Should I sell challenges as monthly subscriptions or one-time fees?
Quick answer
Most CFD prop firms sell one-time fees per challenge. Some futures firms use monthly subscriptions while the evaluation is active. One-time fees are simpler and easier for traders to understand; subscriptions produce recurring revenue but can feel like paying for time rather than for a chance to qualify.
Detailed answer
Comparison:
- One-time fee: paid once per attempt; simple refunds and accounting; revenue tied to new sales and resets.
- Monthly subscription: recurring while the trader is evaluating; rewards traders who take longer; more chargeback exposure if renewals are forgotten; needs clear cancellation.
Your payment provider must support the model you choose, and high-risk processors can be stricter about recurring billing.
Either way, the trading account itself is the same. On PropExecutor, a trading account stays active until it breaches, passes or you archive it, so a subscription model means archiving accounts whose subscriptions end. Account credits are used once when an account is created, not monthly.
Practical considerations
Subscriptions need clear cancellation, reminders before renewal and a policy for accounts whose subscription lapses. One-time fees need none of that. For most CFD firms, one-time fees are simpler to run and easier for traders to understand.
Whichever you choose, show the total cost of an attempt clearly at checkout.
PropExecutor team · Updated
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