Apex, specifically
What are Apex's actual numbers and quirks?
How Apex's evaluation works
Apex Trader Funding runs a one-step evaluation: there is a single eval account, and passing it (reach the profit target, never touch the trailing threshold) qualifies you to activate a funded Performance Account. Apex uses End-of-Day trailing, which is more forgiving than intraday trailing because the threshold only ratchets up on your daily *closing* balance.
- One-step evaluation — no separate second stage to clear.
- End-of-Day trailing drawdown — the threshold follows your closing balances up, then freezes at the safety net once you're funded (Chapter 4).
- A contract cap per account size — Apex measures it in minis, with a micro equivalent.
- No overnight/holding positions — Apex is an intraday product; be flat by the session close.
The account Helm models
Apex offers several account sizes (roughly 25K through 300K). Helm currently models the 50K End-of-Day Trail account precisely — these are the figures Helm's account rules and live risk guard use:
| Rule | Value |
|---|---|
| Starting balance | $50,000 |
| Profit target (to pass) | $3,000 |
| Trailing drawdown | $2,000 (End-of-Day) |
| Initial fail line | $48,000 |
| Max contracts | 6 minis / 60 micros |
Apex 50K EOD Trail — as modeled in Helm (verify current terms on Apex).
Apex updates targets, drawdowns, contract caps, and pricing over time, and each account size differs. Helm shows the 50K EOD figures it has verified; treat every other size as “confirm on Apex before you rely on it.” Helm is not affiliated with Apex.
The trap that fails most Apex traders
Apex evals rarely fail because someone couldn't find $3,000 of profit. They fail because of two rules interacting:
- The trailing threshold punishes giving back gains — so a big win followed by a bigger revenge trade ends the account.
- The consistency rule (at payout, covered in Chapter 5) punishes one-day heroes — so “get rich on one trade” doesn't work even if it clears the target.
Apex is not testing whether you can win once. It's testing whether you can win the same, disciplined way, over and over.
Set your Apex account in Settings and Helm mirrors these exact rules into its live risk guard, warns you before you approach the trailing line, and scores your consistency the way Apex's payout rule does. Practice mode lets you rehearse the whole thing without touching a real eval.
- Apex is a one-step eval with End-of-Day trailing — more forgiving than intraday, but still unbroken until you're funded.
- Helm models the 50K EOD account exactly ($3,000 target, $2,000 trail, 6 minis/60 micros); verify other sizes on Apex.
- You fail Apex on discipline (trailing + consistency), not on finding a winning trade.