At a glance

Category winners across the firms you picked

Cheapest to start

Apex Trader Funding

$64 true cost

Highest rated

IQ Capital

4.7 / 5 trader rating

Best profit split

Apex Trader Funding

100% to the trader

Fastest payout

IQ Capital

Every 1 trading days

The bottom line

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.

54 of 61 metrics differ

Apex Trader Funding4.2Details

IQ Capital4.7Details

Side-by-side comparison of Apex Trader Funding, IQ Capital
	Apex Trader Funding$50K	IQ Capital$50K
Account Pricing
Price	Best value: $64$79992% OFF	$135$67580% OFF
Activation Fee	None	None
True Cost	Best value: $64after discount + activation	$135after discount + activation
Reset Fee	Not available	Not published
Current Promotion	LUMI (92% off)	LUMI: $135.00 initial fee
Evaluation Phase
Profit Target	$3,0006.0% of account	Not published
Max Drawdown	$2,000	Not published
Drawdown Type	Intraday	Not published
Daily Loss Limit	None	Not published
Max Position Size	6 contracts	Not published
Consistency Rule	No	Not published
Funded Phase
Max Drawdown	$2,000	$2,000
Drawdown Type	Intraday	End of Day
Daily Loss Limit	$1,000	$1,000
Max Payout/Cycle	Best value: $3,000Min: $500	$1,500Min: Not published
Consistency Rule	50%	No
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	1 cycle
Max First-Cycle ROI	Best value: 2247%	641%
Target : Drawdown	1.50lower = easier to pass	—
Company Info
Established	2021	Not published
CEO	Darrell Martin	Christoph Radecker
Country	United States	Saint Lucia
Trader Rating	4.2	Best value: 4.7
Features
Allows Scaling	Yes	No
Daily Payouts	No	Yes
1-Day Pass	Yes	Yes
KYC Required	Required	Required
Trading
Instruments	ES, NKD, NQ, YM, EMD, RTY, 6A, 6B +46 more	Not published
Evaluation Types	1-step	1-step, Instant funding
Platforms	NinjaTrader, TradingView, Quantower +11 more	Quantower, ATAS, DeepCharts +11 more
Max Funding	$3M	—
Profit Split	Best value: 100%	80%
Max Accounts	20 funded · Not published evaluation	Not published funded · Unlimited evaluation
Trading Rules
Scalping	Allowed	Restricted
Payouts
Payout Frequency	Every 5 trading days	Every 1 trading days
Min Payout	$500	Not published
Payout Methods	ACH direct deposit to a US bank account (US-resident traders), Local bank transfer through the Plane payment platform (non-US traders)	USDC (ERC-20), Bank transfer
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 1 trading days
Eligibility	5 trading days · 5 profitable days · profit above buffer	1 trading days · profit above buffer
Payout cap	$1,500 (#1) → $2,000 (#2) → … → $3,000 (#5-#6)	$1,000 (#1-#2) → $1,500 (#3-#5)
Payout limit	6 payouts	5 payouts
Safety-net buffer	Max loss + $100	Not published
Scaling	Tiered by balance · 4 tiers	Not published
Activation fee	One-time	None
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	Not published
Min trading days	None	Not published
Fastest possible pass	1 day	Not published
Resets	Not available	Not published
Consistency rule	50%	Not published
Consistency applies to	Every payout cycle	Not published
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…	✓ AllowedNo additional news blackout window is published.
Weekend holding	? Not publishedNo weekend-specific rule is published, but every position must be closed before the daily 4:59 PM ET close, which…	! RestrictedProhibited for Futures.…
Overnight holding	✗ Not allowedAll positions must be closed before the 4:59 PM ET close; “Traders engaging in these prohibited activities will forfeit”…	! RestrictedFutures must close daily; CFD/Crypto may hold overnight.
Bots & automation	✗ Not allowed“No Automation or Algorithm Usage allowed: Rewards are intended to recognize human traders actively participating in”…	? Not publishedHelp articles allow transparent, trader-controlled systems, but the Terms of Use prohibit automated trading tools.…
High-frequency trading	✗ Not allowedListed under manipulation of the simulated environment: “including High Frequency Trading (HFT) or any other”…	✗ Not allowed
Dollar-cost averaging	? Not publishedThe only published DCA rule sits in the Legacy PA compliance and consistency articles: “DCA is allowed under this”…	? Not publishedA separate dollar-cost-averaging policy was not found; combined positions remain subject to per-market loss limits.
Hedging	✗ Not allowed“No Hedging of Any Kind – Directional Trading only.”…	! RestrictedAllowed only within a CFD/Crypto hedging account.…
Copy trading	! RestrictedCopying between the trader's own accounts is permitted — “Copy trading across PA accounts under your personal name and”…	✗ Not allowedCopying, external signals, account sharing and third-party account management are prohibited.
Microscalping	✓ AllowedNo minimum hold time or entry/exit spacing is imposed, and the firm markets the absence of one (…	! RestrictedAt least 50% of trades and at least 50% of profits must come from positions held longer than 15 seconds.…
VPN	! RestrictedNot banned outright — banned for concealment: “You may not use VPNs, proxy servers, cloud servers, anonymizing tools,”…	! RestrictedAllowed for security or connectivity, never to hide identity or bypass jurisdiction restrictions.

Apex Trader Funding vs IQ Capital: Full Comparison

Apex Trader Funding, founded in 2021, based in US, and IQ Capital, based in LC, are both popular choices among futures and crypto and forex prop traders. Apex Trader Funding offers up to $3,000,000 in funding across 20 accounts, while IQ Capital provides up to not published. Both firms support NinjaTrader, TradingView, Quantower and 2 more platforms.

The verdict

Apex Trader Funding is the cheaper way in at $64 true cost versus $135 for IQ Capital. Apex Trader Funding returns more to the trader with a 100% profit split. IQ Capital has the stronger reputation with a 4.7/5 trader rating. True cost compares Apex Trader Funding's $50,000 Intraday Trail No Activation Fee account with IQ Capital's $50,000 Futures Rapid Daily (1D) account, after current discounts and activation fees.

Key statistics for Apex Trader Funding and IQ Capital
Feature	Apex Trader Funding	IQ Capital
Profit Split	100%	80%
Trader rating	4.2/5	4.7/5
Max Funding	$3,000,000	not published
Entry cost (cheapest account)	$55.20	$135
True Cost (selected account)	$64 · $50,000	$135 · $50,000
Max Drawdown (selected account)	$2,000	$2,000
Daily Loss Limit (selected account)	$1,000	$1,000
Largest Account	$300,000	$200,000
Payout Frequency	Every 5 trading days	Every 1 trading days
Trading days per payout cycle (selected account)	5 trading days	1 trading day
Evaluation Type	1-step	1-step, Instant funding
Platforms	14	14
Discount	up to 92% off	up to 80% off

Where Apex Trader Funding Wins

+Higher profit split (100% vs 80%)
+Lower entry cost on its cheapest account, a $25,000 ($55.20 vs $135 for a $50,000)
+Bigger current discount (up to 92% vs up to 80%)

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

Where IQ Capital Wins

+Higher trader rating (4.7 vs 4.2)
+Offers daily payouts

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

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the main difference between Apex Trader Funding and IQ Capital?

Apex Trader Funding offers a 100% profit split with 1-step evaluation, while IQ Capital offers a 80% profit split with 1-step/Instant funding evaluation. Apex Trader Funding supports 14 trading platforms and IQ Capital supports 14. Apex Trader Funding has a trader rating of 4.2/5 compared to IQ Capital's 4.7/5.

Which is cheaper, Apex Trader Funding or IQ Capital?

Apex Trader Funding is cheaper to enter: $63.92 all-in for a $50,000 account, against $135 for IQ Capital's $50,000 account. Both figures are after the current discount and include the activation fee. Entry cost excludes renewals, resets, taxes and optional charges; it is not the total cost of reaching a payout. Both firms offer discounts — Apex Trader Funding at up to 92% off and IQ Capital at up to 80% off.

Which has better payout terms, Apex Trader Funding or IQ Capital?

Apex Trader Funding pays out every 5 trading days with a minimum of $500, while IQ Capital pays out every 1 trading days with no published minimum for that selected account. Apex Trader Funding's selected account requires at least 5 trading days per payout cycle, and IQ Capital's selected account requires at least 1 trading day 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 IQ Capital?

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

Apex Trader Funding vs IQ Capital — quick answer

Apex Trader Funding vs IQ Capital for 2026: compare evaluation types (1-step vs 1-step, Instant funding), payout cadence for the selected accounts (Every 5 trading days vs Every 1 trading days), platforms, and true challenge cost. Apex Trader Funding offers a higher profit split (100% vs 80%). Use the tables below for drawdown, minimum days, and current promotion status before you buy.

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