Apex Trader Funding Review
Data verified 2026-04-11
Apex Trader Funding Review 2026: The Discount King of Futures Prop Trading
Rating: 4.2/5 | Futures-Only | Austin, TX | Founded 2021
If you’ve spent any time in futures trading communities on Reddit or YouTube, you’ve almost certainly seen Apex Trader Funding pop up. They’re everywhere, and there’s a reason for that. Apex has carved out a reputation as the most aggressively discounted prop firm in the industry, regularly slashing evaluation fees by 50–90%. But cheap entry fees aren’t everything. Let’s dig into whether Apex actually delivers on substance.
What Is Apex Trader Funding?
Apex Trader Funding is a futures-only proprietary trading firm based in Austin, Texas, founded in 2021. They fund traders who pass a one-step evaluation, giving them access to simulated accounts ranging from $25,000 to $300,000 in buying power. Unlike traditional employment, you never risk significant personal capital, just the cost of the evaluation itself, which frequently runs under $50 during promotions.
The business model is straightforward: you pay for an evaluation account, trade according to their rules, hit the profit target without blowing past the drawdown limit, and then get access to a funded account where you keep the majority of your profits.
Key facts at a glance:
- Account sizes: $25K to $300K
- Evaluation type: 1-step (no second verification phase)
- Profit split: 100% of first $25K earned, then 90/10
- Platforms: NinjaTrader, Tradovate, R|Trader Pro, Quantower, ATAS
- Based in Austin, TX, USA
How the Evaluation Works
Apex uses a one-step evaluation: which means there’s no second verification phase after you pass. You pass once, you get funded. That’s simpler and faster than competitors like FTMO that require two phases.
Here’s what you need to do to pass:
Hit your profit target. Every account size has a percentage target you must reach. For example, on the $50K account, you need to make $3,000 in profit (6% of account size) before you’re eligible to advance.
Don’t breach the trailing drawdown. This is the big one, and it’s where most traders wash out. Apex uses an EOD (End of Day) trailing drawdown, which means the floor follows your highest end-of-day balance, not your intraday high. This is more forgiving than intraday trailing drawdowns used by some competitors, because a temporary spike during the trading day won’t move your floor if you close the session flat.
For example: if you start with $50,000 and the drawdown is $2,500, your floor starts at $47,500. If you make $1,000 profit and close the day with $51,000, your floor rises to $48,500. If you then have a bad day and lose $2,000, your balance is $49,000, still above your floor of $48,500. You’re fine. But if you kept losing and hit $48,499, you’d fail.
No daily loss limit during evaluation. This is unusual and beginner-friendly. Most prop firms have a strict daily loss limit that kicks you out of an account if you lose too much in a single session. Apex skips this during evaluation, meaning one bad day won’t automatically end your account, the only thing that matters is the overall trailing drawdown.
No time limit. Take as long as you need. Some traders pass in a week; others take months. Apex doesn’t care, as long as you eventually hit the target without breaching drawdown.
No consistency rule during evaluation. You can make 80% of your profit in one day if you want. Some firms penalize that. Apex doesn’t.
Account Sizes and Pricing
Apex offers a wide range of account sizes, which is one of their competitive advantages:
| Account Size | Regular Price | Drawdown | Profit Target |
|---|---|---|---|
| $25,000 | ~$167/mo | $1,500 | $1,500 |
| $50,000 | ~$187/mo | $2,500 | $3,000 |
| $75,000 | ~$247/mo | $2,750 | $4,500 |
| $100,000 | ~$307/mo | $3,000 | $6,000 |
| $150,000 | ~$417/mo | $5,000 | $9,000 |
| $250,000 | ~$517/mo | $6,500 | $15,000 |
| $300,000 | ~$657/mo | $7,500 | $18,000 |
But here’s the thing: Apex runs promotions so frequently that most traders never pay full price. 50% off is common; 80–90% off happens during special events. The $50K account has been available for as little as $19 during major promotions. This dramatically changes the value calculation.
Reset fees (if you fail and want to restart) range from $80–$220 depending on account size.
Funded Account Rules: What Changes After You Pass
Once you pass the evaluation, things shift slightly. The funded account introduces some rules that weren’t present during evaluation:
- Daily loss limit activates: Unlike the evaluation, funded accounts have a daily loss limit you must respect
- 30% consistency rule: No single day’s profit can exceed 30% of your total payout cycle profits. This prevents traders from making one huge day and immediately requesting a payout.
- 8-day minimum: You must trade at least 8 days before your first payout is eligible
- $149 activation fee: A one-time fee to activate the funded account (deducted from first payout)
Payouts are processed via ACH bank transfer, typically within 7–10 business days. Some traders report faster turnaround, but budget for 10 days to be safe.
Profit Split: 100% First, Then 90%
Apex’s profit structure is one of the most generous in the industry for initial funded traders. You keep 100% of your first $25,000 in cumulative profits across all your funded accounts. After that, the split moves to 90/10, you keep 90%, Apex takes 10%.
Importantly, you can hold multiple funded accounts simultaneously. Apex doesn’t cap how many you can run. Some traders run 3–5 accounts at the same time to scale up their earning potential.
Platform Support
Apex integrates with most major futures trading platforms:
- NinjaTrader (most popular among Apex traders)
- Tradovate (web-based, easy for beginners)
- R|Trader Pro (Rithmic’s own platform)
- Quantower (advanced charting)
- ATAS (volume/orderflow analysis)
Data is provided via Rithmic, which gives you direct CME exchange access. You can trade ES (S&P 500 futures), NQ (Nasdaq futures), CL (Crude Oil), GC (Gold), RTY (Russell 2000), and all their micro equivalents (MES, MNQ, MCL, etc.).
Community Reputation
Apex has a solid reputation in the futures trading community. On Trustpilot, they consistently maintain 4+ stars with thousands of reviews. Reddit communities like r/FuturesTrading and r/PropFirms frequently discuss Apex, and the consensus is positive, particularly around the frequent discounts and the fair EOD drawdown model.
Common complaints center on:
- Payout speed (some users report delays)
- Customer support response time during high-volume periods
- The activation fee surprise for new traders
Who Should Use Apex Trader Funding?
Apex is a great fit if:
- You’re newer to prop firm evaluations and want low financial risk on your first attempt
- You trade intraday futures and have a consistent strategy
- You want the flexibility to scale with multiple accounts
- You’re comfortable with EOD trailing drawdown mechanics
Apex may not be the best fit if:
- You swing trade or hold positions overnight consistently (the funded rules become more complex)
- You need immediate payouts (7–10 day processing isn’t fast)
- You want forex trading, Apex is futures-only
Final Verdict
Apex Trader Funding delivers exceptional value, particularly when you factor in their frequent and aggressive discounting. The 1-step evaluation with no daily loss limit removes a lot of the pressure that trips up beginners at other firms. The 100% profit split on the first $25K is genuinely industry-leading. The EOD trailing drawdown model is more beginner-friendly than intraday trailing models.
The downsides, payout processing delays, the activation fee, and the consistency rule in funded accounts, are real but manageable. For most futures traders, especially beginners looking for a low-cost, low-risk entry into funded trading, Apex Trader Funding earns a strong recommendation.
Overall Score: 4.2/5
Data current as of March 2026. Pricing and rules subject to change, always verify on the official Apex Trader Funding website before purchasing.
Scores
Account Plans
| Account | Price | Max Drawdown | Profit Target | Profit Split | Payout |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| $25,00025K Evaluation | $167 | n/a | 6% | 90% | Eligible after 5 qualifying trading days |
| $25,00025K Intraday Trail - Rithmic | $199 | n/a | n/a | 100% | Eligible after 5 qualifying trading days |
| $25,000Intraday Trail | $199 | 4% | 6% | 90% | Eligible after 5 qualifying trading days |
| $25,000EOD Trail | $299 | 4% | 6% | 90% | Eligible after 5 qualifying trading days |
| $50,00050K Evaluation | $187 | n/a | 6% | 90% | Eligible after 5 qualifying trading days |
| $50,00050K Intraday Trail - Rithmic | $249 | n/a | n/a | 100% | Eligible after 5 qualifying trading days |
| $50,000Intraday Trail | $249 | 4% | 6% | 90% | Eligible after 5 qualifying trading days |
| $50,000EOD Trail | $349 | 4% | 6% | 90% | Eligible after 5 qualifying trading days |
| $75,00075K Evaluation | $247 | n/a | 6% | 90% | n/a |
| $100,000100K Evaluation | $307 | n/a | 6% | 90% | Eligible after 5 qualifying trading days |
| $100,000100K Intraday Trail - Rithmic | $399 | n/a | n/a | 100% | Eligible after 5 qualifying trading days |
| $100,000Intraday Trail | $399 | 3% | 6% | 90% | Eligible after 5 qualifying trading days |
| $100,000EOD Trail | $599 | 3% | 6% | 90% | Eligible after 5 qualifying trading days |
| $150,000150K Evaluation | $417 | n/a | 6% | 90% | Eligible after 5 qualifying trading days |
| $150,000150K Intraday Trail - Rithmic | $599 | n/a | n/a | 100% | Eligible after 5 qualifying trading days |
| $150,000Intraday Trail | $599 | 2.67% | 6% | 90% | Eligible after 5 qualifying trading days |
| $150,000EOD Trail | $799 | 2.67% | 6% | 90% | Eligible after 5 qualifying trading days |
| $250,000250K Evaluation | $517 | n/a | 6% | 90% | n/a |
| $300,000300K Evaluation | $657 | n/a | 6% | 90% | n/a |
Pricing data last verified 2026-04-11. See methodology.