AquaFunded Futures vs Elite Trader Funding: prop firm rules compared

Elite Trader Funding's 1-Step 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 Elite Trader Funding's 1-Step plan a $50,000 account starts with its floor at $48,000, $2,000 under the start.

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

Elite Trader Funding'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 Elite Trader Funding's Static plan 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 and Elite Trader Funding's 1-Step and End of Day plans 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. AquaFunded Futures' Standard, Daily and Flex (daily loss) plans set it at $1,000 on $50,000. A hard daily loss limit ends the evaluation: one day that loses that much fails the account. Elite Trader Funding's End of Day plan sets it at $1,100 on $50,000. AquaFunded Futures' Flex (no daily loss) plan and Elite Trader Funding's 1-Step and Static plans have no daily loss limit, so a losing day is bounded only by the max drawdown.

Elite 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. AquaFunded Futures' Standard plan and Elite Trader Funding apply no consistency rule in the evaluation, so one large day can count in full.

Elite Trader Funding requires at least 5 trading days before a pass; AquaFunded Futures sets no minimum number of days.

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

AquaFunded Futures and Elite Trader Funding differ on 4 of the evaluation rules compared here: drawdown model, daily loss limit, consistency rule and minimum trading days. If your trades often run into open profit that you give back before closing them, start with the drawdown: AquaFunded Futures trails at end of day, while Elite Trader Funding 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: AquaFunded Futures caps one day at 20–50% of total profit on some plans and has no cap on others; Elite Trader Funding has no consistency rule. If you keep trading after a losing morning, look at what the daily loss limit does: AquaFunded Futures pauses the day at its daily loss limit on some plans and has no limit on others; Elite Trader Funding fails the account at its daily loss limit on some plans and has no limit on others. To finish in as few sessions as possible, compare the minimum days: AquaFunded Futures sets no minimum, Elite Trader Funding needs at least 5 trading days.

Once funded, the profit split is 90/10 at AquaFunded Futures and 100% of sim profits up to $25K at Elite Trader Funding. Payout terms — AquaFunded Futures: Standard on demand · Daily daily · Flex every 5 winning days; Elite Trader Funding: Approved daily, paid in Monday / Wednesday batches. AquaFunded Futures sells 4 plans: Standard, Daily, Flex and Instant; Elite Trader Funding sells 3 plans: 1-Step, End of Day and Static. 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, AquaFunded Futures has no written answer on record, and Elite Trader Funding's written answer is not allowed in the evaluation or on a funded account.

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