Best Futures Prop Firms in 2026
Futures prop firms trade CME-listed contracts (ES, NQ, CL, GC, and others) rather than forex/CFDs, and the fee structures look genuinely different from the forex side of this industry: several charge a recurring monthly subscription instead of a one-time fee, and drawdown is usually quoted in flat dollars, not a percentage of your account. Here’s how the main options compare.
Futures Prop Firms Compared
| Firm | Fee Model | Drawdown | Profit Split | Payout Cycle |
|---|---|---|---|---|
 Topstep | Monthly subscription ($49–199) | Trailing (Combine) | 90% | On request (min $125); daily after 30 Benchmark Days |
 Apex Trader Funding | One-time fee | EOD or Intraday (your choice) | 100% to $25K, then 90% | On request after 5 trading days, weekly rhythm |
 My Funded Futures | One-time (Rapid: $0 activation) | EOD Trailing or Static | Rapid 90% / Pro-Flex 80% | Rapid: daily Pro/Flex: every 14 days |
 Tradeify | One-time, no activation fee | EOD Trailing | 90% | Flex: after 5 profit days Daily: every day |
 FundedNext (Futures) | One-time ($59–240) | EOD Trailing | 80% base, up to 90% with add-on* | First payout ~10 days after funding, then on request |
 The5ers (Futures) | One-time ($59, refundable) | EOD Trailing | 80/20 | First request 14 days after funding, then every 2 weeks |
 Blue Guardian (Futures) | One-time ($84–385) | Varies by payout plan | 90% (100% on first $15K via Edge add-on) | On request (24h guarantee); weekly or bi-weekly by plan |
Full Ranked List
1
Topstep
Read full review →The longest track record among dedicated futures firms (13 years), with the most flexibility on time: no expiration on the Combine, just a monthly fee until you pass. Full automation is allowed on both the Combine and funded accounts, which is rare in this space.
2
Apex Trader Funding
Read full review →Fully relaunched in March 2026 (Apex 4.0): one-time fees instead of a subscription, a choice between EOD and Intraday drawdown, and two previously-troublesome rules (MAE, 5:1 Risk) removed entirely. New enough that it lacks Topstep’s track record.
3
My Funded Futures
Read full review →Zero activation fees on its Starter and Rapid plans, free CME data, and one of the widest platform lists we’ve seen, plus news, weekend, and overnight trading allowed on every account type.
4
Tradeify
No subscription, no activation fee, and a genuinely fast payout structure on its Daily and Flex funded paths. Lightning Funded skips evaluation entirely for traders who want instant sim funding.
5
FundedNext (Futures)
Read full review →Primarily a forex/CFD firm, but its futures product runs on the same one-time fee model (\$59–240) with an EOD trailing drawdown. Profit split starts at 80% and can reach 90% with an add-on.
6
The5ers (Futures)
Read full review →Best known for forex, but The5ers also runs a futures program with a refundable \$59 one-time fee and an 80/20 split, the lowest trader share on this list. The trade-off is the refund: pass and you get the fee back.
7
Blue Guardian (Futures)
Read full review →The most flexible payout structure here: on-request with a 24-hour guarantee, cadence depends on your account plan. Base split is 90%, with an Edge add-on bumping the first \$15K of profit to 100%.
FAQ
Is a futures prop firm different from a forex prop firm?
Yes. Futures firms trade CME-listed contracts (like ES, NQ, CL, GC) with dollar-denominated rules rather than forex/CFD percentage-based rules, and several charge a recurring subscription rather than a one-time fee.
Which futures prop firm has been around the longest?
Topstep, operating since roughly 2012–2013, has the longest track record among the dedicated futures firms here.
Do futures prop firms allow automated trading?
It varies by firm. Topstep and Apex both allow full automation on funded accounts, not universal in this industry, so check before assuming it’s allowed.
What’s the difference between EOD and Intraday trailing drawdown?
An EOD (end-of-day) trailing drawdown only recalculates once per day based on your closing balance, so unrealized losses during the day don’t count against the limit in real time. An intraday trailing drawdown tracks your floating equity continuously, which is stricter.