do the rest.
Start your Alpha Capital evaluation
Alpha Capital Group is a proprietary trading firm based in the United Kingdom. All accounts operate in a simulated trading environment with simulated funds unless a specific product states otherwise. Performance fees are based on eligible simulated trading results and outcomes are not guaranteed. Always confirm live rules, pricing, eligibility, and evaluation requirements on alphacapitalgroup.uk and help.alphacapitalgroup.uk before purchasing an evaluation.
