Alpha Futures FAQ: 50+ Questions Answered

Alpha Futures does things differently than most prop firms I've tested — and I've tested over 50. A monthly subscription model that includes unlimited evaluation resets. Three distinct plan types designed for different trading styles. EOD trailing drawdown that actually locks in your favor once you build enough profit. A Daily Loss Guard that protects your account without killing it. There's a lot to like here, but there's also a lot to understand before you buy.

I've traded Alpha across Standard, Advanced, and Zero plans. Passed evals, activated funded accounts, requested payouts through multiple cycles, and learned the ins and outs of how their rules actually work in practice — not just on paper. This FAQ covers 65+ questions organized by topic, everything from "which plan should I buy" to "what happens after I request my fifth payout."

Use this as a reference before buying, during evaluation, and once you're funded. If something's changed since publication, Alpha's site will have the latest — but the logic and mechanics behind these answers should hold up.

Why I trade with Alpha Futures: I've been running Alpha Futures accounts across multiple plans—passed evaluations, activated funded accounts, withdrawn profits, and dealt with their support team. This assessment is based on real money in, real money out.

That said, no prop firm is perfect. Alpha Futures has strengths (subscription model with no reset fees, EOD trailing drawdown, up to 90% profit split) and weaknesses (DLG can lock you out early, consistency rule math is strict on Standard, Zero plan has payout caps) that I've documented honestly. For a complete breakdown of their account types, pricing, and what to expect at each stage, read my full Alpha Futures accounts overview. For the absolute latest, check Alpha Futures' website.

Account Types and Plan Differences

What are the three Alpha Futures plans?

Three plans, three different trader profiles:

Standard is your entry point — cheapest monthly cost ($79–$239 depending on size), 6% profit target, progressive profit split starting at 70% and reaching 90% after five payouts, bi-weekly payouts, $149 activation fee. Includes 50% eval consistency and 40% funded consistency. Most traders start here.

Advanced is built for experienced traders who want maximum flexibility — higher monthly cost ($139–$419), tougher 8% target, but flat 90% split from payout one, weekly payouts, zero funded consistency rule, and unrestricted news trading. Same $149 activation.

Zero kills the activation fee entirely — you pay only the monthly subscription ($99–$199), get flat 90% from day one, no eval consistency rule (can technically pass in three days), 40% funded consistency, and up to 4 monthly payouts. Only available in $50K and $100K — no $150K option.

How does Standard differ from Advanced?

Cost vs. flexibility — that's the entire tradeoff. Standard costs less ($79 vs $139 for 50K) with a lower profit target (6% vs 8%), but it comes with a 40% funded consistency rule and bi-weekly payouts. Advanced costs more, demands a higher target, but gives you flat 90% from payout one, weekly payouts, zero funded consistency, and unrestricted news trading.

I've run both. Standard felt more forgiving during evaluation — that 6% target on a 50K is $3,000, which I hit in 9 trading days without pushing it. Advanced's 8% ($4,000 on 50K) took me an extra week. But once funded? Advanced is noticeably better. No consistency rule means one great FOMC day doesn't throw off my payout eligibility. Weekly payouts mean faster cash extraction.

New to Alpha? Start Standard. Already passing evals at other firms? Go straight to Advanced.

What makes the Zero plan unique?

Zero eliminates the $149 activation fee. That's the headline. But there's more — no consistency rule during evaluation means you can technically pass in three trading days if you hit the numbers. Flat 90% split immediately. Up to 4 monthly payouts.

The catches? Only available in $50K ($99/month) and $100K ($199/month) — no $150K. Once funded, the 40% consistency kicks in just like Standard. Payout caps are lower: $1,500 per withdrawal on $50K, $3,000 on $100K.

I view Zero as the "test drive" plan. Never traded Alpha? Want to see how their execution and rules feel before committing to Standard or Advanced? Zero gets you funded for $99 total if you pass first month. Try matching that anywhere else.

Can you switch between plans after starting?

No. Once you purchase a Standard $50K evaluation, you're locked to that plan until you pass or cancel. No mid-eval plan swaps. Want a different plan? Cancel current subscription, wait for the billing cycle to end, purchase the new one.

You can run multiple plans simultaneously though. I've had a Standard 50K eval running alongside an Advanced 100K — different strategies, different rules, different accounts. That's actually a smart approach once you're funded on one plan and want to diversify.

Which plan should beginners choose?

Standard $50K at $79/month. Not close.

The 6% profit target ($3,000) is achievable without hero trades. Bi-weekly payout timing gives you breathing room. You're risking the absolute minimum monthly cost while learning Alpha's system. Don't start with Advanced unless you've already passed evals at other firms — that 8% target combined with the higher monthly cost creates pressure beginners don't need.

And don't start with Zero just because it sounds cheaper. The $99/month is actually more than Standard's $79, and Zero's 2% DLG during evaluation constrains your trading more than Standard (which has no DLG during eval).

How many accounts can you run simultaneously?

During evaluation: technically unlimited. You could fire up 5 Standard evals, 3 Advanced evals, and 2 Zero evals if you wanted to burn money. I don't recommend more than 2–3 simultaneous evals — managing that many different accounts with different progress and different rules gets messy fast.

Once qualified: maximum 3 funded accounts total across all plan types, combined $450K allocation cap. So three $150K accounts = $450K maximum. Or two $100K + one $50K = $250K (under cap, fine). The 3-account limit is firm.

What's the maximum funding allocation?

$450,000 across a maximum of 3 funded accounts. To hit the ceiling: three $150K accounts. Most traders realistically operate 1–2 funded accounts in the $50K–$200K range. The cap only constrains highly profitable traders trying to scale past $450K — at which point you'd add other firms alongside Alpha.

Can you run Standard and Advanced accounts together?

Yes — and it's a solid diversification strategy. I've run Standard with conservative setups (VWAP pullbacks, 2–3 trades per day) while simultaneously trading Advanced more aggressively on news events. Since Advanced has zero funded consistency, one big FOMC day doesn't mess up payout eligibility on that account.

The complexity is tracking different rule sets. Standard's 40% consistency vs Advanced's zero. Standard's bi-weekly timing vs Advanced's weekly with the 5-day requirement. Get sloppy with which rules apply where and you'll blow one of them. Separate tracking spreadsheets aren't optional.

What happens to your evaluation if you cancel the subscription?

Canceling terminates access at the end of your current billing cycle. Account closes. All progress lost. No refund for partial months. Done.

If you're $500 from hitting target, keep the subscription one more month. That $79 is worth preserving 83% of your progress. If you're deep in drawdown with no realistic path to target, cancel before the next rebill and save yourself another month's fee. Timing your cancellation strategically is part of managing cost-to-funded.

Is there a trial period or demo access?

No free trial. No demo accounts. Your cheapest option to test Alpha is a Standard $50K at $79/month or Zero $50K at $99/month.

Many traders treat the first month as a paid demo — test the execution, learn the dashboard, feel how DLG and drawdown actually work during live trading. If you pass that first month? You're funded for under $228 total (Standard) or $99 (Zero). If you fail? You've tested Alpha's compatibility with your strategy for less than a nice dinner out. Compare that to instant-funding firms charging $300–$500 upfront with zero refunds.

Subscription and Cost Model

How does the monthly subscription model work?

Alpha charges a recurring monthly fee during evaluation. You keep paying until you pass or cancel. Pricing by plan and size:

Standard: $50K = $79/mo, $100K = $159/mo, $150K = $239/moAdvanced: $50K = $139/mo, $100K = $279/mo, $150K = $419/moZero: $50K = $99/mo, $100K = $199/mo

Subscriptions rebill on the same day each month — buy January 5th, rebill February 5th, March 5th, and so on. Once you pass, monthly fees stop permanently. You pay the one-time $149 activation fee (Standard/Advanced) or $0 (Zero), and then you're funded with zero ongoing costs.

What's included in the monthly subscription?

Monthly fee covers unlimited evaluation attempts within that billing cycle, platform access (NinjaTrader, Tradovate, or TradingView), real-time market data feeds, customer support, and your Alpha dashboard tracking targets, drawdown, and consistency percentages.

The key phrase: "unlimited attempts." Fail by hitting MLL on day 3? You get a fresh reset when your subscription rebills. No additional reset fee. This is fundamentally different from one-time-fee firms where every failed attempt costs $150–$400 extra. Pass in month one for $79. Fail and retry month two for another $79. Same access, same opportunity.

How much does the activation fee cost?

$149 one-time for Standard and Advanced. $0 for Zero. You pay after passing evaluation, before receiving your funded account.

Quick cost-to-funded math:

Zero's cost advantage is obvious if you pass within 1–2 months. After 3+ months, the savings narrow.

Can you pause your subscription without losing progress?

No pause feature. You either keep paying and maintain evaluation progress, or cancel and lose everything. No freeze option exists.

Sitting at $2,500 of a $3,000 target and need a week off? Keep it active — $79 is worth preserving 83% of your progress. Deep in drawdown at -$1,800 and clearly not recovering? Cancel before the next rebill. Timing your cancellation strategically matters.

What happens on the rebill date if your evaluation is still in progress?

Around 24 hours before rebill, Alpha gives you a choice: reset your account to starting balance (wipe all progress, clean slate) or maintain your current balance and keep building from where you are.

In profit — say $1,500 of a $3,000 target? Maintain. Preserves your $1,500 so you keep building next month. Deep in drawdown? Reset. Fresh start at full balance.

I've done both. Maintained once at $2,200 profit and hit target 4 days into the new month. Reset once at -$1,600 when there was zero chance of recovery without stupid risk. Both were the right call.

How do Alpha's reset costs compare to other firms?

This is where the subscription model wins for multi-attempt traders. Traditional firms charge the full eval fee ($150–$400) per reset. Alpha's "reset" is just your next month's subscription — $79–$279 depending on plan and size — with unlimited attempts within that cycle.

Example: One-time firm charges $200 eval + $120 reset + $120 second reset = $440 for three total attempts. Alpha Standard 50K: $79/month × 3 months = $237 for unlimited attempts across those months. If you're the type who takes 2–4 attempts to pass, Alpha saves real money. If you consistently nail it first try, one-time firms are cheaper upfront.

Is Alpha Futures cheaper than one-time-fee prop firms?

Depends entirely on how fast you pass:

Pass first attempt? One-time firms win. A $150–$200 eval beats Alpha's $79/month + $149 activation ($228 total on Standard 50K).

Take 2–3 months? Roughly comparable. Alpha's unlimited resets start paying for themselves.

Take 4+ months or need multiple resets? Alpha wins decisively. At month 4 on Standard 50K, you've paid $316 in subscriptions. At a one-time firm with $120 resets, you'd be at $440–$560 depending on attempts.

Be honest with yourself about your pass rate. Never passed a prop eval before? Budget for 3 months minimum.

What's the total investment before your first payout?

Best case (Zero 50K, pass month one): $99 subscription + $0 activation = $99 total before first withdrawal.

Realistic case (Standard 50K, 2–3 months): $158–$237 subscription + $149 activation = $307–$386 before seeing money back.

Budget $300–$600 total depending on plan, size, and months to pass. Don't go in expecting to spend $79 and come out funded. It's possible — but planning around it creates pressure you don't need during evaluation.

Are there hidden fees beyond subscription and activation?

No hidden fees from Alpha. What you see is what you pay. But external costs exist:

Platform commissions on Tradovate (typically $0.50–$1.50 per contract round-turn). TradingView subscription if you want full charting features ($12.95–$24.95/month). NinjaTrader license if you need advanced order flow ($99/quarter lease). Payment processing fees on payouts — ACH free, wire transfers $15–$40, crypto and Wise minimal.

Alpha charges zero withdrawal fees, zero monthly fees after funding, zero platform surcharges. Budget an extra $50–$100/month for external trading tools if you want more than basic Tradovate web access.

Can you get refunds if unsatisfied?

No. Monthly subscriptions and activation fees are non-refundable once paid. Standard across the entire prop firm industry — I've never seen a firm offer eval refunds.

Treat your first month as a sunk cost for testing. If Alpha doesn't fit your strategy, cancel before the second rebill. That limits total loss to $79–$279. Way cheaper than buying a $400 evaluation at a one-time firm and discovering you hate their rules.

Evaluation Phase Rules

What's the profit target for evaluations?

Standard and Zero: 6% of account size. $50K needs $3,000. $100K needs $6,000. $150K needs $9,000.

Advanced: 8% of account size. $50K needs $4,000. $100K needs $8,000. $150K needs $12,000.

Targets are cumulative — losses subtract from your running total but don't reset it. Reach the target through steady daily profits or fewer larger winning days (subject to consistency rules on Standard/Advanced). Zero's lack of eval consistency means your entire profit could technically come from one session.

What's the Max Loss Limit during evaluation?

The MLL is a 4% End-of-Day trailing drawdown calculated from your highest closing balance. On a $50K account, you start with a $2,000 buffer — MLL sits at $48,000. Close at $52,000? MLL trails up to $49,920.

Here's the critical mechanic: once your highest closing balance reaches starting balance + 4% ($52,000 on 50K), the MLL locks permanently at $50,000. After that, it never moves again. You can never close below that locked number.

The EOD calculation makes Alpha more forgiving than intraday trailing firms. I've been down $1,200 mid-session during FOMC and recovered by close — MLL didn't budge because it only cares about closing balance, not where I was at 2:15 PM.

Is there a Daily Loss Limit during evaluation?

Standard and Advanced evaluations: no Daily Loss Guard. You can lose any amount in a single day as long as your closing balance stays above MLL. That's a lot of rope.

Zero evaluations: 2% Daily Loss Guard. $50K = $1,000 daily limit. $100K = $2,000. The DLG is a soft breach — hitting it locks you out until the next session (6 PM ET), but it doesn't terminate your evaluation. You can hit DLG multiple days without failing.

This difference matters when choosing plans. Strategy involves occasional big losing days but positive expectancy? Standard or Advanced gives more room. Tight and controlled? Zero's DLG won't bother you.

What are the minimum trading days required?

Standard and Advanced: minimum 2 trading days. Can't pass in a single session.

Zero: minimum 3 trading days. One extra day.

A "trading day" counts when you execute at least one trade during the 6 PM ET to 4:59 PM ET session and close all positions by 4:59 PM. The minimums rarely constrain anyone — most traders take 10–30 days to reach targets. The requirement mostly prevents lottery-ticket passes from single lucky trades.

What's the consistency rule during evaluation?

Standard and Advanced: 50% rule. Best single day can't exceed 50% of total evaluation profits. Made $6,000 total? Best day can't be more than $3,000.

Zero: no consistency rule during evaluation. Entire profit could come from one day.

If you violate the 50% on Standard/Advanced, you don't fail. You just can't pass until you trade more and dilute that large day below 50%. It's a gate, not a cliff. I've hit this — $2,200 day that was 52% of my total, traded three more days of modest profits, brought it to 41%, and passed.

Can you trade news events during evaluation?

Standard has some restrictions — specific limitations depend on event type and timing windows.

Advanced: completely unrestricted. Enter before, during, or after FOMC, NFP, CPI — no buffers, no blackout windows. This is one of Advanced's biggest selling points.

Zero generally allows news trading similar to Advanced. If your edge depends on trading directly through high-impact releases, choose Advanced or Zero.

How long can evaluations take?

No time limit. Trade for days, weeks, months — as long as you maintain the subscription and don't breach MLL. Carry progress month to month by choosing "maintain" at rebill.

But every month costs money. Taking 6+ months at $79/month means $474+ spent without funded access. At that point, your strategy probably needs work, not more time. Most traders who pass do it in 1–3 months. Past month 4? Step back and evaluate whether your approach has edge.

What happens if you fail evaluation by hitting MLL?

Account terminates — progress gone, evaluation over. But unlike one-time firms where you'd buy a whole new eval, your next attempt comes automatically at your next monthly rebill. Choose "reset" and you're back to full starting balance at zero additional cost beyond the subscription you're already paying.

Fail on day 3 of a 30-day cycle? You've got 27 days of practice time and a fresh start coming automatically. Some traders use the remaining days to review what went wrong before the reset. The subscription keeps running regardless.

Can you scale into positions during evaluation?

Yes. Position scaling, dollar-cost averaging, partial entries — all permitted. Enter 1 contract, add another at a better price, build gradually. Respect position limits (5 contracts on $50K, 10 on $100K, 15 on $150K during eval) and make sure combined position doesn't risk breaching MLL.

Scaling works especially well on Standard/Advanced evals where there's no DLG. Zero's 2% DLG constrains aggressive scaling since cumulative loss could trigger the daily limit.

Are there prohibited strategies during evaluation?

Yes. Alpha prohibits: high-frequency algorithmic abuse, tick scalping (ultra-short holds exploiting platform mechanics), account cycling (deliberately failing accounts to game the rebill system), and any CME Group rule violations.

What's fully allowed: day trading, scalping with reasonable hold times (30+ seconds), automated trading under supervision, news trading (plan-dependent), hedging within a single account, position scaling. Trade real market movement and you're fine.

Funded Account Requirements

What changes when you move from evaluation to qualified account?

Several things tighten. The 2% Daily Loss Guard activates on all funded accounts (Standard and Advanced didn't have it during eval). Consistency adjusts to 40% on Standard/Zero (from 50% during eval). Advanced maintains zero consistency. Position limits start conservatively and scale with profits. Payout eligibility requirements activate. MLL mechanics stay identical.

And the big one: you stop paying monthly subscriptions. The $149 activation (or $0 on Zero) grants permanent funded status with zero ongoing costs unless you breach MLL.

What's the Daily Loss Guard on qualified accounts?

All funded accounts enforce a 2% Daily Loss Guard. $50K = $1,000 daily limit. $100K = $2,000. $150K = $3,000.

Soft breach. Hitting DLG liquidates positions and locks your account until next session (6 PM ET). Doesn't terminate funded status. You can hit it repeatedly — annoying, not fatal. I've hit it 4 times across my Alpha accounts, each time because I sized too aggressively relative to stop distance.

One distinction that matters: Standard calculates DLG as percentage of starting balance (fixed — $1,000 on $50K regardless of current balance). Advanced calculates DLG as 2% of current balance — so as your balance grows to $55K, your DLG buffer grows to $1,100. Small advantage that compounds.

What's the consistency rule on qualified accounts?

Standard and Zero: 40% rule. Largest single day's profit can't equal or exceed 40% of total accumulated profits since last payout. Made $10,000 since last withdrawal? Best day can't exceed $3,999.

Advanced: zero consistency rule. Entire payout cycle profit can come from one day. No restrictions.

Violating the 40% doesn't breach your account — you just can't request a payout until you trade more sessions and dilute that day below 40%. It's a payout gate, not an account killer. My approach on Standard: target $400–$600 daily and stop. Naturally keeps best day well under 40% of cycle total.

How does the payout schedule work?

Standard: bi-weekly (every 14 days from first qualified trade), $200 minimum withdrawal.

Advanced: weekly, but requires five separate trading days with $200+ profit each day, $1,000 minimum withdrawal.

Zero: up to 4 payouts monthly after 5 trading days with $200+ profit each, $200 minimum.

Advanced's weekly access provides fastest cash flow, but that $1K minimum and five-day requirement create a meaningful threshold. Standard's $200 minimum lets you extract smaller amounts more frequently relative to the bi-weekly window. Zero balances both — frequent payouts with lower minimums, but per-payout caps apply.

How does the progressive profit split work on Standard?

Standard uses tiered splits rewarding loyalty:

Payouts 1–2: 70% (you keep $700 of every $1,000 gross)Payouts 3–4: 80% ($800 per $1,000)Payouts 5+: 90% ($900 per $1,000)

By payout #5, you've reached the same 90% that Advanced and Zero offer from day one. My Standard account hit 90% after about 3 months of bi-weekly payouts. Those first four payouts at 70–80% stung a bit — but once you're at 90%, it's permanent.

Why do Advanced and Zero start at 90% split?

Advanced traders paid higher monthly costs ($139–$419 vs Standard's $79–$239) during evaluation — Alpha views that as prepaying for premium conditions. Zero traders accept specific constraints (payout caps, limited sizes) in exchange for the competitive split. Both plans incentivize adoption through immediate premium terms.

The practical impact: Advanced and Zero traders earn more net per dollar of profit from payout one. Standard traders catch up by payout five. If you're planning 10+ payouts at Alpha, the initial split difference washes out. If you're only staying for 2–3 payouts, Advanced or Zero puts more cash in your pocket.

How do payouts affect the Max Loss Limit?

This is Alpha's best innovation. When you withdraw profits, your MLL stays exactly where it was before the withdrawal. Doesn't drop.

Example: Account at $55K with MLL locked at $50K — $5K buffer. Withdraw $3K, balance drops to $52K. MLL stays at $50K. Still $2K buffer. The MLL didn't drop to $48K or $49.92K — it's locked.

After withdrawal, MLL resumes trailing behavior only if you set new closing highs above $55K. This means you can extract profits aggressively without destroying your buffer. I withdraw regularly specifically because of this mechanic. Holding unrealized profit above MLL is unnecessary risk when extraction is safe.

What are the payout caps on qualified accounts?

Standard and Advanced: no published caps. Withdraw any amount above the minimum ($200 Standard, $1K Advanced) up to your available balance above MLL.

Zero: $1,500 per payout on $50K, $3,000 per payout on $100K. But with 4 monthly payouts, maximum monthly extraction on Zero $50K reaches $6,000 (4 × $1,500).

Can you request payouts while continuing to trade?

Yes. Payout requests don't freeze your account. Submit the request, keep trading next day while it processes. Some traders submit Friday, trade Monday through Wednesday building next cycle's profits while the previous payout clears.

This overlapping approach maximizes income timeline — always building the next payout. Just maintain adequate buffer above MLL while trading post-request. The withdrawal reducing your balance means less cushion if trades go against you.

What happens if you breach MLL on a qualified account?

Permanent termination. Funded account closes by end of trading day. Agreements canceled. No more payouts. Any accumulated profits since your last withdrawal — gone.

Sitting at $58K with $8K in profit since last payout and you hit MLL? That $8K is forfeited. If you'd been withdrawing every cycle, you'd have extracted most of it already.

I treat every payout cycle deadline as mandatory. When eligible, I withdraw. Accumulating large balances feels good but creates unnecessary risk when MLL breach means losing everything since your last payout.

Payout Structure and Withdrawals

How fast are Alpha Futures payouts?

Approval: 24–48 hours after submission. Funds arrival: 1–3 business days depending on method. Total from request to cash: 2–5 days typically.

My fastest was 37 hours from request to Rise arrival. Slowest was 4 business days via wire. The majority land within 48–72 hours. Alpha's speed is competitive — some firms take 5–7+ days. Plan for a 3-day average.

What payment methods does Alpha support?

Five options, all USD-denominated:

ACH — U.S. bank accounts, free, 1–2 business days. My default.

‍Wire Transfer — Domestic and international, $15–$40 fees, 2–3 days.‍

SWIFT — International, $20–$60 fees, 3–5 days.

‍Wise — International-friendly, $5–$15 fees, 1–2 days. Best for non-U.S. traders.

‍Rise — Crypto-based, fast, minimal fees.

U.S. traders: use ACH. Free and fast. International traders: Wise or Rise. Wire only if you need guaranteed-delivery timing.

Is there a minimum withdrawal amount?

Standard = $200 minimum. Advanced = $1,000 minimum. Zero = $200 minimum.

Advanced's $1K floor means you need roughly $1,111 in gross profits before extracting (at 90% split). Standard and Zero's $200 lets you pull smaller amounts more frequently — useful for testing the payout system early.

Are there withdrawal fees from Alpha?

Zero. Alpha charges nothing on their end for processing payouts. But intermediary costs exist:

Receiving banks may charge wire fees ($15–$40). SWIFT transfers incur correspondent bank fees ($20–$60). Crypto exchanges charge conversion (0.5–1%). ACH is typically free. Wise charges $5–$15 depending on amount.

Total payout cost: $0–$60 depending on method and your bank. Choose ACH or Wise to minimize fees.

Can you withdraw partial profits or must you take everything?

Partial withdrawals fully supported. Withdraw any amount between the minimum ($200–$1,000) and your available balance above MLL buffer. Account at $56K with $50K locked MLL? Withdraw $500, $2,000, $4,000, or the full $6K.

I prefer partial withdrawals — extract $1,500–$2,500 bi-weekly while keeping $3,000–$5,000 buffer above MLL. Full extraction feels good but leaves you one bad day from breach. Partial extraction balances income with safety.

How does the profit split affect what I actually receive?

Profit split determines your net cash. Gross withdrawal of $2,000 on Standard payout #1 (70% split) = $1,400 net. Same $2,000 on payout #5 or any Advanced/Zero payout (90%) = $1,800 net.

Your account balance drops by the gross amount ($2,000), but you only receive the net. Plan cash flow around net amounts, not gross.

Can you have multiple pending payout requests?

No — one request at a time across all accounts. Submit on Account A, wait for approval and processing before requesting from Account B. Given the 24–48 hour approval plus 1–3 day delivery, total pending window is 3–5 days max.

Rarely creates bottlenecks. Serial approach: request Account A Monday, funds arrive Thursday, request Account B Friday. Continuous cash flow.

What happens if a payout request gets denied?

Denials happen when requirements aren't met: insufficient trading days, consistency rule violated (best day over 40%), insufficient balance above MLL, or account approaching MLL too closely.

Denied requests return your account to pre-request state — no funds withdrawn, requirements still active. Fix the issue (trade more days, dilute consistency, rebuild buffer), then resubmit.

Do payouts reset your profit tracking?

Yes. Every approved payout resets accumulated profit to zero, restarts trading day requirements, and resets consistency calculations. Each payout cycle operates independently — previous cycle's large days don't haunt the next one. Clean slate.

Can you reinvest payouts into new evaluations?

Yes, and it's a smart scaling play. Receive $1,400 net from Standard $50K, use $159 for a $100K Standard eval, keep $1,241 as income. Your first funded account funds the expansion.

Aggressive approach: reinvest all payouts months 1–3 building to 3 funded accounts (maximum). Switch to pure income extraction month 4 onward. I used my first two payouts to fund a second evaluation — passed that within one month, now two accounts generating simultaneous withdrawals.

Platforms and Trading

Which platforms does Alpha Futures support?

Three options: NinjaTrader (via Rithmic data feed), Tradovate (CQG data feed), and TradingView (connects through Tradovate).

NinjaTrader is for order flow traders who want DOM, volumetric charts, and deep customization — Windows only, optional $99/quarter license for full features. Tradovate is the easy button: free, web-based, mobile app, 5-minute setup. TradingView gives you the best charting but routes execution through Tradovate and has no DOM.

Most traders should start on Tradovate. Free, works everywhere, minimal setup.

Does my platform choice affect rules or drawdown?

No. All rules — MLL, DLG, consistency, position limits — are calculated server-side by Alpha regardless of platform. NinjaTrader, Tradovate, and TradingView all operate under identical rule enforcement. Platform is just your order execution interface.

What instruments can you trade?

All CME Group futures: index futures (ES, NQ, YM, RTY and micros), commodities (CL, GC, SI, NG), currencies (6E, 6J, 6B), bonds (ZN, ZB), agricultural (ZC, ZS, ZW).

Stick to liquid contracts with tight spreads. ES and NQ for index exposure. CL for energy. GC for gold. Micros (MES, MNQ) cost less commission and give more granular position sizing. Avoid thinly-traded exotics where wide spreads eat your edge.

Can you hold positions overnight?

No. All positions close by 4:59 PM ET daily. No overnight holds, no weekend holds, regardless of plan type. Alpha auto-liquidates anything open at 4:59 PM at market price — potentially unfavorable fills in low liquidity.

Build a 4:30–4:45 PM close habit. If you're a swing trader needing multi-day holds, Alpha isn't the right firm. Look at firms that explicitly allow overnight positions.

Is scalping permitted?

Yes — legitimate scalping with reasonable hold times (30+ seconds) is fully allowed. Capturing 4–8 tick moves on NQ, holding 1–3 minutes, executing 10–20 trades per session? Completely fine.

What's prohibited: micro-scalping with hundreds of sub-second trades exploiting fill logic rather than market movement. If you're reading price action and executing quickly, you're within rules. Running a millisecond latency-arbitrage algo? Violation.

Can you use automated trading systems?

Yes, with caveats. Deploy algos, EAs, systematic strategies — permitted. Prohibited even when automated: HFT bots, tick-scalping algorithms, systems exploiting platform loopholes. You're responsible for your algo's behavior. Violations from automation get the same termination as manual violations.

Legitimate examples: systematic entry/exit rules, automated stop management, algorithmic position sizing, trade copiers replicating your strategy across Alpha accounts.

Is copy trading allowed?

Copying your own trades across multiple Alpha accounts: permitted. Trade Account A manually, copy software replicates on B and C. Smart scaling method.

Not allowed: copying from external signal providers you don't control, group copy schemes. Each account must reflect your genuine decisions — even if automated/copied from your primary account. Ensure copied positions respect individual account limits and MLL buffers.

Trading Rules and Restrictions

Are there news trading restrictions?

Plan-dependent. Standard has some restrictions around high-impact events — check Alpha's current news trading policy for specific buffers.

Advanced: completely unrestricted. Trade through FOMC, NFP, CPI — no limitations. Major selling point.

Zero: generally allows news trading similar to Advanced.

If your edge depends on trading directly through releases, choose Advanced or Zero. If you naturally avoid the first 5 minutes of major events anyway, Standard's restrictions probably won't affect you.

Can you hedge positions across multiple accounts?

No. Cross-account hedging — long on Account A, short on Account B in the same instrument — is explicitly prohibited. Creates a guaranteed-win scenario. Alpha monitors for it.

Within a single account? Fine. Long ES while short NQ for spread capture is legitimate risk management. Long ES Account A, short ES Account B? Violation resulting in termination of all involved accounts.

What happens if you violate trading rules?

Minor violations (occasional late close caught by auto-liquidation, DLG hits): warnings or temporary restrictions. Not catastrophic.

Major violations (HFT abuse, cross-account hedging, platform exploitation, CME rule breaches): immediate account termination, profit forfeiture, potential permanent ban.

Trade actual market movement using legitimate strategies and you'll never have an issue. The prohibited list targets manipulation and exploitation, not normal trading.

What position limits apply to accounts?

Evaluation: $50K = 5 full-size contracts (50 micros), $100K = 10 (100 micros), $150K = 15 (150 micros).

Funded accounts start conservative and scale with profits. A $50K account begins with 2–3 minis, scaling to 5 after demonstrating $1,500+ in accumulated profits. This "earn your positions" approach prevents overleveraging early. Maximum limits at higher profit levels match evaluation limits.

What trading practices are explicitly forbidden?

The full prohibited list: high-frequency algorithmic abuse (sub-second execution), tick scalping (gaming fill logic), account cycling (deliberately failing to manipulate rebills), platform loophole exploitation, reverse trading (intentionally losing), CME Group rule violations, cross-account hedging, and unauthorized signal following.

All of these target manipulation — not legitimate trading. Scalp real price action, day trade with normal strategies, use automation responsibly, and you're well within bounds.

General Questions

Can I trade Alpha Futures from outside the U.S.?

Yes, Alpha accepts traders from most countries. Some regions are restricted — check the supported countries list before purchasing. International traders should use Wise or Rise for payouts to avoid expensive wire fees.

Does Alpha Futures report income to the IRS?

Alpha issues 1099 forms for U.S.-based traders earning above reporting thresholds. International traders are responsible for reporting prop firm income per local tax laws. Keep records of all payouts.

How quickly does customer support respond?

Email support: 12–24 hours during business days in my experience. Their Discord community is more immediate for general questions. Urgent account issues (failed connections, incorrect breach flags) get priority email handling. Support quality has been solid — not the fastest in the industry, but responsive and competent.

Can I use a VPN while trading?

Alpha doesn't explicitly prohibit VPNs, but using one can complicate KYC verification and may flag security reviews. Traveling and trading from a different IP? Generally fine. Using a VPN to mask your location from a restricted country? Violation.

What's the KYC process for payouts?

Before your first payout: government ID, proof of address, potentially a selfie. Typically completes in 24–48 hours. Do this immediately after passing — not when you're ready to withdraw. Waiting creates unnecessary delays.

What's the difference between DLG and MLL?

DLG (Daily Loss Guard) = single-day loss limit. Soft breach that locks you out until the next session. Think: daily speed bump.

MLL (Max Loss Limit) = account lifetime drawdown. Hard breach that terminates funded status permanently. Think: cliff edge.

You can hit DLG twenty times and still be funded. Hit MLL once and it's over.

Can I use the same strategy on all three plan types?

Technically yes, but you'll need to adapt. Standard's 40% funded consistency means no huge outlier profit days. Advanced has zero consistency — same strategy runs unrestricted. Zero's lower payout caps mean strategies generating large concentrated profits get bottlenecked at withdrawal.

Match your strategy's natural profit distribution to the plan that best accommodates it. Consistent $400–$600 daily? Standard works perfectly. Concentrated $2,000+ days mixed with flat ones? Advanced is built for that.

What's the maximum I can earn monthly at Alpha?

No hard income cap on Standard or Advanced. Earning potential = account size × position limits × your strategy's edge × payout frequency. Skilled trader on $150K Advanced extracting weekly could theoretically pull $3,000–$8,000+ monthly at 90% split.

Zero has effective caps: $50K Zero maxes at $6,000/month (4 × $1,500). $100K Zero maxes at $12,000/month (4 × $3,000). Still substantial, but there's a ceiling.

How does Alpha compare for traders who need multiple resets?

Alpha wins this comparison decisively. Need 3–5 attempts to pass?

One-time firm: $200 eval + $150 reset × 4 = $800 for 5 attempts.Alpha Standard 50K: $79/month × 5 months = $395 for unlimited attempts.

The subscription model's value increases with every failed attempt. Alpha's built-in reset prevents the "reset fee spiral" that bleeds traders dry at one-time firms. If you're still developing your edge, this saves real money.

Is Alpha Futures legit?

Yes. I've traded with them, received payouts, and verified their business operations. They're a legitimate prop firm — not a fly-by-night operation. That said, do your own due diligence.

Bottom Line

Alpha's subscription model ($79–$419/month depending on plan and size) provides unlimited evaluation attempts during each billing cycle. Cost-effective for traders needing multiple resets. Potentially more expensive for quick passes compared to one-time-fee firms.

Choose Standard for affordable entry ($79–$239/month, $149 activation, 70–90% progressive split, bi-weekly payouts). Choose Advanced for maximum flexibility ($139–$419/month, $149 activation, flat 90%, weekly payouts, zero funded consistency). Choose Zero for lowest total cost ($99–$199/month, $0 activation, flat 90%, no eval consistency).

The evaluation is one-step: hit your profit target (6% or 8%), stay above MLL (4% EOD trailing), meet minimum trading days (2–3), and pass consistency (50% on Standard/Advanced eval, none on Zero). Funded accounts add a 2% Daily Loss Guard, adjust consistency to 40% (Standard/Zero) or zero (Advanced), and unlock bi-weekly to weekly payouts.

Alpha suits traders comfortable with ongoing monthly commitments who value unlimited resets, appreciate EOD MLL tracking that's more forgiving than intraday firms, and plan to trade long-term reaching 90% splits. The 3-account maximum and $450K cap eventually constrain the most successful traders — at which point you add other firms alongside Alpha.