At a glance

Category winners across the firms you picked

Cheapest to start

Lucid Trading

$69 true cost

Highest rated

TradeDay

4.6 / 5 trader rating

Most funding

Lucid Trading

$750K max funding

Fastest payout

TradeDay

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.

40 of 61 metrics differ

Lucid Trading4.4Details

TradeDay4.6Details

Side-by-side comparison of Lucid Trading, TradeDay
	Lucid Trading$50K	TradeDay$50K
Account Pricing
Price	Best value: $69$13850% OFF	$70$17560% OFF
Activation Fee	None	None
True Cost	Best value: $69after discount + activation	$70after discount + activation
Reset Fee	$105	Not published
Current Promotion	LUMI (50% off)	LUMI: $70.00 initial fee
Evaluation Phase
Profit Target	$3,0006.0% of account	$3,0006.0% of account
Max Drawdown	$2,000	$2,000
Drawdown Type	Intraday	End of Day
Daily Loss Limit	None	None
Max Position Size	4 contracts	Best value: 5 contracts
Consistency Rule	50%	30%
Funded Phase
Max Drawdown	$2,000	$2,000
Drawdown Type	Intraday	Intraday
Daily Loss Limit	None	None
Max Payout/Cycle	UncappedMin: $500	Not published
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	—	—
Target : Drawdown	1.50lower = easier to pass	1.50lower = easier to pass
Company Info
Established	2025	2020
CEO	Not disclosed	James Thorpe
Country	Not published	United States
Trader Rating	4.4	Best value: 4.6
Features
Allows Scaling	Yes	Yes
Daily Payouts	Yes	Yes
1-Day Pass	Yes	No
KYC Required	Required	Required
Trading
Instruments	ES, MES, NQ, MNQ, RTY, M2K, NKD, YM +26 more	ES, MES, NQ, MNQ, RTY, M2K, NKD, YM +33 more
Evaluation Types	1-step, Instant funding	1-step
Platforms	NinjaTrader, Tradovate, TradingView +11 more	Tradovate, NinjaTrader, TradingView +15 more
Max Funding	Best value: $750,000	$150,000
Profit Split	90%	Not published
Max Accounts	5 funded · 10 evaluation	5 funded · 10 evaluation
Trading Rules
Scalping	Allowed	Allowed
Payouts
Payout Frequency	Daily	On demand
Min Payout	$500	$250
Payout Methods	Plaid instant bank transfer (U.S. traders), WorkMarket by ADP - bank transfer (U.S. and international) +6 more	US bank wire — free, International bank wire — $15 per withdrawal +2 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	Daily	On demand
Eligibility	profit above buffer	1 trading days
Payout cap	Uncapped	Not published
Payout limit	Not published	Unlimited
Safety-net buffer	Max loss + $100	None
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	Not published	5
Fastest possible pass	2 days	5 days
Resets	Allowed	Allowed
Consistency rule	50%	30%
Consistency applies to	Evaluation only	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	! RestrictedAllowed on LucidFlex, LucidPro and LucidDirect - traders may enter or exit around scheduled or unscheduled news events…	! RestrictedOnly a named tier-1 list is off limits, and the platform enforces it rather than failing the trader…
Weekend holding	✗ Not allowedNot addressed as its own rule; it follows from the daily flat rule.…	? Not publishedNo weekend-specific rule is published; it follows from the absolute daily-close rule, which admits no exception for a…
Overnight holding	✗ Not allowedAll positions must be closed by 4:45 PM EST Monday through Friday and anything left open is auto-closed by Lucid at…	✓ AllowedExplicitly permitted inside a session, which runs overnight: “Trading generally resumes after 5 pm CT.”…
Bots & automation	✓ AllowedAutomated trading systems are permitted provided they comply with all other Lucid rules, and the trader is fully…	! RestrictedA trader’s own automation is allowed on supported platforms, bought automation is not, and there is no API…
High-frequency trading	✗ Not allowedDefined as submitting and executing a high volume of trades within extremely short time frames, often seconds or…	✗ Not allowedBanned with a published numeric threshold, unusually: “Using automated trading systems designed to scalp at an”…
Dollar-cost averaging	✓ AllowedTraders are free to scale into positions or use dollar cost averaging and Lucid imposes no limits on entry methods.…	? Not publishedOnly legitimate scaling and staged entries at different price levels are explicitly permitted by the order-splitting…
Hedging	✗ Not allowedAll forms are prohibited: across a trader's own accounts, between different users' accounts, and between Lucid and…	? Not publishedBanned in both the multiple-accounts article and the prohibited-practices list, with the same cross-account definition:…
Copy trading	✓ AllowedTrade copiers are permitted alongside automated systems, subject to all other Lucid rules, and the trader carries…	! RestrictedAllowed only into TradeDay accounts and only between Funded Sim accounts, never across the sim/live line…
Microscalping	✗ Not allowedDefined as capturing very small moves with very large size in a few seconds to exploit how simulated fills work.…	? Not publishedDefined but not numerically bounded, and enforced by review rather than by an automatic breach…
VPN	? Not publishedLucid publishes no VPN or connection-location rule anywhere in its Rules and Guidelines articles; its…	✗ Not allowedVPS is barred outright and IP masking must be switched off on demand: “TradeDay does not allow the use of virtual”…

Lucid Trading vs TradeDay: Full Comparison

Lucid Trading, founded in 2025, and TradeDay, founded in 2020, based in US, are both popular choices among futures prop traders. Lucid Trading offers up to $750,000 in funding across 5 accounts, while TradeDay provides up to $150,000 across 5 accounts. Both firms support NinjaTrader, Tradovate, TradingView and 10 more platforms.

The verdict

Lucid Trading is the cheaper way in at $69 true cost versus $70 for TradeDay. TradeDay has the stronger reputation with a 4.6/5 trader rating. Lucid Trading scales the furthest with up to $750K in funding. True cost compares Lucid Trading's $50,000 LucidDaily Intraday account with TradeDay's $50,000 QuickPay EOD account, after current discounts and activation fees.

Key statistics for Lucid Trading and TradeDay
Feature	Lucid Trading	TradeDay
Profit Split	90%	Not published
Trader rating	4.4/5	4.6/5
Max Funding	$750,000	$150,000
Entry cost (cheapest account)	$45	$40
True Cost (selected account)	$69 · $50,000	$70 · $50,000
Max Drawdown (selected account)	$2,000	$2,000
Daily Loss Limit (selected account)	None	None
Largest Account	$150,000	$150,000
Payout Frequency	Daily	On demand
Trading days per payout cycle (selected account)	No fixed trading-day minimum	1 trading day
Evaluation Type	1-step, Instant funding	1-step
Platforms	14	18
Discount	up to 50% off	up to 60% off

Where Lucid Trading Wins

+Higher max funding ($750,000 vs $150,000)
+One-day pass available

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

Where TradeDay Wins

+Higher trader rating (4.6 vs 4.4)
+Lower entry cost on its cheapest account, a $25,000 ($40 vs $45 for a $25,000)
+More platform options (18 vs 14)
+Bigger current discount (up to 60% vs up to 50%)
+Longer track record (since 2020)

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

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the main difference between Lucid Trading and TradeDay?

Lucid Trading offers a 90% profit split with 1-step/Instant funding evaluation, while TradeDay does not publish the profit split for the selected account. Lucid Trading supports 14 trading platforms and TradeDay supports 18. Lucid Trading has a trader rating of 4.4/5 compared to TradeDay's 4.6/5.

Which is cheaper, Lucid Trading or TradeDay?

Lucid Trading is cheaper to enter: $69 all-in for a $50,000 account, against $70 for TradeDay's $50,000 account. Both figures are after the current discount and include the activation fee. Both firms offer discounts — Lucid Trading at up to 50% off and TradeDay at up to 60% off.

Which has better payout terms, Lucid Trading or TradeDay?

Lucid Trading pays out daily with a minimum of $500, while TradeDay pays out on demand with a minimum of $250. Lucid Trading's selected account has no fixed trading-day minimum for a payout cycle, and TradeDay'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 Lucid Trading and TradeDay?

Lucid Trading allows trading bots globally, while TradeDay allows trading bots under published conditions. On VPNs, Lucid Trading does not publish a VPN policy and TradeDay restricts VPN use.

Lucid Trading vs TradeDay — quick answer

Lucid Trading vs TradeDay for 2026: compare evaluation types (1-step, Instant funding vs 1-step), payout cadence for the selected accounts (Daily vs On demand), platforms, and true challenge cost. Profit split is not published for the selected TradeDay account. Use the tables below for drawdown, minimum days, and current promotion status before you buy.

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