📊 Best Futures Prop Firms Ranked by Maximum Drawdown (MLL) in 2026
When comparing futures prop firms, one of the most overlooked — but critical — 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 🧘, less chance of being cut off too early ❌, and more flexibility to run trading strategies that use
bigger stop losses or longer holding times 💹. For many traders, the size of the drawdown can be the difference between passing the evaluation
and scaling into payouts.
Below, we’ve ranked the top prop firms with the biggest drawdowns in 2026, comparing their account sizes, loss limits,
and drawdown types. If you’re still unsure how rules like trailing vs. end-of-day drawdown work, see our
guide to unrealized trailing drawdown 📖.
Keep in mind: profit targets, daily loss limits, and overall pricing are just as important as drawdown when choosing the best futures prop firm.
🏆 Tier 1 Largest Drawdowns ($6,000 to $7,500+)
🥇 Apex Trader Funding – $300K Account
- Max Loss Limit (MLL): $7,500
- Drawdown Type: Intraday trailing
The Apex 300K account delivers one of the biggest buffers in the entire futures prop space. Combine that with low evaluation pricing, the ability to trade up to 20 accounts, and payouts up to $70,000 every 8 days, and it becomes a powerhouse for high-cushion trading.
👉 Learn More🥈 Apex Trader Funding – $250K Account
- Max Loss Limit (MLL): $6,500
- Drawdown Type: Intraday trailing
A great middle-ground for traders who want strong drawdown without excessive cost. The profit target is large, but Apex’s discounts and payout scaling make it one of the most efficient high-buffer choices.
👉 Learn More⭐ Lucid Trading – $150K LucidDirect
- Max Loss Limit (MLL): $6,000
- Drawdown Type: End-of-Day trailing
LucidDirect offers instant access with no activation fees and clean, trader-friendly rules. Their price-to-payout ratio is among the best, making this a top choice for traders who want cushion, transparency, and consistent payouts.
👉 Learn More⭐ Tradeify – $150K Lightning Funded
- Max Loss Limit (MLL): $6,000
- Drawdown Type: End-of-Day trailing
Tradeify Lightning funded accounts offer instant funding with smooth rules and fast payouts. Ideal for traders who want live conditions immediately without evaluation hurdles.
👉 Learn More⭐ Alpha Futures – $150K Standard
- Max Loss Limit (MLL): $6,000
- Drawdown Type: End-of-Day trailing
Alpha Futures provides weekly withdrawals, one-step evaluations, and up to $450K in funding. A strong pick for traders who want predictable payout cycles and a steady path to scaling.
👉 Learn More⭐ The Futures Desk (TFD) – $150K Custom
- Max Loss Limit (MLL): $6,000
- Drawdown Type: End-of-Day or Static
TFD stands alone with fully customizable evaluations and daily uncapped payouts when live. Designed for traders who want maximum control over their rules and long-term progression.
👉 Learn More⭐ Day Traders – $150K S2F
- Max Loss Limit (MLL): $6,000
- Drawdown Type: End-of-Day trailing
A higher-priced option but offers a stronger drawdown cushion than typical instant funding firms. When sales apply, Day Traders becomes a competitive choice for traders wanting more breathing room.
👉 Learn More📊 Tier 3 – Mid Drawdowns ($4,500 – $5,500)
- Bulenox – 250K Account → $5,500 MLL (beware of massive activation fee)
- Take Profit Trader – 150K $4,500 Eval and Pro MLL but Pro+ → $5,000 MLL (withdraw daily)
- E8 Futures – 150K Eval with EoD drawdown and one day to pass → $4,500 MLL (No activation fee)
- BluSky – 300K Static Blu+ → $5,000 MLL
- Lucid Trading – 150K LucidTest → $4,500 MLL (No activation fee, great evaluation all around)
- Topstep – 150K → $4,500 MLL ($5,000 per account per payout with no consistency rule.) ⭐
- Phidias – 150K Fundamental/Swing → $4,500 MLL (Hold through close and overnight with the Swing accounts) 👀
📉 Prop Firms with the Largest Drawdown – Why It Matters
When choosing a futures prop firm, one of the most overlooked — but critical — 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 🧘,
less chance of being cut off early ❌, and more flexibility for traders with bigger strategies 💹.
🔹 Tradeify $150K Instant Funding Example
Let’s 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 isn’t $6,000 — it’s $10,000. This is where maximum drawdown transitions into what’s called
absolute drawdown. If your balance ever drops below $150K again, the account closes, but everything above that is protected profit ✅.
🔹 Daily Loss Limit Explained
Many S2F prop firm accounts also use daily loss limit. For Tradeify’s $150K Instant Funding account, the limit is $3,750. If you lose that much in a single day, your account goes into auto-liquidation 🛑.
That means you can’t place new trades until the next day, but the account isn’t closed as long as you didn’t hit the $6,000 max drawdown.
This rule acts like a seatbelt — 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.
🤔 Why a Large Drawdown Matters for Futures Traders
Having the largest drawdown in a prop firm account isn’t just about numbers — it’s 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:
- ✅ Use strategies with bigger stop losses or longer holds
- ✅ Withstand volatility during economic news events 📊
- ✅ Scale multiple accounts without being stopped out too early
- ✅ Trade with more confidence knowing they have extra breathing room
📌 Other Factors Beyond Drawdown
While the maximum loss limit is important, it’s 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 📖 for a full breakdown.
⚖️ 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 doesn’t 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.
❓ Prop Firm Drawdown FAQs
What is the maximum drawdown in a prop firm account?
What is absolute drawdown vs maximum drawdown?
Why does having the largest drawdown matter in a futures prop firm?
✅ Use wider, more realistic stop losses
✅ Trade through news and intraday volatility without instant violations
✅ Scale size and run multiple contracts while staying inside the MLL
✅ Focus on their trading edge instead of constantly worrying about small buffers If you trade size or like to let winners run, choosing a prop firm with the largest possible drawdown is one of the most important risk management decisions you can make.
What is a daily loss limit in prop firms?
Which prop firm has the largest drawdown in 2026?
• Lucid Trading 150K LucidDirect
• Tradeify 150K Lightning funded
• Alpha Futures 150K Standard evaluation
• The Futures Desk 150K custom account
• Day Traders 150K S2F If your priority is the largest max drawdown available in a futures prop firm account, Apex 300K currently sits at the top of the rankings, followed by Apex 250K, then the cluster of 150K accounts with 6,000 MLL at Lucid, Tradeify, Alpha Futures, The Futures Desk, and Day Traders.

