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Static vs trailing drawdown: how to trade each

Static, end-of-day trailing and intraday trailing drawdown compared on the same trades, with where trailing floors lock at real firms and how to trade each model.

By FundedTime Research Team

November 5, 2026

The maximum loss rule decides how much room you have for the life of a prop firm account, and the way the floor moves matters as much as its size. A static floor never moves. A trailing floor follows your profits upward, either once a day or in real time. The same set of trades can pass under one model and fail under another, which is why this is one of the first things to check before buying a challenge. This guide compares the three models side by side, shows where trailing floors stop, and explains how to adjust your trading for each, with real rules from firms we review (checked November 2026).

This is the detailed comparison of maximum loss models. For the bigger picture, including daily loss limits and how each limit is measured, start with prop firm drawdown explained.

The three drawdown models defined

Static drawdown

The floor is set once from the starting balance and never moves. On FundedNext's Stellar 2-Step, the maximum loss is 10% static, so on a $100,000 account balance or equity must never fall below $90,000. Every dollar of profit adds a dollar of cushion.

End-of-day (EOD) trailing drawdown

The floor is recalculated once per session from your highest closing balance and can only rise. Intraday swings, including open profit that disappears before the close, do not move it. My Funded Futures' Builder, Rapid EOD and Pro plans, Lucid Trading's LucidFlex and all Alpha Futures plans use this model.

Intraday trailing drawdown

The floor follows your highest equity in real time, including unrealized profit. If a trade runs $1,000 in your favour and then returns to breakeven, the floor has still moved up $1,000. My Funded Futures' Rapid plan and Take Profit Trader's PRO funded account use intraday trailing.

Some forex firms use a fourth variant, a balance-based trailing floor that follows your highest closed balance rather than equity. Alpha Capital Group's Alpha One and Blue Guardian's 1 Step Standard both work this way.

The same trades under each model

Take a $50,000 account with a $2,000 maximum loss, so every model starts with a floor of $48,000. Over three days the trader does the following:

Day 1: one trade runs to +$1,500 of open profit, then reverses and closes at +$300. Close: $50,300.
Day 2: a losing day of −$800. Close: $49,500.
Day 3: a trade peaks at +$1,400 and closes at +$1,200. Close: $50,700.

After	Static floor (room)	EOD trailing floor (room)	Intraday trailing floor (room)
Day 1	$48,000 ($2,300)	$48,300 ($2,000)	$49,500 ($800)
Day 2	$48,000 ($1,500)	$48,300 ($1,200)	$49,500 (breached)
Day 3	$48,000 ($2,700)	$48,700 ($2,000)	Account closed

Under intraday trailing, the Day 1 open peak of $51,500 dragged the floor to $49,500 even though the trader only banked $300. The ordinary −$800 day on Day 2 then took the balance to exactly $49,500 and closed the account. Under EOD trailing, only the $50,300 close counted, so the floor rose just $300. Under static, the floor never moved, and the trader ends Day 3 with the most room of all. Test your own numbers in the drawdown calculator.

Where trailing drawdown stops

Most trailing floors stop rising at some point, usually once they reach the starting balance or the starting balance plus a small amount. After that the limit behaves like a static floor. Knowing the lock level tells you how much profit you need before the account becomes much more forgiving.

Firm and program	Model	Where it locks
Topstep Trading Combine 50K	EOD trailing $2,000	At the $50,000 starting balance
My Funded Futures 50K	EOD or intraday trailing $2,000	Starting balance plus $100 ($50,100) once the buffer is built; Pro ties it to the first approved payout
Lucid Trading LucidFlex 50K	EOD trailing $2,000	$50,100 once the balance passes $52,100
Alpha Futures (all plans)	EOD trailing	At the starting balance
Alpha Capital Group One 10%, $100,000	Balance trailing 6%	$100,000 once the balance reaches $106,000
Blue Guardian 1 Step Standard	Closed-balance trailing 6%	At the starting balance once 6% in profit
FTMO 1-Step	EOD trailing 10%	No lock stated; a first withdrawal resets the floor to 90% of initial capital
Maven Trading 1-Step	Equity trailing 5%	Maven's FAQ does not say it locks

Two cautions. First, a lock is not always permanent in the way you expect: Alpha Capital Group says that if you withdraw all profit after the floor has locked, the account closes, so you need to leave a buffer. Second, some funded accounts keep trailing after payouts. TradeDay's Quick Pay funded sim account trails on gross profit (current profit plus payouts), so the floor does not fall back when you withdraw.

"EOD" does not mean the limit is only checked at the close

This is the most common misunderstanding about end-of-day drawdown. EOD describes when the floor moves, not when a breach is checked. Topstep's maximum loss limit trails the end-of-day balance but is monitored in real time: realized and unrealized losses both count, and touching it intraday liquidates the account. Alpha Futures says the same: if floating equity touches the limit at any point, the account is liquidated.

Static floors at forex firms are also usually checked against equity. FTMO's 2-Step and Blue Guardian's 2 Step Standard both measure the static floor against equity, including open trades. A position that is temporarily deep in loss can end the account even if it would later have recovered.

Which firms use which model

Model	Examples (checked November 2026)
Static	FTMO 2-Step (10%), FundedNext Stellar 2-Step (10%), FundingPips 2 Step Standard (10%), Maven 2-Step (8%), Goat Funded Trader 2 Step GOAT (10%), Alpha Capital Group Alpha Pro (6%, 8% or 10%), Funded Trading Plus 2-Step Classic (8%)
EOD trailing	Topstep Combine, My Funded Futures Builder and Pro, Lucid Trading LucidFlex, Alpha Futures, Earn2Trade evaluations, Tradeify, TradeDay Fast Pass, FTMO 1-Step
Intraday trailing	My Funded Futures Rapid, Take Profit Trader PRO, TradeDay Quick Pay funded sim, Maven 1-Step and Instant (equity)
Choice at purchase	Bulenox (trailing or EOD, locked for the account's life), TradeDay Quick Pay evaluation, Apex Trader Funding (intraday or EOD evaluations)

The pattern is clear: forex two-step programs mostly use static floors, while futures firms almost all trail. If you trade futures and want the more forgiving trailing model, see the best futures prop firms with EOD drawdown.

How to trade each model

Static

Your cushion grows one-for-one with profit, so early profit is the most valuable protection you can build. Many traders risk less in the first days, then allow trades more room once there is a cushion. The main danger is the daily loss limit, which on static programs is usually the tighter constraint.

EOD trailing

Focus on your closing balance. Open profit that you give back before the close does not raise the floor, but every new closing high does. A big winning day therefore reduces your room for the next day by the full amount above your previous high close until the lock is reached. Size each day's risk from the distance between your current balance and the floor, not from the account size. Our position sizing guide shows how.

Intraday trailing

Treat open profit as if it is already part of the floor. A trade that runs +$1,500 and closes at +$300 has cost you $1,200 of cushion. Practical adjustments include taking partial profits, using tighter trailing stops once a trade is well in profit, and avoiding strategies that routinely let large open profits retrace. If your strategy depends on giving trades room to breathe, an intraday trailing account is probably the wrong product.

Before and after the lock

Under any trailing model, the period before the lock is the riskiest part of the account's life. Once the floor stops at the starting balance (or starting balance plus $100), your room grows with every further dollar of profit, just like a static account. If you are in a drawdown on a funded account, our guide to recovering from drawdown on a funded account covers how to rebuild cushion safely.

Which model suits your strategy

If you…	Best fit	Why
Swing trade or hold overnight	Static	Wide, fixed room and usually overnight holding allowed
Day trade futures with fixed targets	EOD trailing	Intraday swings do not move the floor
Scalp with small, quick exits	EOD or intraday trailing	Little open-profit giveback, so intraday trailing costs less
Let winners run with wide trailing stops	Static or EOD trailing	Intraday trailing penalises every retrace from a peak

Common mistakes

Assuming EOD means you cannot breach during the day. Most firms check the floor in real time.
Sizing from the account size instead of the remaining room. With $800 left above an intraday trailing floor, a $50,000 account is effectively an $800 account.
Ignoring the lock level. On a My Funded Futures or Lucid 50K, the floor stops at $50,100; on Topstep's Combine it stops at $50,000. These small differences change how much profit you need before the account becomes safer.
Withdrawing all profit after a lock. Some firms close or reset the account; Alpha Capital Group closes it.
Assuming the evaluation and funded models are the same. Take Profit Trader's Test uses EOD trailing, but its PRO funded account switches to intraday.

Firm details are from our verified reviews, including My Funded Futures, Topstep, Lucid Trading, FundedNext and Alpha Capital Group, checked November 2026. Rules change, so confirm the current model and lock level on the firm's site before you buy. This is educational content, not financial advice.

FAQ

What is the difference between static and trailing drawdown?

A static floor is fixed from the starting balance and never moves. A trailing floor rises as your balance or equity makes new highs, so profits do not add cushion one-for-one.

Is end-of-day drawdown better than intraday trailing?

For most traders, yes. EOD trailing only moves on your closing balance, so open profit that you give back during the day does not raise the floor.

Does trailing drawdown stop trailing?

At most firms, yes. Topstep's Combine locks at the starting balance, while My Funded Futures and Lucid Trading lock at the starting balance plus $100.

Can I breach an EOD drawdown during the day?

Yes. EOD describes when the floor moves, not when it is checked. Topstep and Alpha Futures liquidate the account if equity touches the floor intraday.

Which prop firms use static drawdown?

Mostly forex two-step programs, such as FTMO 2-Step, FundedNext Stellar 2-Step, FundingPips 2 Step Standard and Maven 2-Step (checked November 2026).

Educational content only, not financial advice. Trading involves substantial risk of loss. Prop firm rules change often; check the firm's official terms. Some links may be affiliate links; see our disclosure.

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