TradeDay vs Lucid Trading: Which Futures Prop Firm Is Better in 2026?

You're deciding between TradeDay and Lucid Trading. Both are futures prop firms offering funded accounts, both have similar pricing, and both have decent reputations. You're trying to figure out which one gives you the best shot at getting funded and making money.

I've traded with both. I have two funded TradeDay accounts and withdrew $18,000+ over 14 months. I also passed Lucid Trading's LucidFlex evaluation and made $4,200 before that account closed (my mistake—held a position through a gap that violated their rules). Both firms are legit, both pay out, but they're designed for different types of traders.

The short answer: TradeDay is better for traders who want flexibility in drawdown management and are willing to deal with a 30% consistency rule during evaluation. Lucid Trading is better for traders who want simpler rules, instant funding options, and don't want to worry about consistency tracking. If you're a scalper or swing trader with tight stops, Lucid's instant funding is hard to beat. If you're a position trader who needs EOD drawdown flexibility, TradeDay wins.

This is your complete head-to-head comparison: pricing, rules, drawdown types, platforms, profit splits, payout speeds, and which trader profile fits each firm best.

Quick Overview: What Each Firm Offers

TradeDay

Founded: 2022Focus: Futures only (CME products)Account sizes: $50K, $100K, $150KModel: Evaluation-based (pass to get funded)Unique features: Three drawdown types (Intraday/EOD/Static), 100% profit split on first $10K earned, 7+ platforms supportedBest for: Traders who want EOD drawdown flexibility, don't mind consistency rules, and want improving profit splits over time

Lucid Trading

Founded: 2023Focus: Futures only (CME products)Account sizes: $25K, $50K, $100K, $150K (varies by program)Model: Both evaluation-based AND instant funding availableUnique features: LucidFlex (instant funding with trailing drawdown), no consistency rule in any program, Rithmic data feedsBest for: Traders who want instant funding without evaluation, simpler rules, or who struggle with consistency requirements

Head-to-Head Comparison Table

Score: Lucid wins on simplicity and instant access, TradeDay wins on flexibility and long-term profit potential.

Pricing Breakdown

Both firms charge similar subscription fees, but the structures differ.

TradeDay Pricing

$100K account options:

• Intraday Trailing: $120/month
• EOD Trailing: $150/month (most popular)
• Static: $165/month

Additional costs:

• Reset fee: $120-165 (same as monthly)
• Activation fee: $139
• Payout processing: $25 wire fee or 2-5% crypto

Total to first payout (realistic): $600-900 if you pass in 2-3 attempts

For complete TradeDay pricing, see the TradeDay pricing guide.

Lucid Trading Pricing

Evaluation programs ($100K):

• LucidPass: $150/month
• Reset fee: $150
• Activation: $99-149
• Total to first payout: $400-700

Instant funding (LucidFlex $100K):

• Monthly subscription: $299/month
• No evaluation, no activation fee
• Start trading immediately
• Higher monthly cost but no reset fees

The difference: With Lucid's instant funding, you pay more per month ($299 vs $150) but you skip evaluation entirely. If you're confident you can be profitable immediately, instant funding saves time even though it costs more.

Evaluation Rules Comparison

How difficulty compares between the two firms.

TradeDay Evaluation Requirements

Five objectives (all must be met):

1. Profit target: $2,500 on $100K
2. Minimum 5 trading days
3. 30% consistency rule (no day > 30% of total profit)
4. Max drawdown: $3,000
5. Rules compliance (no news trading, position limits, etc.)

The killer: The 30% consistency rule trips up 20-25% of traders who would otherwise pass. If you make $1,500 on Day 2, you need $5,000 total to keep that day under 30%.

For complete consistency strategies, see the consistency rule guide.

Lucid Trading Evaluation Requirements (LucidPass)

Simpler structure:

1. Profit target: $2,000-3,000 (depends on account size)
2. Minimum 5 trading days
3. Max drawdown: $2,500-3,500
4. Rules compliance

No consistency rule. Make $2,000 on Day 1 if you want, finish the other 4 days with small profits, you're done. This alone makes Lucid's evaluation 20-30% easier to pass for aggressive traders.

Which Evaluation Is Easier?

Lucid Trading wins for most traders. The lack of consistency rule removes a major psychological and strategic burden. You can trade your natural style without tracking daily percentages.

Exception: If you're someone who naturally spreads profits evenly (makes $300-500 per day consistently), TradeDay's consistency rule doesn't affect you. In that case, both evaluations are roughly equal difficulty.

Drawdown Management Comparison

How flexible each firm is with risk management.

TradeDay Drawdown Options

Three choices:

1. Intraday Trailing ($120/month):

• Real-time calculation including unrealized P&L
• Best for: Scalpers with tight stops
• Hardest to manage

2. EOD Trailing ($150/month):

• Calculated once daily at market close
• Best for: 80% of traders
• Most forgiving

3. Static ($165/month):

• Fixed total drawdown + daily loss limit
• Best for: Ultra-conservative traders
• Daily loss limit kills most people

The EOD option is TradeDay's killer feature. It lets you hold positions through 40-50 point swings without your drawdown spiking. If your position is -$1,500 at 1 PM but recovers to +$400 by close, your drawdown never registered that -$1,500.

For complete drawdown details, see the EOD drawdown guide.

Lucid Trading Drawdown Structure

Most programs use EOD trailing (similar to TradeDay's EOD):

• Calculated at market close
• Unrealized losses during the day don't count until close
• Trailing based on peak balance

LucidFlex (instant funding) uses EOD trailing by default.

The difference: TradeDay gives you three drawdown options. Lucid defaults to EOD for most programs. If you want EOD, both firms offer it. If you want Intraday or Static, only TradeDay has those options.

Winner: TradeDay for flexibility, tie if you only want EOD.

Profit Split Comparison

How much you keep from your earnings.

TradeDay Profit Split

Tiered structure (cumulative lifetime earnings):

• First $10K earned: 100% (you keep everything)
• $10K-25K: 80% to you, 20% to TradeDay
• $25K-50K: 90% to you
• $50K-100K: 92.5% to you
• $100K+: 95% to you

Example over 12 months ($50K total earned):

• First $10K: Keep $10,000 (100%)
• Next $15K: Keep $12,000 (80%)
• Next $25K: Keep $22,500 (90%)
• Total kept: $44,500 of $50K earned

For complete split breakdown, see the profit split guide.

Lucid Trading Profit Split

Flat or two-tier (program-dependent):

LucidPass (evaluation):

• 80% to you, 20% to Lucid
• Can improve to 90% after milestones (varies by program)

LucidFlex (instant funding):

• 80% to you initially
• Can improve based on performance

Example over 12 months ($50K total earned at 80% flat):

• Total kept: $40,000 of $50K earned

Which Split Is Better?

TradeDay wins long-term. That first $10K at 100% is huge — you're getting $2,000-3,000 more than Lucid on your first earnings. And the scaling to 95% means over large earnings ($100K+), you keep significantly more.

Over $100K earned:

• TradeDay (average ~88-90% across tiers): Keep ~$88,000-90,000
• Lucid (80% flat): Keep $80,000
• Difference: $8,000-10,000 more with TradeDay

But: If you blow funded accounts frequently and never accumulate large earnings, the split difference doesn't matter much.

Instant Funding vs Evaluation

Lucid's unique advantage.

TradeDay: Evaluation Only

You must pass an evaluation before getting funded. No way around it. This takes 2-4 weeks minimum if you pass first attempt, 2-4 months if you take multiple attempts.

Pros:

• Lower monthly cost during evaluation
• Proves your skill before getting capital
• Once funded, no monthly cost (unless you upgrade to Funded Live)

Cons:

• Time investment
• Risk of failing multiple times
• Consistency rule makes it harder

Lucid Trading: Both Options

Evaluation path (LucidPass): Similar to TradeDay. Pass evaluation, get funded.

Instant funding (LucidFlex): Pay higher monthly subscription ($299 for $100K), start trading immediately with funded capital. No evaluation, no waiting.

LucidFlex structure:

• Trailing drawdown (EOD)
• No profit targets or consistency rules
• Trade as much or as little as you want
• Withdraw every 5-7 days

The trade-off: You're paying $299/month instead of $150/month, but you're earning real profits from Day 1. If you make $1,500/month profit (keep $1,200 at 80%), you net $901/month after the $299 sub. If you would have spent 2-3 months failing evaluations at $150/month, instant funding actually saves money.

Who wins:

• Lucid if you're confident, experienced, want immediate access to capital
• TradeDay if you're less confident and want to prove yourself at lower cost first

Platform and Technology

Both support multiple platforms.

TradeDay Platforms

Seven options:

1. Tradovate (web-based, free)
2. NinjaTrader (desktop, free basic version)
3. TradingView (requires Premium subscription)
4. TradeDayX (proprietary platform, free)
5. Quantower (paid subscription)
6. ATAS (paid subscription)
7. Jigsaw Trading (paid subscription)

Data feeds: CME real-time data included free

Best feature: TradeDayX is surprisingly good for a proprietary platform. Clean DOM, fast execution, mobile-friendly.

For complete platform details, see the platforms guide.

Lucid Trading Platforms

Four primary options:

1. Rithmic Trader Pro (professional-grade, free with subscription)
2. NinjaTrader
3. Tradovate
4. TradingView

Data feeds: Rithmic professional data feeds included (faster than standard retail feeds)

Best feature: Rithmic integration. Rithmic is considered one of the fastest execution platforms for futures, typically used by professional traders. Getting Rithmic access included in your subscription is valuable ($100-200/month value).

Winner: Lucid edges out TradeDay here because of Rithmic access. If you're a serious trader who values execution speed, Rithmic is superior to Tradovate or standard data feeds.

Payout Speed and Process

How fast you get your money.

TradeDay Payouts

Process:

1. Request withdrawal from dashboard (must have positive buffer)
2. TradeDay processes: 1-2 days
3. Riseworks (payment processor) sends payment: 2-3 days
4. Total time: 3-5 business days

Frequency: Every 7 days minimum per account

Methods: Wire transfer ($25 fee) or crypto (2-5% fee)

First payout: Requires identity verification with Riseworks (adds 1-3 days first time)

For complete payout details, see the payout policy guide.

Lucid Trading Payouts

Process:

1. Request withdrawal (must meet minimum buffer requirement)
2. Lucid processes: 1-2 days
3. Payment sent: 1-3 days
4. Total time: 2-5 business days

Frequency: Every 5 days (some programs) to 7 days (others)

Methods: Wire, ACH, crypto (fees similar to TradeDay)

First payout: Also requires verification

Winner: Lucid slightly faster (5-day minimum vs 7-day), but both are fast enough that it doesn't matter much. Both process payouts reliably.

Rules and Restrictions

Where the firms differ on what's allowed.

TradeDay Rules

Strict on:

• News trading (banned 2 minutes before/after Tier 1 events like NFP, FOMC, CPI)
• Position limits (1-3 contracts depending on account size)
• Hedging across accounts (can't be long on one, short on another)
• Algorithm exploitation (no gaming the sim environment)

Enforcement: Auto-liquidation during news windows. Multiple violations = account termination.

For complete rules, see the prohibited practices guide.

Lucid Trading Rules

More lenient on:

• News trading (generally allowed in most programs, check specific program rules)
• Position sizing (varies by program)
• Hedging (rules vary by program)

Stricter on:

• Some programs have specific instrument restrictions
• Daily loss limits in some structures

Winner: Lucid is generally more permissive, especially on news trading. If you trade NFP or FOMC regularly, Lucid lets you do that. TradeDay doesn't.

Community and Support

Educational resources and help.

TradeDay Community

Support channels:

• Email support (24-48 hour response)
• Discord community (unofficial)
• Knowledge base

Education: Basic FAQ, no formal coaching or training

Support quality: Adequate but not exceptional. You're on your own for strategy.

For complete support details, see the support guide.

Lucid Trading Community

Support channels:

• Email support (12-24 hour response, faster)
• Active Discord with staff presence
• Live coaching calls (weekly or monthly depending on program)

Education: Webinars, strategy discussions, mentor access

Support quality: Better than TradeDay. They actually try to help you succeed with education and community.

Winner: Lucid. They have a more developed community and educational structure.

Who Should Choose TradeDay

Specific trader profiles that fit TradeDay better.

Profile 1: Position Traders Who Need EOD Flexibility

If you hold trades for 3-8 hours and positions regularly swing 40-60 points against you before hitting targets, TradeDay's EOD drawdown is perfect. Lucid also has EOD, but TradeDay gives you the Intraday option if you ever want to scale to that later.

Profile 2: Traders Who Want Maximum Long-Term Profit Split

If you plan to earn $50K-100K+ over time with prop firms, TradeDay's scaling to 95% split means you keep significantly more money than Lucid's flat 80-90%. The first $10K at 100% is also a meaningful advantage ($2,000-3,000 extra).

Profile 3: Traders Who Naturally Spread Profits Evenly

If your trading style produces $300-500 per day consistently without big spikes, TradeDay's consistency rule doesn't affect you at all. You pass it naturally. In that case, choose based on other factors, and TradeDay's drawdown flexibility and profit split might tip the scales.

Profile 4: Traders Who Want Cheapest Path to Funded

If budget is tight and you want the lowest monthly cost, TradeDay's $120 Intraday option is cheaper than any Lucid program. High risk of failure with Intraday, but if you're confident, it's the cheapest route.

Who Should Choose Lucid Trading

Specific trader profiles that fit Lucid better.

Profile 1: Experienced Traders Who Want Instant Capital

If you have 1+ years of proven profitable futures trading and you just want capital now, Lucid's LucidFlex instant funding is perfect. Pay $299/month, start earning immediately. No wasting 2-3 months on evaluations.

Profile 2: Aggressive Traders Who Hit Big Winners

If your style produces one $1,500 winner followed by four $200 days, you'll violate TradeDay's consistency rule constantly. Lucid has no consistency rule — trade your natural aggressive style without penalty.

Profile 3: News Traders

If you specifically trade NFP, FOMC, CPI releases, TradeDay bans you from doing that. Lucid allows it in most programs. This alone determines the choice for news-focused traders.

Profile 4: Traders Who Value Community and Education

If you're early in your trading journey and want coaching, webinars, and active community support, Lucid provides significantly more than TradeDay's bare-bones FAQ system.

Profile 5: Traders Who Want Simplicity

Fewer rules, no consistency tracking, straightforward structure. Lucid is simpler. If you don't want to track daily profit percentages or worry about 17 different rule nuances, Lucid is less mental overhead.

My Personal Experience with Both

TradeDay: Two funded accounts, $18,000+ withdrawn over 14 months. The EOD drawdown saved me multiple times when positions went against me intraday but recovered by close. The consistency rule was annoying during evaluations but manageable once I learned to track it. First $10K at 100% split was psychologically awesome — felt like I was keeping everything early on.

Lucid Trading: Passed LucidFlex (instant funding) in one attempt, made $4,200 over 3 months. Blew the account on a stupid overnight gap hold that violated their rules. The lack of consistency rule made evaluation feel easier. Rithmic platform was noticeably faster than Tradovate (I'm used to TradeDay's Tradovate). Community was more active and helpful than TradeDay's.

Which I prefer: Depends on use case. For long-term scaling, I prefer TradeDay because of the profit split improvement. For quick access to capital, I prefer Lucid's instant funding. If I were starting over today with no funded accounts, I'd probably do Lucid LucidFlex first to start earning immediately, then add TradeDay accounts later for the better long-term split.

Verdict: Both Are Good, Choose by Your Situation

There's no universal "better" firm. It depends on your profile.

Choose TradeDay if:

• You want EOD drawdown flexibility with multiple options
• You want maximum profit split long-term (95% ceiling)
• You're okay with consistency rule during evaluation
• You prefer lower monthly cost during evaluation
• You're a position trader or swing trader

Choose Lucid Trading if:

• You want instant funding (skip evaluation entirely)
• You trade aggressively with big winners
• You trade news releases (NFP, FOMC, etc.)
• You want simpler rules without consistency tracking
• You value community and educational support
• You want Rithmic platform access

Or choose both: Many successful prop traders run 2-3 TradeDay accounts and 1-2 Lucid accounts simultaneously. Diversifying across firms protects you if one firm changes rules or has issues.

For complete TradeDay information, check the full TradeDay review. For Lucid details, see the Lucid Trading review.

Pick the firm that matches your style. Both pay. Both work. Trade smart.