DISCLOSURE: No firm pays me. Yet. If that changes, the card will say so. Who pays me →

30 YEARS TRADING FUTURES · LAST REVIEWED

Trading is hard enough. Don't get stiffed.

The biggest risk in trading isn't a Trump tweet, a tape bomb or a reckless Fed comment that stops you out. It's counterparty risk. I've had more losing trades than I can count, but my biggest hits came when a firm went bust or vanished overnight. With prop firms that risk is far higher.

Nothing is worse than trading for weeks to get funded, then not getting paid because of a rule you didn't know about, or because the firm stops answering. So this list is ranked on one question first: will they pay you, and will they still be here?

80–100

prop firms are estimated to have disappeared in 2024 alone.Source: Finance Magnates Intelligence

See the five firms ↓ New to prop firms? Start here

What do you want from a prop firm?

Tap one. You get the firm that genuinely fits best, plus every other firm on this list that offers the same thing. Not whoever pays most.

New to prop firms? The 60-second version.

  1. You pay for a test.A one-off fee buys an evaluation account. Hit a profit target without breaking the rules and you pass.
  2. Pass and you're "funded".That's almost always a simulated account, not real money in the market. You now trade it under the funded rules, which are usually stricter than the test.
  3. You withdraw real money.When you hit the payout rules, the firm sends you real cash and keeps its cut, usually 10–20%.
  4. Most people don't pass.The firms' own numbers: Tradeify says 17.2% of evaluations passed (Aug 2025–Jul 2026). MFFU says about 20% of traders passed. Take Profit Trader says 36% of tests passed in 2025. Budget for more than one try, and never use money you need.

Before you pay. Every time.

  • Read the funded rules, not just the test rules. That's where payouts get denied.
  • Check the firm accepts traders from your country. Every firm has a restricted list.
  • Sign up with your real legal name and address, exactly as on your ID. Mismatches can block payouts.
  • Screenshot the rules with the date on the day you buy.
  • Start with one account until you've been paid once.

Stuck on a word? Plain-English glossary ↓

The list. Five firms.

Five firms, and for each one the two things that decide whether you get paid: will they still be around to pay you, and which rule could stop them. I rank on counterparty risk first, rules second, price last. Every number comes from the firm's own site or its live Trustpilot page, checked 21 Oct 2026. Prices and promos change weekly, so check before you buy.

WHY EVERY CARD USES THE 50K

Same size at every firm, so you compare like with like. On the 50K all five ask for $3,000 profit with $2,000 of drawdown. So the differences you see on the cards are the rules that actually decide whether you get paid.

1

Tradeify

Best for: fast payouts. Their claim: 0% denied.

SKIP IT IF you scalp in and out in under 10 seconds, or you want to pass in a single day.

RISK CHECK
Paid out (firm-reported)
$350M+"verified payouts", tradeify.co
Trustpilot
4.5 · 5,603 reviews10% 1-star · replies to 96% of complaints
Odds of a payout (firm-published)
28.5%of funded traders got paid, Aug 25–Jul 26
Regulated arm
Yes, partlyIts sister broker, Slay Markets, is registered with the US regulators (CFTC, NFA)
THE ACCOUNT I'D BUYSelect 50K

End-of-day drawdown, no daily loss limit while you're testing, and once you pass you choose how you get paid.

TO PASS · SELECT 50K
Profit target
$3,000
Max drawdown
$2,000 end-of-day
Daily loss limit
None in the test
Consistency
40% best day ≤ 40% of profit
Minimum days
3
Max size
4 minis / 40 micros
GETTING PAID
  • After you pass you pick Daily or Flex. The choice is permanent for that account.
  • Daily: request any day you're up since your last payout. $2,100 buffer and $1,000 daily loss limit on the 50K. Up to $1,250 a request.
  • Flex: every 5 winning days ($150+ each on the 50K). No buffer, no daily loss limit. Up to $2,500 a request.
  • Both: 90/10 split, end-of-day drawdown, no consistency rule once funded. Considered for a live account after 3 payouts.
THE MAIN CATCH
  • The 10-second rule. Once funded, over 50% of your trades and over 50% of your profit must come from trades held longer than 10 seconds, or you can't request a payout.
  • Everything must be closed by 4:45pm New York time. No overnight holds. Trade at least once a week.
OTHER WAYS IN

Growth: no consistency rule in the test and you can pass in a day, but 35% consistency once funded. Lightning: skip the test, but 20–30% consistency and no resets.

MY TAKEAnswers nearly every complaint in public, publishes its pass and payout rates, and has a real regulated arm. That's the behaviour of a firm planning to be around. It's the one I trust most to still be paying next year.

Go to Tradeify →

Promo codes change weekly. Check the banner on their site.

Sources: tradeify.co · Trustpilot · Select rules · Payout policies · Trading rules

2

Take Profit Trader

Best for: pulling profit any day, no cap, once your buffer's built.

SKIP IT IF you need room for open trades to swing once funded, or you like trading the news.

RISK CHECK
Paid out (firm-reported)
Not publishedNo total shown on takeprofittrader.com
Trustpilot
4.4 · 10,933 reviews12% 1-star · replies to 55% of complaints
Odds (firm-published)
36.2% passof Trading Tests passed in 2025
On Trustpilot since
May 2022Florida street address listed
THE ACCOUNT I'D BUY50K Test → PRO

One-step test, then you can withdraw from your first day in PRO. No payout window, no minimum profit days.

TO PASS · 50K TEST
Profit target
$3,000
Max drawdown
$2,000 end-of-day
Consistency
50% miss it and your target rises, you don't fail
Minimum days
3
Max size
6 contracts
Fee to go PRO
$130 one-time promos can waive it
GETTING PAID
  • PRO: build the buffer first (a $52,000 balance on a 50K), then withdraw any day. 80/20 split.
  • No minimum profit days, no maximum withdrawal, no payout window. Paid in about one business day.
  • PRO+ is a live-market account: 90/10 split, end-of-day drawdown, no buffer.
  • Trade at least one day a week. Up to 5 funded accounts.
THE MAIN CATCH
  • PRO counts open profit in its drawdown. It's an intraday trailing drawdown, so a winner that turns around can close the account. The test was end-of-day, so this catches people.
  • No open trades from 1 minute before to 1 minute after big US news (Fed decisions, jobs report, inflation). No bots.
OTHER WAYS IN

One path only: Test → PRO → PRO+. Simple by design.

MY TAKEWithdraw from day one, no payout window, no minimum profit days. The simplest "will I get my money" story on this list.

Go to Take Profit Trader →

Firm's own public code right now: NOFEE40 (40% off, activation fee waived). Not my code. Checked 21 Oct.

Sources: takeprofittrader.com · Trustpilot · Test rules · PRO rules · Withdrawals

3

Apex Trader Funding

Best for: running up to 20 accounts and keeping 100% of every payout.

SKIP IT IF you're outside the US and haven't checked their country list, or you want unlimited payouts from one account.

RISK CHECK
Paid out (firm-reported)
$500M+since 2022, Apex's Trustpilot profile
Trustpilot
4.2 · 21,378 reviews9% 1-star · replies to 6% of complaints
Odds (firm-published)
Not publishedNo pass or payout rate on its site
Operating since
2021per apextraderfunding.com
THE ACCOUNT I'D BUYNew EOD 50K

End-of-day drawdown, no consistency rule in the test, and you can pass in a single day.

TO PASS · EOD 50K
Profit target
$3,000
Max drawdown
$2,000 end-of-day
Daily loss limit
$1,000 pauses you for the day
Consistency
None in the test
Minimum days
None 30-day time limit
Max size
6 contracts
GETTING PAID
  • Activate your funded account (PA) within 7 days of passing. Check checkout for any activation fee.
  • Each payout needs 5 qualifying days ($250+ profit each on the 50K). Minimum $500, capped per request.
  • You keep 100% of each approved payout. Your balance must stay above the safety net (drawdown + $100) for good.
  • Up to 20 funded accounts at once. The 50K PA starts smaller (up to 4 contracts) and scales up.
THE MAIN CATCH
  • Max 6 payouts per account, and on every one no single day can be 50% or more of your profit since the last payout.
  • Had well-reported payout-denial problems in 2024–25. New rules since 1 Mar 2026 promise "no payout denials". Old ("legacy") accounts keep the old rules.
  • Outside the US? Apex's legal small print says its services are intended for US users, yet it also lists 100+ countries it serves. Check its restricted-countries page first.
OTHER WAYS IN

Intraday 50K: same payout rules, but the drawdown trails live with open profit. Legacy accounts: back for a limited time, on the old rules.

MY TAKEHuge, and it pays most people. But I've heard enough over the years to keep one eye open. I'm watching the new rules before I trust them fully.

Go to Apex →

Firm's own public code right now: SAVENOW (up to 90% off, time-limited). Not my code. Checked 21 Oct.

Sources: apextraderfunding.com · Trustpilot · Finance Magnates · EOD test · EOD funded · EOD payouts

4

MFFU

Best for: the best odds of getting paid. Their numbers: 39.2% of funded traders.

SKIP IT IF you trade the news, or you need support to answer fast.

RISK CHECK
Paid out (firm-reported)
$250M+myfundedfutures.com
Trustpilot
4.9 · 22,466 reviews2% 1-star · hasn't replied to complaints
Odds (firm-published)
39.2%of funded traders got at least one payout
Operating since
2023per myfundedfutures.com
THE ACCOUNT I'D BUYRapid EOD 50K

Daily payouts with an end-of-day drawdown and no consistency rule once funded.

TO PASS · RAPID EOD 50K
Profit target
$3,000
Max drawdown
$2,000 end-of-day
Daily loss limit
None
Consistency
30% in the test only
Minimum days
4
Activation fee
$0
GETTING PAID
  • Request a payout every day once you qualify. Minimum $500. 90/10 split.
  • First build the $2,100 buffer on the 50K. Your drawdown then locks just above your starting balance.
  • No daily loss limit and no consistency rule once funded. MFFU says 75%+ of payouts are approved automatically.
  • Live accounts are by invitation only.
THE MAIN CATCH
  • The buffer and the news rule. You need $2,100 of profit in the account before your first request, and once funded there's no trading 2 minutes either side of major news, even though the test allowed it.
  • Payouts are "subject to firm review".
OTHER WAYS IN

Rapid: same daily payouts, but the funded drawdown is intraday. Builder: every 48 hrs, 80/20, 50% consistency. Pro: every 2 weeks, 80/20. Studio ($5K–20K): static drawdown, payouts anytime, 80/20, daily profit cap.

MY TAKEThe numbers are the best on this list. My own experience with their support was bad enough that I walked before I started. Great on paper. Test their support before you buy.

Go to MFFU →

Firm's own public code right now: CLUB (40% off). Not my code. Checked 21 Oct.

Sources: myfundedfutures.com · Trustpilot · Rapid EOD plan · All plans · Studio

5

Lucid Trading

Best for: the fastest money. Their claim: about 15 minutes from request to bank.

SKIP IT IF your ID and address documents don't match exactly, or you want big single payouts.

RISK CHECK
Paid out (firm-reported)
$700M+"earned by traders", their wording
Trustpilot
4.4 · 6,699 reviews11% 1-star · replies to 0% of complaints
Odds (firm-published)
Not publishedNo pass or payout rate on its site
Operating since
2024youngest firm on this list
THE ACCOUNT I'D BUYLucidFlex 50K

End-of-day drawdown, and once funded there's no buffer and no consistency rule.

TO PASS · LUCIDFLEX 50K
Profit target
$3,000
Max drawdown
$2,000 end-of-day
Daily loss limit
Optional your choice at checkout
Consistency
40% 50% with add-on
Minimum days
3 2 with the add-on
Max size
4 minis / 40 micros
GETTING PAID
  • Each payout needs 5 profit days ($150+ each on the 50K), then request any day. Minimum $500. 90/10 split.
  • Each request is capped at 50% of your profit, max $2,000 on the 50K.
  • No buffer and no consistency rule once funded. After 5 payouts you're moved to a live account.
  • Don't trade while a payout request is processing. If your balance drops, it can be denied.
THE MAIN CATCH
  • KYC (the ID check). Fill in one field wrong or trip a rule you didn't know about at verification and traders report lifetime bans. Get your documents right the first time.
  • Max 5 funded accounts per household.
OTHER WAYS IN

LucidPro: 40% consistency and a buffer. LucidDaily: any-day payouts, but the funded drawdown is intraday. LucidDirect: skip the test, but 20% consistency on every payout.

MY TAKEPayouts are fast and the firm is growing like crazy. It's also the newest firm here and its KYC is unforgiving right now. Last on my list until that settles.

Go to Lucid →

Firm's own public code right now: VAULT. Not my code. Checked 21 Oct.

Sources: lucidtrading.com · Trustpilot · Flex test · Flex funded · Flex payouts

The whole list in one table

#FirmBest forPaid out (firm)TrustpilotMax funded accountsMain catch
1TradeifyFast payouts, 0% denied (their claim)$350M+4.5 (5,603) · 10% 1-star5The 10-second rule once funded
2Take Profit TraderPull profit any day, no capNot published4.4 (10,933) · 12% 1-star5Drawdown turns intraday once funded
3Apex20 accounts, keep 100%$500M+4.2 (21,378) · 9% 1-star206 payouts max per account
4MFFUBest odds of getting paid$250M+4.9 (22,466) · 2% 1-star5$2,100 buffer, news ban once funded
5LucidFastest money (~15 min, their claim)$700M+*4.4 (6,699) · 11% 1-star5Unforgiving ID check

*"Earned by traders", Lucid's wording. All figures checked 21 Oct 2026.

Every account type, side by side

Same feature, different firms. These are the rules once you're funded, because that's where payouts live or die. What do these words mean?

AccountPayoutsDrawdownConsistencySplit
Tradeify
GrowthEvery 5 daysEOD*35%90/10
Select DailyDailyEODNone90/10
Select FlexEvery 5 winning daysEODNone90/10
Lightning (no eval)Every 5 daysEOD*20–30%90/10
Take Profit Trader
PROFrom day one, dailyIntradayNone listed80/20
PRO+ (live)From day oneEODNone listed90/10
Apex
EOD accountEvery 5 qualifying daysEOD50%100%, 6 payouts max
Intraday accountEvery 5 qualifying daysIntraday50%100%, 6 payouts max
MFFU
BuilderEvery 48 hrsEOD50%80/20
RapidDailyIntradayNone90/10
Rapid EODDailyEODNone90/10
ProEvery 2 weeksEODNone80/20
Studio ($5K–20K)AnytimeStaticNone80/20
Lucid
FlexAny day after 5 profit daysEODNone90/10
ProAny day once eligibleEOD40%90/10
DailyAny day once eligibleIntradayNone90/10
Direct (no eval)Any day once eligibleEOD20%90/10

*Tradeify's homepage says end-of-day drawdown; its pricing page doesn't state it per plan. "None listed" = no consistency rule in TPT's PRO rules. Checked 21 Oct 2026 against each firm's help center.

How I vet. No database. No fluff.

  1. Will they still be here?Years operating, a real address, and any regulated footprint. Firms that vanish take your payout with them.
  2. Do they actually pay?Total paid out (always labelled firm-reported), any published pass and payout rates, and documented payout denials in the press or the courts.
  3. What do traders say right now?Trustpilot score, review volume and recency, the 1-star share and whether the firm answers complaints. Scores are a signal, not gospel. Everyone gets complaints.
  4. Which rules kill payouts?Consistency rules, buffers, intraday drawdowns, KYC and payout reviews. I put them on the card so you see them before you pay.
  5. Then price.A cheap eval at a firm that won't pay you is the most expensive thing you can buy.

Rumour alone never moves a firm on this list. When it shows up in the press, the courts or the firm's own rule changes, it does.

Read this before you buy

Straight answers to what people ask

Which futures prop firm pays out the fastest?

Lucid Trading claims about 15 minutes from payout request to bank. Take Profit Trader lets you withdraw any day once your PRO buffer is built, paid in about one business day. Tradeify Select Daily and MFFU Rapid EOD both take payout requests every day once you qualify.

Which futures prop firm is most likely to actually pay me?

Only two firms on this list publish a payout rate. MFFU says 39.2% of its funded traders got at least one payout. Tradeify says 28.5% of funded traders got paid (Aug 2025 to Jul 2026). Apex, Take Profit Trader and Lucid don't publish one.

Which prop firm should a beginner start with?

Tradeify, number one on this list. It claims 0% of payouts are denied, uses an end-of-day drawdown, lets you choose daily or bigger payouts after you pass, and answers 96% of its Trustpilot complaints in public. Watch its 10-second rule once funded.

Is Apex Trader Funding legit?

Apex is huge and pays most people. It reports $500M+ paid out since 2022 and scores 4.2 on Trustpilot from 21,378 reviews. It had well-reported payout-denial problems in 2024 and 2025, and new rules from 1 Mar 2026 promise no payout denials. The main catch now is a maximum of 6 payouts per account.

Do prop firms pay real money?

Payouts are real money, but the funded account is almost always simulated. The firm pays you from its own pocket, mostly out of evaluation fees. That's counterparty risk: if the firm runs short or decides you broke a rule, your profit is a promise, not cash in your name.

How many prop firms have gone out of business?

An estimated 80 to 100 prop firms disappeared in 2024 alone, according to Finance Magnates Intelligence. Plenty had good reviews right up until they didn't.

Which futures prop firms have no consistency rule once funded?

Tradeify Select (Daily and Flex), Take Profit Trader PRO, MFFU Rapid, Rapid EOD, Pro and Studio, and LucidFlex and LucidDaily have no consistency rule once you're funded. Apex keeps a 50% rule on every payout.

What is Tradeify's 10-second rule?

Once funded at Tradeify, more than 50% of your trades and more than 50% of your profit must come from trades held longer than 10 seconds, or you can't request a payout.

How many funded accounts can I have?

Apex allows up to 20 funded accounts at once. Tradeify, Take Profit Trader, MFFU and Lucid each allow 5 (Lucid's limit is per household).

Figures checked 21 Oct 2026. Firm claims are labelled as theirs.

Words you'll see (plain English)
Evaluation (eval, test)
The paid test. Hit the profit target without breaking a rule.
Funded account
What you get after passing. Usually simulated, but the payouts are real money.
Payout
Real cash the firm sends you from your funded account.
Profit split (90/10)
You keep 90%, the firm keeps 10%.
Drawdown
How much you can lose before the account is closed.
End-of-day (EOD) drawdown
Your loss limit only moves once a day, at the close. The friendlier kind.
Intraday trailing drawdown
Your loss limit moves up live with your best moment, including open profit. A winning trade that pulls back can end the account.
Static drawdown
Your loss limit never moves.
Daily loss limit
Lose this much in one day and you're stopped. Some firms end the day, some end the account.
Buffer
Profit you must build up and leave in the account before you can withdraw anything.
Consistency rule
Your best day can't be more than a set share of your total profit (say 40%), or the payout waits.
KYC
"Know your customer". The ID check before you get paid.
Activation fee
A one-off fee some firms charge after you pass, to switch on your funded account.
Live account
A real-money account at a broker. The step after simulated funded.
Legacy account
An older account type that keeps the firm's old rules.
News blackout
No open trades around big reports like Fed decisions (FOMC), US jobs (NFP) and inflation (CPI).
Counterparty risk
The risk the other side of your deal, here the prop firm, doesn't pay or disappears.
Counterparty risk: the risk nobody shows you

Counterparty risk is simple: the other side of your deal doesn't hold up its end. In trading that has meant brokers going bust, clearing firms freezing accounts and platforms going dark over a weekend.

With a prop firm you're more exposed than with a broker. Your "funded" account is almost always simulated. The firm pays you out of its own pocket, mostly from evaluation fees. If sign-ups dry up, or the firm decides your trading broke a rule, your profits are a promise, not money sitting safely in your name.

An estimated 80–100 prop firms disappeared in 2024. Plenty of them had good reviews right up until they didn't. So before price, before profit split, ask: how long have they been around, do they publish what they've paid, and how do they treat people who complain?

Why I avoid no-KYC perpetual-futures prop firms

A wave of "perps" prop firms trade crypto perpetual futures, often with no identity checks and offshore or no clear legal home. No KYC sounds like freedom. Flip it round: if they don't know who you are, you don't really know who they are either.

  • No regulated exchange behind your trades, so there's no independent record of fills.
  • No clear company address or jurisdiction, so there's nowhere to complain when a payout goes missing.
  • Crypto payouts are final. There's no chargeback and no bank to call.

Every firm on my list trades CME-listed futures through known platforms and data feeds. That doesn't make them safe. It makes them findable.

How payouts get denied over rules you didn't know

Most denied payouts aren't theft. They're rules traders skimmed past. The usual killers:

  • Consistency rules. One big day can't be more than a set share (often 30–50%) of your total profit, or the payout is blocked until you even it out.
  • Buffers. Your balance has to sit a set amount above the starting balance before you can take anything out.
  • Intraday trailing drawdown. The floor moves up with your open profits, so a winning trade that pulls back can blow the account.
  • News and conduct rules. Trading around major data releases, or "gambling" style sizing, can void profits.
  • KYC. A mismatch between your ID, name or address and your account can freeze or ban you at the payout stage.
  • Legacy vs new rules. When firms overhaul their rules, old accounts often stay on the old ones.

Before you buy: read the funded rules, not just the evaluation rules. Screenshot them with the date. If support can't answer a rule question clearly before you pay, that's your answer.

Who pays me

Affiliate links pay me a commission at no extra cost to you. The ranking comes first, and a firm that pays me still has to earn its spot.

FirmPays me?Listed anyway?
TradeifyNoYes
Take Profit TraderNoYes
ApexNoYes
MFFUNoYes
LucidNoYes

Questions? Email me.

Corrections, or a firm you think I'm wrong about? Send it over.

desk@killapropfirms.com

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