Apex Trader Funding vs Goat Funded Trader

On the numbers: Goat Funded Trader has the cheaper entry point. The right choice depends on which of those you weigh most - the rules, pricing and payout detail below is where they really separate.

Apex Trader Funding

1-step eval. 90% split, 24-48h payouts.

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Goat Funded Trader

multiple eval. 100% split, bi-weekly payouts.

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At a glance

	Apex Trader Funding	Goat Funded Trader
TradingBay Rating	8.3 ★	7.4
Category	Futures	Forex
Founded	2021	2023
Profit Split	100%	Up to 100%
Payout Cycle	Every 8 days	Bi-weekly
Account Sizes	$25K–$150K	$2.5K–$400K
Cheapest Challenge	$199	$36 ★
Platforms	NinjaTrader, Tradovate, Rithmic / R\|Trader Pro, TradingView (via Tradovate), WealthCharts	MetaTrader 5, cTrader, Match-Trader, TradeLocker, Volumetrica
Trustpilot	4.2	-

Which is cheaper at $50K and $100K?

Lowest listed price for that account size, across each firm's challenge types.

	Apex Trader Funding	Goat Funded Trader
$25K account	$199	-
$50K account	$249	-
$100K account	$399 ★	$438
$200K account	-	$665

Rules head-to-head

Drawdown type is the rule that catches most traders out - read it before the profit split.

	Apex Trader Funding	Goat Funded Trader
Rules grade	C+ - Simple rules, restrictive payout structure	C - Permissive headline rules, but dense fine print and strict enforcement
Drawdown type	EOD: trailing threshold recalculated once daily at market close, enforced next session (includes unrealized PnL on PA). Intraday: real-time trailing on peak balance incl. unrealized gains; never resets down.	Trailing on most models (1-Step 6%, 2-Step Goat/Standard 10%, Blitz 5%, Instant 4-6%); static 8% on the 3-Step; 2-Step Pro 8%
Daily loss limit	EOD plans: fixed DLL ($500/$1,000/$1,500/$2,000 by size; tier-scaled on PA) - hitting it pauses trading for the session, no fail. Intraday plans: none.	1-Step/2-Step Goat/2-Step Pro/3-Step: 4%; 2-Step Standard: 5%; Blitz: 3% trailing; Instant Goat: 3%; Instant Pro: none
Profit target	-	1-Step: 10%. 2-Step Goat: 8%/6%. Standard: 10%/5%. Pro: 8%/4%. 3-Step: 6% per phase. Blitz: 3%. Instant: none
Consistency rule	None during evaluation. 50% on funded PA: no single day may be >=50% of profit since last approved payout.	None on standard challenges; 15% on Instant Goat and the $1 model; 20% on Instant Pro (best day vs total profit)
News trading	Permitted (no blanket restriction).	Allowed, but profit on trades opened/closed within 5 minutes of high-impact news is capped at 1% of the account
EAs / automation	Prohibited activities ban rule circumvention and cross-account hedging; evaluations must be passed with independent directional trading. Up to 20 PAs concurrently.	EAs allowed; copy trading across different individuals prohibited and aggressively enforced (similar entries can be flagged); 'unauthorized device usage' checks apply
Weekend holding	Not applicable - positions are closed by session end; no overnight/weekend holding.	Allowed
Min trading days	None in evaluation (one-day pass possible). PA payouts need 5 qualifying profit days per cycle.	3 valid days (each closing at least +0.5%) on challenges; 5 on Goat Blitz; 5-7 on Instant models
Time limit	30 calendar days of access per one-time fee; no extensions, no resets - failed or expired evals require a new purchase.	No time limits on any challenge phase; Blitz runs on limited weekend windows with a short completion window

Payouts head-to-head

	Apex Trader Funding	Goat Funded Trader
Profit split (full terms)	100% of approved payouts (no split on sim-funded Performance Accounts)	80% base, upgradable to 100% via paid add-on
Payout frequency	Up to weekly - after 5 qualifying profit days per cycle; review within ~2 business days, funds sent in 3-4 business days	Bi-weekly (every 14 days) by default; first reward on demand after 3% profit and 3 trading days; 48-72h processing with a 2-business-day guarantee (+$1,000 if missed)
First payout	After 5 qualifying profit days (min daily profit $100-$350 by size) and balance above safety net (drawdown limit + $100) plus $500	On demand once the funded account has 3% profit and 3 valid trading days (KYC required for the first withdrawal)
Minimum payout	$500 per request	$100
Scaling	Tier-based scaling on Performance Accounts: contract limits and daily loss limits increase with end-of-day balance; payout ladder rises from $1,000-$2,500 (payout #1) to $1,000-$5,000 (payout #6) by size	Scaling plan up to $2M in simulated capital; maximum initial funding $400K

Who should choose which?

Choose Apex Trader Funding if…

Neither firm has a clear data-backed edge here - decide on the rules and platform you prefer.

Choose Goat Funded Trader if…

· You want the cheaper entry ($36 vs $199).

· You want to withdraw more often (Bi-weekly vs Every 8 days).

· You want no clock on the evaluation.

· You swing trade and hold over the weekend.

· You want an instant-funded option with no evaluation.