At a glance

Category winners across the firms you picked

Cheapest to start

Lucid Trading

$47 true cost

Highest rated

IQ Capital

4.7 / 5 trader rating

Best profit split

Lucid Trading

90% to the trader

Fastest payout

IQ Capital

Every 1 trading days

Tied — shown first

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.

50 of 61 metrics differ

IQ Capital4.7Details

Lucid Trading4.5Details

Side-by-side comparison of IQ Capital, Lucid Trading
	IQ Capital$50K	Lucid Trading$50K
Account Pricing
Price	$135$67580% OFF	Best value: $47$9450% OFF
Activation Fee	None	None
True Cost	$135after discount + activation	Best value: $47after discount + activation
Reset Fee	Not published	$65
Current Promotion	LUMI: $135.00 initial fee	LUMI (50% off)
Evaluation Phase
Profit Target	Not published	$3,0006.0% of account
Max Drawdown	Not published	$2,000
Drawdown Type	Not published	Intraday
Daily Loss Limit	Not published	$1,200
Max Position Size	Not published	4 contracts
Consistency Rule	Not published	50%
Funded Phase
Max Drawdown	$2,000	$2,000
Drawdown Type	End of Day	Intraday
Daily Loss Limit	$1,000	Best value: $1,200
Max Payout/Cycle	$1,500Min: Not published	Best value: UncappedMin: $500
Consistency Rule	No	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	641%	—
Target : Drawdown	—	1.50lower = easier to pass
Company Info
Established	Not published	2025
CEO	Christoph Radecker	Not disclosed
Country	Saint Lucia	Not published
Trader Rating	Best value: 4.7	4.5
Features
Allows Scaling	No	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, Instant funding	1-step, Instant funding
Platforms	Quantower, ATAS, DeepCharts +11 more	NinjaTrader, Tradovate, TradingView +11 more
Max Funding	—	$750,000
Profit Split	80%	Best value: 90%
Max Accounts	Not published funded · Unlimited evaluation	5 funded · 10 evaluation
Trading Rules
Scalping	Restricted	Allowed
Payouts
Payout Frequency	Every 1 trading days	Daily
Min Payout	Not published	$500
Payout Methods	USDC (ERC-20), Bank transfer	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	Every 1 trading days	Daily
Eligibility	1 trading days · profit above buffer	profit above buffer
Payout cap	$1,000 (#1-#2) → $1,500 (#3-#5)	Uncapped
Payout limit	5 payouts	Not published
Safety-net buffer	Not published	Max loss + $100
Scaling	Not published	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	Not published	None
Min trading days	Not published	Not published
Fastest possible pass	Not published	2 days
Resets	Not published	Allowed
Consistency rule	Not published	50%
Consistency applies to	Not published	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	✓ AllowedNo additional news blackout window is published.	! RestrictedAllowed on LucidFlex, LucidPro and LucidDirect - traders may enter or exit around scheduled or unscheduled news events…
Weekend holding	! RestrictedProhibited for Futures.…	✗ Not allowedNot addressed as its own rule; it follows from the daily flat rule.…
Overnight holding	! RestrictedFutures must close daily; CFD/Crypto may hold overnight.	✗ 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 publishedHelp articles allow transparent, trader-controlled systems, but the Terms of Use prohibit automated trading tools.…	✓ AllowedAutomated trading systems are permitted provided they comply with all other Lucid rules, and the trader is fully…
High-frequency trading	✗ Not allowed	✗ Not allowedDefined as submitting and executing a high volume of trades within extremely short time frames, often seconds or…
Dollar-cost averaging	? Not publishedA separate dollar-cost-averaging policy was not found; combined positions remain subject to per-market loss limits.	✓ AllowedTraders are free to scale into positions or use dollar cost averaging and Lucid imposes no limits on entry methods.…
Hedging	! RestrictedAllowed only within a CFD/Crypto hedging account.…	✗ Not allowedAll forms are prohibited: across a trader's own accounts, between different users' accounts, and between Lucid and…
Copy trading	✗ Not allowedCopying, external signals, account sharing and third-party account management are prohibited.	✓ AllowedTrade copiers are permitted alongside automated systems, subject to all other Lucid rules, and the trader carries…
Microscalping	! RestrictedAt least 50% of trades and at least 50% of profits must come from positions held longer than 15 seconds.…	✗ Not allowedDefined as capturing very small moves with very large size in a few seconds to exploit how simulated fills work.…
VPN	! RestrictedAllowed for security or connectivity, never to hide identity or bypass jurisdiction restrictions.	? Not publishedLucid publishes no VPN or connection-location rule anywhere in its Rules and Guidelines articles; its…

IQ Capital vs Lucid Trading: Full Comparison

IQ Capital, based in LC, and Lucid Trading, founded in 2025, are both popular choices among futures and crypto and forex prop traders. IQ Capital offers up to not published in funding, while Lucid Trading provides up to $750,000 across 5 accounts. Both firms support Quantower, ATAS, Tradovate and 2 more platforms.

The verdict

Lucid Trading is the cheaper way in at $47 true cost versus $135 for IQ Capital. Lucid Trading returns more to the trader with a 90% profit split. IQ Capital has the stronger reputation with a 4.7/5 trader rating. True cost compares IQ Capital's $50,000 Futures Rapid Daily (1D) account with Lucid Trading's $50,000 LucidDaily · ON / Intraday account, after current discounts and activation fees.

Key statistics for IQ Capital and Lucid Trading
Feature	IQ Capital	Lucid Trading
Profit Split	80%	90%
Trader rating	4.7/5	4.5/5
Max Funding	not published	$750,000
Entry cost (cheapest account)	$135	$32.50
True Cost (selected account)	$135 · $50,000	$47 · $50,000
Max Drawdown (selected account)	$2,000	$2,000
Daily Loss Limit (selected account)	$1,000	$1,200
Largest Account	$200,000	$150,000
Payout Frequency	Every 1 trading days	Daily
Trading days per payout cycle (selected account)	1 trading day	No fixed trading-day minimum
Evaluation Type	1-step, Instant funding	1-step, Instant funding
Platforms	14	14
Discount	up to 80% off	up to 50% off

Where IQ Capital Wins

+Higher trader rating (4.7 vs 4.5)
+Bigger current discount (up to 80% vs up to 50%)

Read the full IQ Capital 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 ($32.50 vs $135 for a $50,000)

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

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the main difference between IQ Capital and Lucid Trading?

IQ Capital offers a 80% profit split with 1-step/Instant funding evaluation, while Lucid Trading offers a 90% profit split with 1-step/Instant funding evaluation. IQ Capital supports 14 trading platforms and Lucid Trading supports 14. IQ Capital has a trader rating of 4.7/5 compared to Lucid Trading's 4.5/5.

Which is cheaper, IQ Capital or Lucid Trading?

Lucid Trading is cheaper to enter: $47 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 — IQ Capital at up to 80% off and Lucid Trading at up to 50% off.

Which has better payout terms, IQ Capital or Lucid Trading?

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

IQ Capital does not publish a trading-bot policy, while Lucid Trading allows trading bots globally. On VPNs, IQ Capital permits VPN use under published conditions and Lucid Trading does not publish a VPN policy.

IQ Capital vs Lucid Trading — quick answer

IQ Capital vs Lucid Trading for 2026: compare evaluation types (1-step, Instant funding vs 1-step, Instant funding), payout cadence for the selected accounts (Every 1 trading days 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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