Factual information, not advice. Every company is measured the same way, against published criteria. Nothing here recommends a firm, plan or trade, or knows your circumstances.
The short version
- Best overall right now: Alpha Futures (6.7/10), then Earn2Trade and TradeDay.
- Best reputation: Earn2Trade. Most room in the rules: Alpha Futures.
- Cheapest way to a funded $50K (fee plus activation, passing in month one): Tradeify, $165.
- 8 of 9 plans use a trailing drawdown once you're funded. Read that rule before anything else.
Why futures prop firms are different
If you've only used CFD prop firms, futures firms will feel strange at first. You trade real exchange contracts like the E-mini S&P 500 or micro gold. Your size is capped in contracts, not by leverage. The loss limit is a dollar amount, and it usually trails your balance. Most firms make you flat before the session ends. And many bill you every month until you pass.
None of that is bad. It's just different, and it means the questions you ask are different too. Our guide to how prop firms work covers the basics if you're new.
How we ranked them
Same method as our CFD list. A rules score for how much room each plan gives you on a funded account, and a reputation score for what's on record: reviews, payout terms, the company you sign with, and years in business. Overall is 40% rules and 60% reputation. We use each firm's best plan at $50K, the most common futures size. Anything a firm doesn't publish scores zero. The method is short, if you want the details.
The full table
| # | Firm | Overall | Rules | Reputation | Drawdown | Funded drawdown | Price | Activation |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Alpha FuturesAdvanced Account | 6.7 | 8.0 | 5.8 | $1,750 | Trailing, end of day | $209/mo | None |
| 2 | Earn2TradeTrader Career Path | 6.0 | 6.1 | 5.9 | $2,000 | Trailing, end of day | $190/mo | $139 |
| 3 | TradeDayFast Pass | 5.9 | 6.1 | 5.8 | $2,000 | Trailing, end of day | $189/mo | None |
| 4 | BulenoxQualification · end-of-day drawdown | 5.5 | 6.7 | 4.7 | $2,500 | Trailing, end of day | $175 | None |
| 5 | Elite Trader FundingStatic Drawdown | 5.1 | 7.3 | 3.7 | $2,000 | Static | $497/mo | $177 |
| 6 | TopstepTrading Combine | 5.0 | 4.8 | 5.2 | $2,000 | Trailing, end of day | $49/mo | $149 |
| 7 | Take Profit TraderTest Account | 4.9 | 4.8 | 5.0 | $2,000 | Trailing, intraday | $170/mo | $130 |
| 8 | TradeifySelect Evaluation | 4.7 | 5.9 | 3.9 | $2,000 | Trailing, end of day | $165 | None |
| 9 | MyFundedFuturesRapid | 4.4 | 3.0 | 5.3 | $2,000 | Trailing, intraday | $209 | None |
What it really costs to get funded
Sticker prices in futures are misleading. A cheap monthly fee can come with a big activation fee, and a one-off price can look expensive next to a subscription until you fail twice. Here's what each plan costs if you pass in your first month: one month of the fee (or the one-off price) plus any activation fee.
Fee (first month, or one-off) Activation fee
If you usually need two or three months to pass, multiply the monthly fee accordingly. That's where one-off plans start to win. Best plans shows every price with its billing next to it.
Picks by what you need
Firm by firm
- $50K: $209/moNo activation feeFunded: trailing, end of dayOvernight allowedSplit 90%Payout capsTrustpilot 4.4 (5,992)
Tops our futures list on rules. No activation fee, overnight holds are allowed on this plan, and the consistency rule only applies while you're being evaluated. The catches: payouts are capped per request on most plans, and the firm has only been around since 2023.
- $50K: $190/mo$139 activationFunded: trailing, end of dayFlat by 3:50 PM CTSplit 50%Payout capsTrustpilot 4.6 (4,999)
Well reviewed and around since 2017. Its consistency rule only applies in the evaluation. You'll pay monthly plus an activation fee, and the profit split starts lower than most firms here before it scales up.
- $50K: $189/moNo activation feeFunded: trailing, end of dayOvernight allowedSplit 80%Payout capsTrustpilot 4.6 (1,437)
No activation fee, and overnight holds are allowed on this plan. Fast Pass payouts are limited to half the account balance and a fixed amount per request, so big early months get paid out slowly.
- $50K: $175No activation feeFunded: trailing, end of dayFlat by 3:59 PM CTSplit 100%Payout capsTrustpilot 4.7 (1,789)
Good rules and a one-off fee instead of a subscription. Watch two things once funded: your best day has to stay under 40% of the cycle's profit, and the first three payouts are capped. It doesn't say when it started trading.
- $50K: $497/mo$177 activationFunded: staticFlat by 1 minute before the instrument's closeSplit 100%Payout capsTrustpilot 3.8 (1,157)
The only plan here with a static drawdown, and in futures that's a big deal. You pay for it, though: monthly billing plus an activation fee when you pass, a lower reputation score than most, and caps on how much you can take out in the sim stage.
- $50K: $49/mo$149 activationFunded: trailing, end of dayFlat by 3:10 PM CTSplit 90%Payout capsTrustpilot 3.6 (14,815)
The oldest firm on this list (2012) and the cheapest monthly price, but there's an activation fee when you pass. Funded payouts are limited to half the balance per request, and its Trustpilot score is the lowest of the futures firms we track.
- $50K: $170/mo$130 activationFunded: trailing, intradayFlat by 5:00 PM ETSplit 80%Trustpilot 4.4 (10,659)
One of the few firms with no cap on withdrawals. The downside is serious: once funded, the drawdown trails intraday, which is the toughest kind. You also pay monthly plus an activation fee.
- $50K: $165No activation feeFunded: trailing, end of dayFlat by 4:59 PM ETSplit 90%Payout capsTrustpilot 4.5 (4,723)
One-off fee, no activation fee, and the consistency rule is dropped once you're funded. Payouts are capped per request, and there's a fairly long list of conditions to read.
- $50K: $209No activation feeFunded: trailing, intradayFlat by 4:10 PM ETSplit 90%Payout capsTrustpilot 4.9 (21,895)
The best Trustpilot score of any firm we track. It ranks low on rules mainly because the funded drawdown trails intraday. Its consistency rule never fails you; it just means trading more days.
The traps in futures prop trading
These are the rules that end the most futures accounts, or quietly shrink the payout. Count how common they are:
- Intraday trailing drawdown. The limit follows your open profit. Say you're up $1,500 on a trade and it comes back to break-even: on an intraday trail, you've just lost $1,500 of room without a losing trade. End-of-day trailing is much kinder, and static is kindest.
- Consistency rules. 7 of these 9 plans have one somewhere. They stop one huge day from counting as most of your profit. Some only apply in the evaluation, some only when you ask for a payout. Our payout calculators apply each plan's rule automatically.
- Payout caps. Many firms cap early payouts at a fixed amount or half the balance. A great first month doesn't mean a big first withdrawal.
- Close-out times. Most firms want you flat before the session close, and the exact time differs by firm. Miss it and the position is closed for you, or the account is breached.
- Contract caps. Your size is limited in contracts, and some firms cap gold or other markets tighter. Check the metals or indices view for the market you trade.
Day trading futures? Read funded accounts for day trading next. It covers the daily rules that catch intraday traders.
Missing a futures firm?Tell us which one and we'll research its rules from its own pages.Request it →Questions traders ask
What is the best futures prop firm in 2026?
On our numbers today, Alpha Futures, at 6.7 out of 10 for a $50K account. That blends rules (40%) and reputation (60%). If you care most about reviews, Earn2Trade leads on reputation.
What is trailing drawdown in futures prop firms?
A loss limit that moves up as your account makes money. End-of-day trailing only moves at the close. Intraday trailing moves with your open profit, so a trade that goes well and then comes back can use up your room without ever closing at a loss. Most futures plans trail in some way.
Why do futures prop firms charge monthly?
Many bill the evaluation as a subscription until you pass, and some add an activation fee when you do. Passing slowly costs more. Always add the activation fee to the price before comparing.
Can I hold futures trades overnight with a prop firm?
Usually not. Most firms make you flat before the session close. Alpha Futures is one of the few plans here that allows overnight holds. Every firm's close-out time is on its page.
Are futures prop firms better than CFD prop firms?
Different, not better. Futures give you exchange prices and contract caps; CFD firms give you percentage limits and longer trading hours. Compare both in best CFD prop firms.
Rankings are calculated live from the records behind the site at $50K. Prices are the regular prices before discount codes. Our notes on each firm were written on 29 Sep 2026. Not financial advice.
Keep reading
- What Is a Prop Firm? How Prop Trading Works (2026)Challenges, funded accounts, profit splits and the rules that decide whether you get paid, explained with real figures.
- Best CFD Prop Firms to Compare in 2026Every CFD prop firm we track, ranked on rules and reputation, with what each one costs and what to watch.
- Funded Accounts for Day Trading: Pros, Cons, and What to CheckWhat a funded account does well for a day trader, where it hurts, and the rules to read first.
- FundingPips Review 2026: Rules, Payouts and Trustpilot, CheckedPrices, rules, payout conditions, the company behind it, and a close read of its Trustpilot reviews.