Alpha Futures vs DayTraders.com: prop firm rules compared
At the $50,000 account size, Alpha Futures' evaluation allows a $2,000 max drawdown (end-of-day trailing, locks at breakeven) against DayTraders.com's $2,500 (intraday trailing), with the same $3,000 profit target. DayTraders.com allows the larger drawdown at that size. Payouts are up to 4 requests/month after 5 winning days of $200+ at Alpha Futures and every 8 qualifying days at DayTraders.com.
| Rule (evaluation phase) | AFAlpha FuturesZero model | DTDayTraders.comFull model |
|---|---|---|
| $25,000 account | ||
| Profit target | $1,500 | $1,500 |
| Daily loss limit | $500 (soft pause) | None |
| Max drawdown | $1,000 | $1,500 |
| $50,000 account | ||
| Profit target | $3,000 | $3,000 |
| Daily loss limit | $1,000 (soft pause) | None |
| Max drawdown | $2,000 | $2,500 |
| Firm-wide | ||
| Drawdown model | End-of-day trailing, locks at breakeven | Intraday trailing |
| Consistency rule | None | Max 50% of total profit from one day |
| Minimum trading days | 1 trading day | 2 trading days |
| Profit split | 90/10 | 100% (Pro sim) |
| Payout frequency | Up to 4 requests/month after 5 winning days of $200+ | Every 8 qualifying days |
| Account sizes offered | $25,000 · $50,000 · $100,000 | $25,000 · $50,000 · $150,000 · $300,000 |
| Rules confidence | Rules verified | Rules verified |
Alpha Futures figures are for the Zero model; it also sells: Standard, Advanced.
DayTraders.com figures are for the Full model; it also sells: Static, EOD (daily pause), S2F (straight-to-funded).
Rules last checked against each firm's own documentation on . Firms change their rules often, so confirm the current terms on Alpha Futures' site and DayTraders.com's site. Spotted a rule that changed? Tell us.
Where Alpha Futures and DayTraders.com differ
- Drawdown model
- Alpha Futures: End-of-day trailing on every plan
- DayTraders.com: Intraday trailing on Full; static on Static; end-of-day trailing on EOD and S2F
- Consistency rule
- Alpha Futures: None on Zero; max 50% of total profit from one day on Standard; max 40% of total profit from one day on Advanced
- DayTraders.com: Max 50% of total profit from one day on Full, Static and EOD; max 20% of total profit from one day on S2F
- Max drawdown at $50K
- Alpha Futures: $2,000 (Zero)
- DayTraders.com: $2,500 (Full)
- Minimum trading days
- Alpha Futures: 1 trading day on Zero; 2 trading days on Standard; 3 trading days on Advanced
- DayTraders.com: 2 trading days on every plan
- Plans sold
- Alpha Futures: 3 plans: Zero, Standard and Advanced
- DayTraders.com: 4 plans: Full, Static, EOD and S2F
- Account sizes, all plans
- Alpha Futures: $25K · $50K · $100K · $150K
- DayTraders.com: $25K · $50K · $100K · $150K · $300K
- Automated trading
- Alpha Futures: No written answer on record
- DayTraders.com: Allowed in the evaluation and on a funded account
- Profit split
- Alpha Futures: 90/10
- DayTraders.com: 100% (Pro sim)
- Payouts
- Alpha Futures: Up to 4 requests/month after 5 winning days of $200+
- DayTraders.com: Every 8 qualifying days
Alpha Futures and DayTraders.com in brief
Alpha Futures
Every plan trails at end of day and locks at the starting balance. Zero has a soft Daily Loss Guard; Standard has a 50% consistency rule in the evaluation, Advanced a 40% one. Trades on AlphaTrader, TradingView and WealthCharts; no Rithmic, NinjaTrader or Tradovate.
DayTraders.com
Four plans: Full (intraday trailing), Static (static drawdown), EOD (end-of-day trailing, with a daily pause that ends the day but not the account) and S2F (straight to funded, no evaluation). The 50% consistency rule in the evaluation is not a fail. Minimum 2 trading days. All on Rithmic.
How these rules play out
DayTraders.com's Full plan trails the drawdown intraday: the floor follows the highest balance the account reaches during the session, open profit included, and never moves back down — a winning trade given back before it is closed still lifts it. For example, at DayTraders.com's Full plan a $50,000 account starts with its floor at $47,500, $2,500 under the start.
On Alpha Futures and DayTraders.com's EOD and S2F plans the drawdown trails at end of day: the floor is recalculated once, from the closing balance, so open profit given back during the session does not raise it — but equity touching the floor during the session still counts. For example, at Alpha Futures and DayTraders.com's EOD and S2F plans a $50,000 account starts with its floor at $48,000, $2,000 under the start.
DayTraders.com's Static plan uses a static drawdown: the floor is set once, the drawdown below the starting balance, and does not move for the whole evaluation. For example, at DayTraders.com's Static plan a $50,000 account starts with its floor at $49,000, $1,000 under the start.
On Alpha Futures the trailing floor stops rising once it reaches breakeven and stays there.
A soft daily loss limit pauses the day instead of failing the account: reach it and open positions are flattened, trading stops until the next session, and the account stays open. Alpha Futures' Zero plan sets it at $1,000 on $50,000 and DayTraders.com's EOD plan sets it at $1,250 on $50,000. Alpha Futures' Standard and Advanced plans and DayTraders.com's Full and Static plans have no daily loss limit, so a losing day is bounded only by the max drawdown.
Alpha Futures and DayTraders.com start the trading day at the same moment, 6:00 PM ET (5:00 PM CT); a daily loss limit counts from that reset, not from midnight.
A consistency rule caps how much of the total profit one day may carry. Alpha Futures' Standard plan and DayTraders.com's Full, Static and EOD plans cap any single day at 50% of total profit, so it takes at least 2 profitable days to finish inside the rule. One day may then carry at most $1,500 of a $3,000 target and $1,875 of a $3,750 target. Alpha Futures' Advanced plan caps any single day at 40% of total profit, so it takes at least 3 profitable days to finish inside the rule. One day may then carry at most $1,600 of a $4,000 target. DayTraders.com's S2F plan caps any single day at 20% of total profit, so it takes at least 5 profitable days to finish inside the rule. Alpha Futures' Zero plan applies no consistency rule in the evaluation, so one large day can count in full.
Alpha Futures requires at least 1 trading day on Zero, 2 on Standard and 3 on Advanced before a pass; DayTraders.com requires at least 2 trading days before a pass.
On automated trading — a strategy or bot sending the orders — Alpha Futures has no written answer on record; at DayTraders.com it is allowed in the evaluation and on a funded account. Written answers: DayTraders.com (read ).
Choosing between Alpha Futures and DayTraders.com
Alpha Futures and DayTraders.com differ on 4 of the evaluation rules compared here: drawdown model, consistency rule, max drawdown at $50K and minimum trading days. If your trades often run into open profit that you give back before closing them, start with the drawdown: Alpha Futures trails at end of day, while DayTraders.com trails intraday or at end of day or holds a static floor, depending on the plan. If one or two large days make up most of your profit, the consistency rule sets how fast you can finish: Alpha Futures caps one day at 40–50% of total profit on some plans and has no cap on others; DayTraders.com caps one day at 20–50% of total profit. In dollars at $50K, Alpha Futures asks for $3,000 of profit with $2,000 of drawdown room, DayTraders.com for $3,000 with $2,500. To finish in as few sessions as possible, compare the minimum days: Alpha Futures needs 1 to 3 trading days, depending on the plan, DayTraders.com needs at least 2 trading days.
Once funded, the profit split is 90/10 at Alpha Futures and 100% (Pro sim) at DayTraders.com. Payout terms — Alpha Futures: Up to 4 requests/month after 5 winning days of $200+; DayTraders.com: Every 8 qualifying days. Alpha Futures sells 3 plans: Zero, Standard and Advanced; DayTraders.com sells 4 plans: Full, Static, EOD and S2F. Each plan carries its own version of the rules above, which is why they are listed plan by plan. If a strategy or bot will send your orders, Alpha Futures has no written answer on record, and DayTraders.com's written answer is allowed in the evaluation and on a funded account.
Read both rule sets against your own average day, then confirm the current terms on Alpha Futures' site and DayTraders.com's site. PassTraq tracks challenges at both firms using the same rule presets shown here.
Alpha Futures vs DayTraders.com: quick answers
Which has the larger drawdown at $50K, Alpha Futures or DayTraders.com?
DayTraders.com. Alpha Futures allows $2,000 (end-of-day trailing) and DayTraders.com $2,500 (intraday trailing) on a $50,000 evaluation.
Does Alpha Futures or DayTraders.com have a consistency rule?
Alpha Futures: none on Zero; max 50% of total profit from one day on Standard; max 40% of total profit from one day on Advanced. DayTraders.com: max 50% of total profit from one day on Full, Static and EOD; max 20% of total profit from one day on S2F.
Which has a daily loss limit, Alpha Futures or DayTraders.com?
Alpha Futures: a soft limit that pauses the day ($1,000 at $50K) on Zero; no daily loss limit on Standard and Advanced. DayTraders.com: no daily loss limit on Full and Static; a soft limit that pauses the day ($1,250 at $50K) on EOD.
Can you trade with a bot or strategy at Alpha Futures or DayTraders.com?
Alpha Futures: no written answer on record. DayTraders.com: allowed in the evaluation and on a funded account.
More comparisons
Rules are sourced from each firm's official help centre and can change without notice — always confirm on the firm's site before buying an evaluation. Where a link is a partner link, it is marked as such.