📋 In This Review
📊 Firm Overview
Updated May 2026Account Sizes
$25K – $150K
Min Eval Fee
$147 (one-time)
CEO / Founder
Darrell Martin (Founder & CEO)
Profit Split
100%
Payout Time
24–48 Hours
DD Type
Trailing (Intraday)
Markets
Futures (CME, CBOT, NYMEX — ES, NQ, CL, MES, MNQ and more)
News Trading
Yes
Overnight Hold
Yes
Scaling
Up to $150K
Exclusive Discount
SAVENOW
80–90% off all evaluation fees — does not apply to $99 PA activation fee
🔬 SPR Intelligence Analysis
Proprietary MetricsDifficulty Score Based on profit target, drawdown type, min days and restrictions. 10 = extremely hard to pass.
6.0/10
Average difficulty — trailing (intraday) drawdown
Value Score Lower = better value. Industry average ~$7.00 per $1K.
1.12 per $1K funded
$147 (one-time)
vs ~$7.00 avg across all tracked firms
Best Trader Profile Trading styles most likely to succeed given this firm's specific rule set and drawdown type.
Futures Day Trader
Intraday Scalper
Momentum Trader
Apex suits disciplined futures day traders who want maximum profit retention at the lowest possible entry cost. The EOD drawdown model is particularly well suited to traders who need room to hold intraday positions without watching their threshold trail against them in real time. Not suitable for traders expecting unlimited payout cycles or those needing metals exposure.
📰 Firm Updates & News
Live Feed2026-03-14
All metals contracts suspended — GC, SI, MGC, HG, PL, PA, QI, QO halted across all account types with no return date announced Alert
2026-03-01
Apex 4.0 launched — one-time fees replace monthly subscriptions, EOD drawdown added, 6 legacy rules removed including MAE and 5:1 RR restriction Platform
2026-03-01
Consistency rule relaxed from 30% to 50% on Performance Accounts — biggest day can now be up to 50% of total profits Rule
2026-03-01
Payouts switched from Deel to Plane (international) and ACH (US) — fully automated with no manual review or denial process Payout
2026-01-01
Mandatory bracket orders enforced at platform level on Rithmic and Tradovate — all orders must include stop loss and take profit Rule
2025-06-01
$250K and $300K account sizes discontinued — lineup simplified to $25K, $50K, $100K, $150K only Platform
2022-01-01
Apex Trader Funding begins publicly reporting cumulative payouts — reaches $700M+ by April 2026 Payout
2021-01-01
Apex Trader Funding founded by Darrell Martin in Austin, Texas Platform
🛡️ Is Apex Trader Funding Legitimate?
✓ Legitimate
Registered In
USA — Apex Trader Funding Inc., 2028 E. Ben White Blvd, Suite 240, Austin, TX 78741
Operating Since
2021
Reported Payouts
$700M+ (self-reported)
Regulation
Unregulated (prop model)
⚠ Red Flags to Know
🚩 6-payout lifetime cap per account — traders must repurchase evaluation after 6 withdrawals
🚩 $99 PA activation fee excluded from all promo code discounts — not disclosed upfront in most marketing
🚩 Metals contracts fully suspended since March 2026 — no return date announced
🚩 Contract limits drop sharply from evaluation to Performance Account — evaluation strategy may not work at PA sizing
🚩 30-day evaluation expiry — eval lapses if profit target not hit within 30 days requiring repurchase
🚩 All funded accounts are simulated — no real capital path unlike Topstep's Live Funded Account
🚩 Support response times reported as inconsistent — delays common during high-volume periods
📋 Challenge Rules
1️⃣ 1-step
🧮 Challenge Fee Calculator
Select account size to see full cost breakdown:
✅ Pros & Cons
✅ Pros
✅ Cheapest entry fees in futures prop trading — as low as $18 on sale
✅ 100% profit split — keep every dollar of profits
✅ EOD trailing drawdown — far more forgiving than intraday alternatives
✅ No minimum trading days in evaluation — can pass in a single day
✅ Automated payouts — no manual review, no denials, no video submissions required
✅ Up to 20 simultaneous Performance Accounts per household
✅ Free NinjaTrader license and real-time platform data included
✅ $700M+ in verified payouts — one of the highest payout totals in the industry
✅ News trading fully allowed — no restrictions whatsoever
✅ 24–48 hour payout processing via ACH and Plane
❌ Cons
❌ 6-payout lifetime cap per account — must repurchase evaluation after 6 payouts
❌ $99 PA activation fee NOT covered by promo codes — hidden extra cost
❌ Contract limits drop significantly from evaluation to Performance Account — strategy may not translate
❌ Metals trading (GC, SI, MGC, HG) suspended as of March 2026 — no return date announced
❌ 30-day evaluation expiry — eval must be passed within 30 days or repurchase required
❌ 50% consistency rule on funded accounts — biggest day cannot exceed 50% of total profits
❌ Weekend holding not permitted on any account type
❌ Support response times inconsistent — some traders report delays
🎯 Who Is This Firm For?
✅ Ideal For
👍 Budget traders wanting the cheapest entry into futures prop trading
👍 Experienced futures day traders wanting 100% profit retention
👍 Traders wanting EOD drawdown with no intraday liquidation risk
👍 Traders who want to run multiple accounts simultaneously (up to 20)
👍 Traders wanting fully automated payouts with no review process
❌ Not Ideal For
👎 Traders needing unlimited payout cycles — 6-payout cap applies per account
👎 Metals traders — GC, SI, and other metals suspended since March 2026
👎 Swing traders — weekend holding strictly prohibited
👎 Beginners — contract size reduction and trailing drawdown catch many off guard
👎 Traders expecting promo codes to cover activation fees — they do not
⚖️ Our Verdict
★★★★☆ 4.1/5
Apex Trader Funding's 4.0 overhaul makes it a genuinely strong option for futures traders in 2026. The removal of six legacy rules, automated payouts, and EOD drawdown option address nearly every major complaint from prior years. The 100% profit split and near-zero cost during sales are legitimately the best value entry point in the futures prop space. However, the 6-payout lifetime cap per account, hidden activation fee, metals suspension, and sharp contract limit reduction at the PA stage are real drawbacks that experienced traders must plan around carefully. A solid choice for disciplined day traders who want maximum profit retention at minimal cost.
✓ Recommended for Futures Day Trader, Intraday Scalper, Momentum Trader
❓ Frequently Asked Questions
Yes. Apex Trader Funding is a legitimate US-registered futures prop firm headquartered in Austin, Texas, founded in 2021 by Darrell Martin. The firm has paid out $700M+ to traders across 100+ countries and holds a 4.4/5 Trustpilot rating from over 18,000 verified reviews. Payouts are fully automated under the 2026 4.0 rules — no manual review, no denied payouts, and no video submissions required.
The 4.0 overhaul was the biggest rule change in Apex's history. Monthly subscriptions were replaced with one-time evaluation fees. EOD trailing drawdown was added as a default option. Six legacy rules were removed including the MAE rule, the 5:1 risk-reward restriction, the 7-day minimum trading requirement, and the one-direction rule. The consistency rule was relaxed from 30% to 50% on Performance Accounts. Payouts moved from Deel to Plane and ACH with full automation and no manual review process.
Apex offers a 100% profit split — traders keep all profits withdrawn. However, payouts are capped per request during the first 6 payout cycles based on account size. After the 6th payout, the Performance Account is typically retired and a new evaluation must be purchased to continue trading. A Safety Net buffer — starting balance plus drawdown amount plus $100 — must be maintained in the account before each payout request.
The EOD trailing drawdown recalculates once per day at market close — during the session your drawdown floor does not move regardless of floating profits. This makes it far more forgiving for traders holding positions intraday. The Intraday trailing drawdown moves in real time with every new equity high including unrealized profits — one strong trade followed by a pullback can eliminate your buffer even if you close green. EOD accounts also include a Daily Loss Limit that pauses trading for the session if triggered but does not fail the account. Intraday accounts are cheaper but carry significantly more risk.
Apex does not use a traditional scaling plan. Instead, traders can hold up to 20 simultaneous Performance Accounts per household, each with its own independent drawdown and payout ladder. This allows experienced traders to scale their total exposure to $3,000,000 ($150K × 20 accounts) if all are active. Each account must be traded independently — cross-account hedging is strictly prohibited. A new evaluation must be purchased for each new account.
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