This is not a challenge-based prop firm. Maverick charges a $7,000 one-time lifetime membership, a $5,000 risk capital deposit, and $199 per month for the stock and options division. That is roughly $12,000 before you trade, against under $100 at a typical modern prop firm. There is no cheap evaluation to test the waters. Treat this as buying into a training and mentorship program with capital access attached, not as a challenge you can attempt on a small budget.
Rating Breakdown
Pros
- Operating since 1997, by far the longest track record of any firm in this category
- Real capital progression to $800,000 at Elite Trader level
- Structured training, simulator work, strategy courses, and ongoing risk-manager oversight
- Trades both options and stocks, plus a separate FX division
- 4.0 out of 5 on Trustpilot from around 96 reviews, with education and mentorship singled out for praise
- Monthly payouts on generated profit rather than a capped payout ladder
- Suited to swing and position trading rather than forcing intraday scalping
Cons
- Roughly $12,000 to begin: $7,000 membership plus $5,000 risk capital plus $199 a month
- The $199 monthly desk fee continues regardless of whether you are profitable
- No low-cost way to evaluate the firm before committing serious money
- Fee structure is not published on Maverick’s own site; you have to go through an application to learn it
- Multiple reviewers describe high-pressure sales tactics during recruitment
- Specific drawdown limits, risk parameters, and platform are not publicly disclosed
- Advertised split range is inconsistent: the site says 65-90% while third-party breakdowns report 70-80%
- Requires an interview and qualification program, so access is not guaranteed after paying
Cost Structure and Level Progression
The FX division is a separate, cheaper track ($4,000 membership plus a $2,000 refundable deposit). The stock and options division is the one relevant to options traders and carries the higher $7,000 membership plus a $5,000 risk capital requirement.
How Getting Funded Works
| Model | Traditional prop firm: apply, interview, qualify, trade firm capital |
| Evaluation | No paid challenge. Qualification program with simulators, tests, and strategy courses |
| Process | Apply, complete the program, prove trading success, then trade firm capital |
| Oversight | Ongoing risk manager supervision rather than automated rule enforcement |
| Progression | Six levels across three tiers: Associate (1-2), Master (3-4), Elite (5-6) |
| Trading style | Swing and position trading focused; manual, rule-based methodology |
| Drawdown rules | Not publicly disclosed |
| Platform | Not publicly disclosed |
Markets and Payouts
| Markets | Options and stocks (primary division), plus a separate FX division |
| Options underlyings | Site material shows SPY, QQQ, and AAPL options chains |
| Profit split | 70% to 80% by level per third-party breakdowns; Maverick’s site advertises 65-90% |
| Payout frequency | Monthly |
| Expert Advisors | Not publicly confirmed; the firm emphasises manual, rule-based trading |
| Credibility signals | Featured in CNBC, Forbes, and Seeking Alpha |
Our Verdict
Maverick Trading is the oldest firm in our options prop firm category by a wide margin. Founded in 1997, it predates the entire modern challenge-based prop industry, and it operates on a completely different model. There is no cheap evaluation. You apply, interview, pay to enter a qualification program, and if you clear it you trade firm capital under a risk manager, progressing through six levels toward a maximum of $800,000.
The cost is the headline issue and we are not going to soften it. The stock and options division requires a $7,000 one-time membership, a $5,000 risk capital deposit, and $199 every month. That is around $12,000 to get started, at a time when a $10,000 options account at a firm like Vanquish costs $99 a month. The monthly desk fee also keeps running whether or not you make money.
What you are actually buying is structured education and mentorship with capital access attached. Reviewers who rate Maverick well consistently point to the quality of the training and the risk-management oversight, not to the funding terms. If you value being taught a methodology and supervised by an experienced risk manager, that has genuine worth. If you already have a proven edge and simply want capital, you are paying a very large premium for infrastructure you do not need.
Two things temper the picture. First, several reviewers describe high-pressure sales tactics during recruitment, which is worth going in braced for. Second, the transparency is weaker than the firm’s age would suggest: the fee structure is not published on Maverick’s own website, and the specific drawdown limits, risk parameters, and trading platform are not publicly documented anywhere we could verify. For a firm asking $12,000 upfront, that is a real gap.
Maverick suits a specific person: someone with capital to commit, who wants formal training and long-term mentorship in swing or position trading, and who is comfortable with an interview-based process. For everyone else, particularly traders testing whether prop trading suits them at all, the entry cost makes this the wrong first stop. Our score reflects the cost and transparency, not the firm’s legitimacy, which its near-30-year run and 4.0 Trustpilot rating support.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much does Maverick Trading actually cost?
For the stock and options division: a $7,000 one-time lifetime membership fee, a $5,000 risk capital deposit, and a $199 monthly desk fee. That is roughly $12,000 to begin. The separate FX division is cheaper at $4,000 membership plus a $2,000 refundable deposit, still with the $199 monthly fee. Maverick does not publish these figures on its own website.
Is Maverick Trading a challenge-based prop firm?
No. There is no paid evaluation or challenge to attempt. You apply, go through an interview, complete a qualification program involving simulators, tests, and strategy courses, and then trade firm capital under ongoing risk-manager supervision. It works like a traditional proprietary trading desk rather than a modern challenge firm.
Is Maverick Trading legitimate?
Yes. Maverick has been operating since 1997, is based in Salt Lake City, holds roughly a 4.0 out of 5 Trustpilot rating from about 96 reviews, and has been covered by CNBC, Forbes, and Seeking Alpha. Legitimacy is not the concern here. The concerns are the very high entry cost, the undisclosed rule specifics, and repeated reports of high-pressure sales during recruitment.
What is Maverick Trading’s profit split?
Sources disagree. Third-party breakdowns report 70% to 80% depending on your level and consistency, while Maverick’s own site advertises 65% to 90% with a 90% maximum. Confirm the exact split for your level directly with the firm before committing, since the difference is material.
How much capital can I trade at Maverick?
Capital scales through six levels. Associate Trader (Levels 1-2) starts at $25,000 to $40,000, Master Trader (Levels 3-4) runs $100,000 to $400,000, and Elite Trader (Levels 5-6) reaches up to $800,000.
Considering Maverick Trading?
Operating since 1997. Understand the ~$12,000 entry cost and request the full fee schedule before applying.
Visit Maverick Trading →