Apex Trader Funding vs Earn2Trade: Compared Rule by Rule for 2026
Two firms, two operating philosophies. Apex Trader Funding was founded in 2021 out of Austin; Earn2Trade followed in 2016 from Wilmington, and the product design reflects that lineage. Both operate in the futures category, both accept Tradovate and Rithmic accounts, and both publish monthly payout figures. The commonalities end at the drawdown mechanic.
At 100K: Apex Trader Funding from $59, Earn2Trade from $315/month.
Side-by-side comparison
| Rule | Apex Trader Funding | Earn2Trade |
|---|---|---|
| Markets | Futures (CME) | Futures (CME) |
| Watchlist | on watchlist | No |
| Evaluation | 1-Step | 1-Step (Gauntlet Mini / Trader Career Path) |
| Account sizes | $25K, $50K, $100K, $150K | $25K, $50K, $100K, $150K, $200K |
| Fee (100K) | $59 | $315/month |
| Profit split | 100% | 50 to 80% |
| Max drawdown (100K) | $3,000 | $3,500 |
| Drawdown type | Intraday trailing | End-of-day trailing |
| Daily loss (100K) | n/a | $2,200 |
| Consistency rule | n/a | 30% |
| Min trading days | 1 | 0 |
| First payout | 5 days | n/a |
| News trading | Allowed | Allowed |
| EAs / bots | Allowed | Allowed |
| Weekend holding | Not allowed | Not allowed |
| US traders | Yes | Yes |
| Trustpilot | Trustpilot profile |
Verdict
Pick Apex Trader Funding if the headline split materially affects your annual take, or the trailing drawdown lock behaviour of Apex Trader Funding matches your session windows. Pick Earn2Trade if its fee structure suits your trading budget. Traders who plan to hold overnight or through news should read the specific policy on each firm's site before committing capital.
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 profit split, one-time eval fee, large funded account base, simplified rule set
Apex Trader Funding weaknesses
Trailing drawdown, capped payouts per PA, monthly PA fee, ongoing Riot v. Apex litigation
Earn2Trade strengths
Long track record (since 2016), strong reputation, structured education path, weekly payouts
Earn2Trade weaknesses
Subscription model, slower scaling than newer competitors, no forex/CFDs