Futures Prop Firm Comparison: 13 Firms, Rule by Rule (2026)
26 min read
Prop firm rules decide how you trade, when you get paid, and how fast you lose an account. This comparison puts the rules of 13 futures prop firms side by side, category by category, so you can see which constraints fit how you actually trade.
Every firm gets the same treatment: drawdown, daily loss limit, consistency, profit split, payouts, news trading, platforms, and the path to live. The numbers come from our firm-specific articles, each one checked against the firm's own program documentation.
The thirteen firms covered: Apex Trader Funding, Alpha Futures, Bulenox, E8 Futures, Earn2Trade, FTMO Futures, FundedNext Futures, Lucid Trading, My Funded Futures (MFF), Take Profit Trader, Top One Futures, Topstep, and Tradeify.
Prop firm rules change often. Every table below reflects the rules as published in September 2026, and each firm article linked above carries its own verification date.
Drawdown Rules Compared
Drawdown type is the single most important rule to understand before buying an account. It determines when your maximum loss limit moves, and that determines how much breathing room you actually have.
There are two main types:
EOD trailing drawdown updates once per day at session close. Your max loss limit only moves when your end-of-day balance makes a new high. This gives you room to hold through intraday swings without the floor chasing your position in real time.
Intraday (real-time) trailing drawdown updates tick by tick. Every new high watermark during the session immediately raises your floor. A trade that goes 20 ticks in your favor then reverses has already cost you 20 ticks of drawdown room, even if you close flat.
One thing the labels hide: most firms that use EOD trailing still check the breach in real time. The floor only moves at the close, but if an open trade drops your equity onto that floor mid-session, the account is gone. Topstep, Alpha Futures, FundedNext, Earn2Trade, FTMO Futures, and E8 all state this explicitly. EOD trailing protects you from the floor rising against you intraday. It does not protect you from hitting the floor intraday.
Firm | Eval | Sim funded | Lock behavior |
|---|---|---|---|
Apex | EOD or intraday, chosen at purchase | Same as eval | Intraday locks at starting balance + $100. EOD lock not stated |
Alpha Futures | EOD trailing (all plans) | EOD trailing | Locks at starting balance |
Bulenox | Option 1 real-time, Option 2 EOD | Same as eval | Locks at starting balance + $100 |
E8 Futures | EOD trailing (both plans) | EOD trailing | Locks at initial balance (Zero: on first payout or when profit equals drawdown) |
Earn2Trade | EOD trailing | EOD trailing (LiveSim); real-time on Live | Locks at starting balance |
FTMO Futures | EOD trailing (both plans) | EOD trailing | Locks at starting balance |
FundedNext Futures | EOD trailing (all plans) | EOD trailing | Locks at initial balance. Bolt trails to $50,100 |
Lucid | EOD trailing (LucidDaily: EOD or intraday, chosen at checkout) | EOD trailing (LucidDaily: always intraday) | Locks at starting balance + $100 |
MFF | EOD trailing (all plans) | EOD trailing (Rapid: intraday) | Floor locks at starting balance + $100 |
Take Profit Trader | EOD trailing (Test) | Intraday trailing (PRO); EOD on PRO+ live | Locks at starting balance |
Top One Futures | EOD trailing (all plans) | EOD trailing | Locks at starting balance + $100, or on first payout |
Topstep | Trails highest EOD balance, breach checked in real time | Same | Locks at starting balance (Combine); at $0 after first payout (XFA) |
Tradeify | EOD trailing (all plans), no lock in eval | EOD trailing | Locks at starting balance + $100 |
What to pay attention to: Four firms change drawdown type between phases. Earn2Trade goes from EOD to real-time at the live stage. Take Profit Trader goes EOD on the Test, intraday on PRO, then back to EOD on PRO+. MFF Rapid is EOD in the eval and intraday once funded. LucidDaily lets you pick the eval type, but the funded account is always intraday. Read the funded phase rules, not just the eval rules.
Three firms let you choose the drawdown type yourself: Apex and Bulenox at purchase, LucidDaily at checkout (eval only).
Drawdown amounts on a 50K account
Most plans sit at $2,000 on a 50K account. The outliers matter more than the cluster: FundedNext Flex and E8 Zero give you $1,500, Alpha Advanced $1,750, Bulenox $2,500, and FTMO Pro $3,000.
Firm | Plan | Eval | Sim funded |
|---|---|---|---|
Apex | EOD, Intraday | $2,000 | $2,000 (carries over from eval) |
Alpha Futures | Zero, Premium | $2,000 | $2,000 |
Alpha Futures | Advanced | $1,750 | $1,750 |
Bulenox | Option 1, Option 2 | $2,500 | $2,500 |
E8 Futures | Zero | $1,500 | $1,500 |
E8 Futures | Signature | $2,000 | $2,000 |
Earn2Trade | TCP50, GAU50 | $2,000 | $2,000 |
FTMO Futures | Pro | $3,000 | $3,000 |
FTMO Futures | Growth | $2,000 | $2,000 |
FundedNext | Flex | $1,500 | $1,500 |
FundedNext | Bolt, Rapid, Legacy | $2,000 | $2,000 |
Lucid | LucidPro, LucidFlex, LucidDaily | $2,000 | $2,000 |
Lucid | LucidDirect | n/a | $2,000 |
MFF | Rapid | $2,000 | $2,000 |
MFF | Builder | $2,000 or $1,500, chosen at checkout | Same as eval |
MFF | Flex, Pro | $2,000 | $2,000 (carries over from eval) |
Take Profit Trader | Test, PRO | $2,000 | $2,000 |
Top One Futures | All four plans | $2,000 | $2,000 |
Topstep | Combine, XFA | $2,000 | $2,000 |
Tradeify | Growth, Select | $2,000 | $2,000 |
Tradeify | Lightning | n/a | $2,000 |
Daily Loss Limit Comparison
A daily loss limit (DLL) caps how much you can lose in a single session. Some traders want this guardrail. Others find it forces them to stop trading on days when one losing trade early doesn't mean the setup is broken.
The landscape here is complicated because DLL rules vary by plan within the same firm, and in three cases the trader decides.
No DLL on any plan: Take Profit Trader (except the PRO+ Development tier), MFF Rapid, E8 Zero.
You choose: LucidDaily (on or off at checkout, applies to eval and funded), Topstep Combine and XFA (optional add-on), MFF Flex 50K (optional add-on).
Plan by plan:
Firm | Plan | DLL on eval | DLL on funded | Breach type |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Apex | EOD | Yes | Yes, tiered by PA level | Soft (pauses session) |
Apex | Intraday | No | Yes, tiered by PA level | Soft |
Alpha Futures | Zero | Yes (2% of balance) | Yes | Soft (locks until 6 PM ET) |
Alpha Futures | Premium, Advanced | No | No | n/a |
Bulenox | Option 1 | No | No | n/a |
Bulenox | Option 2 | Yes | Yes, removed once drawdown reaches starting balance | Soft |
E8 Futures | Zero | No | No | n/a |
E8 Futures | Signature | No | Yes (2% daily pause) | Soft |
Earn2Trade | All | Yes | Yes, removable once floor reaches starting balance | Hard breach |
FTMO Futures | Pro | Yes | Yes | Hard breach |
FTMO Futures | Growth | No | Yes | Soft |
FundedNext | Bolt | Yes | Yes | Soft |
FundedNext | Flex, Rapid, Legacy | No | No | n/a |
Lucid | LucidPro | Yes (50K and up) | Yes; becomes 60% of peak EOD balance above the initial trail | Soft |
Lucid | LucidFlex | No | No | n/a |
Lucid | LucidDirect | n/a | Yes (except 25K) | Soft |
MFF | Builder | Yes ($1,000) | Yes ($1,000), carries to live | Soft |
MFF | Pro | No | No on sim; yes on live | Not stated |
Take Profit Trader | PRO+ Development | n/a | Yes ($500 to $2,000) | Soft |
Top One Futures | Elite Daily | Yes | Yes | Soft |
Top One Futures | Elite Access | No | Yes | Soft |
Top One Futures | Instant, Ignite | n/a | Yes | Soft |
Topstep | Live | n/a | Yes, automatic | Soft |
Tradeify | Growth | Yes | Yes; rises to match drawdown after 6% profit | Soft |
Tradeify | Select | No | Daily path yes, Flex path no | Soft |
Tradeify | Lightning | n/a | Yes (except 25K) | Soft |
Soft vs. hard breach matters. Most firms pause your trading for the day on a DLL breach. Two firms fail the account instead: Earn2Trade on all plans, and FTMO Futures on the Pro plan (eval and funded). FTMO Growth has no DLL in the eval and a soft one once funded. Along with Growth's smaller drawdown and 50% withdrawable share, that is what separates FTMO's two plans. Bulenox Option 2 and Earn2Trade both let you remove the DLL after your drawdown locks, which is a meaningful rule change mid-account.
Consistency Rule Comparison
Consistency rules cap how much of your total profit can come from a single day. The calculation is the same everywhere: your largest single day's profit divided by your total profits equals your consistency percentage. If that number exceeds the firm's threshold, you can't request a payout (or pass the eval) until you bring it down.
Here's a concrete example. Say you're on a funded account with a 40% consistency rule. You've made $5,000 in total profit across 8 trading days, but $2,500 of that came from one session. That one day is 50% of your total, which is above the 40% threshold. You need to keep trading profitable days until that $2,500 day drops below 40% of your new total. At $6,250 in total profit, the big day would represent exactly 40%. So you need at least $1,250 more in profit from other days before you can withdraw.
This math is why consistency affects your timeline more than almost any other rule. The tighter the percentage, the more days you need. At Top One Ignite's 15%, a $1,000 best day needs $6,667 in total profit before you can withdraw.
What happens when you violate it
No firm in this comparison breaches your account for failing consistency. The consequences are:
Payout blocked (funded phase): Apex, Alpha Zero, Bulenox, E8 Signature, FundedNext Rapid, LucidPro and LucidDirect, MFF Builder, Top One Access, Instant, and Ignite, Topstep XFA Consistency, Tradeify Growth and Lightning. Keep trading profitable days until the ratio improves. The percentage resets after each approved payout.
Pass delayed (eval phase): Alpha Premium and Advanced, Earn2Trade, FTMO, LucidFlex and LucidDaily, MFF Rapid, Flex, and Pro, Top One Elite Daily, Tradeify Select. Same mechanic, applied to the profit target instead of a payout.
Profit target raised (eval phase): FundedNext Flex, Bolt, and Legacy, Take Profit Trader, Topstep Combine, E8 Zero. Instead of blocking you, a big day increases what you have to earn. If your target is $3,000 and you earn $1,500 in one day against a 40% cap, your new target becomes $3,750. You're not failed, but you now need to earn more.
Where consistency applies
Firm | Plan | Eval | Funded |
|---|---|---|---|
Apex | All | None (can pass in 1 session) | 50% |
Alpha Futures | Zero | None | 40% |
Alpha Futures | Premium, Advanced | 50% | None |
Bulenox | All | None | 40% (every payout) |
E8 Futures | Zero | 40% | None |
E8 Futures | Signature | None | 35% |
Earn2Trade | All | 30% | None |
FTMO Futures | Pro | 50% | None |
FTMO Futures | Growth | 40% | None |
FundedNext | Flex, Bolt, Legacy | 40% | None |
FundedNext | Rapid | None | 40% |
Lucid | LucidPro | None (can pass in 1 day) | 40% |
Lucid | LucidFlex, LucidDaily | 50% | None |
Lucid | LucidDirect | n/a | 20% |
MFF | Rapid, Flex, Pro | 50% (Pro One Day add-on: none) | None |
MFF | Builder | None (can pass in 1 day) | 50% |
Take Profit Trader | All | 50% | None |
Top One Futures | Elite Daily | 40% | None |
Top One Futures | Elite Access | None | 40% |
Top One Futures | Instant Sim Funded | n/a | 20% |
Top One Futures | Ignite | n/a | 15% |
Topstep | Combine, then XFA | 50% | XFA Standard none; XFA Consistency 40% |
Tradeify | Growth | None (can pass in 1 day) | 35% |
Tradeify | Select | 40% | None |
Tradeify | Lightning | n/a | 20% on payout 1, 25% on payout 2, 30% after |
The strategic difference: eval vs. funded consistency
Every current plan in this comparison puts the consistency rule on either the eval or the funded phase, never both. The last plan that enforced it at both stages, Alpha Futures Standard, was retired on May 1, 2026. Premium, its replacement, only applies the rule during the eval.
Consistency on eval only (Alpha Premium and Advanced, Earn2Trade, E8 Zero, FTMO, FundedNext Flex, Bolt, and Legacy, LucidFlex and LucidDaily, MFF Rapid, Flex, and Pro, Take Profit Trader, Top One Elite Daily, Topstep XFA Standard, Tradeify Select): You need multiple profitable days to pass the evaluation, but once funded, you can have a massive winning day and withdraw without worrying about the ratio. This favors traders who want to grind through the eval and then trade freely.
Consistency on funded only (Apex, Alpha Zero, Bulenox, E8 Signature, FundedNext Rapid, LucidPro, MFF Builder, Top One Elite Access, Topstep XFA Consistency, Tradeify Growth): You can pass the eval in a single session (or very few days), but every payout request on the funded account must meet the consistency threshold. This favors traders who can pass evaluations quickly but need to pace their funded trading more carefully.
Instant funded plans skip the eval, so the rule lands on payouts and it's tight. LucidDirect and Top One Instant Sim Funded are 20%. Top One Ignite is 15%. Tradeify Lightning starts at 20% on the first payout and loosens to 30% after that.
Tradeify Lightning's loosening consistency
Tradeify Lightning is the only plan where the threshold changes over time, and it moves in the trader's favor: 20% on your first payout, 25% on your second, and 30% on all payouts after that. The first payout is the strict one. On a 50K account, the first profit goal is $3,000, and at 20% no single day can contribute more than $600 of it, so you need at least five profitable days that all pull roughly equal weight. From the second payout on, the goal drops to $2,000 and the cap rises to 25% and then 30%, so a $600 day is allowed again on a smaller goal. Once you clear the first payout, the rule gets easier to live with, not harder.
Profit Split Comparison
Profit split is what you keep when you withdraw. Most sim-funded accounts range from 80/20 to 90/10 (trader/firm). Apex is the outlier at 100/0, and E8 Zero lets you buy the 100% option at purchase.
Firm | Sim funded split | Notes |
|---|---|---|
Apex | 100/0 | All plans |
E8 Futures (Zero) | 80/20 or 100/0 | Chosen at purchase, not earned |
Bulenox | 100% on first $10K, then 90/10 | Tiered structure |
Alpha Futures | 90/10 | All plans, flat from first payout. Live drops to 60% or 80% |
FTMO Futures | 90/10 | Pro withdraws 100% of profit. Growth withdraws only 50% of profit, then the split applies |
Lucid | 90/10 | All plans |
MFF (Rapid) | 90/10 | Builder, Flex, Pro are 80/20 |
Take Profit Trader (PRO+) | 90/10 | PRO is 80/20 |
Top One Futures | 90/10 | All plans. Live drops to 80/20 |
Topstep | 90/10 | XFA and live |
Tradeify | 90/10 | All plans. Elite Live drops to 80/20 plus a reward pool |
E8 Futures (Signature) | 80/20 | Fixed |
Earn2Trade | 80/20 | All plans, sim and live |
FundedNext Futures | 80/20 | All plans. Flex can add 90/10 as a paid add-on |
MFF (Builder, Flex, Pro) | 80/20 | |
Take Profit Trader (PRO) | 80/20 |
Context matters more than the number. A 90/10 split with a $2,000 payout cap pays less than an 80/20 split with no cap. FTMO Growth is the clearest example: 90/10 sounds generous, but only half your profit is withdrawable in the first place, so $5,000 of profit yields a $2,250 payout. Always look at the payout structure alongside the split percentage.
Payout Frequency and Withdrawal Rules
How often you can withdraw and how much you can take out varies more than any other rule category. Frequency alone doesn't tell you much. A daily payout with a $600 cap and a buffer requirement might pay out less per month than a biweekly payout with no cap.
Key terms before diving in
Buffer (or safety threshold): A minimum balance you must maintain above your starting balance before you can withdraw. If a 50K account has a $2,100 buffer, your balance must stay above $52,100 after the withdrawal. The buffer protects the firm's drawdown cushion and limits how much of your profit is actually withdrawable.
Winning day / qualifying day: A trading day where you hit a minimum profit threshold. The amount varies by firm and account size. For example, Topstep counts a $150 day, while Apex EOD on a 50K account requires $250. These thresholds determine how fast you can unlock your next payout.
Payout cap: A maximum withdrawal amount per request. Most firms cap early payouts and increase limits over time. Some remove caps entirely after a set number of payouts.
Lifecycle limit: A maximum number of payouts before the account ends or is reviewed for live. Most sim funded accounts in this comparison have one.
Payout frequency comparison
Firm | Plan | Frequency | Key conditions |
|---|---|---|---|
MFF | Rapid | Daily | $500 min, buffer required, no consistency rule |
Tradeify | Select Daily | Daily | $250 min, buffer required, up to 2x profit since last payout |
Lucid | LucidDaily | Any day | $500 min, no cap, only profit above the buffer |
Top One | Elite Daily | Daily from day one | $500 min, buffer, half of each request must be new profit |
E8 | Zero | Daily | $100 min, flat cap, 5 payouts max |
MFF | Builder | Every 48 hours | $500 min, $2,000 cap, 50% consistency, 5 payouts max |
FundedNext | Rapid | Every 3 days | Caps removed after 5 payouts |
Lucid | LucidPro | 3 days to payout | Must meet profit target + 40% consistency, 5 payouts max |
Topstep | XFA Consistency | After 3 trading days | 40% consistency, cap 50% of balance |
FTMO Futures | Growth | Every 4 qualifying days | $20 min, half of request must be new profit, 50% of profit withdrawable |
FTMO Futures | Pro | Every 5 qualifying days | $20 min, half of request must be new profit |
Tradeify | Growth | 5 trading days between requests | 5 profitable days, minimum balance, 35% consistency |
Tradeify | Select Flex | Every 5 winning days | 50% of total profits, capped, no buffer |
Lucid | LucidFlex | Every 5 winning days | 50% of profit, capped, 5 payouts max |
MFF | Flex | Every 5 winning days | 50% of net profits, capped, 5 payouts max |
Topstep | XFA Standard | After 5 winning days | Cap 50% of balance |
Top One | Elite Access | 5 profitable days | Buffer plus cycle profit target |
FundedNext | Flex | 5 benchmark days, then cycle-based | 50% of profit, capped, 5 payouts max |
FundedNext | Legacy | After 5 benchmark days | 50% capped before 30 days, uncapped after |
E8 | Signature | 5 profitable days between payouts | $100 min, buffer, 35% consistency, 5 payouts max |
Alpha Futures | All | Up to 4x per month | After 5 winning days of $200+ |
Apex | All | After 5 qualifying days | 6 payouts then account lifecycle ends |
Earn2Trade | All | Weekly (Wednesdays) | Request by Friday 2 PM, $100 net min |
Bulenox | All | Anytime (processed Wednesdays) | $1,000 min, first 3 capped, 10 trading days before first |
MFF | Pro | Every 14 days | $100K lifetime max per user |
Take Profit Trader | PRO/PRO+ | Day one (after buffer on PRO) | No minimum, no maximum |
Tradeify | Lightning | Whenever profit goal is hit | Consistency loosens from 20% to 30% |
Lucid | LucidDirect | Profit goal + 5 trading days before first | 20% consistency, 5 payouts max |
Top One | Instant, Ignite | Whenever profit target is hit | 20% / 15% consistency, no buffer |
Payout caps by firm (50K accounts)
This is where the real differences show. Here's what a 50K account can actually withdraw at each payout stage:
Firm | Plan | Payout 1 | Payout 2 | Payout 3 | Payout 4+ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Apex | EOD | $1,500 | $1,500 | $2,000 | $2,500, $2,500, $3,000, then account ends |
Apex | Intraday | $1,500 | $2,000 | $2,500 | $2,500, $3,000, $3,000, then account ends |
Alpha Futures | Zero | 50% of profit, max $1,500 | Same | Same | Same |
Alpha Futures | Premium | $2,000 | $2,250 | $2,500 | $3,000, then $4,000 |
Alpha Futures | Advanced | 50% of profit, max $15,000 | Same | Same | Same |
Bulenox | All | $1,500 | $1,500 | $1,500 | No cap |
E8 | Zero Starter | $1,000 | $1,000 | $1,000 | $1,000 (5 max) |
E8 | Zero MAX | $3,000 | $3,000 | $3,000 | $3,000 (5 max) |
E8 | Signature | $1,250 | $1,250 | $2,250 | $2,250, then $3,250 (5 max) |
Earn2Trade | Gauntlet (LiveSim) | $4,000 | $4,000 | $4,000 | $4,000 |
FTMO Futures | Pro | $5,000 | $5,000 | $5,000 | $5,000 |
FTMO Futures | Growth | 50% of profit, max $2,500 | Same | Same | Same |
FundedNext | Flex | 50% of profit, max $1,500 | Same | Same | Same (5 max) |
FundedNext | Bolt | $1,200 | $1,200 | $1,200 | $1,200, then up to $7,700 on payout 5, then account ends |
FundedNext | Rapid | $1,500 | $1,500 | $1,500 | $1,500, uncapped after payout 5 |
FundedNext | Legacy | 50% of profit, max $6,000 | Same | Same | Uncapped after 30 benchmark days |
Lucid | LucidPro | $2,000 | $2,500 | $2,500 | $2,500 (5 max) |
Lucid | LucidFlex | 50% of profit, max $2,000 | Same | Same | Same (5 max) |
Lucid | LucidDaily | No cap | No cap | No cap | No cap (profit above $52,100) |
Lucid | LucidDirect | $2,000 | $2,000 | $2,000 | $2,500 (5 max) |
MFF | Rapid | No cap stated | No cap stated | No cap stated | No cap stated |
MFF | Builder | $2,000 | $2,000 | $2,000 | $2,000 (5 max) |
MFF | Flex | 50% of net profit, max $2,000 | Same | Same | Same (5 max) |
MFF | Pro | No per-payout cap | No cap | No cap | $100K lifetime max per user |
Take Profit Trader | PRO/PRO+ | No cap | No cap | No cap | No cap |
Top One | Elite Daily | $1,000 | $1,000 | $1,000 | $1,000 |
Top One | Elite Access | $1,500 | $1,500 | $1,500 | $1,500 |
Top One | Instant Sim Funded | $2,500 | $2,500 | $2,500 | $2,500 |
Top One | Ignite | $1,000 | $1,000 | $1,000 | $1,000 |
Topstep | XFA Standard | $2,000 and 50% of balance | Same | Same | Same |
Topstep | XFA Consistency | $3,000 and 50% of balance | Same | Same | Same |
Tradeify | Growth | $1,500 | $2,000 | $2,500 | $3,000 |
Tradeify | Select Daily | 2x profit since last payout, max $1,000 | Same | Same | Same |
Tradeify | Select Flex | 50% of profit, max $3,000 | Same | Same | Same |
Tradeify | Lightning | $2,000 | $2,000 | $2,000 | $2,500 |
Buffer requirements
Several firms require you to maintain a minimum balance before withdrawing. This means not all of your profit is available to take out.
Firm | Plan | Buffer (50K account) |
|---|---|---|
Apex | EOD, Intraday | Safety net $52,100; balance must reach $52,600 to request |
Alpha Futures | All | Not stated |
Bulenox | Option 1, Option 2 | $2,600 safety threshold |
E8 Futures | Zero | No buffer, but withdrawing all profit after the floor locks breaches the account |
E8 Futures | Signature | Permanent buffer equal to the drawdown ($2,000) |
Earn2Trade | TCP, GAU | Not stated |
FTMO Futures | Pro, Growth | No buffer stated on sim funded; live has a one-time buffer equal to max drawdown ($3,000 on Pro) |
FundedNext | Flex, Rapid, Legacy | No buffer |
FundedNext | Bolt | EOD balance must reach $52,100 |
Lucid | LucidPro | Balance must stay above the max loss limit + $100 |
Lucid | LucidFlex | No buffer |
Lucid | LucidDaily | $52,100 |
Lucid | LucidDirect | Not stated |
MFF | Rapid | $2,100 above starting balance |
MFF | Builder | $2,100 ($1,600 with the $1,500 drawdown option); must be cleared before requesting |
MFF | Flex | No buffer; $500 total net profit required |
MFF | Pro | $2,100 above starting balance; can withdraw 60% before clearing it |
Take Profit Trader | PRO | Balance must reach $52,000 (starting balance + drawdown) |
Take Profit Trader | PRO+ | No buffer, but $5K frozen from PRO |
Top One Futures | Elite Daily | $2,500 |
Top One Futures | Elite Access | $2,000, plus $500, plus a $2,500 cycle profit target |
Top One Futures | Instant, Ignite | No buffer |
Topstep | XFA | Not stated; payouts capped at 50% of balance |
Tradeify | Growth | Balance must reach $53,000 |
Tradeify | Select Daily | $2,100 |
Tradeify | Select Flex | No buffer |
Tradeify | Lightning | Not stated |
Firms with no buffer stated (Alpha Futures, Earn2Trade, Topstep) either have no minimum balance requirement or bake the requirement into their profit target or percentage-of-balance rules.
A related trap: at FTMO Pro, E8 Zero, and FundedNext Rapid, once the drawdown floor has locked at your starting balance, withdrawing 100% of your profit drops your balance onto the floor and breaches the account. All three articles flag this directly.
Winning day thresholds (50K accounts)
Firm | Plan | Minimum daily profit to count as a qualifying day |
|---|---|---|
Apex | EOD | $250 |
Apex | Intraday | $200 |
Alpha Futures | Zero, Premium, Advanced | $200 |
Bulenox | Option 1, Option 2 | No winning day requirement |
E8 Futures | Zero | No winning day requirement |
E8 Futures | Signature | 0.3% closed profit; dollar figure not stated |
Earn2Trade | TCP, GAU | Not stated |
FTMO Futures | Pro | $200 |
FTMO Futures | Growth | $150 |
FundedNext | Flex | $200 |
FundedNext | Legacy | 5 benchmark days required; amount not stated |
FundedNext | Bolt, Rapid | No benchmark days required |
Lucid | LucidPro | 3 days to payout; no profit minimum stated |
Lucid | LucidFlex | $150 |
Lucid | LucidDaily | No winning day requirement |
Lucid | LucidDirect | 5 trading days; no profit minimum stated |
MFF | Flex | $150 |
MFF | Rapid, Builder, Pro | Not stated |
Take Profit Trader | PRO, PRO+ | No winning day requirement |
Top One Futures | Elite Access | $250 |
Top One Futures | Elite Daily, Instant, Ignite | No winning day requirement |
Topstep | XFA Standard | $150 |
Tradeify | Growth, Select Flex | $150 |
Tradeify | Select Daily, Lightning | No winning day requirement |
Five payouts and done
A five-payout ceiling is the most common lifecycle structure in this comparison:
Lucid LucidPro, LucidFlex, and LucidDirect: 5 payouts, then the live review pool. Five is a ceiling, not a guarantee of going live.
FundedNext Flex: 5 withdrawals, then the account concludes and is evaluated for live. Bolt: 5 withdrawals, no live path.
MFF Builder and Flex: 5 sim payouts, then live.
E8 Zero and Signature: 5 payouts, then the account is deactivated and you receive a free challenge of the same size. E8 has no live account, so this is the whole cycle.
Alpha Futures all plans: $40,000 total paid or 5 payouts, whichever comes first, then a review for Alpha Prime.
Apex: 6 payouts per Performance Account, then it ends. You pass another evaluation and open a new PA. Up to 20 active PAs at once.
Top One reviews for live after 3 payouts (Elite Access, Instant, Ignite) or 5 (Elite Daily). Tradeify considers traders after 3 payouts on one account or 10 total. Topstep typically calls traders up between the 3rd and 5th XFA payout. None of those three end the account at a fixed count, but the sim phase is clearly meant to be temporary.
If you plan to sit on a sim funded account and withdraw for a year, check this rule first. At most firms, that is not how it works.
Processing days
Most firms process payouts on specific days, not instantly:
Bulenox: Wednesdays only
Earn2Trade: Wednesdays only (request by Friday 2 PM the week before)
Apex: Processing varies, typically 1 to 3 business days
MFF: Daily; live accounts need the request in before 11 AM ET for same-day processing
Take Profit Trader: Wallet transfer in about 24 business hours, then admin approval
FundedNext: 1 to 3 business days after request
E8: Approved within 1 business day, funds land 1 to 3 business days later
LucidDaily: Funds leave within minutes, arrive within 2 business days
News Trading Rules by Firm
No restrictions on funded accounts:
Apex Trader Funding (two-sided news gambling is prohibited)
E8 Futures (both plans; E8 recommends against it but it is not a rule)
FTMO Futures (no windows; "news event concentration" can be flagged if it is unlike the rest of your trading)
FundedNext Futures (all programs)
Lucid Trading (LucidPro, LucidFlex, LucidDirect)
Alpha Futures (Premium and Advanced)
Top One Futures (Instant Sim Funded and Ignite)
Topstep (no windows; loading full position size into a release is prohibited conduct)
Tradeify (all plans)
Restrictions apply:
MFF: flat 2 minutes before and after any release on every account. FOMC, NFP, CPI, and EIA and Ag reports are fully prohibited on Rapid and Pro funded accounts. Builder and Flex can trade those events, subject to the 2-minute rule.
Take Profit Trader: must be flat 1 minute before, during, and after FOMC statements, NFP, and CPI. Crude Oil Inventories restricts crude contracts. Bond Auctions restrict the 10-year and 30-year.
Alpha Futures Zero: no orders within 2 minutes before or after high-impact red-folder events. First violation voids the profits and denies the payout. Second is a breach.
LucidDaily (funded only): flat from 1 minute before to 1 minute after any US high-impact red-folder event. Holding through it is a hard breach.
Top One Elite Daily and Elite Access (funded only): no trades within 2 minutes before or after high-impact releases.
Not mentioned in the firm's rules: Bulenox and Earn2Trade. Neither article addresses news trading. Treat it as unstated rather than unrestricted.
If news trading is central to your strategy, check whether the specific plan you're considering allows it on funded accounts. Lucid, Top One, Alpha, and MFF all allow it on some plans and restrict it on others.
Supported Platforms and Data Feeds
Firm | Platforms | Data feed |
|---|---|---|
Apex | Rithmic, Tradovate, WealthCharts | Not stated |
Alpha Futures | AlphaTrader, NinjaTrader, TradingView, WealthCharts, Quantower, Deepcharts, Tradovate | Not stated |
Bulenox | NinjaTrader and any Rithmic-compatible platform | Rithmic |
E8 Futures | Tradovate only | Not stated |
Earn2Trade | Tradovate, NinjaTrader, Finamark | Rithmic |
FTMO Futures | Tradovate, NinjaTrader, TradingView | Not stated |
FundedNext Futures | Tradovate, NinjaTrader, TradingView | Not stated |
Lucid Trading | NinjaTrader, Tradovate, TradingView, TradeSea, MotiveWave, Quantower | CQG, Rithmic |
MFF | Tradovate (covers NinjaTrader and TradingView), Quantower | Not stated |
Take Profit Trader | NinjaTrader, Tradovate, TradingView (CQG); R|Trader, Quantower, MotiveWave (Rithmic) | CQG, Rithmic |
Top One Futures | Tradovate, NinjaTrader, TradingView | Not stated |
Topstep | TopstepX only | Not stated |
Tradeify | Tradovate, NinjaTrader, TradeSea, WealthCharts | Rithmic via TradeSea |
Two firms lock you to a single platform: Topstep runs everything on its own TopstepX, and E8 Futures is Tradovate only. If you use a specific charting platform, check that it's compatible with your firm before purchasing. Whichever platform you land on, Tanto syncs trades in real time from every firm and platform in this table, so your journal stays the same even if your firm changes.
Path to Live Funded Trading
Every firm has a different threshold for transitioning from sim-funded to live capital. Some are transparent about requirements. Others are invitation-only. Two have no live account at all.
Firm | How you qualify | Key details |
|---|---|---|
Apex | Invitation only | Terms not published |
Alpha Futures | $40K paid or 5 payouts triggers review | Sim closed, 50% final withdrawal. $5K of your balance plus $5K match = $10K static drawdown. 60% or 80% split |
Bulenox | 3 Master payouts, risk desk discretion | All Master accounts consolidate into one Funded account |
E8 Futures | No live account | Both stages are simulated |
Earn2Trade | Pass the eval | Guaranteed offer from partner firm. LiveSim (EOD) or Live (real-time trailing). TCP ladder grows to $400K |
FTMO Futures | Invitation only | 90/10, one-time buffer equal to max drawdown, then daily uncapped payouts |
FundedNext Futures | $100K total active profits, or 5 Flex withdrawals; mandatory | 80% of sim profit converts: half paid out, 25% becomes the live deposit (cap $50K), rest held in reserve. Bolt has no live path |
Lucid | 5th payout enters review pool; LucidDaily via max daily profit | $0 start, EOD drawdown, no DLL, daily payouts, live bonus equal to starting drawdown |
MFF | Rapid: $10K single day. Builder: 5th payout. Flex: 5 consecutive payouts. Pro: 3 consecutive payouts; mandatory | Rapid: $0 start, EOD, no DLL, up to $5K held in reserve. Pro: static drawdown with DLL |
Take Profit Trader | Invitation only | PRO+: $0 start, 90/10, EOD drawdown, no DLL, $5K frozen from PRO |
Top One Futures | 3 payouts (Access, Instant, Ignite) or 5 (Elite Daily) | 80/20, static max loss of 60% of account size, daily payouts, $200 min |
Topstep | Risk Team call-up, typically payouts 3 to 5; cannot decline | 20% of balance tradable at start, 80% released in 4 steps. $1,000 floor. 90/10. Automatic DLL |
Tradeify | 3 payouts on one account or 10 total; selection; mandatory | Elite Live: $0 start, 80/20, EOD, no DLL, daily payouts, monthly reward pool |
Live accounts are not always better. Tradeify's Elite Live and Top One's live accounts drop to 80/20 from 90/10. Alpha Prime drops to 60% or 80%. Take Profit Trader freezes $5K of your PRO profit. FundedNext takes half your converted profit as a settlement and holds the rest in reserve. Topstep locks 80% of your balance in reserve at the start. Several transitions are mandatory once offered. Read the live terms before you get there, not after.
How to Compare Prop Firms by Trading Style
Here's how the rules map to different trading approaches. Find the constraints that matter to your strategy, then compare the firms that match.
If you want no consistency rule on funded accounts
MFF (Rapid, Flex, Pro), Take Profit Trader, FundedNext (Flex, Bolt, Legacy), Alpha Futures (Premium, Advanced), Tradeify Select, LucidFlex, LucidDaily, Earn2Trade, Topstep XFA Standard, Top One Elite Daily, FTMO Futures, and E8 Zero all skip consistency requirements on funded accounts. This matters most for traders who have occasional large winning days and don't want those days to create payout problems.
If you want no daily loss limit
MFF Rapid, Take Profit Trader, FundedNext (Flex, Rapid, Legacy), Alpha Futures (Premium, Advanced), Bulenox Option 1, Tradeify Select Flex, LucidFlex, E8 Zero, and MFF Pro on sim all skip the DLL. LucidDaily and Topstep let you leave it off. Traders who size up on conviction plays or hold through larger drawdowns before targets tend to prefer this.
If you trade news events
Apex, FundedNext, Tradeify, Topstep, FTMO Futures, E8, Lucid (LucidPro, LucidFlex, LucidDirect), Alpha Futures (Premium, Advanced), and Top One (Instant, Ignite) have no news windows on funded accounts. If you trade FOMC, NFP, or CPI regularly, check the funded phase rules for the exact plan. Lucid, Top One, Alpha, and MFF each have plans on both sides of this line.
If you want the fastest payout frequency
Five plans offer daily payouts on sim funded accounts: MFF Rapid, Tradeify Select Daily, LucidDaily, Top One Elite Daily, and E8 Zero. The tradeoffs differ. MFF Rapid uses intraday trailing drawdown. Tradeify Select Daily and Top One Elite Daily have buffers and per-payout caps. LucidDaily has a buffer, an intraday drawdown once funded, and a news restriction. E8 Zero has a flat cap and a five-payout lifecycle.
If you want the highest profit split
Apex pays 100/0 on sim-funded accounts. E8 Zero offers a 100/0 option at purchase. Bulenox pays 100% on the first $10K then drops to 90/10. Lucid, Tradeify, Alpha Futures, MFF Rapid, Topstep, Top One, and FTMO Futures all pay 90/10.
If you want instant funding with no evaluation
LucidDirect, Tradeify Lightning, Top One Instant Sim Funded, and Top One Ignite all skip the evaluation entirely. You start on a funded account immediately. All four come with tighter consistency rules (15% to 30%) than their evaluation-based counterparts.
If you want to pick your own drawdown type
Apex and Bulenox let you choose EOD or intraday trailing at purchase. LucidDaily lets you choose for the eval, but the funded account is always intraday.
How to Choose Based on These Rules
Start with your dealbreakers. If you can't trade without news access, eliminate plans with restrictions. If a daily loss limit would change your strategy, filter to plans without one.
Compare within your account size. Rules and payout caps vary by account size within the same firm. A 50K account at Tradeify Growth has different caps than a 150K account.
Read the funded rules, not just the eval rules. Several firms change drawdown type, add consistency rules, or modify DLL requirements between phases. The eval is just the entry point.
Check the lifecycle. Most sim funded accounts end or get reviewed after five payouts. Know what happens at payout five before you buy.
Check payout math, not just payout frequency. Daily payouts with a $1,500 cap and a buffer requirement might pay out less per month than biweekly payouts with no cap.
Whichever firm you choose, tracking your trades across evaluations and funded accounts helps you see what's working. Tanto auto-syncs trades from all 13 firms covered here so every session is journaled, graded, and ready to review. You can also test your strategy against any firm's rules before purchasing with the prop firm simulator.
Last updated: September 19th, 2026