Kane Simons (TraderKane) is the founder of Prop Firm Compare and a futures trader with 10+ years’ experience. Having earned $3.5M in prop firm payouts, he provides unbiased reviews, comparisons, and insights based on real trading experience.
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Understanding how trailing drawdown futures prop firms work is one of the most important things you can do before starting an evaluation.
Trailing drawdown is the single rule that ends more prop firm accounts than any other. It moves with you as you make money, and it never comes back down.
This guide explains how trailing drawdown works, breaks down intraday vs. EOD models, and compares the three major futures prop firms that use intraday trailing drawdown in both evaluation and funded stages.
What Is a Trailing Drawdown in Futures Prop Trading?
A trailing drawdown is a dynamic loss limit that moves upward as your account reaches new profit highs.
Unlike a static drawdown, which stays fixed at the same dollar level, a trailing drawdown follows your progress and never resets downward.
Here is how it works on a $50,000 account with a $2,000 trailing drawdown:
Your account starts at $50,000. The minimum balance (the lowest your account can go before it closes) is at $48,000.
You make $1,000. Balance is $51,000. The minimum balance moves up to $49,000.
You give back $400. Balance drops to $51,100. The minimum balance stays at $49,000. It does not move down.
You can lose down to $49,000 before the account closes. Not $51,100 minus $2,000.
As your profits grow, the gap between your balance and the minimum balance shrinks. You only have the distance between your current balance and wherever the minimum balance has moved to.
Types of Trailing Drawdown Used by Futures Prop Firms
Not all trailing drawdown models work the same way. The biggest difference is when the minimum balance moves.
Intraday Trailing Drawdown
The minimum balance updates in real time based on your highest account balance during the session. This includes unrealized profits from open positions.
If a trade runs $2,000 in your favor, the minimum balance moves up by $2,000 immediately. If the trade pulls back and you exit at $800 profit, the minimum balance stays at the higher level.
This is why intraday trailing is the strictest version. Price swings during a trade can tighten your buffer before you even close.
End of Day Trailing Drawdown
The minimum balance only updates once per day at session close. Your closing balance becomes the new high-water mark. Intraday swings have no effect.
A trade can run to a new high and pull back during the session without permanently affecting the minimum balance. The minimum balance only locks in what you actually close with.
Trailing Drawdown That Stops at Starting Balance
Most prop firms stop the trailing drawdown once the minimum balance reaches the original starting balance plus $100.
On a $50,000 account, the minimum balance stops moving once it reaches $50,100. After that point, the drawdown becomes static. You have the full drawdown amount as a fixed cushion for the rest of the account's life.
How We Ranked the Best Trailing Drawdown Futures Prop Firms
This guide focuses on the three major futures prop firms that use intraday trailing drawdown. Rankings are based on:
Trailing drawdown structure: Intraday vs. EOD, and when the minimum balance locks
Evaluation cost: One-time or monthly fee using code LAB
Profit target: Dollar amount required to pass
Profit split: Percentage the trader keeps in the funded stage
Payout frequency and minimums: How often and how much you can withdraw
Apex Trader Funding uses intraday trailing drawdown throughout, including during the evaluation. The minimum balance moves up the moment your account hits a new high, realized or unrealized.
On a $50,000 account, the minimum balance starts at $48,000. It locks permanently once it reaches $50,100.
The PA has a daily loss limit and a 50% consistency rule on payouts. Max contracts are 4 mini / 40 micro with built-in scaling.
Challenge Structure
The evaluation requires a $3,000 profit target with a minimum of 1 trading day. There is no daily loss limit in the evaluation.
The eval is a one-time purchase, active for 30 days, with no resets and no rebills.
Payout Model
The PA requires a $79 one-time activation fee. Payouts are available after 5 trading days.
A 50% consistency rule applies. Apex pays 100% on the first $25,000 withdrawn, then 90/10 after that.
Best For
Traders who can manage intraday trailing precisely and want the best early payout split available. The 100% on the first $25K is hard to match anywhere else.
Limitations
A trade that runs to a new high and partially reverses permanently reduces your buffer, even if it closes in profit. No daily loss limit in evaluation means the full buffer can be consumed in a single bad session.
2. Take Profit Trader (PRO Account)
Evaluation Fee
$102/month (50K) with code LAB
Drawdown Type (Eval)
EOD trailing
Drawdown Type (Funded)
Intraday trailing (PRO) / EOD (PRO+)
Trailing Drawdown Size
$2,000 (50K)
Profit Target
$3,000 (50K)
Profit Split
80/20 (PRO) / 90/10 (PRO+)
Platforms
Tradovate, Rithmic, NinjaTrader, TradingView, Quantower, Sierra Chart, and others
Rule Mechanics
Take Profit Trader uses EOD trailing drawdown during the evaluation. The minimum balance only updates at session close. Intraday swings have no effect.
When you move to the PRO funded account, the drawdown switches to intraday trailing. The minimum balance now tracks your peak balance in real time, including unrealized gains.
This is the most significant rule change between eval and funded stages. It is the most common reason traders breach PRO accounts in their first week.
The minimum balance locks once it reaches the original starting balance. PRO+ accounts use EOD drawdown and run on live CME execution.
Challenge Structure
The evaluation requires a $3,000 profit target with a minimum of 5 trading days. No daily loss limit. A 50% consistency rule applies. No time limit.
Payout Model
PRO accounts allow withdrawal from day one above the buffer. The balance must reach $52,000 before the first withdrawal on a 50K account.
An 80/20 split applies until $5,000 in cumulative profits, at which point a free PRO+ upgrade is offered. PRO+ comes with 90/10, daily payouts, EOD drawdown, and no buffer.
Best For
Traders who want a forgiving EOD evaluation and can manage the shift to intraday trailing once funded. Reaching PRO+ removes the intraday drawdown risk entirely.
Limitations
The switch from EOD to intraday trailing at the funded stage is the single biggest risk at TPT. Traders who pass easily on EOD drawdown can breach a PRO account quickly if they do not adjust position sizing.
News trading requires being flat one minute before and after FOMC, NFP, and CPI. PRO accounts are simulated until PRO+ is reached.
3. My Funded Futures (Rapid Plan)
Evaluation Fee
$97/month (50K) with code LAB
Drawdown Type (Eval)
EOD trailing
Drawdown Type (Funded)
Intraday trailing (RealTime)
Trailing Drawdown Size
$2,000 (50K)
Profit Target
$3,000 (50K)
Profit Split
90/10
Platforms
Tradovate, NinjaTrader, TradingView, Quantower
Rule Mechanics
MFFU Rapid uses EOD trailing drawdown during the evaluation. The minimum balance updates once at session close. No daily loss limit during evaluation or in the funded stage.
In the funded stage, the drawdown switches to RealTime, which is intraday trailing. The minimum balance updates tick by tick based on the highest balance reached, including unrealized profits.
The minimum balance locks once it reaches the starting balance plus $100.
Challenge Structure
The evaluation requires a $3,000 profit target. Position limits are 5 contracts with 10:1 micro scaling. A 50% consistency rule applies during evaluation.
Payout Model
Payouts are available from day one. Minimum payout is $500 with a $2,100 buffer requirement before the first withdrawal.
Profit split is 90/10 with a $10,000 max per day. No consistency rule in the funded stage.
Best For
Traders who want a 90/10 split and are comfortable managing intraday trailing once funded. No funded consistency rule means payout cycles are not capped by daily profit distribution.
Limitations
The switch from EOD to intraday trailing at the funded stage carries the same risk as TPT. The 50% evaluation consistency rule means you cannot pass on a single large session. Maximum position size is 5 contracts.
Quick Drawdown Comparison
The most important columns are "Drawdown Type (Funded)" and "Trailing Stops At." These determine how the rule behaves once you are in the funded stage.
Firm
Drawdown Type (Eval)
Drawdown Type (Funded)
Trailing Stops At
Eval Fee (50K)
Profit Split
Best For
Apex (Intraday)
Intraday trailing
Intraday trailing
Starting balance + $100
$19.70 one-time + $79 PA fee
100% first $25K / 90/10
Consistent intraday traders
Take Profit Trader
EOD trailing
Intraday trailing (PRO) / EOD (PRO+)
Starting balance (PRO)
$102/month
80/20 (PRO) / 90/10 (PRO+)
Traders targeting PRO+ transition
MFFU Rapid
EOD trailing
Intraday trailing (RealTime)
Starting balance + $100
$97/month
90/10
90/10 split, no funded consistency rule
Why Trailing Drawdown Causes Many Traders to Fail
Trailing drawdown fails more accounts than any other single rule. The most common reasons are below.
Tightening after profitable trades. Every new equity high moves the minimum balance up. After a strong morning, the gap can shrink to a few hundred dollars. One bad trade in the afternoon can breach the account.
Misunderstanding unrealized profit. On intraday trailing, open positions count toward the high-water mark. A trade that runs $1,500 in your favor moves the minimum balance up by $1,500, even if you exit at $600 profit.
Overleveraging early. Two NQ contracts moving 12 points against you on a $50,000 account costs roughly $500. A few bad trades early can consume most of the buffer before any real progress is made.
Volatility during news events. A CPI or FOMC spike that briefly pushes a position into profit raises the minimum balance permanently, even if the trade then reverses.
How Traders Adapt to Trailing Drawdown Rules
Reduce size as equity grows. Once the minimum balance has moved up, you have less room. Scale down as profits build.
Avoid large open profit swings. Every new intraday peak sets a new minimum balance. Take profits at defined levels rather than waiting for the maximum move.
Use fixed dollar risk per trade. Size each trade based on what fits within the remaining buffer. If the buffer is $800, a $400 risk per trade gives you two attempts before breach.
Know your liquidation level. Check the auto-liquidate level in Rithmic or Tradovate before every session. This number changes daily on intraday trailing accounts.
Trailing Drawdown vs Static Drawdown
Static drawdown sets a fixed minimum balance that never moves. You always have the full drawdown amount as room regardless of how much you make.
Trailing drawdown tightens as you make money and locks once the minimum balance reaches the starting balance. Once locked, both models behave the same.
The key difference is before the lock point. With trailing drawdown, a strong run can shrink your buffer before you hit the profit target. With static drawdown, a strong run never puts you closer to a breach.
Most futures prop firms use trailing drawdown rather than static. Understanding it before starting a challenge is not optional.
Prop Firm Compare's Final Verdict
Trailing drawdown is the defining mechanic of futures prop trading. It accounts for more account failures than any other rule.
All three firms here use intraday trailing drawdown in the funded stage. Apex applies it from the evaluation onward. Take Profit Trader and MFFU Rapid switch from EOD to intraday once funded. That transition is where most traders get caught.
Practice on a demo that mirrors your target firm's exact structure before paying for an evaluation. Read the full rulebook, and know what the liquidation level is before every session.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is a trailing drawdown in a prop firm?
A trailing drawdown is a loss limit that moves upward as your account reaches new profit highs and never moves back down. It starts below your initial balance and follows your highest account value until it locks at a fixed level, usually starting balance plus $100.
Is trailing drawdown harder than static drawdown?
Yes, for most traders. With static drawdown, the minimum balance never moves. With trailing drawdown, it moves up every time you make money, so your buffer shrinks as the account grows. Once it locks at starting balance, both models behave the same.
Do futures prop firms use intraday trailing drawdown?
Some do. Apex Trader Funding, Take Profit Trader, and MFFU Rapid all use intraday trailing in their funded accounts. Firms like Tradeify, Lucid Trading, and MFFU Flex and Pro use EOD trailing, which only updates at session close and is more forgiving for traders who hold through intraday volatility.
When does trailing drawdown stop moving?
Most firms stop it once the minimum balance reaches the starting account balance plus $100. On a $50,000 account, it locks at $50,100. In Take Profit Trader's PRO account, it stops at the exact starting balance. In Apex's PA, the stop is starting balance plus $100.
Can you still withdraw profits with trailing drawdown?
Yes, but most firms require the buffer to be at or near the locked level before payouts are available. Apex and MFFU require a safety net to be maintained. Take Profit Trader requires the balance to exceed the maximum drawdown amount before profits above the buffer can be withdrawn.
Why do many traders fail trailing drawdown challenges?
The most common reasons are letting open winners spike to a new high before the trade pulls back, trading too large early when the buffer is smallest, and not knowing the liquidation level before the session. On intraday accounts, unrealized gains move the minimum balance immediately, even on trades that ultimately close in profit.
Are trailing drawdown prop firms suitable for beginners?
Intraday trailing drawdown firms are not the best starting point for beginners. EOD trailing drawdown firms are more manageable since the minimum balance only moves once per day. Beginners should practice on a demo that mirrors the exact structure of their target firm before starting a paid evaluation.
