Alpha Futures Rules Explained (2026): Drawdown, Daily Loss, Consistency & Payouts

Overview: Zero, Standard, Advanced and Direct

Zero costs $139 a month on a 50K ($89 on 25K, $279 on 100K). Target $3,000, maximum loss $2,000, a $1,000 daily loss guard, 3 minis or 30 micros, no consistency rule and a 1-day minimum.

Standard costs $129 a month on 50K ($239 on 100K, $349 on 150K). Target $3,000, maximum loss $2,000, no daily loss limit in the evaluation, 5 minis or 50 micros, a 50% consistency rule and a 2-day minimum.

Advanced costs $209 a month on 50K ($349 on 100K, $489 on 150K). Target $4,000, maximum loss $1,750, no daily loss guard, 5 minis, a 40% rule and a 3-day minimum. Its Qualified account has no consistency rule and caps payouts at $15,000.

Direct skips the evaluation for a one-time $519 on 50K ($349 on 25K, $689 on 100K, $859 on 150K). There is no activation fee on Zero, Standard or Advanced.

Rules that end the account

The Maximum Loss Limit (MLL) is the hard rule. The daily loss guard is a soft breach.

Daily loss

Zero (evaluation and Qualified), Standard Qualified and Direct: 2% of the starting balance, $1,000 on 50K, measured on open and closed P&L including fees. Hitting it flattens you, cancels orders and locks the account until 6pm ET. Standard and Advanced evaluations and Advanced Qualified have none.

Max loss

$2,000 on 50K ($1,750 on Advanced). End-of-day trailing from your highest end-of-day balance, but checked against floating equity at all times. It stops at the starting balance: on a 50K, a $52,000 close locks the floor at $50,000 for the life of the account.

Contracts

Fixed in evaluations. Zero and Standard Qualified accounts scale with profit: Standard 50K starts at 2 minis, 3 from $1,500 and 5 from $2,000. Advanced and Direct have no scaling plan.

Prohibited

Bots and AI, a pattern of microscalping (under 2 minutes for under 10 ticks), hedging such as long NQ and short MNQ, order stacking, and using the daily guard as a stop on a max-size position.

Weekend

Markets are closed from Friday 5pm ET to Sunday 6pm ET, and you must be flat daily (see below).

Payout rules

Zero, Standard and Advanced Qualified accounts pay on winning days. Direct pays on profit targets. Every plan pays 90%.

5 winning days of $200 or more between requests, not necessarily in a row, up to 4 requests a month. Each request can take up to 50% of account profit.
Caps on 50K: Zero $1,500, Standard $3,000, Advanced $15,000. Minimums: Zero $200, Standard $500, Advanced $1,000.
Consistency: Zero and Standard Qualified need every day under 40% of net profit since the last request. Advanced Qualified has no rule. It resets after each request.
Direct: a $3,000 withdrawal target for the first payout on 50K and $2,000 after; it resets after each withdrawal and leftover profit does not carry. Best day under 20%, $500 minimum, $2,000 cap.
Evaluation consistency does not fail you. Standard 50% and Advanced 40% just mean you cannot pass until the share is met.

News and trading hours

There are no news restrictions on evaluations or on Advanced Qualified accounts, though going all-in around volatile events is prohibited. On Zero, Standard and Direct Qualified accounts you may hold through a release, but no order may execute from 2 minutes before to 2 minutes after a high-impact event for your instrument's currency, or within 4 minutes of a high-impact speech's start time. The first violation is a warning with profits voided; later ones breach the account.

The futures session runs 6pm to 5pm ET. All trades must be closed before 4:20pm ET (3:20pm CT) every day. Alpha closes anything left open.

Worked example on a 50K

You buy a Standard 50K. The floor is $48,000 and there is no daily limit. Day 1 closes at $51,400, so the floor moves to $49,400. Day 2 peaks at $52,500 intraday and closes at $51,900; the floor moves to $49,900, not $50,500. Day 3 closes at $53,100. Your best day, $1,400, is 45% of $3,100, under 50%, so you pass.

On the Qualified account the $1,000 daily guard now applies and you start at 2 minis. After 5 days of $200 or more you have $2,600 profit. You can request up to 50%, $1,300, provided no day was 40% or more of that $2,600 ($1,040). You keep 90%, $1,170.

How Proof tracks it

Proof's Alpha Futures presets run the end-of-day trailing floor that locks at the starting balance and check it against live equity. Risk Guard shows room to the soft daily guard and to the floor, and sizes contracts to your current scaling tier.

For payouts Proof counts $200 winning days, tracks your best day against 40% or 20%, shows the cap for your plan and how many of the month's 4 requests are left. The news calendar blocks the 2-minute and 4-minute windows on Zero, Standard and Direct, and a close alarm fires before 4:20pm ET. Proof warns and tracks; it does not close trades at your broker.

In Proof

Proof tracks every Alpha Futures rule for you

The Alpha Futures presets lock the end-of-day floor at your start balance, show the 2% soft daily guard, count $200 winning days, check 40% or 20% consistency, track the 4 requests a month, block news windows on Qualified accounts and remind you before 4:20pm ET.

See how Proof does it

Frequently asked questions

Is the Alpha Futures drawdown trailing?

Yes, end-of-day trailing on every account, checked against floating equity at all times. It stops trailing at the starting balance: on a 50K, once you close at $52,000 the floor is fixed at $50,000.

Does Alpha Futures have a daily loss limit?

Zero accounts, Standard Qualified and Direct have a 2% daily loss guard, $1,000 on 50K. It is a soft breach that locks you until 6pm ET. Standard and Advanced evaluations and Advanced Qualified have none.

What is the Alpha Futures consistency rule?

Standard evaluation 50%, Advanced evaluation 40%, Zero and Standard Qualified 40% for payouts, Direct 20%. Advanced Qualified and the Zero evaluation have none. It never breaches the account.

Can I trade news on Alpha Futures?

Evaluations and Advanced Qualified, yes. On Zero, Standard and Direct Qualified accounts no order may execute 2 minutes either side of high-impact news, or within 4 minutes of a high-impact speech's start.

When do I have to close trades on Alpha Futures?

Before 4:20pm ET (3:20pm CT) every trading day. Alpha closes any position left open.

Sources checked October 2026: Alpha Futures: home page plan tables (prices, targets, MLL, daily loss, caps) · Alpha Futures help: Maximum Loss Limit (MLL) · Alpha Futures help: Daily Loss Guard · Alpha Futures help: Consistency Rule · Alpha Futures help: Payout Policy · Alpha Futures help: Scaling Plan · Alpha Futures help: News Trading Policy · Alpha Futures help: What and When you can Trade · Alpha Futures help: Prohibited Trading Practices