Prop firm evaluation: reset vs new account
Eval went south. Two options: pay the reset fee and keep going, or start a clean new account. Both can be the right call; which one isn't a coin flip.
Almost every eval offers some form of restart — either a discounted reset fee or buying a fresh account at full price. The deciding factor isn't emotion, it's math.
What you're actually choosing between
| Reset fee | New account | |
|---|---|---|
| Cost | Lower — often a discount on the original fee | Full price |
| Progress | Account is reset; you keep the slot/profile | Brand new evaluation |
| Time | Clock often restarts or extends | Fresh time allowance |
| Mindset | Same account, same recent memory | Clean slate |
When reset is the right call
- You breached a single rule by a small margin, not because the strategy stopped working.
- The reset fee is meaningfully cheaper than a new account.
- You haven't already reset this account multiple times (each reset is a signal something deeper is off).
- The same instrument and strategy still has modeled edge — check on the Pass Estimator.
When a new account is the right call
- You hit the trailing limit hard or breached multiple rules — the strategy or sizing needs rework, not a redo.
- You've reset the same account once or twice already.
- You need the psychological clean slate to stop revenge trading.
- The firm runs a sale that makes a new account cheaper than the reset.
The trap: reset as revenge
The dangerous reset is the one made the same day you breach, while you're tilted. That reset usually ends the same way as the original eval. If the reason for the loss was sizing, news exposure or correlated stacking — classic blowup patterns — fix the rule before you redeploy capital. The Position Size Calculator takes minutes; learning the same lesson twice takes another eval fee.
The honest test: would you take a fresh account right now if it were free? If no, you're not ready to reset either. Wait, fix what broke, then redeploy — the next eval will be cheaper for it.
FAQ
Should I reset a prop firm evaluation or buy a new account?
Reset if the breach was small, the strategy still has modeled edge, and you haven't reset multiple times already. Buy new if you breached multiple rules, you're tilted, or the firm runs a sale that makes a fresh account cheaper than the reset.
Is the reset fee always cheaper than a new account?
Usually, but not always — firms regularly run sales that make a fresh account cheaper than a reset, especially at month-end. Always compare current pricing before deciding.
How many times can you reset a prop firm evaluation?
Most firms allow multiple resets, but each one is a signal something deeper is off — sizing, strategy fit, or mindset. After two resets on the same account, fix the root cause before paying for another.
Not financial advice. Performance figures referenced are hypothetical, modeled outputs (1,500-path Monte Carlo on a 12-month sample). Past performance does not guarantee future results. Tool names are referenced for education; verify current features and prop-firm rules directly.