Apex trailing drawdown explained: EOD, Intraday, and the mechanic that ends most funded accounts.
A verified breakdown of how both drawdown systems work, with official worked examples, stop levels, and the differences that actually matter for your trading.
The rule that ends more funded accounts than any other
Most traders who lose a funded account do not lose it through a bad strategy. They lose it because they did not fully understand the drawdown system before they started trading. The trailing drawdown is not a static stop loss. It moves. And with the Intraday model, it moves in real time based on unrealized profits, which means an open trade that briefly goes in your favour can permanently tighten the floor beneath you, even if that trade later reverses.
Apex offers both drawdown models across all four account sizes: $25K, $50K, $100K, and $150K. You choose the model when you purchase your evaluation, and the same model carries through to your Performance Account. The choice has a direct impact on how much room you have to operate, how your risk management must be structured, and which trading styles are viable on each account type.
The official Apex help center documents each system separately. This article brings both together in one place, with verified examples drawn directly from those sources, so you can compare them properly before committing to a model.
EOD trailing drawdown: the forgiving model
The EOD drawdown is calculated once per trading day at 4:59:59 PM ET based on your closing account balance. That threshold then becomes active for the entire next trading session. If your balance touches or falls below the EOD threshold at any moment during the session, all positions liquidate immediately and the account fails or closes.
The key word is once. The EOD threshold does not move during the trading day. No matter how high your balance climbs intraday, the floor stays fixed until market close. That gives EOD traders significant room to operate during volatile sessions without the threshold shifting beneath them mid-trade.
EOD worked example: $50K account
Verified from the official Apex EOD help center page. Max drawdown for a $50K account: $2,000.
Starting balance: $50,000 Initial EOD threshold: $50,000 - $2,000 = $48,000 Day 1 close at $50,800: Threshold moves to $50,800 - $2,000 = $48,800 Day 2 close at $51,600: Threshold moves to $51,600 - $2,000 = $49,600 Day 3 close at $50,900: Threshold stays at $49,600 (no new high at close) Day 4 close at $52,000: Threshold moves to $52,000 - $2,000 = $50,000
The threshold only updates at the end of a profitable day that closes above the previous highest EOD balance. A losing day leaves the threshold exactly where it was.
When EOD trailing stops
The EOD threshold does not trail indefinitely on Performance Accounts. Once the threshold reaches starting balance plus $100, it locks in place permanently. For a $50K EOD PA:
Threshold stop level: $50,100 Triggered when EOD high reaches: $52,100 (starting + $2,000 + $100) From that point: threshold fixed at $50,100 for the life of the PA
For Rithmic and WealthCharts evaluations, the threshold locks when it reaches the profit target balance. For a $50K account with a $3,000 profit target, the threshold locks at $53,000 when the EOD balance crosses $55,000. Tradovate evaluations are the exception: EOD drawdown trails indefinitely with no stop level.
Intraday trailing drawdown: the stricter model
The Intraday trailing drawdown adjusts in real time throughout the trading session. It follows the Peak Balance, which includes both realized and unrealized gains. Every time your account reaches a new high, whether from a closed trade or an open position that is momentarily in profit, the threshold moves up immediately.
That last point is what catches traders off guard. You do not need to close a trade for the threshold to move. If an open position pushes your balance to a new high and you then give back those gains, the threshold has already moved. The floor is now higher than it was before you opened that trade.
Intraday worked example: $50K account
Verified from the official Apex Intraday help center page. Max intraday drawdown for a $50K account: $2,000.
Starting balance: $50,000 Initial threshold: $50,000 - $2,000 = $48,000 Open trade moves balance to $50,900 (unrealized): New Peak Balance: $50,900 Threshold moves immediately to: $50,900 - $2,000 = $48,900 Balance declines to $50,200: Threshold stays at $48,900. It does not move down. Trade closes at $50,300: Peak Balance remains $50,900. Threshold remains $48,900.
The threshold does not reset between sessions on Intraday accounts. It follows the highest balance ever achieved across the life of the account, not just within a single day.
When Intraday trailing stops
The same stop mechanic applies as EOD on Performance Accounts: once the threshold reaches starting balance plus $100, it locks permanently. For a $50K Intraday PA:
Threshold stop level: $50,100 Triggered when peak balance reaches: $52,100 (starting + $2,000 + $100) From that point: threshold fixed at $50,100 for the life of the PA
For Rithmic and WealthCharts evaluations, the threshold locks at the profit target balance once the peak balance exceeds profit target plus the max drawdown amount. For a $50K account: threshold locks at $53,000 when balance reaches $55,000. Tradovate evaluations trail indefinitely with no stop level.
EOD vs Intraday: what actually differs
The two models share the same drawdown amounts by account size and the same stop mechanic on PAs. What differs is when and how the threshold moves.
Drawdown amounts by account size
Both EOD and Intraday use the same maximum drawdown amounts. These apply to both evaluation and Performance Accounts across all four account sizes.
| Account size | Max drawdown | Initial threshold | PA stop level |
|---|---|---|---|
| $25,000 | $1,000 | $24,000 | $25,100 |
| $50,000 | $2,000 | $48,000 | $50,100 |
| $100,000 | $3,000 | $97,000 | $100,100 |
| $150,000 | $4,000 | $146,000 | $150,100 |
PA stop level applies to both EOD and Intraday Performance Accounts. Rithmic and WealthCharts evaluations lock at the profit target balance, not the starting balance plus $100. Tradovate evaluations trail indefinitely.
EOD vs Intraday side by side
Same drawdown amounts, different trigger mechanics. Here is how the two models compare across every decision-relevant factor.
| Feature | EOD | Intraday |
|---|---|---|
| When threshold updates | Once daily at 4:59:59 PM ET | Continuously, in real time |
| Based on | Closing balance only | Peak balance incl. unrealized PnL |
| Intraday movement | Threshold fixed during session | Threshold can move up mid-trade |
| $50K drawdown amount | $2,000 | $2,000 |
| PA stop level | Starting balance + $100 | Starting balance + $100 |
| Activation fee | $99 one-time | $79 one-time |
| Best suited for | Swing, volatile intraday sessions | Disciplined scalpers, tight stops |
The activation fee difference ($99 EOD vs $79 Intraday) reflects the more forgiving operating environment of the EOD model. The drawdown amounts are identical. What you are paying the extra $20 for is the absence of real-time threshold movement during your session.
If you have not yet chosen your account model and want to review current evaluation options before committing, the full account details are on the Apex site.
Review current Apex account and evaluation options →Trailing drawdown vs the Daily Loss Limit: not the same thing
These two risk controls serve different purposes and are enforced differently. Confusing them is one of the most common sources of account management errors on Apex.
The Daily Loss Limit (DLL) limits how much you can lose in a single trading session. If you hit it, your positions liquidate and trading pauses for the rest of that day. Your account remains active and resumes the next session. The DLL resets each day.
The trailing drawdown threshold is a lifetime account limit. If your balance touches it at any moment during any session, the account fails or closes permanently. There is no resumption. A new evaluation is required to start again.
In practical terms: the DLL ends your trading day. The drawdown threshold ends your account.
How to check your trailing drawdown threshold
Knowing the mechanic is one thing. Knowing where to find your live threshold during a session is another. The display differs by platform.
Tradovate
In Tradovate, your trailing drawdown threshold is visible in the Account Detail panel. Open the Accounts tab, select your funded account, and look for the Trailing Threshold or Max Loss Threshold field. This updates in real time on Intraday accounts as your Peak Balance changes. On EOD accounts it remains fixed until market close recalculates it.
NinjaTrader (Rithmic)
In NinjaTrader connected via Rithmic, the drawdown threshold is displayed in the Account Performance window. Navigate to the Accounts section in the Control Center, select your account, and the trailing threshold appears alongside your current balance and daily PnL. The value reflects the last EOD calculation for EOD accounts and updates continuously for Intraday accounts.
WealthCharts
WealthCharts displays account metrics including the trailing threshold in the account dashboard panel. The threshold level is shown as the minimum balance level. Check the account summary section within your funded account view for the current threshold figure.
If you cannot locate your threshold on any platform, the Apex help center and Discord support channel are the fastest routes to a verified answer. Do not trade a funded session without knowing your current threshold level.
Three things to understand before you fund
The Intraday model punishes winning trades that reverse
If an open position briefly pushes your balance to a new high and then reverses, the threshold has already moved up. You now have less room than before you entered the trade, even though you ended the trade at a loss. This is not a bug. It is the design. Traders who run wide stop losses or let winners run without protective stops are particularly exposed to this mechanic. Understanding it before you trade the model is not optional.
Tradovate evaluations trail indefinitely with no floor protection
On Rithmic and WealthCharts evaluations, the threshold locks at the profit target balance once sufficient profit is achieved. Tradovate evaluations do not have this stop. The threshold trails indefinitely with no upper ceiling. A trader who builds a large profit buffer and then has a bad stretch can lose the entire safety margin they built. This is a meaningful structural difference between platforms that Apex does not prominently highlight.
Reaching the threshold intraday is final, even on a momentary touch
If your balance touches the threshold for a fraction of a second and then recovers, the account is still failed or closed. There is no grace period, no appeal window based on intraday recovery, and no distinction between a clean breach and a brief touch caused by a spike or fill. Liquidation occurs at market price, which means the final filled balance may be slightly above or below the threshold depending on execution, but the breach itself is irreversible.
Which drawdown model fits your trading style
EOD is the better model for traders who hold positions through volatile intraday price action, run wider stops, or trade in sessions where short-term swings are common. The fixed intraday floor gives you room to let a trade breathe without the threshold shifting while you are in the position.
Intraday is the better model for traders with disciplined position sizing, tight stop management, and strategies that do not rely on holding through intraday drawdown. The lower activation fee reflects the tighter operating environment, not a better deal. Choose it because your trading style suits it, not because it costs $20 less.
Before activating either model, the Apex Trader Funding payout rules article covers the conditions your PA must meet before withdrawals are available. And if you are still deciding whether Apex is the right firm for your approach, the Is Apex Trader Funding legit article covers the full business model and community evidence.
If you are ready to choose your account model and start an evaluation, the full pricing and account details are on the Apex site.
Review current Apex evaluation pricing and account models →What traders also ask.
Trailing drawdown accounts do not care about your win rate. They care about your worst moment. Build your position sizing around the threshold, not around your confidence.