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What Are the Differences Between Upcomers Programs?

11 programs. One philosophy: give traders better conditions than anyone else on the market. Here's every rule, every number, every difference, side by side.

Upcomers offers 11 programs. Five are step-based Challenges that lead to a Funded account, three are Instant Funding programs, and three are time-limited instant funding formats. Unless stated otherwise, all rules and parameters described here refer to the Classic versions of each program. Turbo and Legacy variants operate under different conditions - see their respective program pages for full details.

This article compares all of them. No marketing. Just facts.

All numbers in this article are for CFD accounts. Horizon and Odyssey follow exactly the same rules on Perpetuals. Futures programs on Upcomers X have their own rules – see Upcomers Futures programs overview.


Step-Based Challenges (Challenge Phase)

These programs require passing one or more evaluation stages before reaching a Funded account.

Program

Profit Target

Daily DD

Max Overall Loss

Min Days

Funded up to

Ash (Half step)

2%

3%

6% Dynamic

None

$1M

Thunderbolt (1 step)

5%

3%

6% Dynamic

None

$1.5M

Phoenix (2 step)

4% → 4%

4%

6% Static

None

$1.5M

Horizon (1 step, CFD & Perps)

9%

3%

6% Dynamic

2 days

$1.5M (CFD)

Odyssey (2 step, CFD & Perps)

6% → 6%

4%

6% Dynamic

2 days per phase

$1.5M (CFD)

All programs: Unlimited time limit. 1:100 leverage. News trading and weekend holding allowed.


What Changes in the Funded Phase?

You passed. Now you're trading with real capital. The rules tighten accordingly.

Funded rules for each challenge program:

Parameter

Ash

Thunderbolt

Phoenix

Horizon (CFD & Perps)

Odyssey (CFD & Perps)

Daily Drawdown

3%

3%

4%

3%

4%

Max Overall Loss

6% Dynamic

6% Dynamic

6% Static

6% Dynamic

6% Dynamic

Max Single Trade Loss

3%

3%

3%

1.5%

2%

Best Day Rule (consistency)

20% (soft)

20% (soft)

20% (soft)

None

None

Min. profit before each payout

1%

1%

1%

3%

3%

Min Trading Days

None

None

None

3–5 (by account size)

3–4 (by account size)

Payouts

On demand

On demand

On demand

Every 14 days

Every 14 days

Profit Split

up to 100%

up to 100%

up to 100%

80%

80%

Payout processing: within 24 hours of receiving your payout details.

Phoenix is the only program that uses a Static Maximum Loss. Ash, Thunderbolt, Horizon and Odyssey use the Dynamic Risk Shield™ across both Challenge and Funded phases. On CFD and perpetuals, Horizon and Odyssey have no consistency rule.


Instant Funding Programs

No challenge. No evaluation. No waiting. Vanguard, Oracle, and Ember let you trade from the moment you sign up.

Parameter

Vanguard

Oracle

Ember

Profit Target

None

None

None

Daily Drawdown

4%

4%

None

Dynamic Risk Shield™

7% Trailing

5% Trailing

4% Trailing

Max Single Trade Loss

2%

2%

1.5%

Payout Eligibility

5 days (0.5%+ each); 6 on accounts purchased before October 26, 2026

5 days (0.5%+ each)

5 days (0.5%+ each)

Best Day Rule

20% (soft)

20%

20% (soft)

Time Limit

Unlimited

Unlimited

Unlimited

Profit Split

up to 100%

up to 100%

up to 100%

Leverage

1:100

1:100

1:100

Funded up to

$1,500,000

$1,500,000

$1,500,000


Time-Limited Instant Funding: SUPERNOVA, HYPERNOVA & ULTRANOVA

One window. One shot. Fixed payout caps based on account size.

No evaluation, no phases, no progression. You either hit the target and meet the rules, or you don't. The clock starts when you open your first trade.

Parameter

SUPERNOVA

HYPERNOVA

ULTRANOVA

Trading Window

24 hours

4 hours

1 hour

Profit Target

3%

2%

2%

Daily Drawdown

2%

2%

Not applicable

Nonstop Dynamic Risk Shield™

3% Trailing

3% Trailing

2% Trailing

Max Single Trade Loss

1%

1%

0.5%

Best Trade Rule

15%

15%

20%

Minimum Trades

7

7

5

Payout Cap

Up to $3,000, based on account size

Up to $3,000, based on account size

Up to $3,000, based on account size

Profit Split

up to 100%

up to 100%

up to 100%

Leverage

1:100

1:100

1:100

Funded up to

$200,000

$200,000

$200,000

All three programs use the Nonstop Dynamic Risk Shield™. This version is different from the standard one. It never locks at your initial balance. It never freezes. It always follows your equity upward. Large equity swings are riskier here than in any other program.


Individual Program Highlights

Ash. Half-Step Challenge

The gentlest way in. 2% profit target. That's it. The lowest target of any Upcomers program. No minimum trading days. $5K to $1M accounts. If you've never traded with a prop firm before, start here. Prove you can hit 2%, and the door opens.

News Trading: Allowed. Weekend Holding: Allowed. Funded up to: $1,000,000.


Thunderbolt. 1-Phase Challenge

One phase, one target, the fastest path to funded trading we offer. 5% profit target, 6% Dynamic Risk Shield, 1:100 leverage. No minimum trading days. For traders who trade with conviction.

News Trading: Allowed. Weekend Holding: Allowed. Funded up to: $1,500,000.


Phoenix. 2-Phase Challenge

6% Static drawdown in Challenge. The only program that stays Static when you're funded. Your stop-out is fixed. It never chases your equity. It never moves against you. No minimum trading days. If you want a line in the sand that never shifts, Phoenix is it.

News Trading: Allowed. Weekend Holding: Allowed. Funded up to: $1,500,000.


Horizon (CFD & Perpetuals). 1-Phase Challenge, no consistency rule

One phase, 9% profit target, and no consistency rule – not in the challenge, not on the funded account. 3% daily drawdown, 6% Dynamic Risk Shield, 1.5% max single trade loss, at least 2 trading days to pass. Once funded: 3% minimum profit before each payout, payouts every 14 days, fixed 80% profit split. For traders who don't want any rule about how their profit is spread across days. Horizon on Futures has different rules – see Horizon Futures rules.

Funded up to: $1,500,000 on CFD. Full Horizon rules


Odyssey (CFD & Perpetuals). 2-Phase Challenge, no consistency rule

Two phases, 6% + 6%, and no consistency rule anywhere. 4% daily drawdown, 6% Dynamic Risk Shield, 2% max single trade loss, at least 2 trading days in each phase. Once funded: 3% minimum profit before each payout, payouts every 14 days, fixed 80% profit split.

Funded up to: $1,500,000 on CFD. Full Odyssey rules


Vanguard. Instant Funding

No challenge. No evaluation. No profit target. No waiting. You sign up, you trade, you keep up to 100%. From day one. 7% Dynamic Risk Shield, 2% max single trade loss, $1.5M maximum account size. For experienced traders who don't need an evaluation to prove they can trade.

News Trading: Allowed. Weekend Holding: Allowed. Funded up to: $1,500,000.


Oracle. Instant Funding

The most accessible program we offer. Lowest price in the entire Upcomers lineup. No challenge, no evaluation, no profit target. The tradeoff: tighter limits. 2% max single trade loss. 20% best day rule. 5% Dynamic Risk Shield. Built for traders who are disciplined by nature, not by requirement.

News Trading: Allowed. Weekend Holding: Allowed. Funded up to: $1,500,000.

Ember. Instant Funding

No challenge. No evaluation. No profit target. No daily drawdown. Ember uses a 4% Dynamic Risk Shield, a 1.5% max single trade loss, five valid trading days, and a 20% Best Day Rule. Built for traders who want full intraday flexibility.

News Trading: Allowed. Weekend Holding: Allowed. Funded up to: $1,500,000.


SUPERNOVA. 24-Hour Instant Funding

One session. 24 hours. 3% target. Fixed payout caps based on account size. The clock starts when you open your first trade. Hit the target, meet the rules, and walk away with up to 100% of your eligible net profit within the payout cap. That simple.

Uses the Nonstop Dynamic Risk Shield™ (never locks, always trails). News Trading: Allowed. Weekend Holding: Allowed. Funded up to: $200,000.


HYPERNOVA. 4-Hour Instant Funding

Four hours. One account. One shot. HYPERNOVA exists for traders who don't need a full day to read the market. Same rules as SUPERNOVA, including fixed payout caps based on account size, compressed into a 4-hour window with a 2% profit target. If you can find the setup and execute with precision, four hours is more than enough.

Uses the Nonstop Dynamic Risk Shield™ (never locks, always trails). News Trading: Allowed. Weekend Holding: Allowed. Funded up to: $200,000.


Ultranova. 1-Hour Instant Funding

One hour. One account. One shot. Ultranova is the most compressed instant funding program at Upcomers, built for high-conviction traders who can identify a setup, execute with discipline, and manage risk in a single hour.

Same core structure as Supernova and Hypernova, including fixed payout caps based on account size, compressed to 60 minutes with a 2% profit target. Uses the Nonstop Dynamic Risk Shield™ (never locks, always trails).

News Trading: Allowed. Weekend Holding: Allowed. Funded up to: $200,000.

Profit split note: The standard Upcomers profit split is 90%. Depending on the option selected at checkout, it can be adjusted to 80% or 100%. Changing the profit split also changes the Challenge price. The selected profit split remains linked to that account. Accounts purchased under previous conditions retain the profit split assigned at the time of purchase.

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