Tradeify Lightning Funded Accounts Explained
Tradeify Lightning Funded sells a simulated funded futures account with no evaluation, paid out after a profit goal and a consistency rule that rises from 20%.
Lightning Funded is the instant account at Tradeify: the trader skips the evaluation and buys a simulated funded futures account of $25,000 to $150,000 outright, at list prices of $345 to $796. It uses an end of day trailing drawdown and pays 90%, but each payout first needs a profit goal, $1,500 to $9,000 for the first, and a consistency rule that starts at 20% and rises to 30%. Each payout is capped at $1,000 to $3,500.
How Lightning Funded works
| Rule | 25K | 50K | 100K | 150K |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| List price | $345 | $492 | $660 | $796 |
| Maximum drawdown, end of day | $1,000 | $2,000 | $4,000 | $5,250 |
| Daily loss limit, soft | None | $1,250 | $2,500 | $3,000 |
| Maximum contracts | 1 mini | 4 minis | 8 minis | 12 minis |
| Profit goal, payout 1 | $1,500 | $3,000 | $6,000 | $9,000 |
| Profit goal, payout 2 onwards | $1,000 | $2,000 | $3,500 | $4,500 |
| Cap, payouts 1 to 3 | $1,000 | $2,000 | $2,500 | $3,000 |
| Cap, payout 4 onwards | $1,000 | $2,500 | $3,000 | $3,500 |
These are the terms for accounts bought after 12 September 2025; older accounts keep their original parameters.
The drawdown
The drawdown trails the highest end of day balance and only moves at the close, but it is enforced in real time against net liquidation value. If the balance plus open profit and loss touches it at any moment, the account fails permanently. On funded accounts, including Lightning, it locks at the starting balance plus $100, for example $50,100 on a 50K, once the end of day balance clears the drawdown by $100 or as soon as a payout is requested, whichever comes first. The daily loss limit is a soft breach that stops trading for the day, and on the 50K to 150K sizes Tradeify’s plan card says it rises to the full drawdown once profit reaches 6%.
The profit goal and consistency rule
The profit goal is the profit needed before a request can be made, not the amount paid. It resets after each payout, and leftover profit does not count towards the next goal. The consistency rule compares the biggest day’s profit with total profit since the last payout: 20% for the first payout, 25% for the second and 30% from the third. A figure at or below the limit passes, so exactly 20% meets a 20% rule. Dividing the biggest day by the percentage gives the total profit needed.
Tradeify’s payout policy says there is no minimum number of trading days, although the plan card on its homepage lists payouts every five days, so check the current rule in the dashboard before planning. Funded accounts also carry a microscalping rule: more than half of trades, and more than half of profit, must come from trades held longer than ten seconds. News trading is allowed, and every position must be closed by 4:45 pm ET.
Worked example
The figures below describe a made up 50K Lightning account. They illustrate the rules only.
| Days | Result | End of day balance | Drawdown floor | Total profit, best day |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Start | Account bought | $50,000 | $48,000 | None |
| 1 to 3 | Up $500, $700 and $400 | $51,600 | $49,600 | $1,600, $700 |
| 4 | Down $200 | $51,400 | $49,600 | $1,400, $700 |
| 5 and 6 | Up $600 and $500 | $52,500 | $50,100, locked | $2,500, $700 |
| 7 and 8 | Up $450 and $550 | $53,500 | $50,100 | $3,500, $700 |
The $3,000 goal was not enough on its own. With a $700 best day, the 20% rule needs total profit of $700 divided by 0.2, which is $3,500, reached on day 8. The trader can then request up to the $2,000 cap for payout 1 and receives $1,800 at 90%. The balance drops to $51,500 against the locked $50,100 floor, leaving $1,400 of room. The other $1,500 of profit stays in the account but does not count towards payout 2, which needs $2,000 of new profit with a best day no larger than 25% of it, or $500 if the trader stops at exactly $2,000. The consistency rule calculator and payout calculator run these figures for other sizes.
Costs and payout terms
The list prices above were shown on tradeify.co on 1 October 2026, when a discount code was also being advertised. Lightning is a one time purchase with no activation fee, but it cannot be reset: a failed account has to be bought again, and all sales are final. Market data is free for non professional users who sign the agreement on first login. Round trip commissions are $5.76 on ES and NQ and $1.82 on MES and MNQ. The minimum payout is $1,000, and on the 25K every payout is exactly $1,000. Once approved, the money leaves the account at once and is paid within 24 hours, or up to 72 hours outside business hours, through Rise. A trader can hold up to five simulated funded accounts across Growth, Select and Lightning, and Tradeify says three approved payouts qualify a trader for its Elite live programme. Firms change their terms often, so confirm the current version before buying.
How it compares with Tradeify’s evaluations
| 50K account | Lightning | Growth | Select |
|---|---|---|---|
| Evaluation | None | $3,000 target, pass in 1 day | $3,000 target, 40% consistency, 3 days |
| List price | $492 | $145 | $165 |
| Funded consistency | 20%, then 25%, then 30% | 35% | None |
| Payout trigger | Profit goal of $3,000, then $2,000 | Five days of $150 and a $53,000 balance | Daily above a buffer, or every five winning days |
| First payout cap | $2,000 | $1,500 | $1,250 Daily or $2,500 Flex |
Lightning costs about three times as much as a Growth or Select evaluation at the same size and has the strictest funded consistency rule in the range. What it buys is certainty of access: there is no evaluation to fail and no wait before trading a funded account. A trader who expects to pass an evaluation within one or two attempts pays less through Growth or Select; the Select route is covered in Tradeify Select plan explained. For Tradeify against other firms, see Apex vs Tradeify, Topstep vs Tradeify and the Tradeify review.
Common mistakes
- Reading the profit goal as the payout. The cap limits the withdrawal, and the rest stays in the account.
- One big day early on. Under a 20% rule, a $1,000 day needs $5,000 of total profit.
- Losing days. They lower total profit and push the best day’s share up.
- Dipping to the floor intraday. The end of day drawdown is still enforced live.
- Scalping in seconds. The microscalping rule can block a payout on a funded account.
Checklist
- Note the profit goal, consistency percentage and cap for the next payout.
- Divide your best day by the percentage after each strong session.
- Track the floor and when it locks.
- Close all positions before 4:45 pm ET.
- Compare the Lightning price with the cost of one or two evaluations.
For the general case, see instant funding vs evaluation.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does Tradeify Lightning Funded have an evaluation?
No. Lightning Funded is bought as a simulated funded account from the start, with no profit target to pass. The profit goal of $1,500 to $9,000 is a payout condition, not an evaluation: it is the profit a trader must make before requesting the first payout. After that, smaller goals of $1,000 to $4,500 apply before each later request.
What is the Tradeify Lightning consistency rule?
For accounts bought after 12 September 2025, the biggest day's profit must be no more than 20% of total profit for the first payout, 25% for the second and 30% for the third and later ones. Total profit is measured since the last payout. Older accounts keep a flat 20% rule. Dividing the best day by the percentage gives the profit needed.
How much can I withdraw from a Tradeify Lightning account?
Each payout is capped by size and payout number: $1,000 on the 25K, and $2,000, $2,500 or $3,000 on the 50K, 100K and 150K for the first three payouts, rising to $2,500, $3,000 and $3,500 from the fourth. The minimum is $1,000, and the trader receives 90% of the amount approved. Profit above the cap stays in the account.
Can a Tradeify Lightning account be reset?
No. Tradeify does not offer resets on Lightning Funded accounts. If the account touches its end of day trailing drawdown at any moment, it fails permanently and a new one has to be bought at the full price. All sales are final, which makes the Lightning fee a larger risk than an evaluation that can be reset for less.
When does the Lightning drawdown stop trailing?
On Tradeify funded accounts, including Lightning, the drawdown locks at the starting balance plus $100, for example $50,100 on a 50K. It locks either when the end of day balance clears the drawdown amount by $100 or as soon as the trader requests a payout, whichever happens first. After that the floor never moves again.