TradeDay Commission Rates: What You'll Pay Per Trade

You're about to subscribe to TradeDay and you want to know what the true cost per trade is. You see the monthly subscription fee ($150/month for most traders), but what about commissions? Are there per-trade fees that eat into your profits? Do you pay exchange fees? Platform fees? Or is everything included in that monthly subscription?

The answer is simple but might surprise you: TradeDay charges zero commissions during evaluation and in Funded Sim (the free funded account option). You're trading on a simulated environment, so there are no exchange fees, no per-trade costs, no platform charges beyond your monthly subscription. If you upgrade to Funded Live ($140/month for direct market routing), you pay standard commission rates, but 90% of traders stay on commission-free Funded Sim.

Quick heads-up: This article is based on my real experience with TradeDay 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 TradeDay´s website or their faq page.

I've traded 800+ contracts across two TradeDay accounts over 14 months and never paid a single commission. Every dollar of profit I made was mine (minus TradeDay's profit split). This is different from trading with a regular futures broker where you'd pay $1-4 per contract round-turn, which adds up fast. On 800 contracts, that's $800-3,200 in commissions saved.

This is your complete breakdown of TradeDay's commission structure: what you pay (and don't pay) during evaluation, in Funded Sim, with Funded Live upgrade, how this compares to regular futures brokers, and the hidden costs traders sometimes overlook.

The Short Answer: Zero Commissions (Usually)

Let's get straight to it.

During Evaluation: $0 Per Trade

What you pay:

• Monthly subscription: $75-225 (depends on account size and drawdown type)
• Reset fees if you fail: $75-225
• That's it. No per-trade costs.

Why zero commissions: You're trading in TradeDay's simulation environment. No real orders hit exchanges. No exchange fees exist. No commissions apply.

Example: You take 150 trades during your evaluation. You pay $150 subscription + $0 commissions = $150 total.

In Funded Sim: $0 Per Trade

What you pay:

• One-time activation: $139
• Ongoing monthly: $0
• Per-trade commissions: $0

Why zero commissions: Even when funded, Funded Sim is still a simulated environment. Your orders don't go to real exchanges. No exchange fees, no broker commissions.

Example: You're funded, trade 200 contracts over 3 months, make $8,000 profit. You pay $0 in commissions. TradeDay takes their profit split (20% at Tier 2 = $1,600), you keep $6,400 minus the $139 activation.

With Funded Live Upgrade: Standard Commissions Apply

What you pay:

• Monthly Funded Live fee: $140
• Per-trade commissions: ~$0.50-1.50 per contract per side (round-turn ~$1-3)
• Exchange fees: Included in commission (CME fees passed through)

Why commissions apply: Funded Live routes your orders to real exchanges through a live broker connection. Real orders incur real fees.

Who needs this: High-frequency scalpers who need absolute fastest execution. 90% of traders don't upgrade because Funded Sim execution is good enough.

Breaking Down Funded Live Costs

If you do upgrade to Funded Live, here's what you actually pay.

Monthly Subscription

Cost: $140/month per account

What it includes:

• Direct market routing (orders go to CME exchanges)
• Professional Rithmic data feeds (faster than retail feeds)
• Live broker execution
• Order flow tools

When it's worth it: If you're scalping hundreds of contracts per day and need microsecond-level execution speed, Funded Live might make sense. For most traders making 5-20 trades per day, Funded Sim is fine.

Per-Contract Commissions

Estimated commission rates (TradeDay hasn't published exact rates, these are industry standard for sim-to-live programs):

What "round-turn" means: Entry + exit = one complete trade. If you buy 1 ES at 5,900 and sell at 5,920, that's one round-turn = $1.70 in commissions.

Monthly Cost Example: Active Scalper

Scenario: You trade ES, averaging 40 round-turns per day, 20 trading days per month.

Commission calculation:

• 40 RT/day × 20 days = 800 round-turns/month
• 800 RT × $1.70 = $1,360 in commissions
• Plus $140 Funded Live subscription
• Total monthly cost: $1,500

Compare to Funded Sim: $0 commissions, $0 monthly = free

When Funded Live makes sense: If you're earning $8,000+/month and need absolute fastest execution, the $1,500 cost is 18.75% overhead. For most traders earning $1,500-3,000/month, it's not worth it.

Monthly Cost Example: Normal Day Trader

Scenario: You trade NQ, averaging 8 round-turns per day, 15 trading days per month.

Commission calculation:

• 8 RT/day × 15 days = 120 round-turns/month
• 120 RT × $1.70 = $204 in commissions
• Plus $140 Funded Live subscription
• Total monthly cost: $344

Compare to Funded Sim: $0

Analysis: Unless you're making $5,000+/month and specifically need live execution, this $344 eats 7-15% of a typical $2,000-3,000 monthly profit. Not worth it.

How TradeDay Compares to Traditional Futures Brokers

Understanding what you'd pay without prop firms.

Traditional Broker Commission Rates

‍Commission Savings Example

Scenario: You trade 500 contracts per month on average.

Traditional broker (at $0.75/RT average):

• 500 contracts × $0.75 = $375/month in commissions
• Over 12 months: $4,500

TradeDay Funded Sim:

• 500 contracts × $0.00 = $0 in commissions

Savings: $4,500 per year

But remember: TradeDay takes 10-20% of your profits (depending on your split tier). If you made $30,000 gross profit over that year, TradeDay keeps $3,000-6,000 through profit split. So the "savings" on commissions are offset by the profit split structure.

The Real Comparison: All-In Costs

Traditional broker (trading your own capital):

• Capital requirement: $5,000-25,000 minimum
• Commissions: $300-500/month depending on volume
• Data fees: $50-150/month (if using professional platforms)
• Profit: You keep 100% of what you make
• Risk: Your own money

TradeDay Funded Sim:

• Capital requirement: $0 (they provide it)
• Subscription: $150/month during evaluation, $0 once funded
• Commissions: $0
• Data fees: $0 (included)
• Profit: You keep 80-95% depending on tier
• Risk: Only your subscription fees, not your personal capital

Which is better: Depends on your capital situation. If you have $25K+ to risk and you're consistently profitable, trading your own capital with a traditional broker lets you keep 100% of profits (minus small commissions). If you don't have that capital or don't want to risk it, TradeDay's 80-95% split with zero commissions is a great deal.

Hidden Costs Traders Overlook

Commissions are zero, but there are other costs.

Cost 1: Profit Split (The Real "Commission")

What it is: TradeDay keeps 5-20% of your profits depending on your cumulative earnings tier.

Example:

• You make $5,000 profit in a month
• You're at the 80% split tier
• TradeDay keeps $1,000, you get $4,000

Is this fair?: Yes. You're trading their capital with zero personal risk. The split is the cost of that privilege.

Comparison to commissions: That $1,000 TradeDay kept is equivalent to paying $0.20/contract commission if you traded 5,000 contracts that month (to generate $5,000 profit). That's cheaper than most brokers' commission rates.

For complete profit split details, see the profit split guide.

Cost 2: Subscription Fees (Monthly Overhead)

During evaluation: $75-225/month depending on account configuration

Once funded: $0/month (unless you upgrade to Funded Live at $140/month)

Annual cost if you take 3 months to pass:

• 3 months × $150 = $450
• Plus activation: $139
• Total upfront: $589

This isn't a "per-trade" cost, but it's overhead that affects your overall profitability. If you're making $1,500/month funded, that $589 upfront investment is recovered in the first month of funded trading.

Cost 3: Reset Fees (If You Fail)

Cost: $75-225 per reset (same as monthly subscription for your account type)

When you pay: After hitting max drawdown or other evaluation failure

How to minimize: Don't fail. But realistically, budget for 1-2 resets ($150-300) as learning costs.

Cost 4: Payout Processing Fees

Wire transfers: $25 per withdrawal

Cryptocurrency: 2-5% depending on network and coin

Example: Withdraw $3,000 via wire. You receive $2,975. That $25 is effectively a 0.83% "commission" on your withdrawal.

How to minimize: Withdraw larger amounts less frequently. Withdrawing $5,000 twice ($50 total fees) is cheaper than withdrawing $1,000 ten times ($250 total fees).

For complete payout details, see the payout policy guide.

Cost 5: Platform Subscriptions (Optional)

If you use free platforms (Tradovate, TradeDayX, basic NinjaTrader): $0

If you use paid platforms:

• TradingView Premium: $15-60/month
• Quantower: $50-250/month
• Other advanced tools: $30-150/month

Most traders pay: $0-30/month by using free or basic platforms.

For complete platform details, see the platforms guide.

True Cost Per Trade Calculation

Let's calculate the real all-in cost per trade.

Scenario: Typical Trader (Funded Sim)

Monthly trading activity:

• 60 round-turn trades per month
• $4,000 gross profit
• At 80% split (Tier 2)

Monthly costs:

• Subscription: $0 (funded, using Funded Sim)
• Commissions: $0
• Platform: $0 (using Tradovate free)
• Profit split: $800 (TradeDay keeps 20%)

Total costs: $800

Cost per trade: $800 ÷ 60 = $13.33 per trade

But: This isn't a commission in the traditional sense. It's a percentage of profit. If your trade loses money, you pay $0. If your trade makes $200, TradeDay keeps $40. It's profit-based, not volume-based.

Scenario: Active Scalper (Funded Sim)

Monthly trading activity:

• 400 round-turn trades per month
• $8,000 gross profit
• At 90% split (Tier 3)

Monthly costs:

• Subscription: $0
• Commissions: $0
• Platform: $0
• Profit split: $800 (TradeDay keeps 10%)

Total costs: $800

Cost per trade: $800 ÷ 400 = $2 per trade

Comparison: If this trader used a traditional broker at $0.75/RT commission, they'd pay $300/month in commissions instead of $800 in profit split. In this case, the traditional broker would be cheaper.

But: The scalper is trading TradeDay's capital, not their own $25K-50K. The profit split is the price for zero personal risk.

Volume-Based Commission Discounts? Not Applicable

Traditional brokers often offer tiered pricing: the more you trade, the lower your per-contract rate.

With TradeDay: There's no volume discount because there are no commissions to discount. You pay zero per trade whether you trade 10 contracts or 10,000 contracts per month.

The "discount" comes from profit split tiers: As you earn more cumulatively ($10K, $25K, $50K, $100K), your profit split improves from 80% to 95%. This effectively "lowers your cost" over time, similar to volume discounts at traditional brokers.

Do You Ever Pay Commissions on TradeDay?

Only in specific situations.

Situation 1: You Upgrade to Funded Live

Cost: Standard commission rates (~$1.70/RT for ES/NQ) plus $140/month subscription

When: You actively choose to upgrade for faster execution

Can you go back to Funded Sim?: Policies vary, contact support. Most traders who upgrade to Funded Live stay there.

Situation 2: You're Testing Funded Live Trial

Some prop firms offer: Short-term Funded Live trials (7-14 days) to test execution quality

Commission applies: During the trial period if orders hit real exchanges

TradeDay's policy: Check with support for current trial offers.

Situation 3: Never, If You Stay on Funded Sim

The default path: Evaluation ($0 commissions) → Funded Sim ($0 commissions) → Profit and withdraw ($0 commissions)

Most traders: Never pay a single cent in commissions over their entire TradeDay career.

Commission Comparison: Prop Firms

How TradeDay compares to other prop firms' commission structures.

Industry standard: Most futures prop firms operate on simulation during evaluation and funded, with zero commissions. Live execution options are available at extra cost but rarely used.

Frequently Asked Questions

Are TradeDay's commissions really zero?

Yes, on Funded Sim (the default funded option). You pay zero per trade. The only "cost" is TradeDay's profit split (they keep 5-20% of your profits depending on tier).

How can TradeDay afford zero commissions?

Because you're not trading real orders on real exchanges. It's a simulated environment. No real exchange fees = no commissions to pass through to you. TradeDay makes money from subscription fees and profit splits, not commissions.

What if I want live execution?

Upgrade to Funded Live for $140/month plus standard commission rates (~$1.70/RT for ES/NQ). But 90% of traders don't need this.

Do I pay platform fees?

Not to TradeDay. If you use free platforms (Tradovate, TradeDayX, basic NinjaTrader), you pay nothing. If you use paid platforms (TradingView Premium, Quantower, etc.), you pay those platform subscriptions separately (not to TradeDay).

Are there any hidden per-trade costs?

No. Funded Sim is truly zero per trade. The only costs are: monthly subscription (during evaluation), activation fee (when you pass), profit split (ongoing), and payout processing fees (when you withdraw).

Can TradeDay change commission rates in the future?

They could add commissions to Funded Sim in the future, but this would be a major policy change that would likely be announced well in advance and probably wouldn't apply to existing funded traders (grandfathered).

How does the profit split compare to paying commissions?

It depends on your profitability per trade. If you average $50 profit per trade and TradeDay takes 20%, they're keeping $10 per trade. That's equivalent to a $10 commission. But traditional broker commissions are $1-2/trade regardless of whether you profit. So on winning trades, profit split costs more than commissions. On losing trades, profit split costs nothing (TradeDay doesn't take 20% of your losses).

Bottom Line: Zero Commissions Are Real (On Funded Sim)

TradeDay's commission structure is straightforward: $0 per trade during evaluation and in Funded Sim. The only "cost" of trading is TradeDay's profit split, which is a percentage of your winnings, not a per-trade fee.

For most traders, this is a better deal than paying $0.50-2.00 per contract at a traditional broker, especially when you consider you're trading TradeDay's capital instead of risking your own $10K-25K.

If you're a high-volume scalper doing 500+ round-turns per month and making large profits, you might eventually benefit from Funded Live or even a traditional broker account. But for 90% of traders, commission-free Funded Sim is the ideal setup.

For complete TradeDay information, check the full TradeDay review.

Trade without commissions. Keep more of your profits.

Your Next Steps

‍👉 Start Trading at TradeDay Today

‍👉 Read My Full TradeDay Review

‍👉 Check out TradeDay´s Payout Rules

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