TradeDay
CEO
James Thorpe
Country
US
Date Created
Jan, 2020
Years in Operation
6
Restricted Countries
Afghanistan
Belarus
Central African Republic
Cuba
Iran
Iraq
Libya
Mali
Myanmar
North Korea
Russia
Somalia
South Sudan
Sudan
Syria
Venezuela
Yemen
Platforms:
Tradovate
Payment Methods:
Payout Methods
What Is TradeDay?
TradeDay is a Chicago-based futures proprietary trading firm founded in 2020 by CEO James Thorpe (15+ years of full-time futures trading experience, former CEO of Mercury Derivatives) and co-founder Steve Miley (13 years as Head of Technical Analysis at Merrill Lynch and Credit Suisse). The firm holds a 4.6/5 Trustpilot rating from 1,300+ verified reviews. All accounts are futures-only, covering CME Group markets. Payouts are processed via Rise (Riseworks) and consistently delivered next business day — a Day 1 payout structure that is one of the fastest guarantees in the industry.
What makes TradeDay structurally unique is its three-drawdown-type system: traders choose betweenIntraday Trailing,End-of-Day (EOD) Trailing, orStaticdrawdown at the time of purchase. No other futures prop firm lets you select your drawdown model before you start. Add a funded-stage profit split that starts at 100% on the first $10K and escalates to 95% at $100K lifetime — the highest long-term split structure in the space — and TradeDay stands out as one of the most trader-aligned firms operating in 2026. The firm also provides daily market research, live webinars, 1-on-1 coaching, and a CoPilot membership programme as part of its evaluation, at no extra cost.
Evaluation Rules
TradeDay uses a single-phase evaluation with no time limit. Traders must complete a minimum of 5 trading days and hit the profit target without breaching the maximum drawdown. A 30% consistency rule applies during the evaluation — no single day's profit can exceed 30% of the profit target. If you exceed 30% on a given day, the target adjusts upward proportionally rather than failing the account. Once funded, the consistency rule is completely removed. All three drawdown types trail upward but lock at the starting balance — once your account profits push the floor to the starting balance, it freezes permanently and never tightens further.
The Drawdown Lock:Both Intraday and EOD trailing drawdowns at TradeDay trail upward until the floor reaches the starting balance — then they stop permanently. On a $50K account with a $2,000 drawdown, the floor starts at $48,000 and trails up. Once your profits move it to $50,000, it locks at $50,000 forever. This is a major structural advantage over firms whose drawdowns trail indefinitely — after the lock, your only downside risk is a return to your starting balance, and all profit above that is safe.
The Buffer Zone:The payout buffer is your starting balance plus your max drawdown. On a $50K Intraday account, you cannot withdraw until your settled EOD balance exceeds $52,000 (buffer). Withdrawals submitted while the balance is between $50,000 and $52,000 (inside the buffer) are split 50/50 rather than 80/20. Wait until you are clearly above the buffer before submitting your first payout request — the split improvement from being patient is significant.
Account Sizes & Pricing
TradeDay offers three account sizes — $50K, $100K, and $150K — each available in all three drawdown types, creating nine distinct configurations. Monthly pricing ranges from $125/month (Intraday $50K) to $375/month (EOD $150K). A 30% discount code (SAVE30) is regularly available, bringing the Intraday $50K entry to approximately $88/month. A one-time $139 activation fee applies on passing — this is waived during promotional periods. Each subscription renewal includes one free reset. Paid resets run $80–$149 depending on account size and drawdown type.
Intraday Trailingis the cheapest entry but uses a real-time trailing floor that follows unrealized open equity.EOD Trailingcosts more but only adjusts the floor at session close — the recommended choice for most traders.Staticuses a completely fixed floor that never moves — lower profit targets and fewer contracts, but the most predictable risk environment. Note: full-size Gold (GC), Silver (SI), Copper (HG), and Platinum (PL) contracts are restricted on all accounts as of February 2026.
| Drawdown Type | Account Size | Profit Target | Max Drawdown | Max Contracts | Monthly Fee |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Intraday | $50,000 | $3,000 | $2,000 | 5 contracts | $125/mo |
| Intraday | $100,000 | $6,000 | $3,000 | 10 contracts | $200/mo |
| Intraday | $150,000 | $9,000 | $4,500 | 15 contracts | $300/mo |
| EOD | $50,000 | $3,000 | $2,000 | 5 contracts | $175/mo |
| EOD | $100,000 | $6,000 | $3,000 | 10 contracts | $275/mo |
| EOD | $150,000 | $9,000 | $4,000 | 15 contracts | $375/mo |
| Static | $50,000 | $1,500 | $500 (fixed) | 1 contract | $165/mo |
| Static | $100,000 | $2,500 | $750 (fixed) | 2 contracts | $250/mo |
| Static | $150,000 | $3,750 | $1,000 (fixed) | 3 contracts | $350/mo |
Funded Account & Payouts
Once a trader passes evaluation, they receive a Funded Sim account. Day 1 payouts are available immediately — no waiting period after passing. Payout requests must be submitted by 5:30 PM CT; they process the next business day. The minimum withdrawal is $250 with no maximum frequency. After your 3rd withdrawal on the Funded Sim, TradeDay may transition you to a Funded Live account with real capital. Every $5,000 in gross profit on the Funded Sim triggers a milestone review — the account pauses briefly while the Head of Trading reviews performance, and any profits generated above the milestone threshold during that session are forfeited. Traders can hold up to 6 evaluation accounts and 3 funded sim accounts simultaneously.
The profit split is lifetime-tiered and escalates permanently as cumulative withdrawals grow — making TradeDay the strongest long-term earning structure of any futures prop firm in 2026.
After your3rd successful withdrawalon the Funded Sim, TradeDay reviews your account for transition to a Funded Live account — real capital, real execution, same rule structure. Only the profit remaining in the account (not already withdrawn) transfers. The drawdown resets to the original trailing position on graduation, so the buffer-clearing process starts fresh on the live account.
Platforms & Instruments
TradeDay supports seven platforms — the widest selection of any firm reviewed in this series. Tradovate is the primary platform and default setup. NinjaTrader connects via CQG data feed for desktop-native execution. TradingView provides browser-based charting and order entry. Jigsaw Daytradr is available for volume and order-flow traders who rely on reconstructed tape and DOM analysis. Quantower and ATAS are also supported. TradeDayX is the firm's own proprietary zero-setup interface. Rithmic data is not available, which means no MBO (Market By Order) data for traders who require it. Third-party automated trading bots and purchased ATS systems are prohibited. Custom algorithms built and executed through the supported platforms are permitted provided they make genuine market-based decisions.
Pros & Cons
- ✓Three drawdown types chosen at purchase — the only futures prop firm that lets you pick Intraday, EOD, or Static at signup
- ✓Trailing drawdown locks at starting balance — after the lock, your floor is permanent and the risk profile becomes structurally easier
- ✓Profit split escalates to 95% — the highest lifetime split ceiling of any futures prop firm; 100% on the first $10K
- ✓Day 1 payouts with next-business-day processing — no waiting window after funding
- ✓No daily loss limit on any account type
- ✓No consistency rule on funded accounts — completely free distribution of profits at payout time
- ✓Seven platforms including Jigsaw Daytradr and ATAS for order-flow and volume traders
- ✓Free US bank wire payouts — no withdrawal fee for domestic traders
- ✓Path to Live funded account after 3rd withdrawal — real capital execution with same rule structure
- ✓Daily research, live webinars, and 1-on-1 coaching included at no extra cost — rare in the futures prop space
- ✗30% consistency rule during evaluation — one large winning day silently raises the target, extending the timeline without warning
- ✗$139 activation fee on passing — not waived unless there is an active promotion
- ✗$5K milestone review pauses the funded account and forfeits profits above the threshold generated in that session
- ✗No overnight holding permitted — strictly intraday only, positions auto-close at session end
- ✗No Rithmic — no MBO data for traders who require Level 3 order flow analysis
- ✗Full-size Gold, Silver, Copper, and Platinum contracts restricted as of February 2026 — micro-only on metals
- ✗Drawdown resets to original position on graduation to Funded Live — the buffer-clearing process starts over on the live account
MarketGrid Verdict
TradeDay is one of the most structurally sophisticated futures prop firms available in 2026. The three-drawdown model — where you choose your risk profile at purchase — is unique across the entire industry. The drawdown-lock mechanic that permanently freezes the floor at starting balance once profits are large enough dramatically reduces ongoing risk compared to firms with indefinitely trailing drawdowns. The 95% lifetime split ceiling, Day 1 payouts with free US bank wires, and the Path to Live funded account after 3 withdrawals are all genuinely exceptional features that no single competitor currently replicates in combination.
The one friction point that catches traders off guard is the 30% evaluation consistency rule — a single large winning day silently raises the profit target, and traders who don't notice can find themselves working toward a target 30–50% higher than they expected. Track your best day relative to total profit throughout the evaluation. Beyond that, TradeDay is one of the most transparent, trader-aligned, and operationally reliable futures prop firms in the space.
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