Apex Trader Funding vs AquaFunded Futures: prop firm rules compared

Apex Trader Funding's Intraday Trailing 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 Apex Trader Funding's Intraday Trailing plan a $50,000 account starts with its floor at $48,000, $2,000 under the start.

On Apex Trader Funding's End-of-Day Trailing plan and AquaFunded Futures 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 Apex Trader Funding's End-of-Day Trailing plan and AquaFunded Futures a $50,000 account starts with its floor at $48,000, $2,000 under the start.

On AquaFunded Futures' Flex (daily loss) and Flex (no daily loss) plans the trailing floor stops rising once it reaches breakeven and stays there. On Apex Trader Funding it keeps trailing for the whole evaluation.

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. Apex Trader Funding's End-of-Day Trailing plan sets it at $1,000 on $50,000 and AquaFunded Futures' Standard, Daily and Flex (daily loss) plans set it at $1,000 on $50,000. Apex Trader Funding's Intraday Trailing plan and AquaFunded Futures' Flex (no daily loss) plan have no daily loss limit, so a losing day is bounded only by the max drawdown.

Apex Trader Funding starts the trading day at 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. AquaFunded Futures' Daily 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 $1,200 of a $3,000 target. AquaFunded Futures' Flex (daily loss) and Flex (no daily loss) 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. AquaFunded Futures' Instant plan caps any single day at 20% of total profit, so it takes at least 5 profitable days to finish inside the rule. Apex Trader Funding and AquaFunded Futures' Standard plan apply no consistency rule in the evaluation, so one large day can count in full.

Apex Trader Funding and AquaFunded Futures set no minimum number of days.

Apex Trader Funding's evaluation runs for 30 days; a target not reached by then is not a pass.

On automated trading — a strategy or bot sending the orders — at Apex Trader Funding it is not allowed in the evaluation or on a funded account; AquaFunded Futures has no written answer on record. Written answers: Apex Trader Funding (read Oct 21, 2026).

Apex Trader Funding and AquaFunded Futures differ on 3 of the evaluation rules compared here: drawdown model, trailing floor and consistency rule. If your trades often run into open profit that you give back before closing them, start with the drawdown: Apex Trader Funding trails intraday or at end of day, depending on the plan, while AquaFunded Futures trails at end of day. If one or two large days make up most of your profit, the consistency rule sets how fast you can finish: Apex Trader Funding has no consistency rule; AquaFunded Futures caps one day at 20–50% of total profit on some plans and has no cap on others.

Once funded, the profit split is 100% (PA) at Apex Trader Funding and 90/10 at AquaFunded Futures. Payout terms — Apex Trader Funding: Up to weekly (max 6 per PA); AquaFunded Futures: Standard on demand · Daily daily · Flex every 5 winning days. Apex Trader Funding sells 2 plans: Intraday Trailing and End-of-Day Trailing; AquaFunded Futures sells 4 plans: Standard, Daily, Flex and Instant. 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, Apex Trader Funding's written answer is not allowed in the evaluation or on a funded account, and AquaFunded Futures has no written answer on record.

Read both rule sets against your own average day, then confirm the current terms on Apex Trader Funding's site and AquaFunded Futures' site. PassTraq tracks challenges at both firms using the same rule presets shown here.