At a glance

Category winners across the firms you picked

Highest rated

DayTraders

4.6 / 5 trader rating

Best profit split

Apex Trader Funding

100% to the trader

Tied — shown first

Most funding

Apex Trader Funding

$3M max funding

Fastest payout

Apex Trader Funding

Every 5 trading days

The bottom line

DayTraders has the stronger reputation with a 4.6/5 trader rating. Apex Trader Funding scales the furthest with up to $3M in funding.

Accounts compared here

True cost here means the initial account fee plus activation after the displayed promotion. It excludes renewals, resets, taxes and optional charges. Open each account for its billing terms, evaluation rules and funded payout requirements; a lower entry cost does not guarantee a payout.

45 of 61 metrics differ

Apex Trader Funding4.2Details

DayTraders4.6Details

Side-by-side comparison of Apex Trader Funding, DayTraders
	Apex Trader Funding$50K	DayTraders$50K
Account Pricing
Price	$64$79992% OFF	Not published
Activation Fee	Best value: None	$5
True Cost	$64after discount + activation	Not published
Reset Fee	Not available	Not available
Current Promotion	LUMI (92% off)	Not published
Evaluation Phase
Profit Target	$3,0006.0% of account	$3,0006.0% of account
Max Drawdown	$2,000	Best value: $2,500
Drawdown Type	Intraday	Intraday
Daily Loss Limit	None	None
Max Position Size	6 contracts	Not published
Consistency Rule	No	50%
Funded Phase
Max Drawdown	$2,000	Best value: $2,500
Drawdown Type	Intraday	Intraday
Daily Loss Limit	$1,000	Best value: None
Max Payout/Cycle	Best value: $3,000Min: $500	$2,000Min: $500
Consistency Rule	50%	30%
Value MetricsDerived from price, discount, targets and payout caps — fewer breakeven cycles and higher first-cycle ROI mean the account pays for itself faster.
Breakeven Winning Cycles	1 cycle	—
Max First-Cycle ROI	2247%	—
Target : Drawdown	1.50lower = easier to pass	Best value: 1.20lower = easier to pass
Company Info
Established	2021	2023
CEO	Darrell Martin	Not disclosed
Country	United States	United States
Trader Rating	4.2	Best value: 4.6
Features
Allows Scaling	Yes	Yes
Daily Payouts	No	No
1-Day Pass	Yes	No
KYC Required	Required	Required
Trading
Instruments	ES, NKD, NQ, YM, EMD, RTY, 6A, 6B +46 more	ES, NKD, NQ, YM, EMD, RTY, HE, LE +34 more
Evaluation Types	1-step	1-step, Instant funding
Platforms	NinjaTrader, TradingView, Quantower +11 more	Onyx, R\|Trader Pro, Quantower +10 more
Max Funding	Best value: $3M	$1.5M
Profit Split	100%	100%
Max Accounts	20 funded · Not published evaluation	15 funded · 15 evaluation
Trading Rules
Scalping	Allowed	Allowed
Payouts
Payout Frequency	Every 5 trading days	Every 8 trading days
Min Payout	$500	$500
Payout Methods	ACH direct deposit to a US bank account (US-resident traders), Local bank transfer through the Plane payment platform (non-US traders)	Bank payout through Plane, the firm's payout provider: “Navigate to ‘Payout Method’ and set up a provider such as Plane”. Onboarding collects “US Citizen or US Taxpayer status, Government ID Number or Passport Number, Payout Type (e.g. Plane), Payout Email”, after which the trader creates a Plane account and signs the contract; bank details are held at Plane, not DayTraders. A payout profile may be registered as a business (legal business name, address, EIN, formation documents, business bank account) even though the trading account itself must stay individual., DT Wallet — site credit instead of cash, for simulated payouts only: “If you are eligible, you can choose to have an approved simulated payout credited to your DT Wallet instead of receiving it as a bank payout”, minimum $100, credited instantly, “No transfer fee”. It is not a withdrawal: “DT Wallet funds cannot be withdrawn as cash”, the choice is irreversible once approved, and “Live account payouts cannot be sent to the DT Wallet and must be sent to the bank.”
Payout StructureHow money actually leaves the account: what you must do to qualify, how much each payout may be, and when the cap stops applying.
Payout cadence	Every 5 trading days	Every 8 trading days
Eligibility	5 trading days · 5 profitable days · profit above buffer	8 trading days · 8 profitable days · profit above buffer
Payout cap	$1,500 (#1) → $2,000 (#2) → … → $3,000 (#5-#6)	$2,000 per payout
Payout limit	6 payouts	Not published
Safety-net buffer	Max loss + $100	Fixed
Scaling	Tiered by balance · 4 tiers	None
Activation fee	One-time	One-time
Evaluation TermsThe shape of the challenge itself, including where the consistency rule applies — an evaluation-only rule and one that binds for the life of the account are very different obligations.
Evaluation type	1-step	1-step
Time limit	30 days	None
Min trading days	None	2
Fastest possible pass	1 day	2 days
Resets	Not available	Not available
Consistency rule	50%	30%
Consistency applies to	Every payout cycle	Every payout cycle
What You May TradeEach firm's own position on the strategies traders get breached for, with its published qualification. A restriction is not the same as a ban.
News trading	! RestrictedTrading through a news release with a normal day-to-day strategy is allowed, but strategies built around the release…	✓ Allowed…
Weekend holding	? Not publishedNo weekend-specific rule is published, but every position must be closed before the daily 4:59 PM ET close, which…	? Not publishedTwo of the firm's own documents disagree.…
Overnight holding	✗ Not allowedAll positions must be closed before the 4:59 PM ET close; “Traders engaging in these prohibited activities will forfeit”…	? Not publishedSame contradiction as weekend holding, and the same two sources.…
Bots & automation	✗ Not allowed“No Automation or Algorithm Usage allowed: Rewards are intended to recognize human traders actively participating in”…	✗ Not allowedThe current No High Frequency Trading article explicitly requires manual trading and tells traders to ensure trades are…
High-frequency trading	✗ Not allowedListed under manipulation of the simulated environment: “including High Frequency Trading (HFT) or any other”…	✗ Not allowed“High Frequency Trading (HFT) strategies that rely on the rapid execution of multiple trades within very short time”…
Dollar-cost averaging	? Not publishedThe only published DCA rule sits in the Legacy PA compliance and consistency articles: “DCA is allowed under this”…	✓ Allowed“DCA is allowed during both the evaluation and Pro account phases.” The dedicated article frames it as a deliberate…
Hedging	✗ Not allowed“No Hedging of Any Kind – Directional Trading only.”…	✗ Not allowedThe dedicated article bans it inside one account as well as across accounts: “hedging across accounts or within the”…
Copy trading	! RestrictedCopying between the trader's own accounts is permitted — “Copy trading across PA accounts under your personal name and”…	! RestrictedOwn-account copying is supported through Onyx and the rTrader Pro Copier.…
Microscalping	✓ AllowedNo minimum hold time or entry/exit spacing is imposed, and the firm markets the absence of one (…	? Not publishedNo microscalping or minimum-hold rule is published, and no percentage or holding-time threshold exists anywhere in the…
VPN	! RestrictedNot banned outright — banned for concealment: “You may not use VPNs, proxy servers, cloud servers, anonymizing tools,”…	? Not publishedThe Terms of Use prohibit VPN/VPS use on accounts and the purchasing rules reject VPN payments.…

Apex Trader Funding vs DayTraders: Full Comparison

Apex Trader Funding, founded in 2021, based in US, and DayTraders, founded in 2023, based in US, are both popular choices among futures prop traders. Apex Trader Funding offers up to $3,000,000 in funding across 20 accounts, while DayTraders provides up to $1,500,000 across 15 accounts. Both firms support Quantower, Sierra Chart, Bookmap and 8 more platforms.

The verdict

DayTraders has the stronger reputation with a 4.6/5 trader rating. Apex Trader Funding scales the furthest with up to $3M in funding. True cost compares Apex Trader Funding's $50,000 Intraday Trail No Activation Fee account with DayTraders's $50,000 Trail account, after current discounts and activation fees.

Key statistics for Apex Trader Funding and DayTraders
Feature	Apex Trader Funding	DayTraders
Profit Split	100%	100%
Trader rating	4.2/5	4.6/5
Max Funding	$3,000,000	$1,500,000
True Cost (selected account)	$64 · $50,000	not published · $50,000
Max Drawdown (selected account)	$2,000	$2,500
Daily Loss Limit (selected account)	$1,000	None
Largest Account	$300,000	$300,000
Payout Frequency	Every 5 trading days	Every 8 trading days
Trading days per payout cycle (selected account)	5 trading days	8 trading days
Evaluation Type	1-step	1-step, Instant funding
Platforms	14	13
Discount	up to 92% off	No current discount

Where Apex Trader Funding Wins

+Higher max funding ($3,000,000 vs $1,500,000)
+More allowed accounts (20 vs 15)
+One-day pass available
+More platform options (14 vs 13)
+Fewer minimum trading days (none vs 2)
+Bigger current discount (up to 92% vs 0%)
+Longer track record (since 2021)

Read the full Apex Trader Funding review for rules, pricing tiers and payout details.

Where DayTraders Wins

+Higher trader rating (4.6 vs 4.2)

Read the full DayTraders review for rules, pricing tiers and payout details.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the main difference between Apex Trader Funding and DayTraders?

Apex Trader Funding offers a 100% profit split with 1-step evaluation, while DayTraders offers a 100% profit split with 1-step/Instant funding evaluation. Apex Trader Funding supports 14 trading platforms and DayTraders supports 13. Apex Trader Funding has a trader rating of 4.2/5 compared to DayTraders's 4.6/5.

Which is cheaper, Apex Trader Funding or DayTraders?

Compare the latest pricing for both firms on their respective account pages.

Which has better payout terms, Apex Trader Funding or DayTraders?

Apex Trader Funding pays out every 5 trading days with a minimum of $500, while DayTraders pays out every 8 trading days with a minimum of $500. Apex Trader Funding's selected account requires at least 5 trading days per payout cycle, and DayTraders's selected account requires at least 8 trading days per payout cycle. Qualifying-day profit thresholds, buffers, consistency rules and approval requirements still apply. A trading-day minimum is not a payment-delivery estimate.

Can I use trading bots with Apex Trader Funding and DayTraders?

Apex Trader Funding does not allow trading bots, while DayTraders does not allow trading bots. On VPNs, Apex Trader Funding permits VPN use under published conditions and DayTraders does not publish a VPN policy.

Apex Trader Funding vs DayTraders — quick answer

Apex Trader Funding vs DayTraders for 2026: compare evaluation types (1-step vs 1-step, Instant funding), payout cadence for the selected accounts (Every 5 trading days vs Every 8 trading days), platforms, and true challenge cost. Both pay the same profit split on the accounts compared here. Use the tables below for drawdown, minimum days, and current promotion status before you buy.

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