seldon 

If anyone is interested in following - I started a trading journal for a funded futures account that I currently have. The Trading Pit "Futures VIP" Account Journal The Trading Pit "Futures VIP" Account Journal This journal is mostly to help me with accountability towards following my trading rules. The Trading Pit offers Funded Futures Challenges. The Challenge includes Evaluation and what they call …

Keep an eye on this one. This funded trader is poised to show us how it is done! Another solid day!

seldon 

If anyone who can afford to become an elite member is interested in following - I started a trading journal for a funded futures account that I currently have

"Fixed that for you!"

Seriously, I wish you success with both your journal and your trading and your funded account. I just wish I could see it.

Respectfully (literally respectfully, I am not just "being polite"), there are people here without (yet) the means or ability to pay for elite membership. Being unable to buy something online for $150 does not preclude legitimately being interested enough in trading - especially with funded accounts potentially available - to join and participate in this forum.

It is an observation only, not a complaint!

I appreciate that there may also be a valid perspective that some will be more willing to pay to become elite members, and that the forum may very legitimately prefer such threads to be in the more private, paid-for section. But there are also some of us (I do not claim or imagine to be alone) who are disappointed by this, and - to be very honest - more alienated than attracted by the requirement to pay $150 to a forum that is at the same time selling sponsorships to trading industry businesses for five-figure sums.

I apologise - sincerely - if I sound like a "whiner". That was not my intention. But having to pay to read your trading journal puts me off it, a bit. It does not encourage me to pay. Maybe it's a minority perspective, and I wish you well anyway, but I think it's also a legitimate perspective. Again, I intend no impoliteness!

mariafp 

"Fixed that for you!" Seriously, I wish you success with both your journal and your trading and your funded account. I just wish I could see it. Respectfully (literally respectfully, I am not just "being polite"), there are people here without (yet) the means or ability to pay for elite membership. Being unable to buy something online for $150 does not preclude legitimately being interested enough in trading - especially with funded accounts potentially available - to join and participate in this forum. It is an observation only, not a complaint! I appreciate that there may also be a valid perspective that some will be more willing to pay to become elite members, and that the forum may very legitimately prefer such threads to be in the more private, paid-for section. But there are also some of us (I do not claim or imagine to be alone) who are disappointed by this, and - to be very honest - more alienated than attracted by the requirement to pay $150 to a forum that is at the same time selling sponsorships to trading industry businesses for five-figure sums. I apologise - sincerely - if I sound like a "whiner". That was not my intention. But having to pay to read your trading journal puts me off it, a bit. It does not encourage me to pay. Maybe it's a minority perspective, and I wish you well anyway, but I think it's also a legitimate perspective. Again, I intend no impoliteness!

I am sorry you are unable to access it. This is the first time I am posting my trades etc. publicly, so I thought I will start by keeping it private outside of Google search results. That is the only reason I posted in the Elite section. I am not sure if there is a way to move it. If this goes well, the next one I post will be in the non-elite section.

Many thanks for your kind and super-tactful reply.

seldon 

I thought I will start by keeping it private outside of Google search results.

I see, of course, that that’s entirely reasonable!

seldon 

If this goes well, the next one I post will be in the non-elite section.

That gives me two reasons for hoping it goes very well - good luck!

Hey all, I just paid for elite status for other reasons and this thread caught my eye. I scanned over some of the responses and thought I'd throw in my 2c. It's my personal belief that these CAN work despite all the hurdles they throw at you. The prop firm I chose really tilted you towards the $50k account and I bought in when they ran a "sale" that has since seemed to NEVER END. It's hilarious, and I kind of think that they get a LOT of their revenue from the fees. I'll elaborate.

Step one, buy a $50k account sub for $34 after their discount.
Step two, PASS in one day.
Step three, Buy into the Paid account for $140 lifetime fee (this is ONE time as long as you don't blow it).
Step four, reap the rewards.

Well, the jig is up. Their trailing drawdown works from the MAX ACCOUNT VALUE and is a meager $2500 on a $50k account. This means, you get into an awesome 10 contract trade and seconds later you're up $3000! yay right? Well, you've hit the wall by now, and the market reverses and your trade slides back $2501. YOU'RE OUT and they keep the paid fee, they keep the extra $2500 in the account. You get kicked back to the peewee league. Ask me how I know :S

Once you've established a base over the $50k the max liquidation value of the account becomes $50,001 and the drawdown no longer follows you. My goal is to maintain $10k plus the original 50k in the account to allow for more aggressive trading but for me the key has been limiting my trades to 2 to 4 contracts on easily scalp-able futures like gold and DOW. get in, get out when in profit. Baby step it until I have some of my own capital in there to lose without blowing the account. my 50k account I've got up to 51,150 so far, literally just chunking it higher $100-200 at a time. and there's no more monthly fees.

I just bought 3 more $250k accounts. the max drawdown on them is $6500. Blew the first one on day one trading 20 contracts. was $6000 up on 2 trades, took the third and whoops. will be more careful with the next 2.

RobWa 

Hey all, I just paid for elite status for other reasons and this thread caught my eye. I scanned over some of the responses and thought I'd throw in my 2c. It's my personal belief that these CAN work despite all the hurdles they throw at you. The prop firm I chose really tilted you towards the $50k account and I bought in when they ran a "sale" that has since seemed to NEVER END. It's hilarious, and I kind of think that they get a LOT of their revenue from the fees. I'll elaborate. Step one, buy a $50k account sub for $34 after their discount. Step two, PASS in one day. Step three, Buy into the Paid account for $140 lifetime fee (this is ONE time as long as you don't blow it). Step four, reap the rewards. Well, the jig is up. Their trailing drawdown works from the MAX ACCOUNT VALUE and is a meager $2500 on a $50k account. This means, you get into an awesome 10 contract trade and seconds later you're up $3000! yay right? Well, you've hit the wall by now, and the market reverses and your trade slides back $2501. YOU'RE OUT and they keep the paid fee, they keep the extra $2500 in the account. You get kicked back to the peewee league. Ask me how I know :S Once you've established a base over the $50k the max liquidation value of the account becomes $50,001 and the drawdown no longer follows you. My goal is to maintain $10k plus the original 50k in the account to allow for more aggressive trading but for me the key has been limiting my trades to 2 to 4 contracts on easily scalp-able futures like gold and DOW. get in, get out when in profit. Baby step it until I have some of my own capital in there to lose without blowing the account. my 50k account I've got up to 51,150 so far, literally just chunking it higher $100-200 at a time. and there's no more monthly fees. I just bought 3 more $250k accounts. the max drawdown on them is $6500. Blew the first one on day one trading 20 contracts. was $6000 up on 2 trades, took the third and whoops. will be more careful with the next 2.

Personally i like the topstep and myfundedfutures accounts for the lack of live drawdown, and better payout schedules. Topstep is every 5 days of $200+ profit, and MFF is every 10 calendar days.

Wish you all the best in the apex accounts, and I totally agree having a nice cushion is essential before you take a higher risk trades

What's everyone's favorite firm these days?

My top firm is Topstep for the following reasons:

1. Established firm which seems very solid having been around forever.

2. Allows copy trading 5 accounts integrated within their new TopstepX platform (pretty nice to use).

What I don't like about the firm is that you need 30 trading days for a full payout. You can take out 50 % after 5 x 200 green days, though.

I'm looking for an additional firm I can copy trade with Ninjatrader. Apex is not an option due to all the negative press they've had recently.

Considering both TakeProfitTrader and FastTrackTrading. The latter is fairly new and don't yet offer Ninjatrader, so not so sure about that one, although I've heard very favorable stuff from people who used them.

I've been with Earn2Trade and think it's a solid firm, but they don't have copy trading, so that's a drawback and dealbreaker for me at the moment.

Thnaks in advance.

Howard Roark 

What's everyone's favorite firm these days? My top firm is Topstep for the following reasons: 1. Established firm which seems very solid having been around forever. 2. Allows copy trading 5 accounts integrated within their new TopstepX platform (pretty nice to use). What I don't like about the firm is that you need 30 trading days for a full payout. You can take out 50 % after 5 x 200 green days, though. I'm looking for an additional firm I can copy trade with Ninjatrader. Apex is not an option due to all the negative press they've had recently. Considering both TakeProfitTrader and FastTrackTrading. The latter is fairly new and don't yet offer Ninjatrader, so not so sure about that one, although I've heard very favorable stuff from people who used them. I've been with Earn2Trade and think it's a solid firm, but they don't have copy trading, so that's a drawback and dealbreaker for me at the moment. Thnaks in advance.

I've recently started with Bulenox to give them a try. I haven't been with them long enough to get a payout, but they are similar as Apex, with less shenanigans it seems. Their site and back-office are a bit barebones though, but if their withdrawals work, I don't need fancy website. They also offer 80% discounts to sign up most of the time with 90% discounts relatively often. You have to look around for the coupons though as it doesn't seem like they advertise it as widely as Apex. Or perhaps, I simply don't know how to look for them properly on their site. You can have up to 11 live accounts to copy trades, but from what I understand reading their rules, you can only start with 3 live ones and then add additional ones up to the 11 limit as the balance of the existing ones exceed the trailing drawdown. But again, I haven't reached the point to get withdrawals yet, so I cannot speak for how well that works.

FWIW, I have not had any issues with Apex withdrawals. But my trading is very simple. 1 contract, fixed stop and target and no scaling/DCA copying to 10 accounts. I also have TopStep and now trying Bulenox, and will probably try TakeProfitTrader soon. The moment Apex will push back on withdrawals, I will drop them. I will not make any recordings of trades, or send them explanations. But so far, nothing from that sort yet.

sevensa 

I will not make any recordings of trades, or send them explanations. But so far, nothing from that sort yet.

This boggles my mind that why on earth traders are still using that firm which is giving so much trouble for payouts and asking to provide recordings?!

MFFU is getting popular as another option