If you want to become a professional trader but lack capital, subscribing to a proprietary trading firm (prop firm) may be your route. But which prop firm? Among the many popping up, Apex Trader Funding and The Funded Trader are two to consider.
To help you decide, here’s an in-depth comparison of Apex Trader Funding vs. The Funded Trader.
What Is Apex Trader Funding?
Apex Trader Funding is a proprietary trading firm offering traders access to funded accounts to trade futures. Founded by Darrell Martin in 2021 and based in Austin, Texas, Apex Trader Funding has monthly participation fees of $137 to $657. An Apex funded account can range from $25,000 to $300,000.
Pros
- Live funded accounts
- Retention of full profit of the first $25,000 earned
- 90% profit split after the first $25,000
- Straightforward, simple rule set
- Option to manage up to 20 accounts simultaneously
Cons
- Futures trading only
- Required to trade for 10 days before payout
- Designated periods each month to request payouts
What Is The Funded Trader?
The Funded Trader program is a proprietary trading platform that offers traders evaluations to earn funded accounts in a simulated environment. Angelo Ciaramello, Blake Olson and Carlos Rico Jr. launched The Funded Trader as a prop firm in May 2021 to gamify retail trading. There, you can simulate trading contracts for difference (CFDs) for foreign exchange (forex), indices, commodities and cryptocurrencies. The Funded Trader has headquarters in Liberty Hill, Texas and Grand Cayman, Cayman Islands. Traders are charged a one-time fee ranging from $65 to $1,879, which is refunded if they pass the evaluation. Funded accounts range from $5,000 to $400,000, with an opportunity to scale up to $600,000 and even $1.5 million.
Pros
- An array of funded account options
- 80/20 payout with potential for 90/10 payout
- Challenge fee is refundable
- Supports several trading styles
- Weekend trading
Cons
- No futures trading
- Trading only 60 instruments
- Lack of onsite education
Side-by-Side Comparison
Here’s a side-by-side comparison of Apex Trader Funding vs. The Funded Trader:
| Feature | Apex Trader Funding | The Funded Trader |
|---|---|---|
| Funding Options | Up to $1.5 million | Up to $400,000 |
| Profit Split | The trader keeps 100% of profits up to the initial amount of $25,000, then takes a 90% split on future transactions | You earn 80% of profits through, 90% after passing one- or two-step evaluations, and up to 95% in the VIP program for experienced traders |
| Pricing | Starts at $150 for the $25,000 account | Starts at $89 for the $25,000 account |
| Evaluation Process | 2-step process: Evaluation + Performance Evaluation | 2-step process: Challenge + Verification |
| Trading Platforms | NinjaTrader, TradingView, and others via API | MetaTrader 4, MetaTrader 5, cTrader |
| Scaling Plans | Yes, can scale as profits grow | Yes, scaling options available based on performance |
| Account Reset Options | Available with fee | Available with fee |
| Payout Frequency | Bi-weekly | Monthly |
| Leverage | 10:1 for most accounts | 10:1 for most accounts |
| Risk Management | Specific daily loss limits and drawdown rules | Specific daily loss limits and drawdown rules |
| Tradable Assets | Futures | Primarily forex, some indices and commodities |
| Trading Styles Allowed | Day trading, swing trading, scalping | Day trading, swing trading, scalping |
| Customer Support | 24/7 support via chat and email | 24/7 support via chat and email |
| Mobile App | Yes | Yes |
| Trial Accounts | Yes, free demo account available | Yes, free trial account available |
Key Differences:
- Funding Potential: Apex offers a higher funding ceiling ($1.5 million) compared to The Funded Trader’s $400,000.
- Pricing: The Funded Trader has a lower entry point, with accounts starting at $89 for a $25,000 account, compared to Apex’s $150.
- Platform Options: Apex supports a wider range of platforms, including NinjaTrader and TradingView, while The Funded Trader focuses on MetaTrader and cTrader.
- Payout Frequency: Apex provides bi-weekly payouts, which may be more attractive for traders seeking quicker access to profits, while The Funded Trader pays monthly.
>> Compare top prop trading firms
Apex Trader Funding vs. The Funded Trader
When looking at Apex Trader Funding vs. The Funded Trader, you might consider six important features from each prop firm: profit-sharing, cost, flexibility, risk management, educational resources and trading platforms. Here’s a head-to-head comparison of those features.
Profit-Sharing
Apex Trader Funding and The Funded Trader offer competitive profit-sharing splits compared to the rest of the industry. Apex Trader Funding has a one-step evaluation and a generous split. The Funded Trader offers a one-step and two-step challenge, starting with a lower profit-sharing split with an opportunity to equal Apex Trader Funding’s split. An add-on can get you to an even higher profit-sharing split.
Apex: Apex Trader Funding offers 100% of the first $25,000 you earn and allows you to take 90% of the profits afterward.
The Funded Trader: You can take 80% of the profits you earn through The Funded Trader. However, you can earn 90% if you pass the one-step and two-step evaluations. Experienced traders can earn up to 95% in a VIP program.
Cost
Neither Apex Trader Funding nor The Funded Trader charges fees associated with payouts or the method of payouts.
Apex: You can request a payout after 10 days of trading. Payouts are made on the 15th and 30th of each month and withdrawal can take three to seven days.
The Funded Trader: Payouts depend on the type of account you subscribe to and whether you’ve purchased an add-on. You can receive a payout every 14 days or every seven days if you purchase the add-on.
Flexibility
As prop firms go, Apex Trader Funding and The Funded Trader aim to offer flexibility through their funding amounts and profit splits.
Apex: Traders can access a range of capital based on their performance. If you stick to evaluation, there’s no cap on what you can earn.
The Funded Trader: The firm offers a variety of challenges, including flexible options such as unlimited trading days, no lot limits and early withdrawals.
Risk Management
The Funded Trader takes a risk management approach that is more strict than that of Apex Trader Funding.
Apex: Risk management from Apex Trader Funding is straightforward and avoids complicating trading. It includes no daily loss limits with a trailing drawdown, giving traders flexibility.
The Funded Trader: The Funded Trader’s risk management is strict and automated, limiting a trader’s risk in a single trade. It limits a trader’s flexibility by setting a maximum percentage that can be risked and monitoring the trading strategy.
Educational Resources
Apex Trader Funding provides educational resources on trading programs and risk management strategies. Its website also offers webinars, videos and FAQs. The Funded Trader is criticized for a lack of educational resources, although its website does contain a blog and FAQs. Still, it is backed by a community that offers support to traders.
Apex: Apex Trader Funding offers a free, 30-day education course and a one-on-one mentor.
The Funded Trader: VVS Academy is a community of traders who share their knowledge and experience. It also provides webinars, video tutorials and trading tools.
Trading Platform
Apex Trader Funding offers a robust list of trading platforms, providing real-time data through each and a free NinjaTrader license. The Funded Trader offers two platforms familiar to many traders, giving them access to many resources and tools on the web or on the go.
Apex: The platforms are NinjaTrader, TradingView, Tradovate, Rithmic, R | Trader Pro, WealthCharts, Jigsaw Trading, Volfix, ATAS, Bookmap, EdgeClear, Finamark, MotiveWave, Quantower and Sierra Chart.
The Funded Trader: The platforms on The Funded Trader, MetaTrader 4 (MT4) and MetaTrader 5 (MT5), allow traders to access the brokers working with the firm. Eightcap and ThinkMarkets support MT4 and MT5 and Purple Trading Seychelles supports MT4.
Apex Trader Funding vs. The Funded Trader: Winner
Apex Trader Funding and The Funded Trader offer you funded trading accounts. However, you would trade live with Apex Trader Funding and in a simulated environment with The Funded Trader.
The differences regarding Apex Trader Funding vs. The Funded Trader don’t stop there. Apex Trader Funding has a one-step evaluation it intentionally keeps simple. The Funded Trader has a straightforward one-step challenge, but it also offers a two-step challenge with different targets and stricter risk management rules.
Apex Trader Funding’s simple rules make the platform more accessible to intermediate traders, while the longer evaluations with more stringent risk management rules mean that The Funded Trader is geared toward more experienced traders.
Frequently Asked Questions
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Proprietary trading firms have different minimum requirements for passing the screening process or prop challenge. On some platforms, it can take between four and five months to get funded as a trader or as short as two days on others.
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The speed of a payout can depend on the prop firm and the method it uses for payouts, such as credit card, PayPal, cryptocurrency or wire transfer. Some prop firms process your withdrawal request in a day or two, but it may take up to 10 days to receive your money.
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Funded trading isn’t as easy as some people make it out to be on social media. An estimated 4% of forex traders pass prop firm challenges and 1% of those traders consistently profit from trades.
