What Is TradeDay? Complete 2026 Beginner's Guide

You've heard about prop trading firms, you've seen people talking about getting funded accounts, and now you're seeing TradeDay pop up everywhere. But what actually is TradeDay? Is it a broker? A trading platform? Some kind of education program? And why are traders choosing it over the dozen other prop firms out there?

TradeDay is a proprietary trading firm that gives retail traders access to capital for trading futures contracts. You pass an evaluation proving you can trade profitably, then they fund you with $50K-$150K in buying power. You keep 80-95% of the profits you make with their capital.

But that's the marketing version. The real question is: how does it actually work, what makes it different from other prop firms, and is it worth your time and money? I'm breaking down everything you need to know about TradeDay — not the polished website copy, the actual mechanics of how this works.

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.

TradeDay Basics: The 30-Second Version

TradeDay is a Chicago-based prop trading firm launched in 2022 that specializes in futures trading. They offer evaluation programs where you prove you can trade profitably under specific rules, then they give you a funded account to trade real capital.

What you get:

• Virtual capital ranging from $50K to $150K based on the account size you choose
• Access to multiple professional trading platforms (Tradovate, NinjaTrader, TradingView, and more)
• Ability to trade 50+ futures contracts including ES, NQ, CL, GC, and all major markets
• Profit splits from 80% up to 95% as you earn more
• Payouts as fast as day one of getting funded (with proper buffer)

What you pay:

• Monthly subscription: $75-225 depending on account size and drawdown type you choose
• Reset fees: $75-189 if you fail and want to try again
• One-time activation fee: $139 when you pass and get funded

What you need to do:

• Pass an evaluation by hitting a profit target within specific rules
• Trade on at least 5 separate days
• Keep no single day above 30% of your total profit (consistency rule)
• Stay within maximum drawdown limits
• Follow position limits and trading restrictions

Once you're funded, you trade real money through TradeDay's broker connections and earn actual payouts via wire transfer, crypto, or their Rise payment system.

For complete details on all account options and pricing, see the TradeDay pricing breakdown.

How TradeDay Actually Works: The Complete Process

Let's walk through the entire journey from signup to getting paid.

Step 1: Choose Your Account

You pick three things:

Account Size: $50K, $100K, or $150K. This determines your profit target, position limits, and monthly cost. Bigger isn't always better — the $100K is the sweet spot for most traders. Full comparison in the account sizes guide.

Drawdown Type: Intraday Trailing (cheapest), End-of-Day Trailing (most flexible), or Static (simplest). This changes how your risk is calculated and costs $75-225/month depending on combination. See the drawdown types comparison for which to choose.

Trading Platform: TradeDay supports 7 different platforms. Most traders use Tradovate (web-based, easy), NinjaTrader (advanced), or TradingView (charting-focused). You can switch platforms later if needed.

Step 2: Subscribe and Start Evaluation

You pay the monthly subscription fee and you're immediately in evaluation mode. There's no waiting period, no approval process. You get your account credentials and you can start trading right away.

Your evaluation account is a simulated account — not real money yet. But it's connected to real market data, so you're seeing actual price movements and your trades would execute at real market prices.

You need to hit all five evaluation objectives:

1. Profit target ($1,500-$3,750 depending on account size)
2. Minimum 5 trading days
3. 30% consistency rule (no day over 30% of total profit)
4. Stay within max drawdown limits
5. Follow all position limits and trading rules

For complete details on what you need to pass, check the evaluation rules guide.

Step 3: Pass or Reset

Once you've satisfied all five objectives, you request evaluation review from your dashboard. TradeDay's team reviews your trading activity (takes 24-48 hours) to verify everything was legitimate.

If you pass: You move to Funded Sim status and start trading real money.

If you fail: You hit max drawdown or violated a rule. You can pay the reset fee and immediately start a fresh evaluation. No waiting period, no approval needed.

Most traders fail 1-2 evaluations before passing. That's normal. The reset fees are built into the business model — TradeDay knows most people need multiple attempts.

Step 4: Get Funded and Trade Live

Once you pass evaluation review, you're moved to Funded Sim status. This is a real funded account — you're trading actual capital, and your profits are real money you can withdraw.

You keep trading under the same rules as your evaluation (same position limits, same drawdown type). But now when you make money, you're earning actual payouts.

TradeDay offers two funded account types:

• Funded Sim: Trade on the same simulated environment as evaluation but with real profit share
• Funded Live: Upgrade to live market execution with direct broker routing ($140/month professional data fee applies)

Most traders start with Funded Sim because there's no additional monthly cost and the profit splits are identical.

Step 5: Request Payouts

You can request payouts as often as every 7 days with no minimum amount (though small withdrawals under $100 may have higher relative fees).

Payouts are processed through Rise (TradeDay's payment system). You can choose:

• Wire transfer (domestic or international)
• Cryptocurrency (various coins, Layer 1 or Layer 2)
• Rise balance (keeps money in the system for faster future withdrawals)

Most traders get their first payout within 3-5 business days of requesting it. Some traders withdraw every week, others let profits accumulate and withdraw monthly.

The profit split starts at 80% for your first $10K earned (across all your funded accounts combined), increases to 90% for the next tier, and eventually reaches 95% at higher profit levels. Your first $10K of profit is actually paid at 100% — a unique feature TradeDay added in 2024.

For complete payout details, see the payout policy guide.

What Makes TradeDay Different from Other Prop Firms

There are dozens of prop firms offering funded futures accounts. Here's what sets TradeDay apart:

No Consistency Requirement During Funded Phase

Most prop firms enforce the 30% consistency rule forever — even after you're funded. TradeDay only requires it during evaluation. Once you're funded, you can have a $5,000 day and a $200 day and they don't care. This gives you way more flexibility to scale your trading.

Day One Payouts With Buffer System

TradeDay has a "buffer" system where your funded account balance can rise above your starting amount. Once you have buffer (profit cushion), you can withdraw without waiting. So you could theoretically pass your evaluation Monday, build buffer Tuesday, and request payout Wednesday.

Most prop firms force you to wait 14-30 days before your first withdrawal. TradeDay doesn't.

Multiple Platform Options

You're not locked into one proprietary platform. TradeDay supports Tradovate, NinjaTrader, TradingView, their own TradeDayX platform, Jigsaw, Quantower, and ATAS. If you already know NinjaTrader, you can use that. If you like TradingView charts, use that.

This flexibility means you can trade with tools you're already comfortable with instead of learning a new interface.

Transparent Drawdown Options

Most firms give you one drawdown type — usually trailing, sometimes static. TradeDay lets you pick. If you're a scalper who wants the cheapest option and trades tight stops, you can choose intraday trailing. If you're a swing trader who needs flexibility, you can choose EOD trailing.

The transparency around how each drawdown type is calculated is also rare. Most firms hide the math. TradeDay publishes it.

No Hidden Post-Funding Costs (For Funded Sim)

Once you're funded on a Funded Sim account, you're done paying monthly fees. Your evaluation subscription ends. You only pay the $139 activation fee once, then you keep trading with zero monthly cost.

If you upgrade to Funded Live for direct market routing, there's a $140/month professional data fee. But that's optional — you can stay on Funded Sim forever if you want.

What You Can Trade at TradeDay

TradeDay specializes in futures contracts — not stocks, not forex, not crypto. Futures only.

Permitted Futures Contracts

You can trade 50+ different futures contracts across multiple asset classes:

Equity Indices: ES (S&P 500), NQ (Nasdaq 100), YM (Dow), RTY (Russell 2000), and all their micro versions (MES, MNQ, MYM, M2K)

Commodities: CL (crude oil), NG (natural gas), GC (gold), SI (silver), HG (copper), plus agricultural futures like corn, wheat, soybeans

Bonds & Interest Rates: ZB (30-year bonds), ZN (10-year notes), ZF (5-year notes), plus Eurodollars

Currencies: 6E (Euro), 6J (Yen), 6B (British Pound), plus other major currency pairs

Metals: GC (gold), SI (silver), HG (copper), plus platinum and palladium

The most popular contracts are ES, NQ, and their micro equivalents (MES, MNQ). About 70% of TradeDay traders focus on equity index futures because of the liquidity and tight spreads.

For the complete permitted products list, see the products guide.

Position Limits by Account Size

You can't trade unlimited size. TradeDay restricts position sizing based on account size:

• $50K account: 1 standard contract (or 10 micros)
• $100K account: 2 standard contracts (or 20 micros)
• $150K account: 3 standard contracts (or 30 micros)

These limits apply during both evaluation and funded phases. If you want to trade larger size, you need multiple funded accounts — which is what most profitable traders end up doing.

Who TradeDay Is Actually For

TradeDay works best for specific types of traders. Here's the honest breakdown:

Good Fit: Experienced Futures Traders

If you've been trading futures for 6+ months and you have a profitable strategy that works in sim, TradeDay gives you a path to scale without risking your own capital. You already know how futures markets work, you understand leverage and margin, and you just need buying power to grow.

This is the ideal TradeDay trader.

Good Fit: Prop Trading Veterans Looking to Switch

If you've passed other prop firm evaluations (Apex, TopStep, Earn2Trade, etc.) but you're frustrated with their rules, payout speeds, or platform limitations, TradeDay offers more flexibility. The day-one payout capability and no-consistency-on-funded-accounts policies are big wins.

Maybe: Retail Traders Who Want to "Go Pro"

If you trade stocks or forex and you want to transition to futures prop trading, TradeDay can work — but you need to learn futures first. Take 1-2 months trading a demo account before spending money on a TradeDay evaluation. Futures trading is different from stock trading, and the learning curve is steep.

Not a Fit: Complete Trading Beginners

If you've never placed a trade before, don't start with TradeDay. You'll burn through $200-300 in subscription and reset fees before you figure out what you're doing. Learn to trade in a free demo account first, prove your strategy works over 30+ days, then consider a prop firm.

TradeDay is a tool for traders who already know how to trade. It's not an education program.

The Real Costs: What You'll Actually Spend

The website shows monthly subscription prices, but what do you actually spend from signup to getting funded?

Scenario 1: Pass on First Try (Best Case)

• $100K EOD account: $150 subscription for 1 month
• Activation fee: $139 when you pass
• Total: $289 to get funded

This is the absolute best case. Very few traders pass on their first attempt unless they have significant experience.

Scenario 2: Pass on Second Try (Realistic)

• Month 1: $150 subscription
• Reset fee: $139 (failed once)
• Month 2: $150 subscription
• Activation fee: $139 when you pass
• Total: $578 to get funded

This is more realistic for traders with some experience. Two attempts to figure out the specific rules and requirements.

Scenario 3: Pass on Third Try (Common)

• Month 1-2: $300 subscription (2 months)
• Reset fees: $278 (failed twice)
• Month 3: $150 subscription
• Activation fee: $139 when you pass
• Total: $867 to get funded

Still reasonable if you end up with a funded account that pays you consistently. Three attempts gives you time to learn the rules and refine your approach.

Scenario 4: Fail Multiple Times (Expensive)

Some traders burn through 5-7 attempts before passing (or giving up). At $150/month + $139 reset fees, you're looking at $1,500-2,000 spent. This is where prop firms make their money — most traders never get funded, and they pay subscription and reset fees indefinitely.

This is why it's critical to practice in demo first and have a proven strategy before subscribing.

For all pricing details and discount codes, check the complete pricing guide.

How TradeDay Makes Money (And Why That Matters)

TradeDay is a business. Understanding their revenue model helps you understand the platform's incentives.

Revenue Source #1: Subscription Fees

Every trader pays $75-225/month during evaluation. Most traders take 2-4 months to pass (or they fail and quit). That's $300-900 per trader in subscription revenue.

With thousands of active evaluation accounts, this is TradeDay's primary income source.

Revenue Source #2: Reset Fees

Every time you fail and reset, you pay $75-189 depending on account size and drawdown type. If the average trader resets 2-3 times, that's another $200-500 in revenue per trader.

Revenue Source #3: Data and Platform Fees

If you upgrade to Funded Live, you pay $140/month for professional market data. This is pure margin for TradeDay since they're just passing through CME data fees.

What TradeDay Pays Out

When you're funded and making money, TradeDay pays you 80-95% of your profits. But they're not giving you their own money — they're routing your trades through their broker connections and paying you from the actual profits your trading generates.

The prop firm model works because most traders don't pass evaluations. The ones who do pass subsidize their payouts from the fees paid by the 80% who never get funded.

This isn't a criticism — it's just the business model. It means TradeDay's incentive is to make evaluations passable but not easy. Too hard and nobody signs up. Too easy and they lose money on payouts.

Common TradeDay Questions From New Traders

Is TradeDay a Scam or Legit?

TradeDay is legitimate. They've been operating since 2022, they pay out funded traders regularly, and they're transparent about their rules and requirements. Thousands of traders have passed evaluations and received payouts.

That said, most traders who sign up don't get funded. That's true of every prop firm — passing rates are typically 10-20%. So while TradeDay is legit, it's not a guaranteed money-making opportunity.

Do I Need to Pay Taxes on TradeDay Profits?

Yes. In the US, you're treated as an independent contractor. TradeDay will issue a 1099 if you earn over $600/year. International traders need to check their local tax laws — TradeDay doesn't withhold taxes for non-US traders.

For full tax details, see the tax status guide.

Can I Have Multiple TradeDay Accounts?

Yes. Most profitable traders end up running 2-5 funded accounts simultaneously. You can have multiple evaluation accounts and multiple funded accounts at the same time. Each account is independent — different account sizes, different drawdown types, whatever you want.

For scaling strategies, see the multiple accounts policy.

What Happens If I Lose My Funded Account?

If you hit max drawdown on a funded account, that account is closed and you lose access to it. But you don't owe TradeDay anything — there's no debt or clawback. You just start fresh with a new evaluation if you want to try again.

Can I Withdraw My Subscription Fees If I Change My Mind?

No. Subscription fees are non-refundable once you start trading. Some traders think of it like a "free trial" they can cancel, but you're paying for access to the evaluation platform — not paying for a guaranteed funded account.

Check the refund policy details before subscribing.

TradeDay Compared to Major Competitors

Here's how TradeDay stacks up against other top futures prop firms:

TradeDay's biggest advantages are the day-one payout capability and no consistency rule once funded. The platform flexibility is also a major win if you already have a preferred trading platform.

Frequently Asked Questions

How long does it take to pass a TradeDay evaluation?

Most traders complete their evaluation in 2-4 weeks. There's no time limit — you can take months if needed. The evaluation stays active as long as you maintain your subscription.

Can I trade from any country?

TradeDay accepts traders from most countries except those with specific restrictions (certain sanctioned countries, regions with strict financial regulations). Check with TradeDay support before subscribing if you're outside the US, Canada, UK, or EU.

Do I need a lot of starting capital?

No. You only need enough to cover the monthly subscription ($75-225) and potentially reset fees. You're not depositing trading capital — TradeDay provides the capital once you pass.

What if I've never traded futures before?

Start with free demo accounts on platforms like Tradovate or NinjaTrader. Trade for 1-2 months to learn how futures work before spending money on a TradeDay evaluation. Futures trading is complex and has significant risks even in sim.

Can I use TradeDay with a full-time job?

Yes. Many TradeDay traders work full-time and trade during evenings or lunch breaks. Futures markets are open nearly 24 hours (Sunday evening through Friday afternoon), so you can trade around your schedule.

How much can I realistically make with TradeDay?

This entirely depends on your trading skill. Some funded traders make $500-1,000/month per funded account. Top traders with multiple funded accounts make $5K-10K+/month. But most traders never get funded or don't make consistent profits once funded.

Is there a free trial?

No. TradeDay doesn't offer free trials. You pay the subscription fee to start your evaluation. Some traders consider the first month a "trial" and cancel if it's not for them, but the fee is non-refundable.

Bottom Line: Is TradeDay Worth It?

TradeDay is a solid prop trading firm with transparent rules, fast payouts, and flexible platform options. It's not the cheapest option, but it's also not the most expensive. The evaluation is passable but requires actual trading skill.

You should consider TradeDay if:

• You already know how to trade futures profitably
• You want access to more capital without risking your own money
• You like having multiple platform options
• You value fast payout processing (day one capability)
• You're willing to pay $300-600 to prove your skill and get funded

You should skip TradeDay if:

• You're brand new to trading (learn in demo first)
• You can't afford to spend $200-400 on evaluation attempts
• You're not comfortable trading under strict rules and position limits
• You're looking for passive income (this requires active trading)

For complete details on TradeDay's features, rules, payouts, and real trader experiences, check the full TradeDay review.

If you're ready to start, make sure you understand the evaluation rules, choose the right account size and drawdown type, and go in with realistic expectations.

Good luck.

Your Next Steps

‍👉 Start Trading at TradeDay Today

‍👉 Read My Full TradeDay Review

‍👉 Check out TradeDay´s Payout Rules

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