In 2026, the futures prop firm landscape is dominated by firms that have stripped away the “monthly subscription” trap in favor of one-time evaluation fees and zero activation costs.
The following breakdown focuses exclusively on the firms you mentioned, highlighting their “no-fee” pathways and specific 2026 plan structures.
We at funded truth strive to protect you from fraud and scam so we have only picked futures firm that are reputable and have a longer payout history, good reputation and reviews.
| Prop Firm | Primary Challenge | Fee Model | Activation Fee | Profit Split |
| FundedNext | Legacy / Rapid | One-Time | $0 | Up to 100% |
| Lucid Trading | LucidPro / Direct / Flex | One-Time | $0 | 90% – 100% |
| Tradeify | Lightning Funded | One-Time | $0 | 100% (First $15k) |
| Top One Futures | Instant / S2F Sim | One-Time | $0 | 100% (First $20k) |
| E8 Futures | E8 Signature | One-Time | $0 | 80% – 100% |
FundedNext Futures (All Plans)
FundedNext has removed all recurring costs for its futures branch. You pay for the challenge once, and it never expires. They have been here from one of the longest time and offer limited time offers too like bolt challenge.
- Legacy Challenge: A 2-step process that allows you to earn a 15% profit share while still in the evaluation phase.
- Rapid Challenge: A 1-step, fast-tracked model with no minimum trading days and no time limits.
- 24-Hour Guarantee: If your payout is not processed within 24 hours, they provide an additional $1,000 as compensation.
Lucid Trading (All Plans)
Lucid has become a 2026 favorite due to its End-of-Day (EOD) Drawdown and total lack of hidden fees. They are one of the most favoured prop firm after MFFU in futures space.
- LucidPro (Evaluation): Standard 1-step evaluation with one-time payment. No activation fee upon passing.
- LucidDirect (Instant): Skip the evaluation entirely for a higher one-time fee. No monthly subscriptions.
- Payouts: Offers daily payouts once a small buffer is established.
They have a lot of plans to choose from whether you want to pass in one go, or have a 50% consistency at evaluation, or direct plan that is a sim funded account often with 20% consistency.
Tradeify (Lightning Plans)
Tradeify’s “Lightning” category is the only one in their lineup that is strictly “no-fee” after the initial purchase.
- Lightning Funded: An Instant Funding model. There is no evaluation; you pay once and are immediately “Sim-Funded.”
- Fee Structure: $0 activation and $0 monthly.
- Limit: You keep 100% of the first $15,000 you earn.
E8 Futures (E8 Markets)
- E8 Signature: As of late 2025, E8 officially scrapped all activation fees.
- One-Time Only: You pay the evaluation fee once. If you pass, you move to the “E8 Trader” stage with no additional bill.
- EOD Dynamic Drawdown: Your drawdown limit only updates at the end of the day, protecting you from being “wicked out” by intraday volatility.
Top One Futures
- Instant Sim Funded: A one-time fee for immediate access. No evaluation required.
- S2F Sim Pro: A “Seed-to-Funded” model with a 10-day minimum trading requirement to ensure consistency.
- The “Elite” Exception: Note that their “Elite Challenge” typically carries a monthly fee—stick to Instant or S2F for the one-time fee experience.
- Profit Edge: You keep 100% of the first $20,000 you make.