Tradeify scores 11.8 higher under TVSM-PF/2.0.2.
Payout split
Max funded
Payout cap
Drawdown model
Min trading days
Challenge fee
Fee refundable
News trading
Platforms
Payout schedule
| Specification | Apex Trader Funding 66/100 Strong | Tradeify 78/100 Strong |
|---|---|---|
| Payout split | 100% on first $25,000 lifetime profits, then 90/10 | 90% on sim-funded (Growth / Select / Lightning); 80% on Tradeify Elite live tier |
| Max funded | $300,000 (up to 20 accounts simultaneously) | $150,000 |
| Payout cap | $4,000/payout at step 6 on $100K EOD. Account closes after 6 payouts — new eval required. | None |
| Drawdown model | EOD Trailing — ratchets up with peak end-of-day balance, closed balance basis | EOD trailing — balance-based; e.g. $5,000 trailing on $150K |
| Min trading days | 5 qualifying days per payout cycle (each day must hit minimum daily profit threshold) | None on Lightning (instant); standard plan minimums apply |
| Challenge fee | One-time: ~$399 eval + $139 PA activation ($538 total on $100K EOD). Frequent 70-90% discount periods. | Growth $50K ~$129/mo; $150K $359/mo; Lightning starts ~$199 one-time |
| Fee refundable | No — one-time fee, not refunded on first payout | No — subscription model. Activation fee on funded transition is one-time and non-refundable. |
| News trading | Allowed — no restrictions on futures news trading | Restricted on funded accounts during major releases; permitted on evaluation |
| Platforms | NinjaTrader, Tradovate (Rithmic-based) | Tradovate, NinjaTrader, Wealthcharts, TradeSea |
| Payout schedule | On demand after 5 qualifying days — 1-3 business days processing | On-demand; daily payouts available; 3–5 BD processing |
| Visit Apex Trader Funding | Research only |
Verify regulator standing
Cross-check both firms against NFA BASIC, CFTC, and the CME Group rulebook for futures drawdown rule context. Apex Trader Funding: www.apextraderfunding.com.
Dimension by dimension: who wins where
Computed live from the per-variable evidence behind each firm's TVSM-PF score — Tradeify takes 4 of 6 dimensions at current scores. Every variable links to a primary source on the firm pages.
Tradeify wins. Apex front-loads 100% on your first $25,000 of lifetime profit, then drops to 90% and caps each withdrawal at $4,000 — and the account force-closes after payout 6. Tradeify has no payout cap and pays a flat 90% with daily payouts, so past roughly $4,000 a cycle it takes home more. Read both rules verbatim below.
Tradeify wins. Both run EOD-trailing drawdowns, but Apex layers a 30% single-day consistency rule and a tier-based dynamic daily loss limit across a three-product lineup; Tradeify keeps fewer moving parts and permits news trading on evaluations.
Tradeify wins. Apex’s March 2026 “All New Apex” relaunch reworked pricing and drawdown options (legacy accounts grandfathered) — recent churn this dimension prices. Tradeify’s terms have held steadier.
Effectively even. A genuine draw. Apex (founded 2021, $627M+ in disclosed payouts, up to 20 accounts and $300K funded) against Tradeify (2021, $100M+ paid by April 2026). Both are well-established; the dimension lands even at current scores.
Effectively even. Even. Both route through NinjaTrader and Tradovate on Rithmic infrastructure; Tradeify adds TradingView and Quantower, while Apex offers deeper multi-account stacking — the execution scores net out level.
Tradeify wins. A one-time Apex fee can beat a subscription on a fast pass, but Tradeify’s no-cap payouts and flat 90% split deliver more realized value over a funded run; Apex’s $4,000 per-payout cap erodes the headline 100%.
Rule by rule, in each firm's own terms
Verbatim from our verified spec database — the conditions are the product, so nothing here is flattened to a yes/no. Where a rule has tiers or conditions, you are reading them.
| Rule | Apex Trader Funding | Tradeify |
|---|---|---|
| Drawdown model | EOD Trailing — ratchets up with peak end-of-day balance, closed balance basis | EOD trailing — balance-based; e.g. $5,000 trailing on $150K |
| Max drawdown | EOD Trailing — $3,000 drawdown limit on $100K EOD. Safety Net at $103,100. | $5,000 EOD trailing on $150K (proportional) |
| Daily loss limit | Dynamic Daily Loss Limit — tier-based by account size and scaling tier | $3,750 daily loss limit on $150K (proportional smaller accounts) |
| Payout split | 100% on first $25,000 lifetime profits, then 90/10 | 90% on sim-funded (Growth / Select / Lightning); 80% on Tradeify Elite live tier |
| Payout cap | $4,000/payout at step 6 on $100K EOD. Account closes after 6 payouts — new eval required. | None |
| Payout schedule | On demand after 5 qualifying days — 1-3 business days processing | On-demand; daily payouts available; 3–5 BD processing |
| Min trading days | 5 qualifying days per payout cycle (each day must hit minimum daily profit threshold) | None on Lightning (instant); standard plan minimums apply |
| Consistency rule | 30% rule — single best day cannot exceed 30% of total profit at payout | Disclosed pre-purchase; standard futures consistency cap |
| News trading | Allowed — no restrictions on futures news trading | Restricted on funded accounts during major releases; permitted on evaluation |
| Weekend holds | Not permitted (futures-only — flat by close on Friday) | Not permitted on funded sim accounts |
| Evaluation cost | One-time: ~$399 eval + $139 PA activation ($538 total on $100K EOD). Frequent 70-90% discount periods. | Growth $50K ~$129/mo; $150K $359/mo; Lightning starts ~$199 one-time |
| Fee refundable | No — one-time fee, not refunded on first payout | No — subscription model. Activation fee on funded transition is one-time and non-refundable. |
| Platforms | NinjaTrader, Tradovate (Rithmic-based) | Tradovate, NinjaTrader, Wealthcharts, TradeSea |
| Max funded | $300,000 (up to 20 accounts simultaneously) | $150,000 |
| Scaling | Horizontal scaling via multiple accounts. Each PA closes after 6 payouts — buy new eval to continue. | Up to $1M in funding via Elite path |
Verified June 2026 (Apex Trader Funding) · June 2026 (Tradeify). Source extracts for every scored variable are on the firm pages.
The verdict, by trader type
A comparison that ends in “it depends” is not a verdict. Picks below are per trading style — find yours.
Quick first cashout
Apex
Nothing beats 100% on the first $25,000 of lifetime profit for an early withdrawal — Apex pays it where Tradeify pays 90% on sim-funded (Growth / Select / Lightning); 80% on Tradeify Elite live tier. The catch to price in: $4,000/payout at step 6 on $100K EOD. Account closes after 6 payouts — new eval required.
Futures scalper
Tradeify
Frequent withdrawals and platform freedom decide it. Tradeify runs on Tradovate, NinjaTrader, Wealthcharts, TradeSea with None payout cap; Apex caps each payout at $4,000 and runs NinjaTrader, Tradovate (Rithmic-based). News scalpers note Apex permits news (Allowed — no restrictions on futures news trading) while Tradeify restricts it on funded accounts.
High-volume / multi-account
Apex
Horizontal scaling via multiple accounts. Each PA closes after 6 payouts — buy new eval to continue. — up to 20 accounts and $300K total. Tradeify scales a single account (Up to $1M in funding via Elite path). For breadth of simultaneous capital, Apex wins.
Long-term funded trader
Tradeify
Over a sustained run, Tradeify’s no payout cap and flat 90% beat Apex’s $4,000 cap and account-close-after-payout-6. The longer you stay funded, the more Apex’s ceiling costs you.
Apex vs Tradeify — the questions traders actually search
Is Apex Trader Funding or Tradeify better in 2026?
Tradeify currently scores in the Strong band under TVSM-PF and wins four of the six scored dimensions — payouts, rule clarity, rules stability and cost — while business viability and platform execution land even. Apex Trader Funding sits in the Strong band; its standout is paying 100% on your first $25,000 of lifetime profit, but a per-payout cap and post-payout-6 account close hold the rest back. Live scores and per-variable evidence are on each firm page.
Which pays out more — Apex or Tradeify?
It depends on how much you withdraw. Apex: 100% on first $25,000 lifetime profits, then 90/10; cap — $4,000/payout at step 6 on $100K EOD. Account closes after 6 payouts — new eval required.. Tradeify: 90% on sim-funded (Growth / Select / Lightning); 80% on Tradeify Elite live tier; cap — None. Apex's 100%-on-the-first-$25K is unbeatable on an early cashout; past that its $4,000 per-payout cap and account-close-after-payout-6 bind, while Tradeify's no-cap 90% keeps paying.
Which is cheaper — Apex or Tradeify?
Different models. Apex: One-time: ~$399 eval + $139 PA activation ($538 total on $100K EOD). Frequent 70-90% discount periods. (one-time). Tradeify: Growth $50K ~$129/mo; $150K $359/mo; Lightning starts ~$199 one-time (subscription). A one-time fee wins if the evaluation drags on; the subscription is cheaper for a fast pass. Neither refunds the fee.
What is the difference between Apex and Tradeify drawdown rules?
Both run end-of-day trailing drawdowns. Apex: EOD Trailing — ratchets up with peak end-of-day balance, closed balance basis. Tradeify: EOD trailing — balance-based; e.g. $5,000 trailing on $150K. The models behave similarly; the bigger differences are the payout cap and Apex's 30% consistency rule.
Do Apex and Tradeify allow news trading?
Apex: Allowed — no restrictions on futures news trading. Tradeify: Restricted on funded accounts during major releases; permitted on evaluation. A news scalper has more freedom at Apex.
Which has more platforms and bigger scaling — Apex or Tradeify?
Platforms — Apex: NinjaTrader, Tradovate (Rithmic-based); Tradeify: Tradovate, NinjaTrader, Wealthcharts, TradeSea (adds TradingView + Quantower). Scaling — Apex: Horizontal scaling via multiple accounts. Each PA closes after 6 payouts — buy new eval to continue.; Tradeify: Up to $1M in funding via Elite path. Apex favours multi-account horizontal scaling; Tradeify favours platform choice + a single-account Elite path.
Full breakdowns with per-variable sources: Apex Trader Funding review · Tradeify review