Apex Trader Funding vs Bulenox: Compared Rule by Rule for 2026
Apex and Bulenox both dominate the one-time-fee futures category, both accept Rithmic and Tradovate, and both allow aggressive multi-account setups. The difference is in how each firm handles its drawdown lock and payout eligibility.
Side-by-side comparison
| Rule | Apex Trader Funding | Bulenox |
|---|---|---|
| Markets | Futures (CME) | Futures (CME, NYMEX, COMEX, CBOT) |
| Audited variants | 2 on watchlist | 2 |
| Evaluation | 1-Step | 1-Step (Qualification) |
| Account sizes | $25K to "50K | "0K to $250K |
| Fee (100K) | ~"67 one-time (promos to ~$30) | ~$215/month |
| Profit split | 100% (flat — Apex 4.0) | 100% first "0K, then 90% |
| Max drawdown | Trailing ($3K on 100K) | $3K trailing (100K) |
| Drawdown type | Trailing | Trailing |
| Daily loss | None | $2,200 (EOD accounts) |
| Consistency rule | 50% | 40% |
| Min trading days | 5 | 0 |
| Payout speed | 3 to 5 days | 1 to 7 days |
| Payout frequency | Weekly (2x/month) | Weekly |
| News trading | Allowed | Allowed |
| EAs / bots | Allowed | Allowed (18+ platforms) |
| Weekend holding | Not allowed | Not allowed |
| Scaling cap | 6 payouts per PA | Up to 11 Master accounts (3 active) |
| US traders | Yes | Yes |
| Trustpilot | 4.3 (17,860+) | 4.7 (~3,000) |
| Value score | 84 | 74 |
Verdict
Pick Apex for the deepest payout history and largest active community. Pick Bulenox if its end-of-day drawdown variant and slightly lower activation friction better match your style.
Heads up: Apex Trader Funding has announced model changes in the past 90 days. We re-audit watchlisted firms every 7 days; double-check the live rules page before purchasing.
Apex Trader Funding strengths
Flat 100% profit split, one-time eval fee, large funded account base, simplified rule set
Apex Trader Funding weaknesses
Trailing drawdown, 6 payouts per PA cap, $85/month PA fee, ongoing Riot v. Apex litigation
Bulenox strengths
Widest platform selection (18+), generous trailing drawdown (up to 6%), path to real capital
Bulenox weaknesses
Monthly subscription, "48 activation fee, ",000 min withdrawal, 40% consistency rule