Scalping
Both firms are compatible with scalping due to their futures focus and high-speed platforms, but they have different regulatory boundaries.
- Alpha Futures: Prohibits "tick scalping" or "micro scalping" specifically when trades repeatedly last less than 2 minutes and move less than 10 ticks. This makes high-frequency manual scalping risky for account compliance.
- Phidias Propfirm: Explicitly allows scalping without a universal minimum holding time. Traders can use platforms like Rithmic or Tradovate, which are optimized for fast execution.
- Risk and Cost: Alpha’s commissions are competitive ($0.99 per side for minis), but the 2-minute soft rule limits the most aggressive scalpers. Phidias offers more freedom here but charges activation fees (e.g., $149 for a 50K account) that scalpers must recover through volume.
Swing Trading and Overnight Positions
This is one of the most significant differences between the two firms regarding flexibility.
- Alpha Futures: Strictly prohibits holding positions overnight or over the weekend across all account types. All trades must be closed before the market session ends.
- Phidias Propfirm: Allows overnight and weekend holding exclusively on "Premium" plans. Fundamental and Express to Live accounts must close positions daily by 9:59 PM UTC.
- Risk: For swing traders, Phidias Premium is the only viable choice. Alpha’s end-of-day trailing drawdown is safer for day traders as it stops trailing once it reaches the starting balance, whereas Phidias users must choose between static (E2L) or trailing (Fundamental/Premium) models.
News Trading
The ability to trade during high-impact economic releases depends on the specific plan chosen at either firm.
- Alpha Futures: Evaluation and "Advanced Qualified" accounts have no news-trading restrictions. However, "Direct", "Standard", and "Zero" Qualified accounts prohibit placing orders within 2 minutes before or after high-impact news.
- Phidias Propfirm: News trading is generally allowed across their accounts.
- Platforms: Both firms provide TradingView and Quantower, which are excellent for monitoring news-driven volatility.
Automated Trading and EAs
Neither firm is a friendly environment for fully automated systems, though their reasons vary.
- Alpha Futures: Explicitly prohibits the use of Expert Advisors (EAs) and any form of automated trading.
- Phidias Propfirm: Prohibits fully automated algorithms, robots, and HFT. It only permits semi-automated software where the trader remains active, monitoring and manually adjusting every trade.
- Alternative: Traders at both firms are restricted to manual execution or manual-assist tools. Using a prohibited fully automated system at either firm will likely result in account closure.
Copy Trading
If you manage multiple accounts, both firms allow you to replicate trades, but with strict ownership rules.
- Alpha Futures: Allows copy trading only if the user is copying their own trades across accounts held in their own name. Group trading or copying third-party signals is prohibited.
- Phidias Propfirm: Permits copy trading within the maximum account limits (up to 15 CASH accounts depending on the plan). Strategies must not exceed the authorized total allocation.
- Constraints: Alpha limits users to a total of 5 Qualified accounts (3 if one is an Advanced account), while Phidias allows up to 5 of each specific type (Fundamental, Premium, and Express to Live).
Hedging and Stacking
Both firms have specific rules to prevent "gaming" the simulated environment through opposite positions.
- Alpha Futures: Prohibits hedging entirely. It allows reasonable DCA (Dollar Cost Averaging) but bans excessive order stacking or "order-book spamming" intended to exploit fills.
- Phidias Propfirm: Prohibits hedging on the same underlying asset (e.g., ES vs. MES) within an account or between different CASH accounts. DCA is permitted to smooth entry points if risk management is consistent.
- Risk: At Phidias, coordinated hedging between different traders is a bannable offense. Alpha also prohibits "Reverse Trading" and "Account Rolling" strategies.
If you trade like this
- If you are a Day Scalper: Phidias Propfirm is better because it has no minimum holding time rules, whereas Alpha Futures may flag trades under 2 minutes.
- If you are a Swing Trader: Phidias Propfirm (Premium Plan) is your only option, as Alpha Futures requires all positions to close daily.
- If you want to trade News without restrictions: Alpha Futures (Advanced Plan) or any Phidias account are suitable, but avoid Alpha’s Standard/Zero/Direct accounts.
- If you want a high Profit Split (90%) immediately: Alpha Futures offers a flat 90% split from the start, whereas Phidias starts lower (75-80%) and only reaches 90-100% after multiple payouts on specific plans.
Frequently asked questions
Which firm is cheaper to start a 50K evaluation, Alpha Futures or Phidias Propfirm?
Alpha Futures is generally cheaper for a 50K evaluation, with its Standard plan costing $129 per month and its Zero plan costing $139 per month. In comparison, Phidias Propfirm charges $164 per month for its Fundamental 50K evaluation. Additionally, Alpha Futures does not charge an activation fee upon passing, whereas Phidias requires a $149 activation fee for its Fundamental and Premium 50K accounts.
Does Alpha Futures or Phidias Propfirm offer a better profit split for the trader?
Alpha Futures offers a more consistent and higher initial profit split of 90% across all its plans. Phidias Propfirm starts with an 80% split on Express to Live and Fundamental accounts. While Phidias's Premium plan can eventually reach a 100% profit split, this only occurs from the fifth payout onward, meaning Alpha Futures provides a better deal for traders focused on early earnings.
Between Alpha Futures and Phidias Propfirm, which firm allows holding positions over the weekend?
Only Phidias Propfirm allows weekend holding, and it is strictly limited to their "Premium" account plans. Alpha Futures prohibits holding positions overnight or over the weekend on every single plan they offer. Traders using Phidias's Fundamental or Express to Live accounts are also restricted and must close all positions before the market close at 9:59 PM UTC.
How does the drawdown differ between an Alpha Futures evaluation and a Phidias Express to Live account?
Alpha Futures uses an end-of-day (EOD) trailing drawdown for all its evaluations, which has the advantage of locking at the starting balance once the trader is sufficiently in profit. In contrast, the Phidias Express to Live account uses a static drawdown that never moves up, regardless of profits. For example, on a 50K account, Alpha's drawdown trails your EOD balance by $2,000, while Phidias's E2L drawdown stays fixed at $49,350 ($650 max loss).
