๐ Best Futures Prop Firms Ranked by Maximum Drawdown (MLL) in 2026
When comparing futures prop firms, one of the most overlooked โ but critical โ rules is the
maximum loss limit (MLL). This rule sets the maximum amount you can lose before your funded trading account is closed.
A larger drawdown means more breathing room ๐ง, less chance of being cut off too early โ, and more flexibility to run trading strategies that use
bigger stop losses or longer holding times ๐น. For many traders, the size of the drawdown can be the difference between passing the evaluation
and scaling into payouts.
Below, weโve ranked the top prop firms with the biggest drawdowns in 2026, comparing their account sizes, loss limits,
and drawdown types. If youโre still unsure how rules like trailing vs. end-of-day drawdown work, see our
guide to unrealized trailing drawdown ๐.
Keep in mind: profit targets, daily loss limits, and overall pricing are just as important as drawdown when choosing the best futures prop firm.
๐ Tier 1 โ Largest Drawdowns ($6,000 โ $9,000+)
๐ฅ TickTick Trader โ $250K Zenith Account (S2F)
- Max Loss Limit (MLL): $9,000
- Drawdown Type: End-of-Day trailing
TickTickโs flagship Zenith account offers a massive $9,000 max loss limit with generous contract sizing. โก The tradeoff is a consistency rule, which requires profits to be spread across multiple trading days. Still, itโs one of the strongest choices for traders who want more cushion than typical instant funding accounts.
๐ Learn More๐ฅ Apex Trader Funding โ $300K Account
- Max Loss Limit (MLL): $7,500
- Drawdown Type: Intraday trailing
Apexโs $300K flagship account offers one of the largest buffers in the industry, but comes with a steep profit target. ๐ Traders can scale up to 20 accounts and withdraw up to $70,000 every 8 days. Combined with frequent 80โ90% OFF sales, Apex remains one of the most cost-effective prop firms for large drawdown trading.
๐ Learn Moreโญ Lucid Trading โ $150K LucidDirect (S2F)
- Max Loss Limit (MLL): $6,000
- Drawdown Type: End-of-Day trailing
Lucid offers instant access with no activation fee. ๐ Known for one of the best price-to-payout ratios in the industry, Lucid balances generous drawdowns with strong transparency and trader-first rules.
๐ Learn Moreโญ Tradeify โ $150K Lightning Funded (S2F)
- Max Loss Limit (MLL): $6,000
- Drawdown Type: End-of-Day trailing
Tradeifyโs Lightning accounts combine relaxed rules with instant funding. โก A leader in the instant funding space, Tradeify is a great option for traders who want speed, live trading conditions, and solid payout flexibility.
๐ Learn Moreโญ Alpha Futures โ $150K Standard
- Max Loss Limit (MLL): $6,000
- Drawdown Type: End-of-Day trailing
Alpha Futures provides one-step evaluations, weekly withdrawals, and up to $450K in funding. ๐ฐ With a $15,000 payout cap per account and 14-day withdrawal cycles, Alpha is best for traders looking for steady growth and reliable support.
๐ Learn Moreโญ The Futures Desk (TFD) โ $150K Custom Account
- Max Loss Limit (MLL): $6,000
- Drawdown Type: End-of-Day or Static
The Futures Desk is the only prop firm offering fully customizable evaluations. Traders can select EOD or Static drawdowns, set daily limits, and progress to live brokerage with daily uncapped payouts. TFD focuses on long-term trader development, avoiding churn-and-burn resets while providing the flexibility and support serious traders need.
๐ Learn Moreโ๏ธ Tier 2 โ High Drawdowns ($6,000 โ $6,500)
Apex Trader Funding โ $250K Account
- Max Loss Limit (MLL): $6,500
- Drawdown Type: Intraday trailing
A balanced option offering affordability and a solid risk buffer. The challenge is its hefty profit target. Apex continues to stand out with up to 20 accounts, huge payout scaling, and frequent discount sales. ๐ฅ
๐ Learn MoreTickTick Trader โ $150K S2F
- Max Loss Limit (MLL): $6,000
- Drawdown Type: End-of-Day trailing
Known as the godfather of instant funding. โก TickTickโs S2F accounts include a 20% consistency rule, while S2F+ removes that restriction but offers a slightly smaller drawdown. Excellent for active traders who want instant access.
๐ Learn MoreDay Traders โ $150K S2F Account
- Max Loss Limit (MLL): $6,000
- Drawdown Type: End-of-Day trailing
A great option for traders wanting a bigger cushion than the usual $4,500 drawdown firms. While pricing is higher compared to Lucid or Tradeify, sales often make DayTraders a competitive choice. ๐ฏ
๐ Learn More๐ Tier 3 โ Mid Drawdowns ($4,500 โ $5,500)
- Bulenox โ 250K Account โ $5,500 MLL (beware of massive activation fee)
- Take Profit Trader โ 150K $4,500 Eval and Pro MLL but Pro+ โ $5,000 MLL (withdraw daily)
- BluSky โ 300K Static Blu+ โ $5,000 MLL
- Lucid Trading โ 150K LucidTest โ $4,500 MLL (No activation fee, great evaluation all around)
- Topstep โ 150K โ $4,500 MLL ($5,000 per account per payout with no consistency rule.) โญ
- Phidias โ 150K Fundamental/Swing โ $4,500 MLL (Hold through close and overnight with the Swing accounts) ๐
๐ Prop Firms with the Largest Drawdown โ Why It Matters
When choosing a futures prop firm, one of the most overlooked โ but critical โ factors is the maximum loss limit (MLL).
This is the amount you can lose before your funded account is closed. A larger drawdown means more breathing room ๐ง,
less chance of being cut off early โ, and more flexibility for traders with bigger strategies ๐น.
๐น Tradeify $150K Instant Funding Example
Letโs break it down with the Tradeify $150,000 Lightning Instant Funding account.
This account starts with a $6,000 maximum drawdown. If your equity falls $6,000 below the $150K start balance,
the account is closed. But once you build profits, the drawdown stops trailing.
Example: You make $10,000 in profit, growing the account to $160K. At this point, the drawdown locks at your original $150K starting balance.
Now your effective cushion isnโt $6,000 โ itโs $10,000. This is where maximum drawdown transitions into whatโs called
absolute drawdown. If your balance ever drops below $150K again, the account closes, but everything above that is protected profit โ
.
๐น Daily Loss Limit Explained
Many S2F prop firm accounts also use daily loss limit. For Tradeifyโs $150K Instant Funding account, the limit is $3,750. If you lose that much in a single day, your account goes into auto-liquidation ๐.
That means you canโt place new trades until the next day, but the account isnโt closed as long as you didnโt hit the $6,000 max drawdown.
This rule acts like a seatbelt โ it prevents traders from blowing up their accounts in one bad day and helps enforce consistency. This daily loss limit can sometimes be dynamic at certain profit targets all disappear altogether.
๐ค Why a Large Drawdown Matters for Futures Traders
Having the largest drawdown in a prop firm account isnโt just about numbers โ itโs about trading freedom.
A higher loss limit lets you survive market swings, hold trades longer, and focus on reaching profit targets instead of
babysitting a trailing drawdown. Traders with larger buffers can:
- โ Use strategies with bigger stop losses or longer holds
- โ Withstand volatility during economic news events ๐
- โ Scale multiple accounts without being stopped out too early
- โ Trade with more confidence knowing they have extra breathing room
๐ Other Factors Beyond Drawdown
While the maximum loss limit is important, itโs not the only factor to compare.
Smart traders also weigh:
- Account Size: Bigger accounts usually offer higher drawdowns, but also higher profit targets.
- Daily Loss Limits: These cap how much you can lose in one day, regardless of overall drawdown.
- Profit Targets: Large buffers often come with tougher evaluation targets before payouts.
- Trading Rules: Some firms trail unrealized balance intraday, others lock at end-of-day.
Explore how unrealized intraday trailing drawdown works ๐ for a full breakdown.
โ๏ธ Balancing Risk and Opportunity
Choosing the right prop firm with the largest drawdown is about finding balance.
A bigger drawdown gives you more room to trade, but it doesnโt guarantee success. You still need discipline,
smart risk management, and consistency. The best prop firm for you depends on whether you value
flexibility (big MLL), low evaluation costs, or faster payouts.
Explore our full list of the best futures prop firms to compare accounts and decide which one fits your trading style.