HyroTrader's free trial gives you 10 days under real challenge conditions on the Cleo platform. No payout eligibility, no funding path, but it is the best way to test crypto prop firm rules before spending $89-$1,399 on a challenge. Identical trading rules, identical account sizes, identical drawdown mechanics. One trial per person, enforced by phone number.
Quick answer: what the free trial is and is not
- Duration: 10 days, no extensions.
- Platform: Cleo only, not Bybit.
- Account sizes: same as paid challenges ($5K to $200K).
- Rules: identical to paid challenges (stop-loss, drawdown, distribution).
- Payout eligibility: none.
- Funding path: none, the trial does not convert.
- Cost: $0.
- Limit: 1 per person, enforced by phone number.
HyroTrader's free trial is a 10-day simulated challenge that runs under the same trading rules as the paid challenges. It exists to let traders test the platform, the rule enforcement, and the Cleo execution stack before committing $89 to $1,399 on a paid challenge. There is no payout eligibility, no funding pathway, and no conversion mechanism. The trial is a learning environment, not a back-door route to funding.
The structural value of the trial is rule familiarity. HyroTrader applies a mandatory stop-loss within 5 minutes, a 3% max risk per trade, a daily trailing drawdown (5% for 2-Step, 4% for 1-Step), a maximum drawdown, and a 40% profit distribution rule. Two stop-loss violations close the account. Traders who learn these mechanics on a free 10-day account avoid the painful discovery of how strict the enforcement is on a paid challenge where the fee is already sunk.
Feature-by-feature comparison
| Feature | Free Trial | Paid Challenge |
|---|---|---|
| Duration | 10 days | Unlimited (no time limit) |
| Account sizes | $5K to $200K | $5K to $200K |
| Trading rules | Same (stop-loss, drawdown, distribution) | Same |
| Platform | Cleo only | Cleo or Bybit |
| Data feeds | Real Binance data (via Cleo) | Real Binance or Bybit data |
| Payout eligibility | No | Yes (after passing + KYC) |
| Funding path | No | Yes (demo funded then live funded) |
| Account scaling | No | Yes (25% every 4 months, up to $1M) |
| Cost | $0 | $89 to $1,399 |
| Limit per person | 1 trial | Up to $200K total capital across challenges |
The 10-day clock
The trial runs exactly 10 days from the moment the account is activated. There is no extension option. After 10 days, the trial account is closed regardless of profit or loss position. The 10-day window is shorter than the unlimited timeline on a paid challenge, which means the trial does not test the realistic pacing of a paid evaluation, only the immediate rule enforcement and platform feel.
The pacing difference matters for traders considering the 1-Step vs 2-Step decision. The 1-Step challenge gives less drawdown buffer (4% trailing) but skips the second phase. The 2-Step gives more buffer (5% trailing) but requires two consecutive phase passes. On a 10-day trial, neither path can be fully simulated; the trial tests rule mechanics, not full evaluation strategy. Use the trial to verify the platform feel and rule enforcement, then commit to a paid challenge to test pacing.
What is identical between trial and paid challenge
Trading rules
HyroTrader applies identical rules on the free trial as on paid challenges. The mandatory stop-loss within 5 minutes, the 3% max risk per trade, the daily trailing drawdown (5% for 2-Step, 4% for 1-Step), the maximum drawdown, and the 40% profit distribution rule all apply. Two stop-loss violations still result in account closure, even on the free trial. The enforcement is not softened because the account is free.
Account sizes
HyroTrader's free trial offers the same account sizes as their paid challenges: $5,000, $10,000, $25,000, $50,000, $100,000, and $200,000. The trader chooses the size during signup. The trading rules apply at the same percentages regardless of size; the dollar values scale linearly with the account.
Cleo execution and data feeds
The trial runs on Cleo with real Binance data feeds. Execution is the same as on a paid Cleo challenge. The trial is not a sandbox with simplified market data; it uses live exchange data, so price action, volatility, spread behaviour, and slippage patterns reflect what a paid challenge would produce on the same platform. This is the trial's main strategic value.
What is different between trial and paid challenge
No Bybit option
The Bybit platform option is not available during the free trial. Traders who want to test HyroTrader's Bybit integration need to purchase a paid challenge. For US, UK, Canadian, and Singapore traders this is irrelevant because Bybit blocks those countries anyway. For traders eligible for Bybit, the trial gives Cleo experience only; the Bybit feel is paid-challenge-only.
No payout eligibility
The free trial is simulated only and does not qualify for any payouts. Even if the trader hits the profit target and follows every rule perfectly during the 10-day trial, no funding is issued and no money is earned. The trial exists to test the platform and rules before committing to a paid challenge. Treat the trial as a learning environment, not as a back-door funding path.
No funding path
The free trial does not convert into a paid challenge. When the 10-day trial ends, the trader starts fresh by purchasing a new challenge from HyroTrader's website. Trial performance, trade history, and P&L do not carry over. The paid challenge is a completely separate account with its own evaluation timeline, drawdown counters, and rule state.
No account scaling
Paid funded accounts at HyroTrader scale 25% every 4 months up to $1M maximum capital. The trial does not offer scaling. The 10 days end before any scaling milestone could be reached anyway, so the absence is structural rather than a deliberate restriction.
Signup and KYC for the trial
The trial signup requires only an email address, phone number, and a captcha. No KYC verification, no ID upload, no payment information. This is one of the lightest onboarding processes in the crypto prop firm space. KYC is only required after passing a paid challenge evaluation, as part of the funded trader onboarding process, never during the trial.
The phone-number-based enforcement is the part most traders overlook. The 1-trial-per-person limit is checked against the phone number, not just the email address. Creating a second email and reusing the same phone number does not work; the system flags the duplicate and blocks the second trial. Traders who want to test multiple account sizes need to make the right size selection on the first attempt.
Country restrictions on the trial
The free trial has no country restrictions because it runs on the Cleo platform, which is accessible worldwide. Traders from the US, UK, Canada, Singapore, and other Bybit-restricted countries can sign up and trade the full 10 days without issues. Country restrictions only become relevant when choosing Bybit for a paid challenge.
| Country | Trial available | Paid Cleo | Paid Bybit |
|---|---|---|---|
| United States | Yes | Yes | No |
| United Kingdom | Yes | Yes | No |
| Canada | Yes | Yes | No |
| Singapore | Yes | Yes | No |
| EU countries | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| OFAC sanctioned regions | No | No | No |
Using the trial effectively
Test the rule enforcement, not the strategy
The 10-day window is too short to validate a long-term strategy. Use the trial to internalise the rule mechanics: how the 5-minute stop-loss enforcement works in practice, how the daily trailing drawdown updates, how the 40% profit distribution rule applies when one day generates outsized profits. These are the rules that catch unprepared traders on paid challenges, and the trial gives you the muscle memory before the paid account is on the line.
Pick the size you would actually buy
Choose the trial size that matches the paid challenge you plan to buy. A trader planning to buy a $25K 2-Step should run the trial on $25K, not on the $5K minimum. The percentages are identical, but the dollar values are very different; sizing intuition built on $5K does not transfer cleanly to $25K. Match the trial to the eventual purchase.
Document the stop-loss enforcement timing
The 5-minute stop-loss rule is the most common cause of trial failure. Set a hard stop on every entry within the first 5 minutes; do not rely on mental stops. Two violations close the account. The trial is the cheap way to learn this lesson; the paid challenge is the expensive way.
Practise sizing against the drawdown line
The daily trailing drawdown sits at 5% for 2-Step and 4% for 1-Step. On a $25K account that is $1,250 (2-Step) or $1,000 (1-Step) per day. Position sizing should target 3-5 full stop-outs before the daily line is hit. Practise the math on the trial so the paid challenge does not surface unexpected breaches.
Trial economics vs paid challenge
The trial costs $0. The cheapest paid challenge is the 2-Step $5K at $89. The decision rule for traders unfamiliar with HyroTrader's rules is straightforward: use the trial first, learn the rule enforcement, then commit to a paid challenge with realistic expectations. The $89 fee on the paid challenge is refunded with the first payout if the trader passes and pulls a payout, so the effective cost of the paid path is zero for successful traders.
For traders already familiar with HyroTrader's rule structure (returning customers, traders who have read the rules thoroughly and feel comfortable), skipping the trial and going straight to the paid $89 challenge is a defensible choice. The trial is not a prerequisite for paid challenge access. The decision depends on the trader's comfort level with the rule enforcement going in.
What happens at trial end
The trial account closes automatically at the 10-day mark regardless of P&L, regardless of whether profit targets were hit, regardless of whether the trader is in a profitable trade at the moment of expiry. There is no notification beyond the dashboard status change. Traders who want to continue with HyroTrader after the trial purchase a paid challenge from the website.
If the trader breaches a rule during the 10 days (drawdown, stop-loss violations, distribution cap), the account closes early. The trial cannot be restored. The 1-trial-per-person limit applies regardless of how the trial ended: profit, loss, breach, or expiry. Subsequent attempts must be paid challenges.
Common trial mistakes
- Skipping the stop-loss within 5 minutes and learning the hard way that two violations close the account.
- Oversizing on day one to chase the profit target faster, exhausting the daily drawdown buffer.
- Treating the trial as a different ruleset because it is free, then being surprised when paid challenges enforce the same rules.
- Picking the smallest size to 'see how it feels' and then having to mentally rescale to a larger paid size.
- Burning the trial on a strategy test rather than a rule-familiarity test, missing the structural value of the trial entirely.
Bottom line
HyroTrader's free trial is the cleanest pre-purchase test in the crypto prop firm space. 10 days, identical rules to paid challenges, full account-size range, no KYC, no payment information, no country restrictions. It is built to let traders test the platform and rules before paying for a challenge. Use it to build rule muscle memory rather than to validate a long-term strategy. One trial per person, enforced by phone number, no extensions, no funding path. The trial pays for itself many times over for traders who internalise the 5-minute stop-loss rule and the drawdown mechanics before committing to a paid challenge.
How the trial sizes the buying decision
The trial's most valuable function is sizing the buying decision. After 10 days on a $25K Beginner-style experience, a trader has a calibrated sense of whether the rule enforcement is tolerable, whether the drawdown math is workable for their style, and whether the platform feel suits their workflow. That calibration is worth far more than the $89 entry fee on a paid challenge, because the alternative is buying blind and discovering the friction after the fee is sunk.
For traders coming from a different crypto prop firm (Hola Prima, Crypto Fund Trader, Breakout, Maven Trading), the trial is the cheapest way to verify whether the HyroTrader rule structure is materially different in practice from what the documentation suggests. Many crypto prop firms have similar-sounding rules on paper but very different enforcement in practice. The trial closes that gap before any spending decision is made.
Trial vs $89 paid challenge: the buy decision
The pricing logic is straightforward. The trial costs $0. The cheapest paid challenge is $89. The fee is refunded with the first payout if the trader passes and pulls a payout. Effective cost of the paid path is $0 for successful traders and $89 for unsuccessful ones.
The decision rule: if you are uncertain whether HyroTrader's rules suit your style, use the trial first. If you are confident in the rules and ready to commit, the $89 paid challenge gets you on the funded path immediately. The trial is not a prerequisite, but it is the rational first step for any trader new to HyroTrader's specific rule enforcement.
| Path | Upfront cost | Effective cost (success) | Effective cost (failure) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Free trial then paid | $89 | $0 (refunded) | $89 |
| Direct paid challenge | $89 | $0 (refunded) | $89 |
| Trial only, no paid follow-up | $0 | N/A | $0 |
Trial behaviour on different account sizes
The rule percentages are identical across account sizes, but the dollar values matter for execution. On a $5K trial the 5% daily trailing drawdown is $250. On a $25K trial it is $1,250. On a $100K trial it is $5,000. Sizing intuition built on small dollar values does not transfer cleanly to large ones; absolute dollar exposure feels very different at $5K versus $100K even when the percentage is identical.
For traders planning to scale into a $100K or $200K paid challenge eventually, running the trial on $25K or $50K is the rational midpoint. The math is meaningful (dollar values are not toy-sized) but the failure consequence is zero. After the trial, the paid challenge purchase can be sized to the trader's tested risk appetite rather than to abstract account-size labels.
Recommended trial size by eventual purchase intent
| Eventual paid purchase | Recommended trial size | Reason |
|---|---|---|
| $5K paid | $5K trial | Direct match |
| $10K-$25K paid | $25K trial | Realistic dollar sizing |
| $50K paid | $50K trial | Direct match |
| $100K+ paid | $50K trial | Same dollar sizing, lower psychological pressure |
Trial limitations to internalise
The trial cannot test funded-account dynamics because the trial does not lead to a funded account. The 25% every-4-months scaling mechanic, the payout withdrawal flow, the KYC process at funded onboarding: all of these are paid-challenge-then-funded experiences. The trial gets the trader to the door but not through it.
The trial also cannot test the Bybit execution feel because the trial is Cleo-only. Traders eligible for Bybit who want to compare execution feel between the two platforms need to budget for a paid Bybit challenge as part of the evaluation cost. For Bybit-restricted traders this is moot; Cleo is the only path, and the trial is a direct preview of paid Cleo performance.
Trial mechanics edge cases
A few edge cases of the trial mechanics catch first-time users. The first is the 10-day clock running on calendar days, not trading days; weekends count against the 10-day window even though most traders are inactive on them. A trial activated on a Monday includes the following Saturday and Sunday in the 10-day count. Plan the trial activity accordingly: traders who only trade weekdays effectively get 7-8 usable days in a 10-calendar-day window.
The second edge case is mid-trial restart. The 1-trial-per-person limit prevents starting a new trial after breach or expiry, but traders sometimes wonder whether changing the chosen account size mid-trial is possible. It is not. The size selection at signup is locked for the duration of the trial. Switching from $5K to $25K requires the trial to end and is impossible without restarting, which the 1-trial limit prevents.
Trial-mechanic edge cases summary
| Edge case | Behaviour |
|---|---|
| 10-day clock includes weekends | Yes, even though most traders are inactive |
| Mid-trial account-size change | Not allowed; size locked at signup |
| Mid-trial platform swap | Not applicable; Cleo only on trial |
| Restart after breach | Not allowed; one trial per phone number |
| Restart after natural expiry | Not allowed; one trial per phone number |
What the trial does not tell you
The trial cannot tell the trader anything about KYC friction at the funded stage, about payout speed in practice, about HyroTrader's customer service response times, or about the funded-account scaling experience. These are paid-challenge-then-funded experiences that the free trial does not touch. For these, the trader needs to read external reviews (Trustpilot, Reddit) or commit to the paid path and discover them firsthand.
The trial also cannot test 1-Step vs 2-Step pacing over the full eval timeline. The 10-day window is too short. For pacing-sensitive decisions (whether the trader can realistically pass a 1-Step or 2-Step in their available trading time per week), the trial is informative but not definitive. The paid challenge is the true test, with the trial as a pre-test.
Bottom-line decision framework
For traders deciding whether to use the trial or skip directly to a paid challenge, the decision framework reduces to three questions. First, how familiar are you with HyroTrader's rule structure? If unfamiliar, take the trial. If familiar, skip. Second, what is the cost of a wasted paid challenge? At $89 entry, the cost is bounded; at $1,399 for the largest account, the cost is meaningful. Higher cost favours the trial path. Third, what is the value of the calibrated rule familiarity that the trial produces? For first-time HyroTrader users, the value is high; for returning users, it is low.
The decision framework also factors in country eligibility. Bybit-restricted traders should start with the trial regardless of familiarity level because the trial confirms Cleo access works correctly. Bybit-eligible traders who want to test Bybit feel need to budget for a paid Bybit challenge in addition to or after the Cleo trial. The trial does not test Bybit, so Bybit familiarity is paid-only.
Decision framework summary
| Trader profile | Recommended path |
|---|---|
| First-time HyroTrader user | Trial first, then paid challenge |
| Returning customer, large account purchase | Skip trial, go directly to paid |
| Returning customer, small account purchase | Optional trial; either path works |
| Bybit-restricted trader | Trial Cleo first to confirm access |
| Wants to test Bybit feel | Skip trial, purchase Bybit challenge directly |
Trial value across the trader lifecycle
The trial's value is highest at the start of the trader-HyroTrader relationship. First-time users learn the rule mechanics on a free account rather than discovering them on a paid one. Returning users have already absorbed the rule knowledge and gain less from the trial. The 1-trial-per-person limit means the trial is a one-shot opportunity; using it deliberately on the first encounter with HyroTrader is the high-leverage choice.
For traders who plan to scale into larger account sizes over time, the trial is best used as a sizing test rather than a strategy test. Running the trial on the size that matches an eventual paid purchase produces the most useful calibration. Smaller sizes feel different from larger sizes even when percentages are identical; the trial is the place to discover this difference rather than learning it on a paid account.
How HyroTrader's trial compares to peer offerings
Most crypto prop firms do not offer a free trial. Peer firms either charge for evaluation access (the standard model) or run promotional discounts that reduce but do not eliminate the entry fee. HyroTrader's free trial is structurally rare in the segment. Among peer crypto props, only a handful offer comparable pre-purchase testing windows, and most of those are time-limited promotional offers rather than permanent product features.
The structural rarity of the trial is part of HyroTrader's go-to-market positioning. The firm absorbs the cost of trial accounts (data feed costs, platform infrastructure) in exchange for higher conversion to paid challenges from traders who have validated rule fit. The conversion math favours HyroTrader: trial users who go on to purchase a paid challenge are more likely to complete the evaluation successfully and become long-term funded traders than blind paid-only purchasers.
Trial availability across crypto prop firms
| Firm | Free trial? | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| HyroTrader | Yes | 10 days, Cleo only, no payout eligibility |
| Crypto Fund Trader | Typically no | Evaluation paid only |
| Maven Trading | Typically no | Evaluation paid only |
| Breakout | Typically no | Evaluation paid only |
| FundedSeat | Typically no | Evaluation paid only |
Frequently Asked Questions
Frequently Asked Questions
How long does the HyroTrader free trial last?
HyroTrader's free trial lasts exactly 10 days from the moment the account is activated. There is no extension option. After 10 days, the trial account is closed regardless of your profit or loss position. If you want to continue trading with HyroTrader after the trial, you will need to purchase a paid challenge starting at $89 for the 2-Step $5K account.
Can you get paid from the HyroTrader free trial?
No. HyroTrader's free trial is simulated only and does not qualify for any payouts. Even if you hit the profit target and follow every rule perfectly during the 10-day trial, you will not receive funding or earn money. The free trial exists to test the platform and rules before committing to a paid challenge.
What platform does the HyroTrader free trial use?
HyroTrader's free trial runs on the Cleo platform (cleo.finance), which uses real-time Binance data feeds. Cleo is a web-based platform with a mobile app available for iOS and Android. The Bybit platform option is not available during the free trial. You would need to purchase a paid challenge to test HyroTrader's Bybit integration.
Does the HyroTrader free trial have country restrictions?
No firm-level restrictions beyond OFAC-sanctioned regions. The free trial has no country restrictions because it runs on the Cleo platform, which is accessible worldwide. Traders from the US, UK, and other Bybit-restricted countries can sign up and trade the full 10 days without issues. Country restrictions only become relevant when choosing Bybit for a paid challenge.
How many times can you use the HyroTrader free trial?
HyroTrader allows one free trial per person. The limit is enforced through your phone number, not just your email address. If you breach the account or the 10 days expire, you cannot start a second free trial. Your next step would be purchasing a paid challenge, with prices starting at $89 for the 2-Step $5K account.
What account sizes are available on the HyroTrader free trial?
HyroTrader's free trial offers the same account sizes as their paid challenges: $5,000, $10,000, $25,000, $50,000, $100,000, and $200,000. You choose your account size during signup. The trading rules apply at the same percentages regardless of which size you pick; only the dollar values scale linearly with the account size.
Are the trading rules the same on the HyroTrader free trial?
Yes. HyroTrader applies identical rules on the free trial as on paid challenges. The mandatory stop-loss within 5 minutes, the 3% max risk per trade, the daily trailing drawdown (5% for 2-Step, 4% for 1-Step), the maximum drawdown, and the 40% profit distribution rule all apply. Two stop-loss violations still result in account closure, even on the free trial.
Do you need to complete KYC for the HyroTrader free trial?
No. HyroTrader's free trial requires only an email address, phone number, and captcha to sign up. No KYC verification, no ID upload, no payment information. KYC is only required after passing a paid challenge evaluation, as part of the funded trader onboarding process.
Can you switch from the free trial to a paid challenge?
HyroTrader's free trial does not convert into a paid challenge. When the 10-day trial ends, you start fresh by purchasing a new challenge from HyroTrader's website. Your trial performance, trade history, and P&L do not carry over. The paid challenge is a completely separate account with its own evaluation timeline and counters.
Is the HyroTrader free trial better than starting with a $5K challenge?
It depends on your experience. The free trial is better for traders unfamiliar with crypto prop firm rules because it gives you 10 risk-free days to learn the stop-loss enforcement, drawdown mechanics, and profit distribution limits. If you already understand HyroTrader's rules, the $89 2-Step $5K challenge gets you on the actual path to funded trading immediately, and the fee is refunded with your first payout.
Can I match the trial size to my eventual paid challenge size?
Yes, and you should. Choose the trial size that matches the paid challenge you plan to buy. A trader planning to buy a $25K 2-Step should run the trial on $25K, not on the $5K minimum. The percentages are identical but the dollar values are very different; sizing intuition built on $5K does not transfer cleanly to $25K.
What happens if I breach the trial account before day 10?
The account closes early. The trial cannot be restored, and the 1-trial-per-person limit prevents a second attempt. Your next option is to purchase a paid challenge. Common breach causes include two stop-loss violations within 5 minutes of entry, hitting the daily trailing drawdown, or exceeding the 3% max risk per trade.
Does the trial test the 1-Step or 2-Step product?
Trial signup lets you choose the product type. 1-Step trial mimics the 1-Step paid challenge (4% daily trailing, single evaluation). 2-Step trial mimics the 2-Step (5% daily trailing, two-phase evaluation). The 10-day window is too short to fully simulate the 2-Step's pacing, so use the trial for rule familiarity rather than full strategy validation.
Will I see the Bybit data feed during the trial?
No. The trial runs on Cleo with Binance data only. To test the Bybit data feed and execution, you need to purchase a paid challenge and select Bybit at checkout. For US, UK, Canadian, and Singapore traders this is moot because Bybit restricts those countries anyway.
Can I trade 24/7 on the free trial?
Yes. Crypto markets do not close, and the trial follows the same hours as paid Cleo challenges. The 10-day window includes weekends, so traders who do not actively trade on weekends effectively get 7-8 trading days within the 10-calendar-day trial period. Plan your trial activity accordingly.
Is the trial available globally without exception?
Yes, with the OFAC-sanctioned region exception. Residents of Cuba, Iran, North Korea, Syria, and Crimea cannot use the trial because HyroTrader's firm-level compliance applies regardless of platform. All other countries can sign up for the trial on Cleo. The trial is the most accessible entry point in the crypto prop firm space because it avoids both KYC friction and country-level Bybit restrictions.