TradeDay Reset Fees: What They Cost and How to Avoid Them

Written by Paul

Published on

January 16, 2026

I've purchased two TradeDay resets. First one cost $99 after I hit max drawdown on day 8 of my initial evaluation. Second one cost another $99 after I violated the consistency rule 23 days into my second attempt. Total spent on resets alone: $198—nearly double the initial $105 evaluation fee.

Those reset fees hurt because they represent failures. Every $99 payment is admission that I didn't pass evaluation, made avoidable mistakes, and need to start over from zero. Not just financially painful—psychologically brutal.

But resets serve a purpose. They're TradeDay's way of giving you second (and third, and fourth) chances without making you pay full evaluation price again. Reset fees are cheaper than new evaluations, process faster than starting completely fresh, and maintain your relationship with the firm even after you've failed.

This guide covers exactly what TradeDay's reset fees are, how much they cost by account size, when you actually need one versus when you can avoid them, the hidden costs beyond the reset fee itself, and strategic approaches to minimize how many resets you'll need (ideally zero) to reach funded status.

Quick heads-up: This article is based on my real experience with TradeDay and the info available when I published/updated this. Things change in prop trading — rules, payouts, promos, all of it.

For the absolute latest, check TradeDay´s website or their faq page.

What Is a Reset?

A reset is TradeDay's version of "try again" after evaluation failure.

What Happens When You Fail:

Your evaluation account terminates immediately
All progress lost (profit, qualifying days, consistency distribution)
Trading access disabled
Account marked "Failed" in dashboard

What Reset Provides:

Brand new evaluation account at same size
Fresh start with zero progress (back to day 1)
Same evaluation rules and requirements
Immediate access (activates within 15 minutes of payment)

What Reset Doesn't Provide:

Any credit for previous progress
Refund of initial evaluation fee
Changes to rules or requirements
Guarantee you'll pass second time

Think of reset as "evaluation attempt #2" at discounted price. You're buying another chance to prove you can satisfy TradeDay's objectives.

Reset Fees by Account Size (January 2026)

TradeDay charges different reset fees based on your original account size:

<div style="width:100%;overflow-x:auto;-webkit-overflow-scrolling:touch;"><table style="border-collapse:collapse;width:100%;min-width:900px;border:1px solid #e5e5e5;border-radius:8px;"><thead style="background:#f9f9f9;"><tr><th style="border:1px solid #e5e5e5;padding:10px;text-align:left;min-width:200px;">Account Size</th><th style="border:1px solid #e5e5e5;padding:10px;text-align:left;min-width:200px;">Initial Evaluation Cost</th><th style="border:1px solid #e5e5e5;padding:10px;text-align:left;min-width:200px;">Reset Fee</th><th style="border:1px solid #e5e5e5;padding:10px;text-align:left;min-width:300px;">Savings vs New Evaluation</th></tr></thead><tbody><tr><td style="border:1px solid #e5e5e5;padding:10px;">$50K Account</td><td style="border:1px solid #e5e5e5;padding:10px;">$105/month</td><td style="border:1px solid #e5e5e5;padding:10px;">$99 (one-time)</td><td style="border:1px solid #e5e5e5;padding:10px;">Saves $6 vs buying new evaluation</td></tr><tr><td style="border:1px solid #e5e5e5;padding:10px;">$100K Account</td><td style="border:1px solid #e5e5e5;padding:10px;">$155/month</td><td style="border:1px solid #e5e5e5;padding:10px;">$119 (one-time)</td><td style="border:1px solid #e5e5e5;padding:10px;">Saves $36 vs buying new evaluation</td></tr><tr><td style="border:1px solid #e5e5e5;padding:10px;">$150K Account</td><td style="border:1px solid #e5e5e5;padding:10px;">$185/month</td><td style="border:1px solid #e5e5e5;padding:10px;">$139 (one-time)</td><td style="border:1px solid #e5e5e5;padding:10px;">Saves $46 vs buying new evaluation</td></tr></tbody></table></div>

Key Points:

Reset = One-Time Fee

Not a monthly subscription renewal
Single payment gives you new evaluation account
That account then follows normal monthly billing

Savings Are Marginal on Small Accounts

$50K reset saves only $6 vs new evaluation
Barely meaningful discount
Better than nothing, but not game-changing

Larger Accounts Have Better Reset Economics

$150K reset saves $46 (25% discount vs new evaluation)
More valuable for traders using bigger account sizes

My Cost Analysis:

First reset: $99 for $50K account
Second reset: $99 for $50K account
Total reset spending: $198
If I'd purchased new evaluations instead: $210
Total saved by using resets: $12

Honestly, the savings barely matter on $50K accounts. The real benefit of resets is speed and continuity—not financial savings.

Hidden Costs Beyond the Reset Fee

The $99 reset fee isn't your only expense. Full cost of resetting includes:

1. Monthly Subscription Fees Continue

The Math:

You fail evaluation on day 8 of first month
Pay $99 reset fee
Month 1 subscription still charged (you paid for 30 days, used 8)
Reset account starts within same billing period
When renewal hits, you pay another $105 for month 2

Real Cost Example:

Month 1: $105 (initial evaluation)
Day 8: Fail evaluation
Day 8: Pay $99 reset fee
Day 30: $105 subscription renews (for reset account)
Total for 30 days: $309 ($105 initial + $99 reset + $105 renewal)

If you fail early in billing cycle and reset immediately, you're essentially paying double for that month—initial evaluation subscription PLUS reset fee.

2. Time Investment Resets to Zero

Non-Financial Cost:

All hours analyzing charts, tracking drawdown limits, counting qualifying days—gone
Emotional energy spent on evaluation—wasted
Opportunity cost of time not spent on other activities

I spent 23 days on my second evaluation before failing on consistency rule. Those 23 days represented approximately 35 hours of active trading and analysis. When I reset, that time investment evaporated. Can't be measured in dollars, but it's real cost.

3. Psychological Toll

Mental Impact:

Self-doubt about strategy (even when strategy works on personal account)
Frustration at "stupid mistakes" (news trading, scaling violations)
Pressure to "not fail again" which creates more mistakes
Reduced confidence entering positions

I took 2 weeks off trading after my second failure before purchasing second reset. Needed psychological reset as much as account reset. That break delayed my funded timeline but prevented tilt-trading on reset attempt.

4. Compounding Reset Fees If You Fail Multiple Times

Scenario: Three Failures Before Passing

Initial evaluation: $105
Month 1 renewal: $105
First reset: $99
Month 2 renewal: $105
Second reset: $99
Month 3 renewal: $105
Third attempt: Pass in month 3
Total cost: $618

That's 6x the initial evaluation fee. Every reset compounds.

When Do You Actually Need a Reset?

Resets are required only when your evaluation terminates due to rule violation. Specific triggers:

Trigger 1: Max Drawdown Breach

What Happens:

Your balance drops below drawdown threshold
Account terminates instantly (or at end of day for EOD drawdown)
Trading disabled immediately

My Experience:

First failure was max drawdown breach
Long ES from 4:58 PM (didn't realize NFP was 5:00 PM)
News spike dropped ES 18 points in 90 seconds
Position went from -$180 to -$2,600
Hit max drawdown threshold exactly at 5:00 PM close
Account terminated immediately

Had to purchase $99 reset to try again.

Trigger 2: Consistency Rule Violation

What Happens:

Single day accounts for more than 30% of total profit
Consistency rule violated
Account terminates after end-of-day review

My Experience:

Second failure was consistency violation
Had $1,680 profit distributed across 21 days (perfect consistency)
Day 22: Took NQ runner for $840 profit
That day became 38% of new total ($2,520)
Violated 30% rule
Account terminated overnight

Had to purchase another $99 reset.

Trigger 3: News Trading Auto-Liquidation

What Happens:

You have positions open within 2 minutes of Tier 1 news events
TradeDay auto-liquidates positions
Account terminates for rule violation

Common Examples:

Holding ES through NFP release (8:30 AM ET first Friday of month)
Open positions during FOMC announcements (2:00 PM ET, 8 times/year)
Trading during CPI release (8:30 AM ET monthly)

Even if you didn't realize news was scheduled, violation stands. Reset required.

Trigger 4: Position Limit Violations

What Happens:

You exceed maximum contracts allowed
System detects violation during trading or end-of-day review
Account terminates

Example:

$50K account limit: 10 micros per instrument
You scale into 12 MES contracts accidentally
Violation occurred (even if brief)
Reset required

Trigger 5: Prohibited Practices

What Happens:

You use banned strategies
Compliance review detects violation
Account terminates

Examples:

Copy trading across multiple accounts
Hedging positions between two TradeDay accounts
Using VPN from banned country

These are less common but require resets if caught.

When You DON'T Need a Reset

Some scenarios don't require reset fees:

Scenario 1: You Cancel Before Failing

If you voluntarily cancel your subscription while evaluation is still active:

Account closes at end of billing period
No reset needed (you chose to quit)
Can purchase new evaluation later at full price

No point canceling just before failing—better to fail and get reset option.

Scenario 2: You Pass Evaluation

Obviously. Passing means you transition to funded status. No reset needed.

Scenario 3: Evaluation Is Still Active

If you haven't violated any rules yet, your evaluation continues normally. You don't "reset" active accounts—resets are only for terminated accounts.

Reset Process: How to Purchase and Activate

When you're ready to reset after failure:

Step 1: Log Into Dashboard

Navigate to members.tradeday.com
View your terminated evaluation account

Step 2: Review Failure Reason

Dashboard shows why account terminated
Review violation details
Understand what went wrong (crucial for avoiding repeat)

Step 3: Click "Purchase Reset"

Button appears on terminated account page
Takes you to payment screen

Step 4: Apply Discount Code (If Available)

Some discount codes work on resets
Example: "COMEBACK15" gives 15% off reset fees
Enter code before submitting payment

Step 5: Complete Payment

Enter payment method
Confirm reset fee amount
Submit payment

Step 6: Wait for Activation

Reset accounts activate within 15 minutes typically
You'll receive email confirmation
New account credentials sent to dashboard

Step 7: Start Trading

Fresh evaluation with zero progress
All counters reset (profit, days, consistency)
Same rules as first attempt

I've gone through this process twice. Both times, activation took under 20 minutes from payment to receiving new account credentials.

Reset Strategy: What to Change on Second Attempt

Don't reset immediately after failure. Use the downtime strategically:

1. Analyze Exactly Why You Failed

For Drawdown Violations:

Was position sizing too large?
Did you ignore drawdown calculator?
Were stops too far from entry?

For Consistency Violations:

Did you let one winner run too far?
Were you tracking daily percentages?
Do you need stricter profit-taking rules?

For News Violations:

Did you forget to check economic calendar?
Do you need phone alerts for major releases?

For Position Limit Violations:

Were you tracking contract counts while scaling?
Do you need max position alerts?

I spent 4 days reviewing all trades from my second failure. Identified that I wasn't checking consistency percentages daily—I'd calculate weekly. That gap caused me to miss that one winning day had pushed me to 32% of total profit. Fixed that on reset by building daily tracking spreadsheet.

2. Make Specific, Measurable Changes

Bad Plan:

"Trade better"
"Be more careful"
"Don't make mistakes"

Good Plan:

"Reduce position size from 2 ES to 1 ES"
"Check consistency percentage before closing positions each day"
"Set calendar alerts 5 minutes before all Tier 1 news"
"Exit all positions by 4:10 PM ET to avoid forced liquidation"

Vague goals don't prevent repeating failures. Concrete rule changes do.

3. Lower Risk Per Trade

Whatever position size you used during failed evaluation—cut it in half for reset:

Example:

First attempt: Traded 3 MES contracts per position
Second attempt: Trade 1 MES contract per position
Result: Takes longer to hit profit target, but drawdown violations become nearly impossible

I went from 3 MES to 1 MES on my third attempt. Evaluation took 27 days instead of 19 days, but I never came within $800 of my drawdown limit. Worth the slower pace.

4. Extend Timeline Expectations

First Attempt Mindset:

"I want to pass in 10 days"
Rush to hit profit target
Take aggressive setups

Reset Attempt Mindset:

"I want to pass within 30 days"
Focus on capital preservation first, profit second
Only trade A+ setups

My third attempt took 27 days. Slow and boring. But it worked.

How Many Resets Can You Purchase?

TradeDay's Policy:

Unlimited resets allowed
No maximum number of attempts
Can keep resetting indefinitely (as long as you pay)

But Should You?

If you're on your 4th or 5th reset, seriously consider whether TradeDay's evaluation structure fits your trading style. Maybe your approach works on personal account but doesn't align with prop firm rules. Maybe different firm's requirements would suit you better.

I set personal limit: 3 attempts maximum. If I couldn't pass in 3 tries, I'd stop and evaluate whether prop trading was right for me. Passed on attempt 3, so didn't need to make that decision.

Avoiding Resets Entirely: Prevention Strategies

Best way to minimize reset costs is never failing in the first place:

Strategy 1: Paper Trade TradeDay's Rules First

Before Paying $105:

Use your own brokerage's demo account
Simulate TradeDay's objectives manually
Track would-be drawdown, consistency, qualifying days
Identify if your strategy fits their structure

This "costs" time but saves reset fees if you discover incompatibility early.

Strategy 2: Start Conservative, Scale Up Later

Evaluation Approach:

First 5 days: Trade 1 micro contract only (minimal risk)
Learn how rules feel in practice
Once comfortable, scale to normal size

Better to pass slowly than fail fast and pay $99 reset.

Strategy 3: Use Monitoring Tools

Track Everything Daily:

Drawdown calculator showing buffer remaining
Consistency calculator showing daily percentages
Qualifying days counter
News calendar with alerts

I built spreadsheet tracking all these metrics. Updated it every evening after trading. This prevented violations from "sneaking up" on me.

Strategy 4: Review Every Trade Same Day

Post-Session Analysis:

Did today's trades bring me closer to any rule violations?
Am I within $1,000 of max drawdown?
Did any single day approach 25% of total profit?
Did I trade 5+ minutes to ensure day counted?

This daily check prevents accumulating small mistakes that compound into failures.

FAQ

Can I get a refund on my reset fee if I fail again immediately?

No. Reset fees are non-refundable regardless of how quickly you fail the second time. Even if you violate drawdown on day 1 of reset account, the $99 is gone. You'd need to purchase another reset to try third time.

Do reset fees ever go on sale or have discount codes?

Occasionally. Some seasonal promotions (Black Friday especially) include reset fee discounts. Codes like "COMEBACK15" give 15% off reset fees specifically. Check discount codes page before purchasing reset—might save $15-$20.

If I want to switch to a different account size, can I use reset fee as credit?

No. Resets must be for same account size as your failed evaluation. If you want to try different size ($100K instead of $50K), you need to purchase completely new evaluation at full price. Reset fee only works for identical account type.

What if I failed two evaluations—do I need two separate resets?

Yes. Each failed evaluation requires its own reset. If you have two terminated $50K accounts, you need $99 × 2 = $198 to reset both. No bulk discount for multiple resets.

Can I purchase a reset months after my evaluation failed?

Yes. Failed evaluations remain in your dashboard indefinitely. You can reset them whenever you're ready—1 week, 1 month, 6 months later. Reset option doesn't expire. However, you're paying monthly subscription fees for inactive accounts if you don't cancel, so don't wait too long.

Do I need to keep my monthly subscription active to purchase a reset?

No. If you cancel subscription after failing, you can still purchase reset later. You'd pay $99 reset fee which reactivates your subscription. Your new reset account then follows normal monthly billing cycle.

How long does reset activation take after payment?

Usually 10-20 minutes. TradeDay processes payment, generates new account credentials, and emails confirmation. I've never waited more than 30 minutes from payment to trading access. If it takes longer than 1 hour, contact support.

Can I request TradeDay review my failure and potentially waive the reset fee?

Only if you believe the failure was caused by technical issue on TradeDay's side (platform crash, data feed error). If you failed due to your own rule violation, no appeal process exists. You either reset at $99 or walk away.

If I'm funded and then lose my funded account, do I need a reset or new evaluation?

New evaluation. Resets only apply to failed evaluations, not terminated funded accounts. If you violate rules after getting funded, you must purchase completely new evaluation at full price ($105+). No reset option for funded accounts.

Are reset fees the same for static drawdown vs trailing drawdown accounts?

Yes. Reset fees are based on account size only, not drawdown type. $50K trailing drawdown reset = $99. $50K static drawdown reset = $99. Same fee structure across all drawdown types.

Final Thoughts: Resets Are Safety Net, Not Strategy

I've spent $198 on reset fees across my TradeDay journey. That's nearly 2x my initial evaluation cost. Every reset represents a failure—but also a second chance.

Here's the reality: Most traders fail their first evaluation. Some fail twice. The difference between traders who eventually get funded and traders who quit is willingness to reset, learn from mistakes, and try again with better approach.

But don't plan on needing resets. Plan on passing first attempt. Use conservative position sizing. Track rules daily. Check news calendar religiously. Exit positions before forced liquidation.

If you do fail and need reset, take time to analyze what went wrong. Don't immediately pay $99 and repeat same mistakes. Use reset strategically, not impulsively.