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Futures Prop Firm Comparison 2026: Apex vs Topstep vs MyFundedFutures vs Bulenox vs TradeDay

Updated June 2026 · ~12 min read

The major US futures prop firms — Apex Trader Funding, Topstep, MyFundedFutures, Bulenox, TradeDay, and FTMO — all let you trade the same instruments, but their rule sets shape the kind of strategy that survives. Here's the full side-by-side across six firms, which one matches which kind of trader, and the automation policies that matter most if you're running Pine Script strategies. For a deeper head-to-head on the two most popular firms, see our dedicated Apex vs Topstep comparison. For the full universe compared by drawdown type, automation, and costs, browse the Compare index.

50k account, side-by-side (6 firms)

What each firm rewards

Apex — best for fast passes

No daily loss limit and no time limit make Apex the easiest firm to pass quickly if your strategy has a clean edge. The catch is the intraday trailing threshold, which punishes give-back on a tick-by-tick basis. Apex traders win by exiting at target and walking away. The funded side is manual-only, so this is the firm where automation helps you pass the eval but discretionary trading takes over after funding.

Topstep — best for grind-it-out traders

The 5 winning days at $200+ rule means even if your strategy rockets to $3,000 in two big days, you still have to log three more winning sessions. That's the right fit for traders who naturally take many small green days. Topstep uses EOD trailing drawdown — significantly more forgiving than Apex's intraday system, making it the better choice for strategies with wide intraday swings. See the full Topstep evaluation rules breakdown for details.

MyFundedFutures — best for systematic traders

Static drawdown means your safety margin doesn't shrink with your equity peak. A systematic strategy with predictable R can be sized so a string of 5+ losses never reaches the static line. Automation is permitted on both eval and funded accounts, which makes MFFU the cleanest end-to-end automation path of the major firms.

Bulenox — best low-cost alternative

Bulenox runs aggressive promotions similar to Apex, often discounting 50k evals to under $50. The rules are similar to Topstep (EOD trailing, daily loss limit) but with no minimum trading day requirement. For traders who want to attempt multiple evals cheaply while maintaining EOD trailing protection, Bulenox is underrated. Automation is permitted on both eval and funded accounts.

TradeDay — best for conservative sizing

TradeDay uses EOD trailing drawdown and runs frequent promotions. Like Bulenox, it has no minimum trading days — making it fast to pass for a systematic strategy that fires consistently. TradeDay allows automation on funded accounts, which is the key advantage over Apex and Topstep's funded restrictions. Daily loss limits apply, so a hard kill switch in your Pine Script is required.

FTMO — for forex and CFD traders

FTMO is not a futures firm — it operates on forex, CFD indices, and crypto. If your strategy trades NQ as an index CFD rather than the NQ futures contract, FTMO is the most established firm in that space. Static drawdown (10% max loss), a 4-day minimum, and a 30-day time limit. Automation with custom-coded strategies is permitted. Not recommended as a first choice if you're already trading MES/MNQ futures, since the instrument microstructure is different.

Which firm should you pick?

If you're new to prop firms

Start on MFFU 50k. Static drawdown is the most forgiving environment to learn the rules of the game without the trail constantly tightening as you make progress.

If you're confident in your edge

Apex 100k. Loose rules, no daily limit, fast pass. The 100k trail is generous enough that one bad trade doesn't end the eval.

If you want predictable funded automation

MFFU. Topstep's funded automation policy has changed multiple times; Apex disallows it. MFFU is the only one of the three that lets you take the same script that passed the eval and run it on a live funded account.

If you're a discretionary trader

Topstep. The 5 winning day rule forces patience, which is good for discretionary traders prone to overtrading.

Cost-effectiveness

Apex runs aggressive monthly discounts (often 80% off the list price). Topstep is a one-time payment, no subscription. MFFU runs sale prices on roughly 2-week cycles. If you're shopping on price, Apex tends to be cheapest in absolute dollars per attempt, but Topstep's "no monthly fee" is the cheapest if you take more than a couple of months to pass.

Frequently asked questions

Which futures prop firm is best for automated trading?

MyFundedFutures and TradeDay are the best options for end-to-end automation — both allow automated strategies on funded accounts, not just the evaluation. Bulenox also permits automation on funded. Apex allows automation on the eval but requires manual trading once funded. Topstep permits automation on the eval but restricts it on funded accounts. If you want your Pine Script strategy to run live on a funded account without switching to manual, MFFU, TradeDay, or Bulenox are your options.

Is Apex or Topstep better for algo traders in 2026?

Topstep is better if your strategy has wide intraday swings — the EOD trailing drawdown is meaningfully more forgiving than Apex's intraday system. Apex is better if you want to pass the evaluation quickly since it has no daily loss limit and no minimum trading days. However, Apex disallows automation on funded accounts, which is the biggest drawback for algo traders long-term. For a full breakdown, see the Apex vs Topstep head-to-head.

What is the difference between intraday and EOD trailing drawdown?

Intraday trailing (used by Apex) moves your floor up every time your account equity rises — even on unrealized intraday gains. If a trade goes up $500 and then comes back to break even, your floor permanently rose by $500. EOD trailing (used by Topstep, Bulenox, TradeDay) only moves the floor based on your closed equity at the end of each session. The intraday peak doesn't count. EOD trailing is significantly more forgiving for strategies that hold through intraday volatility.

Which prop firm has the cheapest evaluation fees?

Apex, Bulenox, and TradeDay all run frequent promotions — often 70–85% off — making their 50k evals available for $20–60 during sales. Topstep charges $165 as a one-time flat fee, which is actually cheaper than Apex's monthly subscription if it takes you more than two months to pass. MFFU also runs sale prices roughly every two weeks. Before purchasing any eval, check current promo codes — it's rare to pay full list price on Apex or Bulenox.

Which prop firm should I choose if I'm a beginner?

MyFundedFutures 50k is the most forgiving starting point. Static drawdown means your cushion never shrinks as you make profits — unlike trailing drawdown, which tightens as you grow. There are no minimum trading day requirements and automation is allowed on funded accounts. Bulenox is also beginner-friendly with EOD trailing and regular cheap promo pricing. Avoid Apex as a first prop firm if you're still learning position sizing — the intraday trailing drawdown catches most new traders off-guard during a winning streak that reverses.