At a glance

Category winners across the firms you picked

Cheapest to start

Lucid Trading

$69 true cost

Highest rated

E8 Markets (Futures)

4.5 / 5 trader rating

Best profit split

Lucid Trading

90% to the trader

Most funding

E8 Markets (Futures)

$750K max funding

Tied — shown first

Fastest payout

E8 Markets (Futures)

On demand

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.

42 of 61 metrics differ

E8 Markets (Futures)4.5Details

Lucid Trading4.4Details

Side-by-side comparison of E8 Markets (Futures), Lucid Trading
	E8 Markets (Futures)$50K	Lucid Trading$50K
Account Pricing
Price	$128$17025% OFF	Best value: $69$13850% OFF
Activation Fee	None	None
True Cost	$128after discount + activation	Best value: $69after discount + activation
Reset Fee	Not published	$105
Current Promotion	LUMI: $128.00 initial fee	LUMI (50% off)
Evaluation Phase
Profit Target	$3,0006.0% of account	$3,0006.0% of account
Max Drawdown	$2,000	$2,000
Drawdown Type	End of Day	Intraday
Daily Loss Limit	None	None
Max Position Size	4 contracts	4 contracts
Consistency Rule	No	50%
Funded Phase
Max Drawdown	$2,000	$2,000
Drawdown Type	End of Day	Intraday
Daily Loss Limit	$1,000	Best value: None
Max Payout/Cycle	$2,000Min: $100	Best value: UncappedMin: $500
Consistency Rule	35%	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	877%	—
Target : Drawdown	1.50lower = easier to pass	1.50lower = easier to pass
Company Info
Established	2021	2025
CEO	Dylan Elchami	Not disclosed
Country	United States	Not published
Trader Rating	Best value: 4.5	4.4
Features
Allows Scaling	Yes	Yes
Daily Payouts	Yes	Yes
1-Day Pass	Yes	Yes
KYC Required	Required	Required
Trading
Instruments	Not published	ES, MES, NQ, MNQ, RTY, M2K, NKD, YM +26 more
Evaluation Types	1-step	1-step, Instant funding
Platforms	Tradovate, TradingView	NinjaTrader, Tradovate, TradingView +11 more
Max Funding	$750,000	$750,000
Profit Split	80%	Best value: 90%
Max Accounts	8 funded · Unlimited evaluation	5 funded · 10 evaluation
Trading Rules
Scalping	Allowed	Allowed
Payouts
Payout Frequency	On demand	Daily
Min Payout	$100	$500
Payout Methods	WorkMarket, Rise	Plaid instant bank transfer (U.S. traders), WorkMarket by ADP - bank transfer (U.S. and international) +6 more
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	On demand	Daily
Eligibility	5 profitable days · profit above buffer	profit above buffer
Payout cap	$1,250 (#1-#2) → $2,000 (#3-#4)	Uncapped
Payout limit	4 payouts	Not published
Safety-net buffer	Max loss + $0	Max loss + $100
Scaling	None	None
Activation fee	None	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	None	None
Min trading days	None	Not published
Fastest possible pass	1 day	2 days
Resets	Allowed	Allowed
Consistency rule	35%	50%
Consistency applies to	Every payout cycle	Evaluation only
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	✓ AllowedDedicated futures news policy allows news trading on Zero and Signature, both Challenge and Performance, without…	! RestrictedAllowed on LucidFlex, LucidPro and LucidDirect - traders may enter or exit around scheduled or unscheduled news events…
Weekend holding	✗ Not allowed	✗ Not allowedNot addressed as its own rule; it follows from the daily flat rule.…
Overnight holding	✗ Not allowedAll positions must close by 15:10 CT; trading resumes at 17:00 CT.	✗ Not allowedAll positions must be closed by 4:45 PM EST Monday through Friday and anything left open is auto-closed by Lucid at…
Bots & automation	✗ Not allowedBots and Expert Advisors (EAs) are prohibited on E8 Signature Futures accounts.…	✓ AllowedAutomated trading systems are permitted provided they comply with all other Lucid rules, and the trader is fully…
High-frequency trading	✗ Not allowedSemi-automated and fully automated systems, AI tools and HFT exceeding 300 trades per day are prohibited.	✗ Not allowedDefined as submitting and executing a high volume of trades within extremely short time frames, often seconds or…
Dollar-cost averaging	✓ Allowed	✓ AllowedTraders are free to scale into positions or use dollar cost averaging and Lucid imposes no limits on entry methods.…
Hedging	✗ Not allowed	✗ Not allowedAll forms are prohibited: across a trader's own accounts, between different users' accounts, and between Lucid and…
Copy trading	! RestrictedSelf-owned Challenge, Performance and personal accounts may copy using any compatible tool.…	✓ AllowedTrade copiers are permitted alongside automated systems, subject to all other Lucid rules, and the trader carries…
Microscalping	! RestrictedAt least 50% of all profits must come from trades held at least 10 seconds.…	✗ Not allowedDefined as capturing very small moves with very large size in a few seconds to exploit how simulated fills work.…
VPN	? Not publishedNo specific VPN/VPS rule was found in current official help searches or Terms.…	? Not publishedLucid publishes no VPN or connection-location rule anywhere in its Rules and Guidelines articles; its…

E8 Markets (Futures) vs Lucid Trading: Full Comparison

E8 Markets (Futures), founded in 2021, based in US, and Lucid Trading, founded in 2025, are both popular choices among futures prop traders. E8 Markets (Futures) offers up to $750,000 in funding across 8 accounts, while Lucid Trading provides up to $750,000 across 5 accounts. Both firms support Tradovate, TradingView.

The verdict

Lucid Trading is the cheaper way in at $69 true cost versus $128 for E8 Markets (Futures). Lucid Trading returns more to the trader with a 90% profit split. E8 Markets (Futures) has the stronger reputation with a 4.5/5 trader rating. True cost compares E8 Markets (Futures)'s $50,000 Signature account with Lucid Trading's $50,000 LucidDaily Intraday account, after current discounts and activation fees.

Key statistics for E8 Markets (Futures) and Lucid Trading
Feature	E8 Markets (Futures)	Lucid Trading
Profit Split	80%	90%
Trader rating	4.5/5	4.4/5
Max Funding	$750,000	$750,000
Entry cost (cheapest account)	$84	$44.50
True Cost (selected account)	$128 · $50,000	$69 · $50,000
Max Drawdown (selected account)	$2,000	$2,000
Daily Loss Limit (selected account)	$1,000	None
Largest Account	$200,000	$150,000
Payout Frequency	On demand	Daily
Trading days per payout cycle (selected account)	Not published	No fixed trading-day minimum
Evaluation Type	1-step	1-step, Instant funding
Platforms	2	14
Discount	up to 40% off	up to 50% off

Where E8 Markets (Futures) Wins

+Higher trader rating (4.5 vs 4.4)
+More allowed accounts (8 vs 5)
+Longer track record (since 2021)

Read the full E8 Markets (Futures) review for rules, pricing tiers and payout details.

Where Lucid Trading Wins

+Higher profit split (90% vs 80%)
+Lower entry cost on its cheapest account, a $25,000 ($44.50 vs $84 for a $25,000)
+More platform options (14 vs 2)
+Bigger current discount (up to 50% vs up to 40%)

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

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the main difference between E8 Markets (Futures) and Lucid Trading?

E8 Markets (Futures) offers a 80% profit split with 1-step evaluation, while Lucid Trading offers a 90% profit split with 1-step/Instant funding evaluation. E8 Markets (Futures) supports 2 trading platforms and Lucid Trading supports 14. E8 Markets (Futures) has a trader rating of 4.5/5 compared to Lucid Trading's 4.4/5.

Which is cheaper, E8 Markets (Futures) or Lucid Trading?

Lucid Trading is cheaper to enter: $69 all-in for a $50,000 account, against $128 for E8 Markets (Futures)'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 — E8 Markets (Futures) at up to 40% off and Lucid Trading at up to 50% off.

Which has better payout terms, E8 Markets (Futures) or Lucid Trading?

E8 Markets (Futures) pays out on demand with a minimum of $100, while Lucid Trading pays out daily with a minimum of $500. The trading-day requirement for E8 Markets (Futures)'s selected payout cycle is not published, and Lucid Trading's selected account has no fixed trading-day minimum for a 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 E8 Markets (Futures) and Lucid Trading?

E8 Markets (Futures) does not allow trading bots, while Lucid Trading allows trading bots globally. On VPNs, E8 Markets (Futures) does not publish a VPN policy and Lucid Trading does not publish a VPN policy.

E8 Markets (Futures) vs Lucid Trading — quick answer

E8 Markets (Futures) vs Lucid Trading for 2026: compare evaluation types (1-step vs 1-step, Instant funding), payout cadence for the selected accounts (On demand vs Daily), platforms, and true challenge cost. Lucid Trading offers a higher profit split (90% vs 80%). Use the tables below for drawdown, minimum days, and current promotion status before you buy.

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