Hands-on Phidias Propfirm review covering account types, EOD trailing drawdown, payout rules, platform support, and how this Gibraltar-based futures firm stacks up against Lucid, TPT, and Bulenox.
- No daily loss limit on any account type — only the EOD trailing drawdown matters, giving real room to trade through volatile sessions without a separate daily cap killing your day
- EOD trailing drawdown recalculates at market close, not tick-by-tick — you can spike intraday without getting stopped out by a trailing mechanism that punishes unrealized P&L
- One-time payment option on every account with no recurring monthly fees — combined with frequent 40-80% discount cycles, effective eval costs drop well below $200 for a 50K
- Profit split automatically upgrades from 80% to 90% after your third payout — no application needed, no special qualification beyond completing three withdrawals
- Swing accounts allow overnight and weekend holding — most futures prop firms either ban this entirely or don't offer a dedicated swing product at all
- No NinjaTrader support — NT8 cut off new prop firm integrations, so if NinjaTrader is your platform, Phidias isn't an option until that changes
- Founded in 2024 with less than two years of track record — they've paid traders, but the history is thin compared to firms operating since 2018-2021
- Tight drawdown on smaller accounts — the 25K Static has only $500 (2%) drawdown, and even the 50K Fundamental's $2,500 (5%) is on the tighter side for active traders
- Mixed Trustpilot reviews at 3.9/5 — plenty of 5-star reviews praising fast payouts, but a meaningful cluster of 1-star reviews about account deactivations and data feed issues
- 30% consistency rule on CASH accounts — no single trading day can exceed 30% of total profits during the funded simulation phase, adding friction before you reach LIVE status
Account Types & Pricing
7 account types available. Pricing verified May 21, 2026.
| Plan | Price | Cycle | DLL | Split | Paul-tested |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 25K Static | — | 1-day | None | up to 90/10 | No |
| Fundamental $50K | $55 | 3-day | None | up to 90/10 | No |
| Fundamental $100K | $88 | 3-day | None | up to 90/10 | No |
| Swing $50K | $165 | 3-day | None | up to 90/10 | No |
| Swing $100K | $277 | 3-day | None | up to 90/10 | No |
| 10K Drawdown Challenge | $21 | — | None | up to 90/10 | No |
| Master $1M | $2222 | — | None | up to 90/10 | No |
Phidias offers three main account categories plus a challenge event and an invite-only Master Account.
| Account | Size | OTP Price | Profit Target | Max Drawdown | Max Contracts |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Static | $25K | $277 | $1,500 | $500 (fixed) | 2 minis |
| Fundamental | $50K | $580 | $4,000 | $2,500 (EOD) | 10 minis |
| Fundamental | $100K | $723 | $6,000 | $3,000 (EOD) | 14 minis |
| Fundamental | $150K | $863 | $9,000 | $4,500 (EOD) | 17 minis |
| Swing | $50K | $723 | $4,000 | $2,500 (EOD) | 10 minis |
| Swing | $100K | $900 | $6,000 | $3,000 (EOD) | 14 minis |
| Swing | $150K | $1,123 | $9,000 | $4,500 (EOD) | 17 minis |
Prices shown are full OTP rates before discounts. Phidias regularly runs 40-80% OFF promotions.
The monthly subscription route exists too, but OTP is the move. No recurring charges, no activation fees on one-time payments, and the discount cycles are frequent enough that you rarely pay full price.
Which Account to Choose
For most traders, the Fundamental 50K hits the sweet spot. The $4,000 target on $2,500 drawdown is a 1.6:1 target-to-drawdown ratio, which is manageable. You get 10 mini contracts, which is enough to trade ES, NQ, or CL with reasonable position sizing.
The Swing accounts cost more for the same size and targets. You’re paying a premium for overnight holding rights. If you trade intraday exclusively, Fundamental saves you money. If you hold positions through sessions or trade European hours, Swing is the only option.
The 25K Static is a micro-budget entry point. $500 drawdown leaves almost zero room for error. It’s more of a skill test than a funded trading opportunity.
The Master Account
The $1M Master Account isn’t something you buy. You qualify through performance: 120+ days of live trading and $250K in account balance or cumulative payouts. It’s a long-term goal, not a starting point.
Who Phidias Is For (And Who It Isn't)
Match yourself to Phidias's structure before signing up. Based on the 7 account types, drawdown mechanic, and Paul's testing data.
- ·Systematic traders who close cleanly each day
- ·Maximum profit-retention via trailing without lock
- ·Aggressive sizers — at least one plan has no consistency rule on funded
- ·Traders allergic to daily loss limits — at least one plan has no DLL
- ·Cash-velocity seekers — fast payout cycles available
Plan Economics: What Each Phidias Account Actually Costs You
The headline price isn't the full picture. Here's the per-account math — buying-power cost, risk buffer, and breakeven estimate based on standard 30%-buffer-utilization assumptions.
| Plan | Buy-in | Risk buffer | Cost per $1K BP | Breakeven* |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 25K Static | — | $500 | — | — |
| Fundamental $50K | $55 | $2,500 | $1.10 | ~1 cycles |
| Fundamental $100K | $88 | $3,000 | $0.88 | ~1 cycles |
| Swing $50K | $165 | $2,500 | $3.30 | ~1 cycles |
| Swing $100K | $277 | $3,000 | $2.77 | ~1 cycles |
| 10K Drawdown Challenge | $21 | — | $2.10 | — |
| Master $1M | $2222 | $50,000 | $2.22 | ~1 cycles |
How to read this:
- Buy-in = price you pay to start the evaluation (with PTV code applied where available).
- Risk buffer = dollars between your starting balance and the Maximum Loss Limit — the absolute drawdown room before breach.
- Cost per $1K buying power = price ÷ starting balance × $1,000. Lower = cheaper leverage. Useful to compare account sizes within the firm and across firms.
- Breakeven estimate* = approximate number of payout cycles to recoup your buy-in, assuming you utilize 30% of your risk buffer profitably per cycle at the plan's profit split. This is a baseline expectation, not a guarantee — your actual cycle output depends on strategy and discipline.
*Breakeven uses a standard 30%-buffer-utilization-per-cycle assumption. Aggressive sizing can shorten breakeven (and increase breach risk); conservative sizing extends it.
Sweet spot for new users: 10K Drawdown Challenge at $21 is the cheapest entry to learn Phidias's rules without risking a larger buy-in. If you're already confident in your strategy, sizing up to Fundamental $50K typically improves your cost-per-$1K-buying-power ratio.
How Phidias Drawdown Works
EOD · Trails upPhidias uses end-of-day trailing drawdown that follows your highest EOD equity forever. The MLL never locks — it keeps moving up as your account grows. Intraday equity peaks don't affect it; only closing balance.
How Phidias's mechanic works in practice
- Daily close determines the new MLL high-water mark.
- A profit at close = MLL moves up by the profit amount.
- A loss at close (with overall account still above MLL) = MLL stays at the previous high.
- Intraday drawdown does NOT trigger the MLL — only EOD close matters.
- No lock event. The mechanic favors profit retention but never gives back the protection of a locked floor.
Best fit
Best for systematic strategies that close positions cleanly each session. Maximum profit retention without the lock-up trade-off. Strong fit for traders who care more about pulling profits than protecting initial capital.
What to watch out for
- The MLL keeps climbing forever — a 20% gain followed by a 15% retracement can still breach the account.
- Without a lock, every winning streak creates a higher threshold for the next losing streak.
- Holding a swing through close is risky — the EOD position decides whether the MLL moves up or stays put.
Calculate Your Drawdown
⚡ ToolPre-selected for Phidias. Full tool with all firms →
Phidias vs Same-Mechanic Alternatives
4 other firms use the same drawdown mechanic. Side-by-side on the dimensions that matter most when choosing within a category.
| Firm | Plans | Cheapest | Mechanic |
|---|---|---|---|
| Phidias This page | 7 | $21 | eod-trail |
| Alpha Capital Group | 6 | $50 | eod-trail |
| AquaFutures | 4 | $166 | eod-trail |
| BluSky | 8 | $497 | eod-trail |
| Blue Guardian Futures | 8 | $99 | eod-trail |
All firms in this table use eod-trail drawdown. See all drawdown mechanics →
How Phidias Payouts Actually Work
Payout cycle ranges from 1 to 3 days depending on plan. 3 payout methods supported.
Cycle requirements per plan
- 25K Static — minimum 1 day between payouts on funded.
- Fundamental $50K — minimum 3 days between payouts on funded.
- Fundamental $100K — minimum 3 days between payouts on funded.
- Swing $50K — minimum 3 days between payouts on funded.
- Swing $100K — minimum 3 days between payouts on funded.
Payout method comparison
| Method | Fees | Speed | When to use |
|---|---|---|---|
| PayPal | PayPal fees apply | Same-day | Convenient but PayPal cuts ~2-3% — least efficient. |
| Bank transfer | — | — | — |
| ACH | Free | 1-2 business days | US bank-direct. Slower than Plaid but universal. |
Practical takeaway: Phidias's cycle length means you can realistically expect ~30 payouts per month on a profitable funded account. The actual processing time after request varies by method — pick the option that matches your residency and crypto-comfort.
Trading Rules
Exceeding the Max Loss Limit. This is the only hard stop. Your account’s trailing EOD drawdown is calculated at market close each day. If your account equity at close falls below your Max Loss Level, the account is breached. No warnings, no second chances.
Automated trading / HFT. Fully automated strategies and high-frequency trading are prohibited. Semi-automated (with manual confirmation) appears to be acceptable, but the line is gray.
Hedging across accounts. Running opposite positions on the same instrument across different Phidias accounts will get you flagged.
Treasury bond 1-tick arbitrage. Banned since July 2024. If you’re running fixed-income arb strategies, this matters.
The Rules That Work in Your Favor
No daily loss limit. This is the headline feature. Most futures prop firms (Topstep, Bulenox, even Lucid on some accounts) enforce a separate daily loss cap. Phidias doesn’t. Your only limit is the trailing EOD drawdown. If your account can absorb the loss by market close, you survive.
News trading is allowed. FOMC, NFP, CPI — trade through all of it. No restrictions on economic events.
1-step evaluation. Hit the profit target, meet the minimum trading days, and you’re funded. No Phase 2, no repeat evaluation, no verification round.
Copy trading is permitted. You can run the same strategy across multiple accounts. Just stay within each account’s contract limits.
The Consistency Rule (CASH Phase Only)
During the funded simulation phase (called CASH at Phidias), no single trading day can account for more than 30% of your total profits. This rule doesn’t apply during evaluation and drops off once you reach LIVE status.
It’s not the tightest consistency rule I’ve seen, but it means you can’t pass the funded sim by having one massive green day and coasting. You need at least a few good sessions spread across your trading days.
Strategies & Best Practice
The absence of a daily loss limit changes how you size positions. At most firms, you’re managing two caps: the daily limit and the overall drawdown. At Phidias, you only manage one. That means your position sizing can be more aggressive on high-conviction setups, because a losing morning doesn’t automatically end your trading day.
On the 50K Fundamental: $2,500 drawdown with 10 mini contracts. I wouldn’t risk more than $500 per trade, keeping a 5:1 drawdown-to-risk ratio. That gives you five full losers before you’re in trouble.
Handling the Payout Cycle
First payout requires 10 trading days with positive PnL (minimum $150 profit per day on 50K). That’s a qualification gate, not just a time gate. You need 10 genuinely green days.
After your first payout, subsequent withdrawals follow a bi-weekly cycle until you’ve either completed 3 total payouts or hit $75K in cumulative withdrawals. At that point, you transition to LIVE with daily payout access.
Withdrawal limits on CASH: $2,000 per period for 50K accounts, $2,500 for 100K, $2,750 for 150K. These caps lift entirely on LIVE.
Common Mistakes at Phidias
Treating no daily limit as no risk management. The EOD drawdown still exists. Going all-in because “there’s no daily cap” is how accounts get blown before market close.
Ignoring the consistency rule. One massive winning day that accounts for 40% of your profits means you can’t withdraw until you dilute that percentage below 30%. Plan your trading to avoid this.
Overleveraging the Static 25K. $500 drawdown on 2 mini contracts. One 10-point ES move against you and the account is done. This isn’t a trading account — it’s a precision challenge.
Platforms
Phidias supports Rithmic-compatible platforms:
- Sierra Chart — The power user’s choice. Full depth-of-market, advanced charting, fastest execution on Rithmic.
- Quantower — Free version available. Modern interface, multi-monitor support, solid for order flow analysis.
- ATAS — Order flow focused. Good if volume profile and footprint charts are central to your strategy.
- Bookmap — Heatmap visualization. Niche but excellent for reading liquidity.
- MotiveWave — Full-featured charting and analysis. Java-based, runs on Mac and Windows.
- DeepChart / DeepDOM — Free charting and DOM tools from the Rithmic ecosystem.
What’s Missing
NinjaTrader — The elephant in the room. NinjaTrader stopped supporting new prop firm integrations to build their own prop trading product. Phidias is in conversations with NT, but there’s no confirmed timeline. If you’re a NinjaTrader user, this is a dealbreaker until that changes.
TradingView — Not currently supported. Planned for the future, but no date announced.
Tradovate — Not available. Phidias runs exclusively on Rithmic infrastructure.
My Platform Setup
I connected through Quantower. The free version covers what you need for evaluation and funded trading. Rithmic data feeds were stable. Fills were consistent with what I see at other Rithmic-based firms.
If you’re coming from a Tradovate or TradingView workflow, expect an adjustment period. The Rithmic ecosystem has a steeper setup curve, but the execution quality is generally better for active futures traders.
Trust & Legitimacy
Phidias has paid traders. Multiple community reports confirm withdrawals processing within hours to a couple of days. The Rise/Riseworks payment system they use is legitimate infrastructure shared by other financial services.
Their payout processing speed is actually a strong point based on community feedback — multiple reports of same-day processing for digital payments.
Company Background
- Registered as: Phidias Propfirm Limited, Gibraltar (Reg. 12401448)
- LEI number: 2549002ZYS0FYA2RB617 (publicly verifiable)
- Office: Suite 4.3.02, Block 4, Eurotowers, Gibraltar
- Founded: 2024
- Leadership: Florian and Julien (last names not publicly disclosed)
The Gibraltar registration and LEI number are verifiable. That’s a good sign. The founders maintaining relative anonymity is more common in prop trading than you’d think, but it’s still a transparency gap compared to firms where the CEO does podcasts and conference talks.
Red Flags and Concerns
The firm is under two years old. In prop trading, that’s very young. Firms can look great for 12-18 months and then change rules, tighten payouts, or shut down. We’ve seen it happen.
Trustpilot is polarized. 3.9/5 with a meaningful cluster of 1-star reviews citing account deactivations, unclear rule enforcement, and data feed disconnections. The positive reviews are genuinely positive (praising speed and conditions), but the negatives are concerning enough to note.
No NinjaTrader is a platform risk. If they can’t resolve the NT integration, they’re locked out of a large segment of futures traders. That affects long-term viability.
Founders are anonymous. Names only, no public profiles, no LinkedIn presence I could verify. This isn’t a red flag in isolation, but combined with the firm’s youth, it adds uncertainty.
How Long Phidias Has Operated vs Competitors
- Phidias: Founded 2024 (~1.5 years)
- Lucid Trading: Founded 2023 (~2.5 years)
- TakeProfitTrader: Founded 2021 (~4.5 years)
- Bulenox: Founded 2022 (~3.5 years)
- Alpha Futures: Founded 2022 (~3.5 years)
- Topstep: Founded 2012 (~13 years)
Phidias is the youngest firm in this comparison group. That doesn’t mean they’re illegitimate, but the track record is the shortest.
How Phidias Compares
| Feature | Phidias | Lucid Trading | TakeProfitTrader | Bulenox | Alpha Futures |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 50K Eval Price | $580 OTP | ~$400 OTP | $188/mo | $275 OTP | ~$300 OTP |
| Drawdown Type | EOD Trailing | EOD Trailing | EOD Trailing (eval) / Intraday (funded) | EOD Trailing | EOD Trailing |
| Daily Loss Limit | None | None (LucidFlex) | None (since Jan 2025) | Yes | Yes |
| Profit Split | 80% → 90% | 90% | 90% | 90% | 80% → 90% |
| Profit Target (50K) | $4,000 (8%) | $3,000 (6%) | $3,000 (6%) | $3,500 (7%) | $3,000 (6%) |
| Eval Steps | 1-step | 1-step | 1-step | 1-step | 1-step |
| Platforms | Sierra, Quantower, ATAS, Bookmap, MotiveWave | Tradovate, TradingView, NinjaTrader, Quantower | 15+ platforms | NinjaTrader, Quantower, ATAS | Tradovate, TradingView, NinjaTrader |
| Overnight Holds | Swing accounts only | No | No | Select accounts | No |
| Payout Speed | Same day (digital) | 5-8 days | 24-48 hours | 2-5 days | 3-7 days |
| Trustpilot | 3.9/5 | 4.5/5 | 4.6/5 | 4.3/5 | 4.4/5 |
Where Phidias Wins
No daily loss limit. Lucid’s LucidFlex and TPT (since 2025) also dropped the daily cap, but Phidias has never had one. Bulenox and Alpha still enforce daily limits.
Overnight and weekend holding. Swing accounts give you flexibility that most of these competitors simply don’t offer on standard accounts.
Payout processing speed. Same-day digital payouts is faster than anything in this comparison group. TPT’s 24-48 hours is close, but Phidias appears to be the fastest when conditions are met.
Access to Eurex. None of the other firms in this comparison give you European exchange access. If you trade DAX or Euro Stoxx futures, Phidias is one of very few options.
Where Phidias Loses
Platform support. Lucid, TPT, and Alpha all offer TradingView and/or NinjaTrader. Phidias offers neither. This is the single biggest competitive disadvantage.
Starting profit split. Lucid, TPT, and Bulenox all start at 90%. Phidias starts at 80% and requires three payouts to reach 90%.
Track record. Every firm in this comparison has been operating longer. Some by years. That matters for trust.
Profit targets are higher. Phidias wants 8% on the 50K ($4,000). Lucid, TPT, and Alpha all ask for 6% ($3,000). Bulenox asks 7%. You need to generate more profit at Phidias to pass.
My Recommendation by Trader Type
Choose Phidias if:
- You trade order flow using Sierra Chart, ATAS, or Bookmap
- You need overnight or weekend holding for swing strategies
- You want to trade Eurex products (DAX, Euro Stoxx)
- No daily loss limit is your top priority
- You’re comfortable with a newer firm for better conditions
Choose Lucid Trading if:
- You want TradingView or Tradovate compatibility
- You prefer starting at 90% profit split immediately
- You value a slightly longer (but still short) track record
- You trade primarily ES, NQ, and want the lowest barrier to funding
Choose TakeProfitTrader if:
- You want the broadest platform selection (15+)
- Daily payouts after funding appeal to you
- You value a US-based firm with BBB accreditation
- You have a longer track record of prop firm experience
Choose Bulenox if:
- You want the cheapest evaluation pricing
- NinjaTrader is your primary platform
- You prefer a middle-ground between aggressive conditions and established track record
Frequently Asked Questions About Phidias
What drawdown mechanic does Phidias use?
What account types does Phidias offer?
How much does Phidias cost?
What's the profit split at Phidias?
Does Phidias have a daily loss limit?
Does Phidias have a consistency rule?
How often does Phidias pay out?
What payout methods does Phidias support?
Has Paul personally tested Phidias?
What's Phidias's Trustpilot rating?
What trading platforms does Phidias support?
More questions about Phidias
Frequently Asked Questions
What is Phidias Propfirm?
Phidias is a Gibraltar-based futures prop trading firm offering one-step evaluations with EOD trailing drawdown and no daily loss limit. They provide funded accounts from $25K to $150K across CME, CBOT, NYMEX, COMEX, and Eurex exchanges, with a profit split starting at 80% and increasing to 90% after three payouts.
What makes Phidias different from other futures prop firms?
Three things stand out: no daily loss limit (rare among futures firms), Swing accounts that allow overnight and weekend holding, and access to Eurex products. The EOD trailing drawdown and one-time payment pricing model round out a competitive offering for traders who want fewer restrictions.
What is the profit split at Phidias?
The split starts at 80/20 (you keep 80%). After your third successful payout, it automatically upgrades to 90/10. No application or special qualification required beyond completing three withdrawals.
How does the evaluation work?
One-step evaluation. Hit the profit target (e.g., $4,000 on a 50K account), trade the minimum number of days (3 for Fundamental/Swing, 1 for Static), and stay above the max drawdown level. No Phase 2, no verification round.
What platforms does Phidias support?
Sierra Chart, Quantower, ATAS, Bookmap, MotiveWave, DeepChart, and DeepDOM. All run on Rithmic data feeds. NinjaTrader and TradingView are not currently supported.
How fast are payouts processed?
Digital payouts (crypto, bank transfer via Riseworks) typically process same-day, often within 1-4 hours of approval. Bank transfers take 3-5 business days. Payout requests follow a bi-weekly cycle on CASH accounts, upgrading to daily on LIVE accounts.
Is there a daily loss limit?
No. Phidias only enforces the trailing EOD max drawdown. There is no separate daily loss cap in any phase — evaluation, CASH, or LIVE.
What is the consistency rule?
On CASH (funded simulation) accounts, no single trading day can account for more than 30% of your total profits. This rule does not apply during evaluation or on LIVE accounts. The 25K Static account is exempt from this rule entirely.
How do I transition from CASH to LIVE?
After three successful payouts or $75,000 in cumulative withdrawals on CASH, you qualify for a LIVE account upgrade. LIVE removes withdrawal limits, drops the consistency rule, and gives you daily payout access.
Can I hold positions overnight?
Only on Swing accounts. Fundamental accounts require all positions to be closed before the end of the trading session. Swing accounts allow overnight and weekend holding with reduced position size limits.
Is Phidias Propfirm legitimate?
Phidias is registered in Gibraltar with a verifiable LEI number. They have paid traders and process withdrawals through Riseworks, a legitimate payment infrastructure. The firm is young (founded 2024) and their Trustpilot sits at 3.9/5, which is lower than most established competitors. Legitimate, but still building its track record.
Should I choose Phidias in 2026?
Phidias makes sense if you trade through Rithmic-compatible platforms, want no daily loss limit, or need overnight holding and Eurex access. If NinjaTrader or TradingView is essential to your workflow, or if you need a firm with 3+ years of proven payouts, look at Lucid Trading, TakeProfitTrader, or Bulenox instead.