Lucid Trading vs Apex Trader Funding
Rule-by-rule comparison from each firm's own website, last verified . The marked figure is the stronger one on that line.
Quick take
- Cheaper entry: Lucid Trading ($65 vs $167).
- Higher headline split: Apex Trader Funding (100%).
- Faster payout cycle: Lucid Trading (Daily / on demand).
- Higher Trustpilot rating: Lucid Trading (4.5).
- Overall PA Score: Lucid Trading 7.5 vs Apex Trader Funding 6.8.
Lucid Trading stronger on 5Apex Trader Funding stronger on 3of 9 lines where both publish a comparable figure
| Lucid Trading7.5 PA Score | Apex Trader Funding6.8 PA Score | |
|---|---|---|
| PA Score | 7.5 (stronger figure) | 6.8 |
| Trustpilot | 4.58,440 (stronger figure) | 4.221,430 |
| Founded | 2024 | 2021 (stronger figure) |
| HQ | Dover, DE, United States | Austin, TX (mailing address) |
| Markets | Futures | Futures, Indices, Commodities (stronger figure) |
| Challenge types | 1-step, instant | 1-step |
| Entry fee from | $65 (stronger figure) | $167 |
| Cost per $1K allocation | $1.91 (stronger figure) | $4.98 |
| Largest account | $150K | $150K |
| Profit target | 5-6% ($1,250/$3,000/$6,000/$9,000) | 6% |
| Daily loss limit | optional (customizable soft-breach DLL) | none (Intraday); $500-$2K (EOD) |
| Max drawdown | $1,000-$4,500 | $1,000-$4,000 |
| Drawdown type | EOD trailing | intraday trailing or EOD trailing |
| Profit split | 90% | 100% (stronger figure) |
| Leverage | Not published | Not published |
| Platforms | Tradovate, NinjaTrader, TradingView, Rithmic, Quantower, Tradesea, MotiveWave, Sierra Chart, Jigsaw, Bookmap, ATAS, R|Trader Pro, MultiCharts | Rithmic, Tradovate, NinjaTrader, WealthCharts |
| Payout frequency | LucidPro: on-demand after min profit goal + 40% consistency + buffer (3 days to payout); LucidFlex: every cycle of 5 profitable days, no consistency/buffer; LucidDaily: daily payout requests; LucidDirect: after profit goal + 20% consistency (min 5 days) | every 5 qualifying trading days (up to weekly) |
| First payout (days) | 3 (stronger figure) | 5 |
| Min trading days | Not published | 0 |
| Consistency rule | Eval: Flex 40% (50% add-on), Daily 50%, Pro none; Funded: Pro 40% best-day rule for payouts, Direct 20%, Flex/Daily none | 50% (PA payouts); none in eval |
| News trading | Allowed | Not published |
| Weekend holding | Restricted | Not published |
| Discount code | About 30% off plan prices (e.g. Pro 25K $108 -> $75.60) | 90% off all evals (Intraday, EOD, Legacy, any size) |
| Visit site (opens Lucid Trading in a new tab) | Visit site (opens Apex Trader Funding in a new tab) |
Not published means we could not find the figure on the firm's own site. Sources are listed on each firm page.
Which should you choose?
Lucid Trading scores 7.5/10 and Apex Trader Funding 6.8/10, a clear but not huge gap. Both are futures prop firms, so the rule differences below are like for like. Which one is better depends on how you trade, so here is who each firm suits, based only on what they publish.
Pick Lucid Trading if
- you want the cheaper way in ($65 vs $167 for the smallest account)
- you care about cost per $1K of account ($1.91 vs $4.98)
- you want a faster payout cycle (daily / on demand)
- you trade high-impact news
- you do not want an evaluation deadline
- you need TradingView, Quantower and Tradesea
Pick Apex Trader Funding if
- a higher headline split matters (100%)
- you need WealthCharts
- you want the longer track record (operating since 2021)
Price at each account size
Cheapest program each firm sells at the sizes both offer.
| Account | Lucid Trading | Apex Trader Funding |
|---|---|---|
| $25K | $65 | $167 |
| $50K | $115 | $249 |
| $100K | $200 | $790 |
| $150K | $286 | $1.2K |
Payouts
Lucid Trading: LucidPro: on-demand after min profit goal + 40% consistency + buffer (3 days to payout); LucidFlex: every cycle of 5 profitable days, no consistency/buffer; LucidDaily: daily payout requests; LucidDirect: after profit goal + 20% consistency (min 5 days). First payout after 3 days. Methods: Plaid (US instant bank), WorkMarket by ADP (bank transfer or PayPal, US + international), Crypto (BTC, ETH, LTC, USDT, USDC - international). The firm reports "$700M+ earned by traders" (homepage, checked 31 Oct 2026).
Apex Trader Funding: every 5 qualifying trading days (up to weekly). First payout after 5 days.
Firm-reported payout totals are the firms' own figures. We have not audited them.
Rule changes
| Date | Firm | Field | Was | Now |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Apex Trader Funding | Discount codeOffers | SAVENOW (90% off all evals (time-limited banner)) | SAVENOW (90% off all evals (Intraday, EOD, Legacy, any size)) |
Legit check
Track record, review volume, payout terms and restrictions for each firm, on one page each: Is Lucid Trading legit? · Is Apex Trader Funding legit?
FAQ
Which is cheaper, Lucid Trading or Apex Trader Funding?
Smallest published entry fee: Lucid Trading $65, Apex Trader Funding $167. Cheapest per $1K of account: Lucid Trading $1.91, Apex Trader Funding $4.98.
Which pays out faster, Lucid Trading or Apex Trader Funding?
Lucid Trading: LucidPro: on-demand after min profit goal + 40% consistency + buffer (3 days to payout); LucidFlex: every cycle of 5 profitable days, no consistency/buffer; LucidDaily: daily payout requests; LucidDirect: after profit goal + 20% consistency (min 5 days). Apex Trader Funding: every 5 qualifying trading days (up to weekly).
Which has the higher profit split?
Lucid Trading: 90%; Apex Trader Funding: 100%. Headline splits often need scaling or an add-on.
Which is better for beginners, Lucid Trading or Apex Trader Funding?
On our six-point beginner checklist Lucid Trading meets 3 and Apex Trader Funding meets 0. The checklist is explained on the best prop firms for beginners page.
Are Lucid Trading and Apex Trader Funding legit?
Both publish their rules and are listed with sources. See the evidence pages: propanalyse.com/firms/lucid-trading/legit/ and propanalyse.com/firms/apex-trader-funding/legit/.