Apex Trader Funding free trial: what exists and what to use instead.

Why Apex does not offer a free trial

Apex evaluations operate in a simulated trading environment using virtual funds. No real capital is at risk during the evaluation phase. The evaluation fee is the price of access to that simulated environment, the drawdown protection structure, the profit target mechanics, and the possibility of a funded Performance Account if you pass.

A free trial of the Apex evaluation would mean free access to all of that without any financial commitment. Apex has structured the program as a paid entry for two reasons: it creates a financial filter that removes traders who are not serious, and it funds the operational cost of running the simulated environment, the dashboard, the support infrastructure, and the payout program.

This is consistent with how almost all prop trading firms are structured. Free trials exist in software subscriptions. They are rare in prop firm evaluations because the evaluation itself is the product, not a preview of something else.

The free alternative: NinjaTrader paper trading

NinjaTrader provides free unlimited paper trading with simulated futures market data at no cost. You can create a free account at account.ninjatrader.com, download the platform, and trade any available futures instrument in paper mode indefinitely. There is no time limit and no fee.

Paper trading in NinjaTrader is not the same as an Apex evaluation. There is no drawdown rule, no profit target, no 30-day clock, and no funded account waiting at the end. But it gives you everything you need to practise before spending anything: real-time market data, order entry mechanics, position management, and instrument familiarity. If you have never traded ES, NQ, or CL before, this is the correct starting point.

The practical difference: NinjaTrader paper trading has no consequences. A losing day resets without penalty. An Apex evaluation has real stakes. A drawdown breach ends the account. The 30-day clock runs continuously. Getting comfortable with the mechanics in paper trading before purchasing an evaluation is a rational approach for traders new to futures or new to prop firm evaluation structures.

The evaluation as a low-cost trial: what $19.90 actually buys

During Apex's active 90% off sales, the cheapest entry point is a $25K Intraday evaluation at $19.90 with code ONKAGNVZ. At that price, the evaluation functions more like a trial than a serious financial commitment for most traders. Here is exactly what $19.90 provides access to.

The evaluation fee is non-refundable if the account fails. This is the meaningful difference from a free trial. If you breach the drawdown or the 30-day clock expires, the $19.90 is gone. For traders who want zero financial risk before committing, paper trading in NinjaTrader remains the correct starting point.

One approach worth knowing: Apex allows up to 20 evaluations active simultaneously. A trader who wants to test multiple strategies or account sizes at the same time can run three $25K Intraday evaluations for a combined $59.70 during the current sale. Each account operates independently with its own drawdown and 30-day clock. This is as close to a multi-strategy trial as Apex offers, and it costs less than a single dinner. Each evaluation that passes activates independently into its own Performance Account.

What to do before buying an evaluation

The traders who get the most out of an Apex evaluation are the ones who treat it seriously before they pay for it. Here is a practical pre-purchase preparation checklist based on the most common reasons evaluations fail.

• 01

  Practise with NinjaTrader paper trading first

  Create a free account at account.ninjatrader.com and trade the same instruments you plan to trade in the evaluation. Get comfortable with order entry, stop placement, and position management before the 30-day clock is running.

• 02

  Calculate your daily P&L requirements against the profit target

  A $25K account requires $1,500 in closed profit across 20 available sessions. If your average profitable session nets $100, you need every session to be positive. If you average $300 on winning days and lose $100 on losing days, model how many sessions you realistically need. The Apex profit target article covers this calculation in detail.

• 03

  Understand the trailing drawdown before you trade a single session

  The trailing drawdown is the rule that ends most evaluations prematurely. On a $25K Intraday account, the $1,000 drawdown trails your peak balance in real time, including unrealized profits from open positions. One bad trade after a strong open can eliminate all progress. Read the Apex trailing drawdown guide before your first session.

• 04

  Choose the right account size and trail type for how you trade

  The $25K is not the right starting point for every trader. If you regularly trade 3 to 4 contracts, a $50K or $100K account fits your actual trading better. The Apex account sizes guide covers all four sizes with cost, contract limits, and payout caps in one place.

• 05

  Decide between EOD and Intraday trail types before purchasing

  The EOD and Intraday trail types behave differently under real trading conditions. Intraday costs $20 less to activate but the drawdown floor moves in real time with your open profits. EOD has a fixed floor all session. The Apex EOD vs Intraday guide covers the full mechanical difference.

If you decide to start: current evaluation pricing

All evaluation options across all four account sizes and both trail types are available at the Apex site. The table below shows the current discounted prices with code ONKAGNVZ and the total cost to reach a funded Performance Account.