Alpha Futures vs. Tradeify

I've traded funded accounts at both Alpha Futures and Tradeify—passed evaluations, hit payouts, dealt with support, and tested their platforms under real market pressure. This isn't a surface-level feature list. It's the breakdown I wish I had before spending money on either firm.

If you're trying to decide between these two, here's what matters: Alpha Futures gives you structured one-step evaluations with strict but fair rules and fast payouts. Tradeify offers multiple paths (including instant sim funding), faster payout processing, and more flexibility with EOD drawdowns on most accounts. Both are solid. Neither is perfect.

The right choice depends on how you trade and what phase you're in. Here's the real difference.

Quick heads-up: This article is based on my real experience with Tradeify and the info available when I published/updated this. Things change in prop trading — rules, payouts, promos, all of it.

For the absolute latest, check Tradeify´s website or their help center.

Side-by-Side Comparison: Alpha Futures vs Tradeify

Alpha Futures Overview: One-Step, Strict Discipline, Fast Payouts

Alpha Futures operates from London and runs a no-nonsense model: one-step evaluation, meet the profit target without violating the rules, get funded. No multi-phase drama. No waiting weeks to see if you "graduated."

I've tested their Standard and Advanced paths multiple times. Passed a few. Failed a couple because I got sloppy with the 50% consistency rule during evaluations. That's on me—but it taught me how unforgiving strict rules can be when you're not prepared.

What Works at Alpha Futures

The evaluation structure is clean. You pay a monthly subscription ($79-$419 depending on account size), pass the one-step challenge, pay a $149 activation fee, and you're funded. The trailing drawdown model is smart—it locks after you hit profitability, giving you a permanent safety buffer. That's huge if you're scaling aggressively.

Here's how the drawdown lock works in practice: let's say you're trading a $50K account with a $2,000 drawdown buffer. Once your balance hits $52,000, the drawdown locks at $50,000 and never moves up again. You can grow the account to $60K, $70K, $100K—doesn't matter. Your drawdown floor stays at $50,000. This means you can trade with more confidence as profits accumulate without worrying about the trailing drawdown creeping up and squeezing your risk tolerance.

I failed my first Alpha evaluation because I didn't understand this mechanic. I assumed the drawdown would keep trailing indefinitely like most firms, so I was overly cautious even after hitting profitability. Once I understood the lock, I passed on the next attempt in 11 trading days.

Payouts are fast. I've seen funds hit my account in 6-18 hours, occasionally stretching to 24 hours during weekends. The max per request is $15K, which is fine for most traders. Profit split is 90/10 after you've cleared your evaluation costs. Keep in mind that on Standard Qualified accounts, withdrawals count toward your max loss—so pulling profits reduces your cushion. You have to factor this into your risk model if you're trying to grow the account aggressively.

Unlimited resets on evaluation accounts is another underrated feature. If you blow an account, you can reset and try again without paying another monthly subscription. You're already locked into the monthly cost, so you might as well keep grinding until you pass. I've used this twice when I hit the consistency rule during bad trading weeks.

Platform options are solid: AlphaTicks (their proprietary setup), ProjectX, Tradovate, NinjaTrader, Quantower, and TradingView integration. Most traders gravitate toward Tradovate or NinjaTrader for execution quality. AlphaTicks is functional but feels dated—think 2015-era UI. ProjectX is the backup if you're familiar with that ecosystem from other firms. I personally use Tradovate for Alpha accounts because the execution speed during news spikes is reliable.

The firm also supports up to 50 micro contracts or 5 full-size contracts on a $50K account, which gives you flexibility in position sizing. No commissions, which is rare enough to mention. Most prop firms bury commission costs somewhere in the fine print or pass them directly to you.

What Frustrates Me About Alpha Futures

The subscription model can get expensive if you're slow to pass. If you take 3 months to hit targets, you've paid $237-$1,257 just in monthly fees before even getting funded. Compare that to one-time evaluation fees at other firms—it stings.

The rules are strict. No bots. No HFT. No tick scalping under 10 ticks or 2 minutes. The 50% consistency rule during evaluations means you can't rely on one monster day to pass. And if you withdraw all your profits after the trailing balance adjusts, your account gets closed. You have to leave some buffer—annoying but intentional.

Overnight and weekend trading are prohibited. If you're a swing trader who holds positions through news events, Alpha isn't built for you.

Tradeify Overview: Speed, Flexibility, Multiple Paths to Funded

Tradeify is my current default for futures prop trading in 2026. Not because it's flawless—it isn't—but because it prioritizes speed and gives traders options. You can take an evaluation, skip the evaluation with Lightning Funded, or work your way up through their Select programs.

I've used their Lightning Funded (formerly Straight to Sim) accounts extensively. The pitch is simple: pay once, trade sim capital immediately, prove consistency with four payouts, then get upgraded to a Live account with daily payout access.

What Works at Tradeify

Payout speed is unmatched. I've requested withdrawals on Saturday afternoons and had funds in my account within hours. They use Rise and Plane for payment processing, and I've never had a delay longer than a day. This matters more than most traders realize. When you're stacking payouts across multiple accounts, fast payment processing means faster capital rotation. I can take a payout from one Tradeify account on Saturday, have it in my bank Sunday morning, and use those funds for living expenses or account resets by Monday.

The platform integrations are clean: Tradovate (default), NinjaTrader via Tradovate login, and TradingView with an add-on. The built-in trade journal and Sage Score actually help you track performance patterns—I didn't expect to care about this feature, but it's useful for debugging psychology issues. The Sage Score tracks things like consistency, risk management, and emotional discipline. If your score drops, you can review which trades or sessions tanked it and adjust. I've used this to identify that I overtrade between 2-3 PM EST when momentum dies—now I just stop trading after 1:30 PM most days.

Most accounts (Growth, Lightning, Select) run on end-of-day trailing drawdown, which is a massive advantage for anyone trading NQ or ES during volatile sessions. You're not getting clipped by intraday whips. I've been down $2,400 intraday on a Lightning account and recovered to close +$600 by end of day. On a firm with intraday trailing, that same move would have breached my account at the low point. EOD gives you breathing room to let trades develop without constantly monitoring your drawdown in real-time.

Compare that to Alpha's daily balance-based approach or other firms' real-time tracking—it's night and day.

Learn more about why this matters: Intraday vs End-of-Day Drawdown Explained.

Tradeify also allows news trading, scaling in/out, and semi-automated strategies. They're not babysitting your approach as long as you're not running HFT or exploiting latency. I trade NFP and FOMC releases regularly on Tradeify accounts without issues. Some firms restrict trading 5 minutes before/after major news—Tradeify doesn't. They trust you to manage your own risk.

The Lightning Funded path to Live accounts is clean: complete four sim payouts, prove consistency, get upgraded to a Live account with real firm capital. At that point, payouts become daily if you want. You also get assigned a risk manager who monitors your account and helps with scaling. I'm currently on my second Live account with Tradeify after blowing the first one (my fault—overtrade during a chop session). The transition from sim to Live was smooth, no weird approval delays or support ghosting.

Built-in tools matter more than I expected. The trade journal automatically logs every trade with entry/exit, hold time, and P&L. The performance dashboard shows winning day count, consistency score, and drawdown cushion in real-time. For traders managing 3-5 accounts simultaneously, this centralization saves hours of manual tracking.

What Frustrates Me About Tradeify

The consistency rules have changed more than once. It was 25%, then shifted to 20% on Lightning accounts and 35% on Advanced/Growth/Live. If you're not checking their Discord or help center regularly, these shifts can catch you mid-cycle.

Some accounts have "soft" daily loss limits that freeze your trading for the day if you hit them. Not account-ending, but rhythm-killing if you weren't expecting it.

The Select Daily accounts introduced buffer requirements and complicated payout structures that feel more restrictive than the original Lightning model. I stick with Lightning Funded and Select Flex—they're cleaner.

Alpha Futures vs Tradeify: Key Differences That Actually Matter

Let's cut through the noise and focus on what changes your trading experience day-to-day.

Evaluation Structure

• Alpha Futures: One-step evaluation. Pass profit target, follow rules, get funded. Simple. Monthly subscription until you pass ($79-$419/month).
• Tradeify: Multiple options. Take an evaluation (Advanced/Growth/Select), or skip it entirely with Lightning Funded. One-time fees for Lightning, subscription for Select.

Winner: Tradeify. More flexibility for different trader profiles.

Drawdown Rules

This is where most traders blow their accounts, so pay attention.

• Alpha Futures: 4% drawdown tracked from daily balance (not equity). Trailing drawdown locks after profitability. Daily balance-based tracking means you're evaluated at end of day, not intraday spikes.
• Tradeify: Depends on account type. Advanced uses intraday trailing (strict). Growth, Lightning, and Select use end-of-day trailing (forgiving). Drawdown locks on sim accounts after you profit beyond the drawdown amount by $100.

Winner: Tradeify (if you choose Growth/Lightning/Select). EOD drawdown is more forgiving for scalpers and swing traders.

For a deeper breakdown of how these mechanics work: Trailing Drawdown Types Explained.

Consistency Rules

Both firms enforce consistency requirements to filter out gamblers.

• Alpha Futures: 50% cap during evaluation (no single day > 50% of total profit). No consistency rule on funded accounts for Standard path.
• Tradeify: 20% cap on Lightning Funded. 35% cap on Advanced, Growth, and Live accounts.

Winner: Alpha Futures (on funded accounts). No consistency cap once you're funded on Standard path.

Payout Speed

• Alpha Futures: 6-18 hours typical, max 24 hours. Bi-weekly payout schedule. $15K max per request.
• Tradeify: Often within hours, including weekends. Can request every 7 days on sim, daily on Live. First $15K is 100%, then 90%.

Winner: Tradeify. Fastest payout processing I've tested across any prop firm.

Platform Options

• Alpha Futures: AlphaTicks, ProjectX, Tradovate, NinjaTrader, Quantower, TradingView.
• Tradeify: Tradovate (default), NinjaTrader (via Tradovate), TradingView (add-on).

Winner: Alpha Futures (more platform variety). But Tradovate is solid for most futures traders.

Pricing Model

• Alpha Futures: Monthly subscription ($79-$419) + $149 activation fee once funded.
• Tradeify: Lightning Funded is one-time payment. Select is monthly subscription. No activation fees.

Winner: Tradeify (no activation fees, cleaner cost structure).

Trading Restrictions

• Alpha Futures: No bots, no HFT, no tick scalping under 10 ticks/2 min, no overnight/weekend trading, no "all or nothing" trades.
• Tradeify: No HFT, no latency abuse, no copy trading from live feeds. Allows news trading, scaling, semi-automated strategies.

Winner: Tradeify (fewer restrictions on strategy).

Cost Comparison: True Price of Getting Funded

Most traders only look at headline prices. That's a mistake. The real cost includes evaluation fees, activation fees, resets, and time-to-funded.

Alpha Futures Total Cost

Let's run the numbers on a $50K account:

• Monthly subscription: $109 (typical mid-tier pricing)
• Evaluation duration: 2 months (realistic for most traders)
• Activation fee: $149
• Total to funded: $367

If you fail once and reset:

• Month 1: $109
• Month 2: $109 (failed)
• Month 3: $109 (reset, passed)
• Activation: $149
• Total: $476

The subscription model is expensive if you're slow to pass. But unlimited resets soften the blow—you're not paying additional reset fees, just continuing your monthly subscription.

Tradeify Lightning Funded Total Cost

For a comparable $50K Lightning account:

• One-time fee: $255-$315 (varies by promotions)
• No activation fee
• Total to funded: $255-$315

If you fail and need to reset:

• Initial: $255
• Reset: $127 (50% reset fee typical)
• Total: $382

Cheaper upfront, but reset fees add up if you fail multiple times. The advantage is you're not locked into a monthly subscription—you control when you start and stop.

Which is Cheaper?

Tradeify wins if you pass quickly (1-2 attempts). Alpha Futures wins if you need multiple months but benefit from unlimited resets within that time.

Real-world scenario: I passed Alpha in 11 days on my second attempt (cost: $218 + $149 = $367). I passed Tradeify Lightning on my first attempt in 8 days (cost: $255). Both were reasonable. Where Alpha hurt was when I took 3 months on an Advanced account—that cost $327 + $149 = $476 before I even got funded.

If you're testing multiple firms simultaneously, Tradeify's one-time model is less stressful. You're not watching monthly subscription renewals eat into your capital while you're still grinding evaluations.

My Personal Take After Using Both

I keep both firms in my rotation, but for different reasons.

Alpha Futures is where I go when I want structure. The rules are clear. The evaluation is straightforward. Payouts are fast. But the subscription model adds up if you're slow to pass, and the strict restrictions (no overnight trading, no bots, harsh consistency during eval) make it less forgiving for certain trading styles.

Tradeify is my default in 2026 because it prioritizes speed and flexibility. Lightning Funded lets me skip evaluations entirely. Payouts hit my account in hours, not days. EOD drawdown on Growth and Lightning accounts gives me breathing room during NQ chop. The built-in journaling helps me track patterns without external tools.

But—Tradeify's consistency rules have shifted multiple times. The Select Daily accounts introduced complications I didn't ask for. And some of the soft daily loss limits can freeze your trading mid-session if you're not careful.

Who Should Choose Alpha Futures

Choose Alpha Futures if you:

• Want a clean one-step evaluation with no multi-phase grind
• Trade during market hours only (no overnight/weekend positions)
• Prefer daily balance-based drawdown tracking
• Don't use bots or automated strategies
• Are comfortable with a monthly subscription model
• Want unlimited resets during evaluation

Avoid Alpha Futures if you:

• Swing trade and hold overnight positions
• Use bots or semi-automated strategies
• Prefer one-time evaluation fees over subscriptions
• Need more forgiving consistency rules

Read the full breakdown: Alpha Futures Review 2026.

Who Should Choose Tradeify

Choose Tradeify if you:

• Want to skip evaluations entirely (Lightning Funded)
• Need EOD drawdown for swing strategies or volatile intraday trading
• Trade around news events or scale in/out of positions
• Want the fastest payout processing in futures prop trading
• Use semi-automated strategies (no HFT/latency abuse)
• Prefer daily payout access once you reach Live

Avoid Tradeify if you:

• Struggle with 20% consistency caps (Lightning accounts)
• Want simpler rules without soft daily loss limits
• Prefer longer-term swing trades with minimal oversight

Read the full breakdown: Tradeify Review 2026.

What Most Traders Miss About These Firms

Here's where most traders screw up: they obsess over which firm has the slicker dashboard or who's offering $20 off this week. None of that matters if you're blowing accounts every other week.

It's Not About the Tech

Alpha's platform variety is solid. Tradeify's Tradovate integration is clean. Cool. But are you actually trading better because of it? Probably not. The real edge isn't in UI design—it's in how the firm handles rules and how you handle risk under pressure.

Copying Setups ≠ Copying Discipline

I see this constantly. Traders want to know what I'm trading. What setups. What entries. Fair enough. But copying a setup is easy. What's hard is copying the mindset behind sticking to that setup after three losses in a row. That's what matters in prop.

Both Alpha and Tradeify reward steady execution over time. Neither one is going to pay out just because you had one monster day. If you don't learn to flatten out your PnL curve, you're just gambling with better rules.

The Real Enemy Isn't the Firm—It's Your Emotions

Most traders fail not because the firm was unfair, but because they cracked. FOMO, revenge trades, size creep—all of it. The firm just held the mirror up.

Alpha's strict rules will punish your lack of discipline. Tradeify's consistency caps will flag your spike days. That's not a flaw—it's the design. It's why you need to treat every funded account like it's real capital—because the market doesn't care that it's simulated.

Final Verdict: Don't Look for Perfect—Look for Fit

There is no perfect prop firm. Only a better fit for where you are right now.

Alpha Futures works if you want structure, discipline, and a one-step evaluation with clear rules. The subscription model is annoying if you're slow to pass, but the trailing drawdown lock and fast payouts make it solid once you're funded.

Tradeify works if you want speed, flexibility, and the option to skip evaluations entirely. Lightning Funded gets you trading sim capital immediately. EOD drawdown on most accounts gives you breathing room. Payouts are the fastest I've tested across any firm.

So if you're feeling stuck between the two, here's what I'd tell you:

• If you're consistent and want structure → Go Alpha Futures.
• If you're rebuilding, testing, or burned out on evals → Start with Tradeify Lightning Funded.

Just stop chasing the "one account that changes everything." That's not how this works. You'll fail accounts. You'll overtrade. You'll think you've found "the one" and then blow it two weeks later.

That's fine. The goal isn't to get funded—it's to stay funded and scale smart. Use these firms as tools, not trophies.

FAQ

Which prop firm is better, Alpha Futures or Tradeify?

Neither is objectively "better"—it depends on your trading style and priorities. Alpha Futures offers a structured one-step evaluation with strict rules and fast payouts, ideal for disciplined day traders. Tradeify provides more flexibility with Lightning Funded (skip evaluations), faster payout processing (often within hours), and EOD drawdown on most accounts, which is better for scalpers and swing traders. Choose based on how you actually trade, not marketing.

Does Tradeify allow news trading?

Yes, Tradeify allows news trading on most accounts, though they limit trading around major economic releases. They also permit scaling in/out, position flips, and semi-automated strategies (no HFT or latency abuse). This makes Tradeify more flexible than Alpha Futures, which restricts overnight trading, bots, and tick scalping under 10 ticks or 2 minutes.

What is Alpha Futures' consistency rule?

Alpha Futures enforces a 50% consistency rule during evaluations—no single trading day can account for more than 50% of your total profit (40% on Zero accounts). This promotes sustainable performance rather than one-off spikes. Once you're funded on the Standard path, there is no consistency rule on funded accounts. Advanced accounts may have different requirements.

How fast are payouts at Tradeify?

Tradeify has the fastest payout processing I've tested across any prop firm. I've requested withdrawals on Saturday afternoons and had funds in my account within hours. They use Rise and Plane for payment processing. Sim accounts can request payouts every 7 days (after meeting requirements), while Live accounts can request daily once qualified.

Can I use bots at Alpha Futures?

No. Alpha Futures completely bans bots, expert advisors, and all forms of automated trading including HFT. Violating this rule results in disqualification. Tradeify allows semi-automated strategies as long as you're not running HFT or exploiting latency. If you rely on automated trading, Tradeify is the better choice.

What is Tradeify's Lightning Funded account?

Lightning Funded (formerly "Straight to Sim Funded") lets you skip the evaluation phase by paying a one-time fee and starting with simulated capital immediately. You must complete four successful payouts and meet consistency rules (20% cap) before moving to a Live account with daily payout access. It's ideal for experienced traders who want to get moving without evaluation stress.

Does Alpha Futures have a monthly fee?

Yes. Alpha Futures uses a subscription-based pricing model ranging from $79 to $419 per month depending on account size. You pay monthly until you pass the evaluation. Once funded, you also pay a $149 activation fee to transition to a funded account. This can get expensive if you take multiple months to pass, unlike Tradeify's one-time fees for Lightning Funded.

What is end-of-day (EOD) drawdown?

EOD drawdown means your maximum drawdown limit is calculated and updated at the end of each trading day based on your closing balance. While the limit is enforced in real-time (hitting it fails your account immediately), it only moves up at day's end. This gives traders more breathing room during volatile intraday sessions compared to real-time intraday trailing drawdown. Tradeify uses EOD on Growth, Lightning, and Select accounts. Learn more: Intraday vs End-of-Day Drawdown.

Can I trade overnight with Alpha Futures?

No. Alpha Futures prohibits overnight and weekend trading. If you're a swing trader who holds positions through news events or across sessions, Alpha Futures is not built for you. Tradeify allows overnight and weekend trading on most accounts, making it more flexible for swing strategies.

How many accounts can I have at Tradeify?

Tradeify allows up to 5 Lightning Funded accounts per trader. This lets you scale across multiple accounts and diversify risk. Alpha Futures doesn't explicitly limit the number of accounts, but each requires a separate monthly subscription, which can get expensive quickly if you're stacking multiple evaluations.

Your Next Steps

‍👉 Start Trading at Tradeify Today

‍👉 Read My Full Tradeify Review

‍👉 Check out Tradeify´s Select Plans

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