Our Methodology

Every rule in Vigil's database is sourced directly from primary, official materials. We never rely on third-party aggregators, user-submitted data, or forum posts as primary sources.

Our primary sources include:

• Official firm websites -- trading objectives pages, challenge description pages, and account specification tables published by each firm.
• Terms of service -- the legally binding documents that define the actual rules traders are held to, which sometimes differ from marketing pages.
• FAQ pages -- firms frequently clarify edge cases and rule nuances in their FAQ sections, which we cross-reference against other sources.

Each firm's rules page on Vigil links directly to the official source so you can independently verify any data point.

Collecting data is only the first step. Every rule goes through a multi-step verification process before it enters our database:

1. Primary source extraction -- A member of the research team reads the official firm page and extracts every rule parameter: daily loss limits, max drawdown type and amount, consistency requirements, news restrictions, lot size limits, and all other constraints.
2. Cross-referencing -- Each data point is verified against at least two official sources where available. For example, the daily loss limit on the trading objectives page is checked against the FAQ and terms of service. When discrepancies exist, the terms of service is treated as the authoritative source and the conflict is noted.
3. Peer review -- A second team member independently reviews the extracted data against the same sources. Disagreements are resolved by re-reading the official documents together.
4. Database entry with timestamp -- Once verified, the rules are entered into the database with a "last verified" date. This date is displayed on every firm page so traders know exactly when the data was last confirmed.

Prop firm rules change more often than most traders realize. A firm might adjust drawdown calculations, add consistency rules, or change lot size limits with little notice. Our update process accounts for this:

• Monthly review cycle-- Every firm in our database is re-verified against official sources on a 30-day cycle. If rules have not changed, we update the "last verified" timestamp to confirm we checked.
• Immediate updates for rule changes -- When a firm announces a rule change through official channels (website update, email blast, or social media), we prioritize re-verification and update the database within 48 hours.
• User-triggered re-verification -- When a user flags a potential discrepancy, we re-verify against the official source within 48 hours regardless of the monthly cycle.

Accuracy is non-negotiable when traders' funded accounts depend on correct rule data. We hold ourselves to these standards:

• Every rule is verified against the official source -- never scraped from forums or third-party sites.
• Each data point is cross-referenced against at least two official pages where available.
• Every firm page carries a dated "last verified" timestamp so traders can assess data freshness.
• Historical rule changes are tracked so traders can see what changed and when.
• Conflict resolution follows a clear hierarchy: terms of service override marketing pages, which override FAQ pages.

We rely on our community to help us maintain accuracy. If you find a rule that does not match the official firm website, you can report it in two ways:

• Email -- Send the discrepancy to [email protected] with the firm name, the rule in question, and a link to the official source showing the correct data.
• Flag button -- Every firm rules page has a flag button that lets you report a discrepancy directly from the page you are viewing.

All reported discrepancies are re-verified within 48 hours. See our Corrections Policy for details on how we process corrections.

Transparency about our limitations is as important as accuracy itself:

• Rules change frequently -- Prop firms can change their rules at any time, sometimes without public announcement. While we aim to catch changes within our monthly cycle, there may be a delay between a rule change and our database update.
• Always verify with the firm -- Vigil is a compliance-checking tool, not a substitute for reading the official rules. Before trading, always verify current rules on the firm's official website. The "last verified" date on each page tells you when we last confirmed the data.
• Not legal or financial advice -- Vigil provides informational data about prop firm rules. We are not affiliated with any prop firm and our data does not constitute legal or financial advice.
• Coverage gaps -- We cover 20+ major firms, but we may not cover every firm or every account type. If you need data for a firm we do not cover, contact us.