This is the question that decides whether pay-after-pass is genuinely low-risk or just marketed that way. The answer at FundedAxe is simple, and it is worth understanding the mechanics behind it.
What you are charged
Nothing beyond the $9.99 you already paid. The activation fee is only ever charged at the moment an evaluation is passed. A breached account never triggers it — there is no invoice, no balance owed and no obligation to buy a replacement.
What counts as a fail
Two things breach an evaluation, and neither is "running out of time" — there is no time limit.
| Breach | Pay After Pass (1-Step) |
|---|---|
| Daily loss, measured end of day | 5% of starting balance |
| Max loss from starting balance (static) | 8% |
During the challenge both are measured against your starting balance, not your peak equity. That is the difference between a static drawdown and a trailing one, and it is why a good run cannot raise your floor while you are being evaluated — the funded account switches to a 5% trailing limit. There is more on that in static vs trailing drawdown.
What happens to the account
- Trading is disabled on the breached account and open positions are closed.
- You get a breach notification explaining which rule was hit and the figure that triggered it.
- The evaluation ends. No further charge is made.
What to do next
Read the breach reason before you rebuy
Daily-loss breaches and max-loss breaches point at completely different problems. Daily loss is usually one bad session and no personal stop; max loss is usually persistent oversizing.
Drop a size, not your standards
If a $100,000 breach came from sizing, a $50,000 account at the same risk percentage is not the fix — the fix is halving risk per trade.
Start again for $9.99 when the process has changed
The whole point of a $9.99 entry is that a second attempt is cheap. It is only worth taking once something about your process is different.
Try again for $9.99
New evaluation, same terms. No time limit, no minimum trading days in the challenge.
Frequently asked questions
Do I owe the activation fee if I fail?
No. The activation fee is charged only when an evaluation is passed. A failed Pay After Pass account costs you the $9.99 entry payment and nothing more.
Can I reset a failed FundedAxe evaluation?
On Pay After Pass, yes — a reset is available 72 hours after a breach at 40% of the fee. Because the entry payment is only $9.99, starting a fresh evaluation is often cheaper still.
Does a failed challenge affect future purchases?
No. There is no limit on how many evaluations you can attempt and a previous breach does not change your pricing or rules.
FundedAxe evaluations and funded accounts are simulated. Traders do not trade real client capital; rewards are paid on simulated performance under the terms of the FundedAxe trader agreement.