What's Included in TradeDay Membership? Full Breakdown

You're about to subscribe to TradeDay and you're looking at a $150/month charge for a $100K EOD account. The question everyone asks: what am I actually paying for? Is it just access to a simulated trading account, or does the membership include other features, tools, and services?

Most traders assume the monthly fee only covers the evaluation account itself. But TradeDay's membership actually includes platform access, real-time market data, risk management tools, educational resources, and support — things that would cost $200-400/month if you paid for them separately.

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 didn't realize the full value of what was included until I tried building my own personal trading setup outside of TradeDay. Real-time futures data alone costs $50-150/month depending on exchanges. Professional platforms charge monthly fees. Add it all up and TradeDay's $150/month is actually a decent value proposition.

This is your complete breakdown of what's included in TradeDay membership: everything you get for your monthly subscription, what costs extra, what you need to provide yourself, and whether the price actually makes sense.

The Core: Evaluation Account Access

This is the obvious one, but let's be specific about what "account access" means.

What You Get

Simulated Trading Environment:

• Access to TradeDay's simulation platform that mirrors real market conditions
• Order routing to their trading servers
• Real-time price feeds and execution
• Account balance starting at your chosen size ($50K, $100K, or $150K)

Evaluation Framework:

• The ability to attempt passing their evaluation (profit target, trading days, consistency rule, drawdown limits)
• Unlimited time to pass (no 30-day expiration)
• Ability to request evaluation review when objectives are met
• Path to funded account upon passing

Account Management:

• Dashboard showing your progress toward objectives
• Real-time P&L tracking
• Drawdown monitoring
• Trading day counter
• Consistency calculator

What Your Monthly Fee Covers

Your subscription is essentially unlimited access to keep attempting the evaluation until you pass.

Examples:

• Month 1: You blow through drawdown on Day 3, reset for $75-189, keep trying
• Month 2: You hit $2,200 profit but fail consistency, reset again
• Month 3: You pass evaluation, stop paying subscription (transition to funded)

You're paying for time and attempts, not a guarantee of success. The subscription continues until you either pass or cancel.

What Happens After You Pass

Once you pass and activate your funded account:

• Your evaluation subscription ends
• You stop paying the $75-225/month
• You only pay the one-time $139 activation fee
• No further monthly costs unless you upgrade to Funded Live ($140/month for direct market routing)

For complete evaluation requirements, see the evaluation rules guide.

Trading Platform Access (7 Options)

Your membership includes access to TradeDay's supported trading platforms at no additional cost beyond your subscription.

Included Platforms (No Extra Fee)

1. Tradovate:

• Web-based and mobile platform
• Included free with TradeDay membership
• No separate Tradovate subscription needed

2. NinjaTrader (Basic):

• Free version of NinjaTrader for live trading
• Connects directly to your TradeDay account
• No license fee required for basic trading

3. TradeDayX:

• TradeDay's proprietary platform
• Web-based, included free
• No additional cost

4. Quantower, ATAS, Jigsaw:

• You can connect these platforms to TradeDay
• Platform connection is included
• BUT you pay the platform's subscription separately (see below)

Platforms That Cost Extra

TradingView:

• Connection to TradeDay is included
• But you need TradingView Premium subscription ($15-60/month) to enable broker connections
• Not technically a TradeDay cost, but required if you want to use TradingView for execution

NinjaTrader Advanced:

• Basic NinjaTrader is free
• If you want advanced features (strategy backtesting, automated trading), you pay $60/month or $1,495 lifetime license
• Optional, not required

Quantower/ATAS/Jigsaw:

• TradeDay connection is free
• But these platforms charge $29-250/month for their software
• You pay them directly, not TradeDay

Bottom line: You get Tradovate, TradeDayX, and basic NinjaTrader included free. Everything else requires separate platform subscriptions.

For complete platform comparisons, see the supported platforms guide.

Real-Time Market Data Feeds

This is a big hidden value: TradeDay includes market data that normally costs $50-150/month.

What Data Is Included

CME Group Futures Data:

• E-mini S&P 500 (ES)
• E-mini Nasdaq (NQ)
• Crude Oil (CL)
• Gold (GC)
• Bonds (ZB, ZN)
• Currencies (6E, 6J, etc.)
• All other CME, CBOT, NYMEX, COMEX futures

Data Type:

• Real-time Level 1 data (best bid/ask, last trade)
• Depth of market (DOM) / Level 2 data
• Time and sales / tape

No Exchange Fees:

• Normally CME charges $4-15/month per exchange for professional data
• TradeDay includes this in your subscription
• You're trading on simulation so exchange fees don't apply to you

What This Saves You

If you were trading with a regular futures broker:

Typical monthly data costs:

• CME Equity Index data (ES, NQ): $5/month
• CME Commodity data (CL, GC): $5/month
• CBOT data (ZB, ZN): $4/month
• Professional platform (NinjaTrader data feed): $60+/month
• Total: $70-150/month just for data

TradeDay bundles this into your $150/month subscription. You're essentially paying $75-100/month for the evaluation access itself after accounting for data costs.

Data Limitations

What's NOT included:

• Stock data (TradeDay is futures-only)
• Forex spot data (futures currency pairs are included, spot forex is not)
• Crypto data (Bitcoin futures CME BTC is included, but not spot crypto)
• Historical data for backtesting (limited lookback periods depending on platform)

Dashboard and Analytics Tools

Your membership includes TradeDay's web dashboard with real-time tracking.

Dashboard Features

Evaluation Progress Tracking:

• Current profit toward target
• Number of trading days completed
• Consistency breakdown (which days represent what percentage)
• Drawdown status with visual gauge
• Days remaining on subscription

Performance Analytics:

• Win rate and average win/loss
• Profit factor
• Largest winner and largest loser
• Trading frequency (trades per day)

Trade History:

• Complete log of all trades
• Entry/exit times and prices
• P&L per trade
• Position sizing
• Export to CSV for external analysis

Account Management:

• Request evaluation review
• Reset evaluation after failures
• Upgrade/downgrade account size or drawdown type
• Payment history and billing

Payout Management (once funded):

• Request withdrawals
• Track payout status
• View cumulative earnings
• Monitor profit split tier

What's NOT Included

No Advanced Analytics:

• TradeDay's dashboard is basic
• No detailed performance metrics like Sharpe ratio, max adverse excursion, etc.
• No built-in journaling beyond trade history

No Third-Party Integrations:

• Can't connect to Edgewonk, TradeZella, or other journaling platforms automatically
• Need to manually export CSV and import elsewhere

The Value

A basic trade journaling platform costs $20-40/month. TradeDay's dashboard isn't as advanced, but it covers the essentials for evaluation tracking at no extra cost.

Educational Resources and Support

Your membership includes access to TradeDay's knowledge base and support team.

Included Support

Email Support:

• Submit tickets for technical issues, account questions, platform problems
• Response time: 12-48 hours depending on your account status (funded traders get faster responses)

Knowledge Base:

• Written guides on evaluation rules, platform setup, common issues
• Video tutorials on connecting platforms
• FAQ sections

Community Access:

• TradeDay's Discord server (free to join, membership not required but beneficial)
• Social media channels with tips and updates

What's NOT Included

No Personal Coaching:

• TradeDay doesn't provide one-on-one trading coaching
• Support handles technical issues, not trading strategy advice

No Live Chat:

• Email support only, no real-time chat (as of 2026)
• No phone support

No Educational Courses:

• They don't teach you how to trade futures
• They assume you already have trading knowledge

Comparison to Competitors

Some prop firms (TopStep, Bulenox) include educational courses and weekly coaching calls. TradeDay does not. Their membership is pure access to trading evaluation, not education.

If you need trading education, you'll pay for that separately (courses, books, mentorship programs).

Risk Management Tools

Built into your evaluation account are tools to help you stay within limits.

Included Risk Features

Auto-Liquidation:

• If you approach max drawdown, TradeDay may auto-close your positions
• Prevents you from exceeding limits unintentionally
• Applies to Intraday drawdown types primarily

Position Limit Enforcement:

• System prevents you from opening more contracts than allowed
• If you try to open a 3rd contract on a $100K account (2 limit), order gets rejected

News Trading Restriction:

• System auto-liquidates positions during Tier 1 news windows (2 minutes before/after major releases)
• Protects you from rule violations

Drawdown Alerts:

• Email notifications when you reach certain drawdown thresholds (50%, 75%, 90% of limit)
• Dashboard warnings when approaching limits

What You Need to Manage Yourself

Stop Losses:

• TradeDay doesn't force stop losses
• You manage your own risk per trade

Position Sizing:

• You decide how many contracts to trade (within limits)
• No automatic position size calculator based on risk

Trade Frequency:

• You control how often you trade
• No limits on overtrading (but overtrading usually leads to failure)

What's NOT Included (And Costs Extra)

Let's be clear about what you need to pay for separately.

Additional Costs You'll Encounter

1. Reset Fees:

• Blow your evaluation → pay $75-189 to reset (depends on account size and drawdown type)
• This is separate from your monthly subscription
• Unlimited resets available (keep paying to try again)

2. Activation Fee:

• Pass evaluation → pay $139 one-time to activate funded account
• Non-refundable
• Required to transition from evaluation to funded

3. Platform Subscriptions (if applicable):

• TradingView Premium: $15-60/month
• Quantower: $50-250/month
• ATAS: $29-99/month
• Jigsaw: $50-160/month
• NinjaTrader Advanced: $60/month or $1,495 lifetime

4. Funded Live Upgrade (optional):

• $140/month for direct market routing instead of simulation
• Professional data feeds included
• Most traders stay on Funded Sim (free) and never upgrade

5. Payout Processing Fees:

• Riseworks charges small fees for withdrawals
• Wire transfer: $25 per withdrawal
• Crypto: ~2-5% depending on network
• Not technically TradeDay fees, but costs you'll pay

6. Internet and Hardware:

• You need a computer/laptop capable of running trading platforms
• Stable internet connection (10+ Mbps recommended)
• TradeDay doesn't provide hardware or internet

For complete cost breakdowns, see the account sizes comparison guide.

Membership Tiers: What Changes by Account Size

Your monthly subscription cost varies based on account size and drawdown type, but the included features are the same.

What's Identical Across All Accounts

Regardless of whether you choose $50K, $100K, or $150K:

• Same platform access
• Same market data
• Same dashboard tools
• Same support quality (initially)
• Same educational resources

What Changes by Account Size

The core membership features are identical. You're paying more for larger account size, higher position limits, and larger drawdown cushion — not for extra features or better support.

Value Analysis: Is the Membership Worth It?

Let's break down whether $150/month (for a $100K account) represents good value.

What You're Actually Paying For

If you priced everything separately:

• Real-time CME futures data: $75/month
• Professional trading platform (NinjaTrader lease equivalent): $60/month
• Risk management and tracking tools: $30/month
• Evaluation access and path to funding: $50/month
• Support and infrastructure: $35/month
• Total comparable value: $250/month

You're paying: $150/month

Value gap: You're getting approximately $250/month worth of services for $150/month, assuming you actually use all the features.

Comparison to Traditional Futures Trading Costs

If you were trading with a regular futures broker using your own capital:

Traditional setup costs:

• Futures broker account: Free (but you need $5K-25K minimum capital)
• Data fees: $50-100/month
• Platform fees: $0-100/month depending on broker
• Commissions: $0.50-2.50 per contract per side
• Risk: You're trading your own money

TradeDay setup:

• Capital required: $0 (TradeDay provides it)
• Monthly subscription: $150
• Data fees: Included
• Platform fees: Included (basic versions)
• Commissions: N/A (you're on simulation)
• Risk: Only your subscription fee, not your personal capital

The value proposition: If you don't have $10K-25K to risk trading your own account, TradeDay's $150/month is significantly cheaper than funding your own futures account.

Break-Even Analysis

When does TradeDay membership pay for itself?

Assume you're paying $150/month for a $100K evaluation:

Scenario A - Pass on first attempt (Month 1):

• Cost: $150 subscription + $139 activation = $289 total
• You get funded, start earning
• First payout at 100% split (Tier 1): Keep everything

Scenario B - Pass on third attempt (Month 3):

• Month 1: $150 subscription → fail
• Month 2: $150 subscription + $150 reset fee → fail
• Month 3: $150 subscription + $150 reset fee → pass → $139 activation
• Total cost: $889
• Once funded, your first $1,000 in earnings breaks even

Scenario C - Pass on fifth attempt (Month 5):

• Total cost: $150×5 + $150×4 resets + $139 activation = $1,489
• Need $1,500+ in funded earnings to break even

Industry reality: Most traders take 2-4 attempts to pass. Budget $600-1,200 in total costs before getting funded.

Once funded, every dollar earned is profit (minus TradeDay's split). If you earn $2,000/month funded, you've recovered your evaluation costs in your first month.

What You Need to Provide (Not Included)

TradeDay provides a lot, but you still need to bring some things yourself.

Required from You

1. Trading Knowledge:

• You need to know how to trade futures
• Understanding of technical analysis, risk management, order types
• TradeDay doesn't teach you — you arrive prepared

2. Trading Strategy:

• You need a profitable approach
• TradeDay doesn't provide signals or strategy
• You execute your own ideas

3. Hardware:

• Computer or laptop capable of running trading platforms
• Minimum: 8GB RAM, decent processor (i5 or better)
• Two monitors recommended but not required

4. Internet Connection:

• Stable broadband: 10+ Mbps download, 5+ Mbps upload
• Wired ethernet preferred over WiFi for stability
• Backup internet option (mobile hotspot) recommended

5. Time Commitment:

• Minimum 5 trading days to complete evaluation
• Realistically 10-20 hours spread over 2-4 weeks
• Ongoing time for funded trading (as much or little as you want)

6. Discipline and Psychology:

• Emotional control during losses
• Ability to follow rules (consistency, drawdown, position limits)
• Patience to wait for setups rather than forcing trades

Optional But Helpful

Trade Journal:

• Not included by TradeDay
• Use Google Sheets, Edgewonk, TradeZella, or similar ($0-40/month)

Backup Platform:

• If your primary platform has issues, having a secondary option (mobile app, different platform) helps

Community Membership:

• Paid Discord groups or mentor programs for accountability
• Not required but can improve success rates

Membership vs Funded Account: What Changes

Once you pass evaluation and get funded, the membership structure changes.

During Evaluation

You pay:

• Monthly subscription ($75-225 depending on account type)
• Reset fees if you fail ($75-225)

You get:

• Evaluation account access
• All the features listed above
• Path to funding

After Getting Funded

You stop paying:

• Monthly subscription (ends when you activate funded account)

You pay once:

• $139 activation fee

New costs (only if applicable):

• Funded Live upgrade: $140/month if you choose direct market routing (most stay on free Funded Sim)

You get:

• Funded account with starting balance (your eval ending balance)
• Same platform access
• Same market data
• Ability to request payouts
• Ongoing support

You start earning:

• Keep 80-100% of profits depending on cumulative earnings tier
• Withdraw every 7+ days

For complete details on funded account rules, see the funded account rules guide.

Comparing TradeDay Membership to Competitors

How does TradeDay's included features stack up against other prop firms?

TopStep:

• Similar monthly costs ($165-275)
• Includes educational coaching calls (TradeDay doesn't)
• More structured program, less flexibility

Apex Trader Funding:

• Lower monthly costs ($67-167) but more restrictive rules
• Similar platform access
• No coaching or education

Earn2Trade:

• Comparable costs ($150-250)
• Includes structured education program (Traders Career Path)
• More academic approach

Leeloo Trading:

• Similar costs ($99-199)
• More flexible rules but less established
• Similar feature set

TradeDay's position: Middle-tier pricing with good flexibility, strong platform support, but no educational component. Best for traders who already know how to trade and just need capital access.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I use multiple platforms simultaneously?

You can only be logged into one platform at a time per account. But you can switch between platforms freely (use NinjaTrader one day, Tradovate the next).

What happens to my membership if I pass evaluation mid-month?

Your subscription billing stops once you activate your funded account. You don't get a prorated refund for the remainder of that month.

Do I get discounts for multiple accounts?

No automatic multi-account discounts. Each account has its own monthly subscription. However, TradeDay occasionally offers promotions for adding additional accounts.

Can I pause my membership?

You can cancel anytime, but you lose evaluation progress. There's no "pause" option that preserves your progress. Your account stays inactive until you resubscribe.

Is market data included for funded accounts too?

Yes. Once funded, you still have access to real-time CME data at no extra cost (unless you upgrade to Funded Live, which includes professional-grade data).

What happens if TradeDay's platform has technical issues?

Occasional outages happen with all platforms. TradeDay typically doesn't extend subscriptions or offer refunds for brief technical issues. If you're mid-trade during an outage, contact support — they may make exceptions for significant losses caused by their systems.

Can I share my membership with a friend?

No. Accounts are single-user only. Sharing login credentials violates terms of service and can get both accounts banned.

Bottom Line: Good Value If You Use It Properly

TradeDay's membership includes everything you need to attempt evaluations and potentially get funded: platforms, data, dashboard, support, and the evaluation framework itself.

Is $150/month worth it?

Yes, if:

• You already know how to trade futures profitably
• You're ready to attempt evaluation seriously (not just experimenting)
• You're using the included features (platforms, data, dashboard tracking)
• You plan to pass within 2-4 attempts and get funded

No, if:

• You're still learning how to trade (use a free sim account instead)
• You're not ready to commit time to the evaluation
• You'd be financially stressed spending $300-900 over a few months
• You don't actually need funded capital (if you have $25K+ personal capital, you might not need prop firms)

The membership is a tool for accessing capital. If you're profitable and consistent, it's an extremely good deal. If you're not profitable yet, it's a waste of money — learn to trade first, then pay for TradeDay membership.

For everything else about TradeDay — complete evaluation rules, strategies to pass, platform options, and payout details — check the full TradeDay review.

Know what you're paying for. Use what's included. Pass your evaluation.

Your Next Steps

‍👉 Start Trading at TradeDay Today

‍👉 Read My Full TradeDay Review

‍👉 Check out TradeDay´s Payout Rules

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