Updated September 28, 2026

What is Evaluation steps?

In short

The number of stages you must clear in a trading evaluation, and the longer the run the more rules you have to hold on to.

Evaluation steps are the stages you work through in a trading challenge before you qualify for a funded account. Each step carries its own targets and rules, and a failure at any stage means starting again.

Blue Guardian is the quickest route, offering instant access with no stage to work through. Alpha Capital Group uses 1 step, while Apex Trader Funding and City Traders Imperium both use 2 step, and Bulenox asks for 3 step. More steps usually means more rules to keep, so read each stage before you begin.

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