The Ultimate Head-to-Head Showdown
Trust Score: Apex Trader Funding leads with a 4.7/5 TrustPilot rating (1,200 reviews) vs Fill88's 4/5 (45 reviews).
Entry Cost: Fill88 starts at $39 — 73% cheaper than Apex Trader Funding's $147.
Profit Split: Fill88 offers up to 80% to 90%%, keeping more money in your pocket compared to Apex Trader Funding's 100%%.
Drawdown Mechanics: Apex Trader Funding uses trailing (4.5%) while Fill88 uses static (10%). Static/balance-based drawdowns are generally considered safer.
Evaluation Path: Apex Trader Funding uses a 1-Step evaluation model, while Fill88 offers a 1-Step, 2-Step, Instant path. Fewer steps generally means faster access to funded capital.
Daily Loss Limit: Fill88 allows a 4% daily loss vs Apex Trader Funding's 0% — more room for volatile trading sessions.
Trading Platforms: Apex Trader Funding uniquely offers Atas, Bookmap, EdgeProX, Jigsaw, MotiveWave, NinjaTrader, Quantower, Rithmic, Sierra Chart, TradingView, Tradovate, VolFix, WealthCharts. Fill88 uniquely offers MetaTrader 5.
Maximum Capital: Apex Trader Funding scales up to $300,000, 3x more than Fill88's $100,000.
News Trading: Apex Trader Funding: One-direction rule during news.. Fill88: Permitted during challenge/evaluation phases on Launch, Ascend, and Summit. Not permitted on funded accounts or Spark accounts. Trades within 4 minutes of major news events are restricted.. Both firms have nuanced news trading policies — always check the specific rules for your account type before placing trades around major announcements.
Weekend & Overnight Holding: Fill88 allows weekend holding — a must-have for swing traders who hold positions for multiple days. Apex Trader Funding requires all positions closed before the weekend.
Algorithmic Trading (EAs): Apex Trader Funding permits Expert Advisors, opening the door for systematic, automated traders. Fill88 either prohibits EAs or restricts them to self-developed bots only. If you run automated strategies, this distinction matters significantly.
Commission Structure: Apex Trader Funding charges See: support.apextraderfunding.com/.../Commissions. Fill88 charges Commission-free accounts: $0. RAW spread accounts: FX $5, Metals $5, Commodities $2, Crypto $1 per round turn.. Lower commissions compound into significant savings over hundreds of trades — especially for high-frequency scalpers.
Consistency Rule: Both firms enforce consistency rules but with different thresholds. Apex Trader Funding: 30% rule (PA Account).. Fill88: Best trading day must not exceed 40% of total profit when requesting a payout. Applies to Launch, Ascend, and Summit funded accounts.. Understand these limits before you trade — exceeding them can invalidate your evaluation.
Tradable Instruments: Apex Trader Funding uniquely offers Futures trading. Fill88 uniquely offers Forex, Crypto, Indices, Commodities, Metals trading. If you trade specific asset classes, make sure your firm supports them before purchasing.
Payout Processing: Apex Trader Funding processes payouts in 3–5 business days after approval via ACH (US) or Plane (International), while Fill88 takes Spark: 14 days (first), then every 7 days. Launch, Ascend & Summit: On-Demand. Faster payouts mean quicker access to your hard-earned profits — an important factor for full-time traders who depend on this income.
Scaling Potential: Apex Trader Funding scales up to $300,000 per account (up to $6,000,000 across 20 accounts) (requiring Stack up to 20 concurrent Performance Accounts (PA) simultaneously using a trade copier profit per tier), while Fill88 caps at $1,280,000 (Spark scaling) (requiring 10% profit to scale (Spark Instant doubles account at every +10% milestone) per tier). If your long-term goal is managing large capital, the firm with the higher ceiling offers more growth runway.
Inactivity Policy: Apex Trader Funding: Not specified.. Fill88: No specific inactivity timeout published. No maximum time limit to complete challenges.. Be mindful of these policies — an inactive account can be terminated, and you would forfeit your challenge fee and any unrealized progress.
Starting at just $39, Fill88 offers the lowest barrier to entry — ideal if you want to test the waters without risking a large upfront fee.
Visit Fill88Fill88 allows weekend holding and has a static drawdown — both essential for multi-day strategies that need room to breathe.
Visit Fill88With a 4.7/5 TrustPilot rating and 1,200 verified reviews, Apex Trader Funding offers the strongest track record and payout reliability.
Visit Apex Trader FundingFill88 offers zero-commission trading on select instruments, saving scalpers significant costs over hundreds of daily trades.
Visit Fill88Fill88's 80% to 90%% profit split means you keep more of every dollar you earn — the difference compounds significantly over time.
Visit Fill88Apex Trader Funding has more permissive EA/bot policies, making it the better fit if you run automated trading systems.
Visit Apex Trader FundingApex Trader Funding scales up to $300,000 — giving you the highest possible ceiling for growing your funded capital over time.
Visit Apex Trader FundingOur expert conclusion based on the data
When choosing between Apex Trader Funding and Fill88 in 2026, the decision comes down to what matters most to you as a trader. Apex Trader Funding holds a TrustPilot rating of 4.7/5 across 1,200 reviews, while Fill88 sits at 4/5 with 45 reviews. Both firms are legitimate and pay traders, but they serve fundamentally different trader profiles.
On pricing, Fill88 offers a significantly lower barrier to entry at $39 compared to Apex Trader Funding's $147 — that's roughly 73% cheaper. However, cheaper doesn't always mean better value. You need to weigh this against the profit split, drawdown rules, and payout reliability.
A critical difference lies in their drawdown mechanics. Apex Trader Funding uses a trailing drawdown at 4.5%, while Fill88 uses a static drawdown at 10%. Fill88's static drawdown means your loss limit is locked to your initial balance and never trails upward — this is mathematically safer and easier to manage, especially for swing traders who hold positions overnight.
Our Recommendation: If your priority is trust and track record, go with Apex Trader Funding. If your priority is affordability, Fill88 is the better entry point. For maximum earnings per trade, Fill88 wins with a 80% to 90%% profit split.
It depends on your priorities. Apex Trader Funding has a stronger reputation with a 4.7/5 TrustPilot score. However, Fill88 is more affordable at $39. For most traders, Apex Trader Funding is the safer choice, but Fill88 offers better value for those on a tight budget.
Fill88 is the more affordable option, with challenges starting at $39 compared to Apex Trader Funding's $147.
Apex Trader Funding offers up to 100%% profit split, while Fill88 offers up to 80% to 90%%. Fill88 lets you keep more of your earnings.
Apex Trader Funding uses a trailing drawdown (4.5%), while Fill88 uses a static drawdown (10%). Static and balance-based drawdowns are generally considered easier to manage than trailing drawdowns because they don't chase your equity high watermark.
Apex Trader Funding uses a 1-Step evaluation model, while Fill88 uses a 1-Step, 2-Step, Instant model. Fewer steps generally means faster access to live funded capital.
Apex Trader Funding: Allowed (copy trading across own accounts permitted).. Fill88: Not explicitly prohibited but subject to fair execution policies. Martingale is banned on Spark accounts.. Always verify your specific EA is compliant before purchasing a challenge.
Apex Trader Funding supports Atas, Bookmap, EdgeProX, Jigsaw, MotiveWave, NinjaTrader, Quantower, Rithmic, Sierra Chart, TradingView, Tradovate, VolFix, WealthCharts. Fill88 supports MetaTrader 5. Both offer professional-grade execution suitable for serious traders.
Both firms process payouts reliably. Apex Trader Funding pays via ACH, Plane. Fill88 pays via Crypto (direct). Check each firm's payout schedule for the most up-to-date processing times.