Getting started · November 1, 2026
Prop firm demo accounts: free demo, sim evaluation or funded sim?
Traders say “demo” for three different things. Mixing them up leads to bad expectations about rules, fills and payouts. Here is how to tell them apart.
By Dee Anthony. Uses EVX’s existing verified partner cards and tier sources, not a new live pricing audit. Terms can change; confirm the exact plan before paying. Education only, not financial advice. Affiliate disclosure.
Free platform demo
Your trading platform’s practice account. No rules, no payouts, no cost. Use it to learn order entry, brackets and hotkeys before risking an evaluation fee.
Paid simulated evaluation
A prop firm evaluation is usually a simulated account with real rules attached: profit target, drawdown, daily loss and contract limits. Breaking a rule fails the account even though the money is simulated.
Funded sim account
Many funded stages are still simulated. The difference is that profits can become payouts under the firm’s rules. TradeDay, for example, calls its stage Funded Sim; BluSky uses Sim Funded.
How to practice for an evaluation
Copy the evaluation’s drawdown, daily loss and contract limits into your free demo. If you cannot respect them for two weeks in a demo, a paid attempt is unlikely to go better.
What each EVX partner card says
Taken directly from EVX’s verified partner cards. Vest Markets trades perpetual contracts, not futures. Confirm current terms with the official source before buying.
Apex Trader Funding
Last verified Nov 1, 2026
Stored account rules
50K evaluation: can pass in 1 day · Max contracts: 6 mini / 60 micro · Profit target: $3,000 · Max drawdown: $2,000. Intraday Trail: real-time trailing, no evaluation daily loss limit. EOD Trail: end-of-day reference high, enforced intraday; $1,000 daily loss limit. Neither evaluation has consistency or scaling. PA: separate scaling and daily loss rules, max 4 minis on 50K. 30-day evaluation, no resets. Both drawdown types offer Standard and No Activation Fee options.
TradeDay
Last verified Oct 30, 2026
Stored account rules
Eval: Profit target $3,000 · Trailing max drawdown $2,000 (intraday) · Position limit 5 contracts (50 micros) · Consistency 30% · Min trading days 5. Funded sim: same drawdown and position limit, no consistency rule, no milestones.
DayTraders
Last verified Oct 30, 2026
Stored account rules
Total drawdown $2,500 (intraday trailing) · No daily loss limit · Profit target $3,000 · 10 contracts (100 micros) · Min 2 qualifying days to pass · Min daily profit $200 · Consistency 50% eval / 30% pro
Top One Futures
Last verified Oct 30, 2026
Stored account rules
Profit target $3,000 · Max drawdown $2,000 (EOD) · Daily loss limit $1,000 (No-DLL option available) · Consistency on eval 40% · Max contracts 3 minis (30 micros) · Max accounts 5
Bulenox
Last verified Oct 31, 2026
Stored account rules
OPTION 2: $25,000 · EOD/Scaling/DLL · Up to 3 contracts · Target $1,500 · EOD drawdown $1,500 · Daily loss $500; $50,000 · EOD/Scaling/DLL · Up to 7 contracts · Target $3,000 · EOD drawdown $2,500 · Daily loss $1,100; $100,000 · EOD/Scaling/DLL · Up to 12 contracts · Target $6,000 · EOD drawdown $3,000 · Daily loss $2,200; $150,000 · EOD/Scaling/DLL · Up to 15 contracts · Target $9,000 · EOD drawdown $4,500 · Daily loss $3,300. No minimum qualification days. Scaling starts at 2/2/3/5 contracts respectively; limits rise and fall with Cash on Hand. 1 mini = 10 micros. Daily loss pauses trading until the next session; EOD drawdown breaches suspend the account. Close positions by 3:59 PM CT; no overnight holds.
Vest Markets
Last verified Oct 31, 2026
Stored account rules
Perpetual contracts on 60+ markets (NQ, ES, gold, crypto, stocks, FX). Instant: funded immediately, one rule — static max drawdown equal to your payment, no daily loss limit. Evaluation: 10% profit goal, static 6% max drawdown, optional 3% or 4% daily loss limit (or none). No minimum days, no time limit, no consistency rule. News trading, scalping and overnight/weekend holds allowed. Up to 50x leverage (market-dependent). Max 10 live funded accounts.
BluSky Trading
Last verified Nov 1, 2026
Stored account rules
Launch 50K: Profit target $3,000 · Max drawdown $2,000 trailing (end-of-day) · No daily loss limit · Consistency 50% (help-center rule; homepage differs) · 5 minis / 50 micros · Pass in as little as 2 days. Also 100K ($6,000 target, $2,500 EOD trailing, 10 minis) and 200K Static ($6,000 target, $2,000 static, 2 minis). Three phases: evaluation → buffer (34% consistency) → sim funded.
Frequently asked questions
Are prop firm accounts just demo accounts?
Evaluations and many funded stages are simulated, but they enforce rules and can lead to payouts. A free demo has neither.
Can I try a prop firm for free?
EVX’s partner cards list paid evaluations. Practice on your platform’s free demo first, then buy when you can follow the rules.
Do sim fills match live fills?
Not always. Simulated fills can differ from live markets, especially around news. Trade conservatively on release days.
Can I get paid from a sim account?
On a funded sim stage, yes, if you meet the firm’s payout rules. Evaluations themselves do not pay out.