Futures Prop Firms - The Best For 2024 - Living From Trading (2024)

Futures trading can be quite expensive, and when our account is small, it’s difficult to cover the costs and even make a profit on top of that.

The solution that a lot of traders find is to apply to a futures funded account from a proprietary firm.

In this article, you’ll learn what are the top best futures trading prop firms and you’ll be able to compare them to choose the best one for your personal situation.

The Top 3 Best Futures Prop Firms

Let’s start with the list of the 3 best futures proprietary trading firms.

Topstep

Rating: 4.9

REVIEW

Topstep is a Futures prop firm, located in Chicago, Illinois, USA. It was founded in 2010. Read the full Topstep review

FEATURES

Instruments: Equity Futures, Foreign Exchange Futures, Agricultural Futures, Energy, Interest Rates Futures, Metals Futures.

Max balance: $150,000

Profit split: 90%

Cost: from $165/month

Platforms: TSTrader, NinjaTrader, Quantower, TradingView, Sierra Chart, T4, Jigsaw Daytradr, Multicharts, R|Trader Pro, VolFix, Trade Navigator, ATAS OrderFlow Trading, MotiveWave, Bookmap, Investor/RT

Apex Trader Funding

Rating: 4.9

REVIEW

Apex Trader Funding is a Futures prop firm, located in Austin, Texas, USA. It was founded in 2021. Read the full Apex Trader Funding review

FEATURES

Instruments: Equity Futures, Foreign Exchange Futures, Agricultural Futures, Energy, Interest Rates Futures, Metals Futures, Crypto Futures.

Max balance: $300,000

Profit split: 90%

Cost: from $137/month

Platforms: NinjaTrader, Tradovate, TradingView, Wealthcharts (web platform), Trader, ATAS, Bookmap, Edgeclear, Finamark, Jigsaw Trading, Motivewave, Quantower, Rithmic, Sierra Chart, Volfix, and Rithmic

The Trading Pit

Rating: 4.8

REVIEW

The Trading Pit is a Futures, and Forex prop firm, located in Liechtenstein. It was founded in 2021. Read the full The Trading Pit review

FEATURES

Instruments: Forex, Indices, Metals, Commodities, Stocks, Crypto, Equity Futures, Foreign Exchange Futures, Agricultural Futures, Energy, Interest Rates Futures, Metals Futures, Crypto Futures.

Max balance: $5,000,000

Profit split: up to 80%

Cost: from €99/month

Platforms: MetaTrader 4, MetaTrader 5, ATAS, Quantower, R/Trader, Bookmap, Sierra Charts, Jigsaw, and Volfix

Other Interesting Futures Prop Trading Firms

These futures prop firms are not at the top 3, but are also interesting, and generally not really far away from the previous ones in terms of quality and services provided.

Prop Firm Type Profit Split Cost Max Balance Rating Review Visit
Futures 80% from $150/month $150,000

4.8

Read review
Futures 90% from $145/month $100,000

4.8

Read review
Futures Prop Firms - The Best For 2024 - Living From Trading (6) Futures 90% from $125/month $250,000

4.7

Read review
Futures Prop Firms - The Best For 2024 - Living From Trading (7) Futures 80% from $150/month $400,000

4.7

Read review
Futures Prop Firms - The Best For 2024 - Living From Trading (8) Futures up to 80% from $89/month $200,000

4.7

Read review
Futures 90% from $115/month $250,000

4.7

Read review
Futures up to 90% from $26/month $300,000

4.6

Read review
Futures Prop Firms - The Best For 2024 - Living From Trading (11) Futures 90% from $99/month $250,000

4.6

Read review
Futures 80% from $80/month $300,000

4.0

Read review

How Should I Choose A Futures Prop Firm

If you are undecided between two or more futures prop trading firms, you can use our prop firm comparison tool. Just choose the firms that you want to compare and immediately check the results with a detailed comparison.

Compare Any Prop Firm

How Were These Futures Prop Trading Firms Chosen And Rated

The futures prop firms that appear here were rated based on different factors, which include:

  • Difficulty: How easy it is to pass the prop firm challenges or evaluations.
  • Futures platforms: The range of futures trading platforms available.
  • Customer support: How fast and reliable the prop firm’s customer support is in solving your problems and answering your questions.
  • Profit split: How much of the profits the prop firm shares with you.
  • Instruments: How vast the range of futures instruments available to trade is.
  • Cost: How much does a futures funded account cost to apply and maintain.
  • User Rating: How good the futures prop firm is rated by other users.

What Can You Trade On A Futures Prop Firm

Typically, you can trade CME Futures Assets with futures prop trading firms. That includes CME, CBOT, NYMEX, and COMEX.

The instruments available in the vast majority of the futures proprietary trading firms are:

  • Equity Futures
  • Foreign Exchange Futures
  • Agricultural Futures
  • Energy Futures
  • Interest Rate Futures
  • Metals Futures
  • Crypto Futures

How Big Are The Funded Accounts

The maximum futures prop firm’s funded accounts typically go from $150,00 to $400,000.

These accounts are not limited by margin but by the maximum number of contracts that you can trade based on the account size. This is a typical characteristic of futures trading funding.

How Much Is The Profit Split

For instant funded accounts, the profit split is not big, usually around 50%.

For funded accounts after a challenge, the payout is between 80% and 90%. This means that the futures proprietary firm only keeps 10% to 20% of the profits that you made.

Besides that, it’s also normal that the trader gets 100% of the first profits. This ranges between the first $5,000 and $10,000 in profits.

What Trading Platforms Are Available?

The vast majority of the most popular futures trading platforms are supported by futures prop firms.

Just to mention some: Ninjatrader, Rithmic, Bookmap, Agena Trader, Motive Wave, Photon, Collective2, InsideEdge Trader, Optimus Flow, ScalpTool, Medved Trader, Quantower, Trade Navigator, Overcharts, Sierra Chart, Volfix, TigerTrade, MultiCharts, QScalp, QST, TSLAB, and more.

Are Futures Prop Firms Legit?

Yes, Futures prop trading firms are legit and exist as real companies. The vast majority is registered in the US.

If you read the individual review for each prop firm you’ll find more details about the company and how to contact them.

Advantages Of Futures Prop Firms

  • When trading Futures, you are trading a “real market”
  • You don’t need to risk your own capital to trade.
  • You can get funded with big-sized accounts, so you don’t need to overleverage and gamble your small account to potentially make decent profits.
  • You are forced to follow proper risk management rules.

Disadvantages Of Futures Prop Firms

  • A lot of futures trading platforms are paid, although some futures prop firms may offer them for free, during the challenge phase and also after you get a funded account.
  • The real-time data is frequently paid as an extra. Some prop firms may offer it for free though.
  • There’s a monthly cost associated, even after you pass the challenge and get a futures funded account.
  • They keep a small part of the profits for them.

Learn More

  • What is prop trading
  • Prop firms comparison tool
  • List of thebest prop trading firms
Futures Prop Firms - The Best For 2024 - Living From Trading (2024)

FAQs

What are the best prop firms for futures in 2024? ›

A list of the Best Prop Firms For Futures for March 2024 are: FTMO – Best for multiple trading strategies. TopStepTrader – Best overall. Lux Trading Firm.

Can you make a living off trading futures? ›

Trading futures for a living is a compelling idea — but to do it successfully, you'll need sufficient startup capital and a well-designed trading plan. You'll also need a trading platform that offers fast, reliable access and the right technological tools.

What is the best futures funded prop firm? ›

Apex Trader Funding is the best futures prop trading firm on this list for a variety of reasons, but most notably because it boasts the highest pass rate for its evaluation program out of all the futures prop firms on this list. It is also by far the most friendly option for beginner futures traders.

Can you make a living trading for a prop firm? ›

Prop trading can be lucrative, with earnings tied to a profit-sharing ratio. Unlike traditional brokers relying on commissions, prop traders' income directly links to generated profits. Ratios vary, often ranging from 75/100 to 90/100, offering flexibility based on experience and strategy.

Which is the most trusted prop firm? ›

Best Prop Trading Firms 2024 - Reviewed by Experts
  • Topstep.
  • The 5%ers.
  • Earn2Trade.
  • SurgeTrader.
  • FTMO.
  • E8.
  • City Traders Imperium.
  • Fidelcrest.
Feb 2, 2024

What futures are most profitable? ›

What futures are most profitable? Trading in futures markets such as the Micro E-Mini Russell 2000 (M2K), Micro E-Mini S&P 500 (MES), Micro E-Mini Dow (MYM), and Micro E-Micro FX contracts can be highly profitable due to their distinct market characteristics.

What is the 80% rule in futures trading? ›

–If the market opens up inside of value and then trades out of value, the rule applies the same way. If the market can trade back inside value for two consecutive 30 minute periods, then it has an 80% chance of rotating to the other side of value.

What is the average income for a futures day trader? ›

Futures Trader salary estimates from across the web

Based on the latest salary information compiled by Zippia, Salary.com, Glassdoor, SalaryExpert, Comparably and Payscale, the average salary for a futures trader typically falls between $71,870 and $219,505.

How much do top futures traders make? ›

$192,500

How many traders pass prop firms? ›

The article from Lux Trading Firm provides slightly different results. According to it, 4% of traders, on average, pass prop firm challenges. But only 1% of traders kept their funded accounts for a reasonable amount of time.

How do I choose a prop trading firm? ›

Don't just pick the first prop trading firm you find. Choose one with a good reputation, support for traders, good tools, safety measures, fair costs, and a friendly community. This way, you can trade smarter and have a better chance at success.

Which prop firm has the lowest spread? ›

**SMB Capital**: Specializing in equities trading, SMB Capital is known for its low trading costs and competitive spreads. 5. **Candlestick Trading Forum (CTF)**: CTF is a prop firm that focuses on Forex trading and is reputed for offering tight spreads.

How stressful is prop trading? ›

It's a competitive, high-stress field with drawbacks like any other career. It's also awash with less-than-reputable firms that offer zero base pay, limited profit sharing and often make new hires pay for training and tech. Avoid these types of firms as they're a ticket to plenty of risk with minimal reward.

How much money do you need to start a prop trading firm? ›

To summarize, the amount of money you need to open a prop firm can range from $10,000 to $1 million, depending on the type of prop firm, the technology, the registration, the liquidity, and the CRM tool.

Is prop trading lucrative? ›

Proprietary traders have access to sophisticated software and pools of information to help them make critical decisions. Although commonly viewed as risky, proprietary trading is often one of the most profitable operations of a commercial or investment bank.

Does FTMO allow futures trading? ›

For example, FTMO clients can access CFD contracts on stock indices, crypto or futures with zero commission. However, the truth is that trading Futures is still much more difficult financially because of paying for the data feed and platforms.

What is going long in futures? ›

Going long in a future means the holder of the position is obliged to buy the underlying instrument at the contract price at expiry. The holder of the position will profit if the price of the underlying instrument goes up, as the price he will pay will be less than the market price.

What is the most volatile futures contract? ›

Crude oil (CL) provides decent volume, but it also requires the most margin and is the most volatile.

What are the most active futures? ›

Most Active
SymNameLast Update
ZCN24Corn07:44
SQU283-Month SOFR08:04
ZQV2430-Day Fed Funds08:04
LEM24Live Cattle
45 more rows

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