Apex Evaluation Rules Explained

If you’re trying to pass an Apex evaluation, here’s the uncomfortable truth: the rules look simple on paper, but the behavior of the evaluation is far more punishing than Apex likes to admit. I’ve passed evals, failed evals, reset more times than I’d like, and even had funded payouts denied for reasons that made no sense.

This article breaks down the real Apex evaluation logic — not just the marketing headlines.

If you want broader context first, check the in-depth Apex review inside my futures prop firm directory. It’ll help you understand how the eval connects to the funded stage.

Apex Evaluation vs Funded: The Differences That Actually Matter

Most traders fail because they treat the evaluation like a normal futures account. It’s not. The eval uses a trailing drawdown system that follows unrealized equity, and it punishes hesitation more than bad trades.

Here’s the comparison you need before anything else.

Apex Evaluation vs Funded Accounts

How Apex Evaluations Really Work

Apex sells the evaluation as “simple” — hit a target, don’t violate DD, trade seven days. But the internal logic is far from simple. The trailing drawdown follows unrealized gains, which means you can lose the evaluation while still being up on the day.

Let’s go step by step.

Profit Targets (Per Account Size)

The eval target depends on account size:

• 25K: $1,500 target
• 50K: $2,500 target
• 100K: $3,000 target
• 150K: $5,000 target

No time limit.
No consistency rule.
No minimum daily profit requirement.

But you do need 7 active trading days.

And an “active day” doesn’t mean “login.” It means:

• enter a trade
• exit a trade
• the resulting P/L changes the account

This is why many traders use a “1 tick day” strategy — micro size, tiny P/L, day counted.

Trailing Drawdown — The Apex Trap

This is where 90% of traders fail.

Apex’s trailing drawdown:

• follows unrealized equity, not closed balance
• updates instantly
• moves upward but never down
• can be violated while you are green

Example:

• Start: $50,000
• Max drawdown: $2,500
• Threshold: $47,500

You enter a trade: unrealized P/L goes to +$1,200 → threshold moves to $48,700.
Price pulls back, you exit at +$500 → your balance is $50,500 → but you violated the threshold on the way down.

Account lost.
Even though you were profitable.

This is why trailing DD is more of a behavioral filter than a risk mechanism.

Scaling / Contract Limits

You cannot exceed:

• 3 minis on a 25K
• 5 minis on a 50K
• 10 minis on a 100K
• 15 minis on a 150K

Micros count 10:1.

Violations = immediate fail.

News Trading in Evaluations

News trading is allowed.
But it’s dangerous in funded accounts — not during eval.

Spiky moves pump your unrealized P/L and trigger trailing DD far faster than you expect.

If you trade news:

• use micros
• use tight targets
• close early
• never let runners swing back

Time Restrictions

All positions must be flat by 4:59 PM ET.
Maintenance windows also matter.

Violations = fail.

Strategies That Trigger Reviews or Denials Later

Even in the evaluation, avoid these patterns:

• martingale / averaging down
• ultra-fast scalping bursts
• huge position size jumps
• very high win rate in abnormal time periods
• copy-trading patterns
• “windfall day” behavior

If you plan on going funded after, trade clean from day one.
Apex does retroactive pattern checks.

Resets: Unlimited, Paid

If you fail, you can reset for ~$80–100 depending on the account.

Apex’s entire business model leans heavily on resets.
Treat them as cost of business — not failure.

How to Pass Apex Evaluations: A Clean Blueprint

Here’s the only approach that consistently works:

1. Use micros, not minis
   Keep DD movement small.
2. Take profits quickly
   Don’t let unrealized profits run.
3. Don’t trade market open
   Rithmic + volatility = errors.
4. Track your trailing DD every hour
   Never guess.
5. Spread gains across days
   Avoid one-day spikes.
6. Use the 1-tick technique for minimum days
   Simple, safe, effective.
7. Trade away from news events
   Avoid wild intraday P/L swings.

Final Thoughts: Are Apex Evaluations Worth It?

If you’re disciplined and understand how trailing drawdown works, Apex evaluations are passable. They’re cheap, fast, and accessible. But they’re also engineered to wreck undisciplined traders fast.

Use Apex for:

• cheap evals
• fast scaling
• discount stacking
• contract practice

But don’t expect Apex to be your main income stream — diversify across multiple firms to protect payouts.

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