A 1-step challenge is an evaluation with one phase. You must hit a single profit target while staying inside the daily loss limit, the maximum loss limit, and the minimum trading days. There is no second phase. Pass the one phase and the account is funded.
One-step targets are higher than two-step targets, because the whole test happens at once. Blue Guardian's 1-Step Standard plan, for example, sets a 9% target, a 4% daily limit, and a 6% trailing maximum loss, plus three qualifying days for accounts bought since 20 August 2026. The exact numbers vary by firm, but the shape is the same: one target, one set of limits, one pass.
This format suits traders who want a fast decision. It also punishes slow starts more than a two-step challenge does, because there is no second phase to recover in. A trader who misses the target has failed the whole challenge, not just one phase of it.
The common trap is treating the higher target as a reason to trade bigger from day one. The loss limits are unchanged by the target, so larger positions bring the breach closer without bringing the pass closer by the same amount. Size for the limits first, and let the target take care of itself. Prop trading can cost you every fee you pay.