Apex Trader Funding rules explained (2026)
Apex Trader Funding now offers two kinds of evaluation: an intraday trailing drawdown evaluation and an end-of-day (EOD) evaluation. The profit targets are the same, but the drawdown works very differently. Here is every evaluation rule in plain English, with examples.
The short version
- Account sizes: 25K, 50K, 100K and 150K.
- Pass by hitting the profit target without touching the drawdown threshold.
- 30-day access period, no minimum trading days. You can pass in one day.
- No consistency rule and no scaling during the evaluation.
- Intraday evaluations have no daily loss limit. EOD evaluations do, but hitting it only pauses trading for the day.
- After passing, you have 7 calendar days to activate your Performance Account (PA).
Apex evaluation account sizes and targets
Both evaluation types use the same profit targets, drawdown amounts and contract limits. Only the EOD evaluation adds a daily loss limit.
| Account | Profit target | Max drawdown | Daily loss limit (EOD only) | Max contracts |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 25K | $1,500 | $1,000 | $500 | 4 |
| 50K | $3,000 | $2,000 | $1,000 | 6 |
| 100K | $6,000 | $3,000 | $1,500 | 8 |
| 150K | $9,000 | $4,000 | $2,000 | 12 |
Contract limits are fixed for the whole evaluation. They don't grow as your balance grows.
Rule 1: the intraday trailing drawdown
In the intraday evaluation, your trailing threshold is the lowest balance your account is allowed to reach. It sits a fixed distance below your highest balance so far, which Apex calls your peak balance, and it moves up in real time as the peak rises. It never moves down.
The part that catches people out: the peak includes unrealized profit. If a trade is up $800 and then comes back to breakeven, your threshold has still moved up $800.
Example on a 50K intraday evaluation
- You start at $50,000. Your threshold is $48,000 ($2,000 below).
- You go long and the trade is up $800, so your peak is $50,800. The threshold moves to $48,800.
- The trade reverses and you exit at breakeven. Your balance is $50,000, but the threshold stays at $48,800.
- Your real room is now $1,200, not $2,000.
If your balance, including open trades, touches or goes below the threshold at any moment, Apex liquidates your positions and the evaluation fails.
When does it stop trailing? According to Apex, on Rithmic and WealthCharts evaluations the threshold stops rising once it reaches the profit-target balance (for a 50K, that's $53,000). On Tradovate evaluations it keeps trailing your peak balance. In Performance Accounts, it stops at your starting balance plus $100.
Rule 2: the end-of-day (EOD) drawdown
In the EOD evaluation, the threshold is only calculated once a day, at market close, from your end-of-day balance. That new threshold then applies for the whole next session. Swings during the day don't move it.
Example on a 50K EOD evaluation
- You start at $50,000 with a threshold of $48,000.
- During the day you're up $1,200, then close the day up $800, at $50,800.
- At the close, the threshold moves to $48,800. The $1,200 intraday high didn't count.
- Tomorrow, touching $48,800 at any moment fails the evaluation.
The daily loss limit (EOD only)
EOD evaluations also have a daily loss limit ($1,000 on a 50K). Hitting it doesn't fail the account. Apex pauses trading for the rest of that session, and your account stays active. The daily loss limit and the EOD threshold are separate rules. Apex's trading day resets at 6:00 PM ET.
Rule 3: no hedging between accounts
You can't pass evaluations by hedging accounts against each other (for example, long in one account and short in another). Apex treats that as prohibited activity and closes the accounts.
Intraday or EOD: what's the difference in practice?
| Intraday evaluation | EOD evaluation | |
|---|---|---|
| Threshold moves | In real time, with your peak balance | Once a day, at the close |
| Unrealized profit counts? | Yes, it raises the threshold | No, only the closing balance |
| Daily loss limit | None | Yes, pauses trading for the day |
| Giving back open profit | Costs you drawdown room | Doesn't move the threshold |
Traders who often let winners run and then give some back usually find the intraday threshold tighter than it looks. Traders who want a hard daily stop built in may prefer EOD. Neither is "easier". It depends on how you trade, so check the rules against your own trade history before you pick.
After you pass: the Performance Account
Passing gives you a Performance Account (PA) of the same size and drawdown type. You have 7 calendar days to activate it. The PA brings rules the evaluation doesn't have, including tier-based scaling of contracts and a daily loss limit, and the trailing threshold stops at your starting balance plus $100. Read Apex's PA rules before you activate.
How to keep track of your Apex rules
The hard part of Apex isn't knowing the rules, it's knowing how much room you have left on each account after a few trades. A simple trading journal helps: write down the threshold after every session, and you'll never be surprised by it.
TraderMemo's Prop side lets you set each account's drawdown type (intraday trailing, end-of-day trailing or static), max drawdown, daily loss limit and profit target. It then shows how much room is left based on the trades you log. Because it works from closed trades, it can't see open profit. For intraday trailing accounts, the live threshold in your trading platform is always the one that counts.
Track every Apex account in one place
Log a trade once and copy it to all your Apex accounts, with drawdown and target meters for each.
14 days free, no card needed. Then $6.99/month.
Rules checked October 12, 2026 against the firms' own help pages:
- Apex: Intraday Trailing Drawdown Evaluations
- Apex: EOD Evaluations
- Apex: Intraday Trailing Drawdown Explained
- Apex: Intraday Trailing Performance Accounts
Prop firms change their rules often. Always confirm the current rules on the firm's website or your dashboard before you trade.
Frequently asked questions
Does Apex have a consistency rule in the evaluation?
No. Apex doesn't apply a consistency rule or scaling during its intraday or EOD evaluations. Those rules come later, in the Performance Account.
Can you pass an Apex evaluation in one day?
Yes. There is no minimum number of trading days. You pass as soon as you reach the profit target without breaching the drawdown.
Does unrealized profit count toward the Apex trailing drawdown?
On intraday trailing accounts, yes. The threshold follows your peak balance including open profit. On EOD accounts, only the end-of-day balance counts.
Does hitting the daily loss limit fail an Apex EOD evaluation?
No. It pauses trading for the rest of the session and the account stays active.
TraderMemo is not affiliated with, endorsed by or sponsored by any prop firm or broker mentioned here. Firm names are used only to describe their published rules. This article is for education only and is not financial advice. Trading futures involves substantial risk of loss and isn't suitable for everyone.