Real Futures Trading. Honest Prop-Firm Picks. Free Tools & Education.
Hi! If you don’t already know, I’m Tim. I go by TIMB272 online. Wins, losses, mistakes, and no-trade days—all on camera.
Monday–Friday at 9:25 AM ET on YouTube
More about me
I trade NQ live on YouTube every weekday morning and show the wins, losses, mistakes, and no-trade days. Prop firms paid me over $20K in 2025, and this is my home base for the firms I’d actually consider, the free tools I’ve built, and the way I trade.
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The Futures Prop Firms I’d Actually Buy in 2026
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Lucid Daily vs. Tradeify Select: Which Account Fits You?
I compare the evaluation, drawdown, payout, and live-transition tradeoffs behind the two daily-payout paths. It is a fit-based breakdown—not a claim that one account is best for everyone.
Watch the comparisonCompare plan rules, payouts & tradeoffs
Plan-by-plan starting comparison
These are the paths I would compare first at each firm—not a claim that every plan at a firm works the same way.
| Firm | Where I’d start | Payout access | Drawdown & consistency | Important catch |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| #1 · Lucid | 50K Flex for my best overall starting fit | 50K Daily: $500 minimum above the $2,100 buffer and no fixed request cap beyond eligible profit. 50K Flex: five $150+ profit days, then 50% of profit up to $2,000 | Flex has 50% evaluation consistency, no funded consistency, no buffer, and EOD trailing drawdown. Daily has no funded consistency but uses intraday drawdown | Daily's news rule is a hard breach. On a 50K Daily, $8,000 above the buffer triggers the move to live; across multiple Daily accounts, $15,000 above the buffers triggers it instead. Lucid pays the eligible simulated profit above the buffer when you move, up to $15,000 total |
| #2 · Tradeify | 50K Select, then Select Daily after passing | 50K Daily: $250 minimum and a $2,100 buffer. Tradeify increased Daily caps in its September update but did not publish the new exact cap in the announcement. Lightning is my straight-to-sim-funded option. | Select offers 40% consistency or the new 50% consistency add-on; Select Daily has no funded consistency and uses funded EOD drawdown plus a daily loss limit | Tradeify's September update lowered Flex payout caps and increased Daily caps. Every Daily request still needs its buffer, 2× cycle-profit formula, positive cycle P&L, rule compliance, and approval; later live-account selection is discretionary |
| #3 · Apex | Choose EOD or Intraday first, then Standard for the lower upfront price or No-Activation to remove the post-pass activation fee | 100% approved payout split. On 50K accounts, the $500 minimum starts with a $1,500 request cap; later caps increase by payout cycle and reach $3,000 on the sixth request. Most payouts arrive within 5–11 business days | Apex offers both EOD and Intraday drawdown, with Standard and No-Activation options. Both Performance Account types require 50% consistency between approved payouts | Apex discounts five matching evaluations when purchased as a bundle. Each account is separate, but all five share one 30-day access window; Apex allows up to 20 active Performance Accounts per household |
| #4 · MFFU | 50K Builder for beginners; Rapid EOD for its permanent 50K EOD route, or Pro for its separate higher ceiling | Rapid EOD has daily-request access once eligible; Builder first-payout eligibility can begin 48 hours after the first simulated-funded trade once every requirement is met; Pro advertises a maximum payout of up to $100,000 per user | Builder uses EOD trailing drawdown, 50% funded consistency, an 80/20 split, and one active 50K account | Builder still requires its $2,100 buffer plus $500 profit and two qualifying days; its $2,000 cap is per payout cycle |
| #5 · FundedNext Futures | Rapid Daily for daily payouts with a one-day pass | 90% reward share, with daily reward eligibility once the current-cycle profit and EOD buffer conditions are met | No consistency rule on either the evaluation or funded account | Keep the EOD buffer intact; rewards have size-based caps, and a Rapid Daily account concludes after its fifth Performance Reward |
Compare platform availability
Platform availability
Platform access depends on the account vendor and connection. These are the current routes at each firm.
| Firm | Tradovate family | Other current options | Platform takeaway |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lucid Trading | Tradovate, NinjaTrader, TradingView | Quantower, MotiveWave, Sierra Chart, Tradesea, Jigsaw, Bookmap, ATAS, R|Trader Pro, MultiCharts | The broadest specialized-platform menu in this comparison |
| Tradeify | Tradovate, NinjaTrader, TradingView | Quantower, Sierra Chart, Tradesea, R|Trader, WealthCharts | Broad menu with Tradovate access |
| Apex Trader Funding | Tradovate, NinjaTrader, TradingView | Rithmic, WealthCharts; Rithmic connection guides include Quantower, Sierra Chart, MotiveWave, Bookmap, ATAS, Jigsaw, and more | Choose Rithmic, Tradovate, or WealthCharts when buying; accounts do not convert between vendors |
| MyFundedFutures | Tradovate, NinjaTrader, TradingView | Quantower, Volumetrica, DeepChart, DeepDOM, ATAS | DeepChart and DeepDOM are available |
| FundedNext Futures | Tradovate, NinjaTrader, TradingView | — | Tradovate-family access for the Rapid Daily route |
My own path: I start with one 50K, add matching 50Ks only after I am comfortable, and remember that copying across more accounts multiplies mistakes and losses too.
See my payout receipts and their context
A few of my Tradeify and MyFundedFutures receipts. I rank who I'd start with today, not simply whichever firm paid me first. Tap any to zoom.
The firms
Lucid Trading
My best overall firm because it now covers four genuinely different needs: daily payout requests, a one-day pass, straight-to-sim-funded access, and a lower-cost Flex path.
Lucid Trading: account rules and payout details
- Four funding paths: LucidDaily for daily payout requests, LucidPro for a one-day pass, LucidDirect to skip the evaluation, and LucidFlex for the lower-cost flexible route.
- 50K Flex: The evaluation has 50% consistency. The funded stage has no consistency rule, no payout buffer, a 90/10 split, and EOD trailing drawdown. After five $150+ profit days, you can request 50% of eligible profit, from $500 up to $2,000.
- 50K LucidDaily: Funded requests can be made daily with positive profit since the prior payout, at least $500 above the $2,100 buffer, no funded consistency rule, and no fixed request cap beyond eligible profit above the buffer.
- LucidPro: No evaluation consistency and a one-trading-day minimum; the funded stage uses 40% payout consistency.
- LucidDirect: No evaluation—you start straight-to-sim-funded, not live—and the funded stage uses 20% payout consistency.
- Moving live: On a 50K LucidDaily, $8,000 above the buffer triggers the move to live. Across multiple LucidDaily accounts, $15,000 above the buffers triggers it instead. Lucid pays the eligible simulated profit above the buffer when you move, up to $15,000 total.
- Funded news rule: Red-folder news trading is not permitted on LucidDaily funded accounts and is a hard breach. Be flat from one minute before through one minute after the event; verify the current LucidDaily funded rules.
- LucidDaily funded accounts always use intraday drawdown, even when you chose EOD drawdown for the evaluation. Keep that intraday trail in mind when choosing it for daily payouts.
My Lucid pick: 50K Flex is my best overall starting pick. Choose Daily only when you understand its intraday funded trail and news rule; choose Pro or Direct when speed matters enough to accept their funded consistency tradeoffs.
Tradeify
My #2 firm for funded EOD drawdown and daily payout requests, with Lightning as my top straight-to-sim-funded option if you want to skip the evaluation.
Tradeify: account rules and payout details
- My path: Start with the 50K Select evaluation, then choose Select Daily after passing. It takes at least three trading days to pass. Choose the original 40% consistency option or the new 50% consistency add-on; Select Daily then has no funded payout-consistency rule.
- 50K Select Daily: Daily request eligibility, a $250 minimum, $2,100 buffer, daily loss limit, and funded EOD drawdown. Tradeify's September update increased Daily payout caps, but the announcement did not publish the new exact cap.
- Select consistency choices: Choose the original 40% consistency option or the newer 50% consistency add-on. Those are account-rule choices, separate from the current 40% coupon discount.
- If you want to skip the evaluation: Tradeify Lightning is my top straight-to-sim-funded choice. It starts in the simulated-funded stage, not a live brokerage account.
- Three payouts on one account or ten total are live-review benchmarks, not guaranteed timing. Live-account selection is discretionary and mandatory if offered.
My Tradeify pick: 50K Select, then Select Daily after passing. If you are set on skipping the evaluation, Lightning is my top straight-to-sim-funded choice.
Apex Trader Funding
My #3 option: a genuinely low-cost entry right now, plus the clearest scale path here for an experienced trader managing a disciplined setup of up to 20 Performance Accounts.
Apex Trader Funding: account rules and payout details
- 50K payouts: Approved payouts use a 100% split. The $500 minimum starts with a $1,500 cap on the first request; later caps increase by payout cycle and reach $3,000 on the sixth request. Both EOD and Intraday Performance Accounts require 50% consistency between approved payouts. Apex reviews requests within two business days, and most funds arrive within 5–11 business days total.
- Drawdown choice: Choose EOD or Intraday. EOD calculates the trailing threshold at the market close, while Intraday follows peak equity—including unrealized profit—in real time.
- Cost choice: Standard gives you the lower upfront evaluation price and charges an activation fee only after you pass. No-Activation costs more upfront, then the matching Performance Account activates for $0.
- Five-pack discount: Apex sells five matching evaluations together at a discounted bundle price. Each account operates independently, but all five start together and share one 30-day access window.
- Experienced scale: Apex allows up to 20 active Performance Accounts per household across EOD, Intraday, and Legacy accounts. That scale is for a trader whose sizing, copying, and risk process are already disciplined.
- Six-payout limit / no defined live path: Current EOD and Intraday Performance Accounts close after six approved payouts. Apex may invite a trader to a live account, but the timing and selection are discretionary—not a defined transition process.
My Apex take: Start with the low-cost EOD or Intraday route that fits your drawdown preference. It becomes especially compelling once you have the experience and discipline to manage a larger 10–20-account setup.
MyFundedFutures
My best beginner pick because Builder offers a one-day pass with no evaluation consistency. Rapid EOD and Pro remain strong fits for their specific structures.
MyFundedFutures: account rules and payout details
- Rapid: Daily payout-request eligibility, a 90/10 split, a two-day minimum, and no activation fee. The evaluation uses EOD drawdown; the simulated-funded stage switches to an intraday trail.
- Rapid EOD: A permanent 50K-only option that keeps EOD drawdown in both the evaluation and simulated-funded stages, with a four-day evaluation and 30% evaluation consistency.
- No straight-to-sim-funded path: Every current MFFU plan starts with an evaluation. MFFU does not charge activation fees on its current plans.
- Builder 50K: A one-day pass with no evaluation consistency. The simulated-funded stage has 50% payout consistency, an 80/20 split, EOD trailing drawdown, one active account, a $2,100 buffer plus $500 profit for the first request, two qualifying days, and a $2,000 payout-cycle cap.
- Builder timing: First-payout eligibility can begin 48 hours after the first simulated-funded trade only when every requirement is met. That is not a repeating 48-hour payout cadence.
- Pro: The higher-ceiling option for traders who specifically want it: $50K–$150K sizes, EOD trailing drawdown, 14-day payout timing plus the required buffer, no funded daily-loss or consistency rule, and a maximum payout of up to $100,000 per user.
- Fit limit: Builder is my beginner pick, but its simulated-funded consistency, buffer, 80/20 split, and one-account limit still matter. Every current MFFU plan starts with an evaluation—there is no straight-to-sim-funded account.
My MFFU pick for beginners: 50K Builder. Compare Rapid EOD if its permanent 50K EOD structure is exactly what you want, or Pro for its specific higher-ceiling fit.
FundedNext Futures
A strong alternative if you want daily payouts with a one-day pass.
FundedNext Futures: account rules and payout details
- Rapid Daily: A one-time-fee account that can be passed in one trading day. It has no consistency rule on either the evaluation or funded account.
- Daily reward path: The FundedNext Account has a 90% reward share and can become eligible for a reward each day when its current-cycle profit and EOD buffer conditions are met.
- Platform flexibility: Tradovate, NinjaTrader, and TradingView are supported. You can copy only between accounts you personally own and verify.
- Know the tradeoff: You must keep the buffer intact, rewards have size-based caps, and a Rapid Daily account concludes after its fifth Performance Reward. It is a specific daily-payout fit, not a better-everything replacement for the firms above.
My FundedNext take: Choose Rapid Daily if daily payouts with a one-day pass matter more to you than a longer-running account structure.
Use code TIMB.
Find your next prop-firm answer
Choosing an account, getting set up, or working through a payout? Start with the part you're on. These are recorded walkthroughs; check the firm's current rules before acting.
Choosing an account
Compare the account rules before the discount.
Passed? Get set up
Start with your firm's activation process. Use the TradeSea walkthrough if that's your platform.
Requesting a payout
See my Lucid and Tradeify payout request processes. Eligibility and approval are separate steps.
After a withdrawal
Before trading again, check your remaining balance, drawdown floor, required buffer, and the rules for your next request.
These official firm rules apply to the specific accounts shown.
Stuff people ask me
Are prop firms worth it?
They've paid me over $20K, so for me, yes. But evaluations can be failed, and I've failed my share too. Only spend what you can afford to lose and treat the fee like tuition, not a lottery ticket.
Does the code save me money?
Where a TIMB272 code is listed, it matches the best current discount available through that partner. The deals strip shows the date every offer was last checked.
Why should you trust me?
Fair question. I trade in real time on camera every weekday morning. Prop-firm evaluations and sim-funded accounts are simulated unless I clearly identify an account as live, so viewers can see the wins, losses, payouts, and mistakes in context. This list is what I'd tell a friend before they spend money.
Trading tools and resources
My #1 charting platform—and the one I personally pay for. The free plan is enough to get started.
Paid plans add more alerts, multiple charts, and seconds-based timeframes. TradeSea may cover your second chart; new users get a $15 plan coupon through my link.
Come trade with us
I'm live every weekday morning at 9:25 AM ET trading NQ. The Discord is called Locked In Traders and it's completely free. There is no paid tier or course.
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