TradeDay vs Elite Trader Funding – Prop Firm Comparison
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Introduction
TradeDay and Elite Trader Funding are both futures prop firms built around CME Group markets, which makes them direct competitors for traders who want funded access to contracts like ES, NQ, CL and GC. TradeDay, founded 2020 (Chicago, IL) funds $50K / $100K / $150K accounts on CME futures, keeps 80% from day one, up to 95%, and runs single-step evaluation, with day-one payouts, no consistency rule. Elite Trader Funding, founded 2022 (United States) funds Multiple sizes (six evaluation pathways) accounts on CME futures, keeps up to 100%, and runs six pathways incl. Direct to Funded (instant), with standard processing. TradeDay is best for futures traders who want fast day-one payouts and flexible drawdown options, while Elite Trader Funding suits futures traders who want flexible evaluation pathways and the option to hold over weekends.
Quick Facts
| Feature | TradeDay | Elite Trader Funding |
|---|---|---|
| 
| |
| Founded | — | 2022-02 |
| Profit Split | Quick Pay Sim: 50%/80% by portion around $4,000 current profit; Fast Pass Sim: 80%; Live: 90% eligible profits, Quick Pay buffer portion 50% | Up to 100% SIM (round/lifetime caps); 80% LIVE ELITE |
| Maximum Account Size | — | $250,000 |
| Evaluation Phases | 1 | 1 |
| Trustpilot Rating | 4.6 | 3.8 |
| Expert Grade | 8.9 | 7.9 |
Program Types
| Program | TradeDay | Elite Trader Funding |
|---|---|---|
| Entry Level Program | Yes | 1-Step |
| Advanced Program | Yes | Diamond Hands |
| Scaling Options | Yes | No |
| Demo Account | Yes | Yes |
Rules & Assessment
| Criteria | TradeDay | Elite Trader Funding |
|---|---|---|
| Profit Target | $1,500/$3,000/$6,000/$9,000 for 25K/50K/100K/150K evaluations | 6 |
| Maximum Drawdown | $1,000/$2,000/$3,000/$4,500 for 25K/50K/100K/150K evaluation and Funded Sim; trailing floor freezes at starting balance; Live rules differ | Plan-dependent: static, intraday or EOD trail; fixed breach floor remains after safety net |
| Minimum Trading Days | Quick Pay vs Fast Pass — Quick Pay: 5 Quick Pay vs Fast Pass — Fast Pass: None | The Product Line — 1 Step Live Trailing: 5 The Product Line — Static: 5 The Product Line — End of Day: 5 The Product Line — Diamond Hands: 5 The Product Line — Fast Track: 3 The Product Line — Direct to Funded: None |
| News Trading | No | Yes |
| Daily Loss Limit | — | The Product Line — 1 Step Live Trailing: None The Product Line — Static: None The Product Line — End of Day: Yes, from the prior day close The Product Line — Diamond Hands: Yes, from the prior day close The Product Line — Fast Track: None The Product Line — Direct to Funded: None |
| Drawdown Type | — | The Product Line — 1 Step Live Trailing: Intraday trailing, follows highest unrealised profit The Product Line — Static: Static, never trails The Product Line — End of Day: End-of-day trailing on the highest closing balance The Product Line — Diamond Hands: End-of-day trailing The Product Line — Fast Track: EOD trailing or static by variant, $500 floor The Product Line — Direct to Funded: EOD trailing on 10K, 25K and 50K, static on 100K |
| Time Limit | — | The Product Line — 1 Step Live Trailing: None, renews every 30 days The Product Line — Static: None, renews every 30 days The Product Line — End of Day: None, renews every 30 days The Product Line — Diamond Hands: None, renews every 30 days The Product Line — Fast Track: 10 calendar days The Product Line — Direct to Funded: None, one-time fee |
| Consistency / Best Day Rule | Quick Pay vs Fast Pass — Quick Pay: 30% Quick Pay vs Fast Pass — Fast Pass: 45% | — |
| Maximum Contracts | — | The Product Line — 1 Step Live Trailing: 8 (50K) / 14 (100K) / 24 (250K) minis; no limit published for 150K The Product Line — Static: 1 / 2 / 4 minis The Product Line — End of Day: 8 / 14 / 18 minis The Product Line — Diamond Hands: 2 minis The Product Line — Fast Track: 1 mini The Product Line — Direct to Funded: 2 (10K) / check dashboard (25K) / 5 (50K) / 3 (100K) minis |
Fees & Pricing
| Option | TradeDay | Elite Trader Funding |
|---|---|---|
| Futures $10K Account | Not listed in review pricing source | Static Drawdown / USD 147 / One-time Official evaluation list price; auto-renews every 30 days. Source Checked 2026-08-10 Fast Track EOD / USD 57 / One-time Official list price; no monthly renewal; funded activation is initially included, then USD 87 monthly. Source Checked 2026-08-10 Fast Track Static / USD 77 / One-time Official list price; no monthly renewal; funded activation is initially included, then USD 87 monthly. Source Checked 2026-08-10 Direct To Funded / USD 357 / One-time Official one-time list price; no monthly evaluation subscription. Source Checked 2026-08-10 |
| Futures $25K Account | Not listed in review pricing source | Static Drawdown / USD 277 / One-time Official evaluation list price; auto-renews every 30 days. Source Checked 2026-08-10 |
| Futures $50K Account | Quick Pay Intraday / USD 125 / Monthly Quick Pay Intraday list price; monthly subscription; no activation fee. Source Checked 2026-08-09 | 1 Step / USD 207 / One-time Official evaluation list price; auto-renews every 30 days. Source Checked 2026-08-10 Static Drawdown / USD 497 / One-time Official evaluation list price; auto-renews every 30 days. Source Checked 2026-08-10 End of Day / USD 347 / One-time Official evaluation list price; auto-renews every 30 days. Source Checked 2026-08-10 Direct To Funded / USD 747 / One-time Official one-time list price; no monthly evaluation subscription. Source Checked 2026-08-10 |
| Futures $100K Account | Quick Pay Intraday / USD 230 / Monthly Quick Pay Intraday list price; monthly subscription; no activation fee. Source Checked 2026-08-09 | 1 Step / USD 257 / One-time Official evaluation list price; auto-renews every 30 days. Source Checked 2026-08-10 End of Day / USD 487 / One-time Official evaluation list price; auto-renews every 30 days. Source Checked 2026-08-10 Diamond Hands / USD 397 / One-time Official evaluation list price; auto-renews every 30 days. Source Checked 2026-08-10 Direct To Funded / USD 997 / One-time Official one-time list price; no monthly evaluation subscription. Source Checked 2026-08-10 |
| Futures $150K Account | Quick Pay Intraday / USD 350 / Monthly Quick Pay Intraday list price; monthly subscription; no activation fee. Source Checked 2026-08-09 | 1 Step / USD 347 / One-time Official evaluation list price; auto-renews every 30 days. Source Checked 2026-08-10 |
| Refund Policy | No refunds after purchase | All sales final, no refunds. Narrow 100% satisfaction guarantee on first purchase only |
| Coupons / Discount | TradeDay discount | Elite Trader Funding discount |
Platforms & Markets
| Feature | TradeDay | Elite Trader Funding |
|---|---|---|
| Trading Platforms | Tradovate, NinjaTrader, TradingView, Jigsaw, R-Trader Pro, Quantower, and 10 more | Tradovate, NinjaTrader, TradingView, Rithmic, R | Trader, ATAS, and 8 more |
| Forex | No | No |
| Stocks | No | No |
| Indices | — | Yes |
| Commodities | Yes: permitted energy/agricultural futures; MGC/SIL limited; GC/SI/HG/PL restricted | Yes |
| Cryptocurrencies | No | No |
| Bonds | — | Yes |
| EA/Algo Trading | — | No |
Payout
| Feature | TradeDay | Elite Trader Funding |
|---|---|---|
| Payout Terms | Minimum $250. Quick Pay Sim: day-one eligibility with positive profit; $10,000 gross-profit live-transition review. Fast Pass Sim: 5 qualifying profitable days per payout, net profit since last payout and tier caps; 45% consistency for accounts opened from 26 July 2026. | SIM Mon/Wed batches after plan-specific ATDs and safety net; minimum $100-$1,000 by plan/date. $25K per SIM round, $150K lifetime across approved re-entries. LIVE ELITE daily business-day processing, $250 minimum; Rise |
| See all prop firm payouts → | ||
Verdict
| Key Element | TradeDay | Elite Trader Funding |
|---|---|---|
| Strengths | No standard daily loss limit; Quick Pay Sim day-one payouts and no funded consistency; Fast Pass Sim retains EOD drawdown; eligible live profits receive 90% | Six distinct evaluation pathways, Diamond Hands overnight/weekend holding, Direct to Funded bypass, up to 100% profit split, $13M+ distributed |
| Weaknesses | Quick Pay Sim: stop at $10,000 gross-profit review threshold, excess forfeited; 50%/80% payout portions; intraday funded drawdown. Standard metals restricted; MGC/SIL limits. Monthly subscription. | 3.8/5 Trustpilot, futures-only, high ongoing costs, limited platform options |
| Best For | Futures traders avoiding daily loss limits; transparent disclosure valued | Futures traders seeking multi-day holding flexibility and program variety |
Conclusion and Final Recommendation
Choose TradeDay if you want a cheaper entry, from USD 125. Choose Elite Trader Funding if coverage of commodities that the other does not offer and news trading allowed matter more to you. Neither firm is better in the abstract. The right choice depends on your strategy, your budget and the instruments you trade, so read both full reviews before you commit. Verify current rules and pricing on each firm’s own site before purchasing.
Frequently asked questions
What should I know about TradeDay’s programs?
TradeDay offers a Make It Take It futures program with evaluation and Funded Sim stages. The published evaluation requires five trading days and a 30% consistency limit. TradeDay official rules.
What should I know about Elite Trader Funding’s programs?
Elite Trader Funding distinguishes evaluation, Elite Sim-Funded and LIVE ELITE stages. Its revamped EOD plan requires at least five evaluation trading days. Elite Trader Funding official rules.
How do payouts differ between TradeDay and Elite Trader Funding?
Make It Take It lists a $250 minimum request and eligibility from one funded trading day, subject to its rules. Its split is 50/50 below $4,000 net profit, 80/20 above $4,000 and 90/10 in Funded Live. TradeDay official rules.
The revamped EOD guide describes Elite Sim payouts processed on Mondays and Wednesdays and Live Elite payouts on business days. Sim payout eligibility requires the safety net, active trading days, an active subscription and compliance review. Elite Trader Funding official rules.
Which account rules matter when comparing TradeDay and Elite Trader Funding?
The selected evaluation can use end-of-day or intraday drawdown, while the displayed Funded Sim rules use intraday drawdown. Do not assume those stages have identical loss calculations. TradeDay official rules.
EOD drawdown trails the highest end-of-day balance, but open-position losses still count against intraday loss limits. Legacy accounts can have different payout and transition rules. Elite Trader Funding official rules.
Is TradeDay or Elite Trader Funding automatically the better choice?
No, neither firm is the automatic pick, and the honest answer depends on how you actually trade.
TradeDay Strengths: No daily drawdown and earned split. Watch-outs: $10 and 000 profit ceiling confiscates excess. Best suited to: Futures traders avoiding daily loss limits; transparent disclosure valued.
Elite Trader Funding Strengths: Six distinct evaluation pathways and Diamond Hands overnight/weekend holding. Watch-outs: 3.8/5 Trustpilot and futures-only. Best suited to: Futures traders seeking multi-day holding flexibility and program variety.
Which one wins for you depends on how each firm measures drawdown, what the account actually costs once resets and add-ons are included, and the evaluation objectives on the exact size you buy, rather than on the headline numbers. Check both sets of current terms before you fund an account.
Are TradeDay and Elite Trader Funding both futures-only?
Yes. Both fund traders on CME Group futures – index, energy, metals and currency contracts. Neither offers forex or CFD funded accounts, so the choice comes down to rules, platforms and payouts rather than markets.
Which firm pays out faster?
TradeDay offers day-one payouts, no consistency rule, while Elite Trader Funding offers standard processing. Match the payout cadence to how often you plan to withdraw.
Which firm has the better profit split?
TradeDay keeps 80% from day one, up to 95%, and Elite Trader Funding keeps up to 100%. The better deal depends on the account tier and how far you scale.
Does either firm offer instant funding?
TradeDay requires an evaluation, while Elite Trader Funding offers one (direct to Funded – skip evaluation, sim-funded).
Which firm gives more platform choice?
TradeDay supports Tradovate, NinjaTrader 8, TradingView, Jigsaw, while Elite Trader Funding supports NinjaTrader with Rithmic data feed.
How We Compared TradeDay and Elite Trader Funding
Both firms carry a JoinProp Rating out of 10, scored on the same nine weighted factors, led by payout reliability at 20%, then fee structure, drawdown rules and profit split at 15% each. The scores come from our own firm reviews, built from each firm’s current terms rather than its marketing pages and re-checked at least every 90 days. Affiliate relationships have no effect on any rating, and ratings are never sold. The tables above are the evidence behind those scores. Read our full ranking methodology.
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