The online Trader Funding Industry was undoubtedly pioneered by Topstep. It's been over a decade since they started, and now there's a multitude of providers to choose from.

For us, Trader funding firms aren't just about getting funded. They are the perfect balance between SIM accounts, where you can play with it, then do a "reset" and promise you "won't do that again", and trading on a live account, losing your shirt, and then reporting that to your significant other.  You have a degree of risk, but it's capped AND there's the added bonus of the chance of actually being funded.

So whether it's a stepping stone between SIM and Live Trading or you are serious about being funded long term... here are our top 5, in alphabetical order. 

Apex 

Apex is a relative newcomer but seems to be taking off very quickly. They are very vocal about payout amounts and we think paying out is good.

• Have paid out over 3.5 Million to Traders This Year Alone (to October 2022)
• Have a simple 1-step evaluation process with minimal rules
• Allow up to 20 PA Accounts with a true path to Prop Trading
• Have plans without daily drawdown requirements (And the trail stops in PA once you hit $100 plus the starting balance, so you can build a huge buffer)
• We have plans without scaling rule requirements (So you don't get knocked out for doing too many contracts)

Click HERE and get a 50% off for new and recurring billing up to 20 accounts. Remember to enter the coupon JIGSAW on the sign-up page. 

Earn2Trade

• You can be Funded by Proving Your Trading Skills in Gauntlet Mini and Trader Career Path evaluations!
• Their Career Path allows you to scale up your size as you go, not being stuck at the initial amount of funding.
• Earn2Trade's Gauntlet Mini and Trader Career Path evaluations are both subscription-based, intraday futures trading evaluation program that matches skilled traders with proprietary trading firms willing to fund them when they pass.
• These simple, one-stage tests are widely acknowledged for having a fair and transparent ruleset, as well as impeccable customer service.
• Earn2Trade also comes with Journalytix from Jigsaw Trading for those that don't have it. 

Visit them HERE to find out more about it and launch your professional trading career with a 40% discount off your first evaluation! This is EXCLUSIVE to Jigsaw customers only.

TickTick Traders

• No traps, simply logic.
• No minimum trading days
• No trailing drawdown
• Drawdown calculated at the end of the day
• Personalized and active technical support 24 hours a day

Click HERE and apply JTTTDEAL coupon to get a %50 off LIFETIME for the 25k, 50k and 100k PRO accounts. From the 1st December, the coupon will give 40% off for the same accounts.

Topstep

The original can't be left out of our list. Mike Patak and John Hoagland took me on a tour of the CME floor over 10 years ago, both were well-liked and respected there. Their roots are definitely from professional trading. 

TopstepTrader is an interesting way for traders to de-risk their trading but still have some "skin in the game".

It's not live trading, but it's not sim trading. It could lead to a funded account. 

Click HERE for more information and a 20% discount off your first combine.

TradeDay

Another newcomer, run by James and Steve, both with institutional backgrounds. These guys absolutely know the prop world from their extensive experience. 

• Real live market, cash funding- TradeDay does NOT put you on a simulated account when you are funded, you trade with TradeDay’s money, in live markets, meaning the trader’s TradeDay objectives are aligned
• Highest levels of experience - TradeDay’s founders and trader management team have decades of trading, research, and trader development experience, at the upper end of financial markets, at global investment banks, and in Proprietary Trading Groups. Learn from the best to be the best!
• No restrictions on withdrawals - You can withdraw funds from your funded account when it is in profit at any time; no questions, no caveats, no further tests to overcome, no time to wait, or targets to meet.
• Institutional grade research and tools - TradeDay provides top-level fundamental and technical analysis research, live audio commentary, 24 hours a day during the trading week, plus trader psychology education from a globally renowned trading coach (alongside an abundance of educational resources)
• The trailing maximum drawdown is calculated at end of day - TradeDay doesn’t penalize you intraday for having a successful trading day.

Click HERE and apply JIGSAW20 coupon to get a 20% off for the lifetime of your monthly subscription.

That's it - we know most traders like to shop around and get the best deal, as well as try different providers until they find one with rules that suit them. And that's what it's all about really, while we can't put each set of their rules in this blog post (it'd be too big), they do differ and some will suit one trading style more than another. 

If you've never done a trader evaluation, I wouldn't obsess too much over the rules, find what looks like the closest fit for your style and then take the leap, it might not be the company you settle with, but you need some experience with one vendor to really get what these evals are all about.

I would also note that sometimes 'funded' means you are still on a SIM account but are now getting paid from the profits generated. This is obviously a form of arbitrage (more will lose than win) and whilst there's nothing wrong with it - be aware that your performance can change when you go onto a live account as the fills may be different. Just be aware of WHAT you are trading in that respect.