Entry price
The cost to start depends heavily on whether you choose to be evaluated or go for instant funding.
- For a $50,000 account: WhitePips Futures charges $179 for its One Step evaluation, while Alpha Futures charges $209 (Advanced) or $139 (Zero) monthly.
- For a $100,000 account: WhitePips Futures is $299 for One Step. Alpha Futures ranges from $239 (Standard) to $349 (Advanced) monthly.
- Instant Funding ($50,000): Alpha Futures Direct costs $519 (one-time). WhitePips Futures Instant costs $549.
- Instant Funding ($100,000): Alpha Futures Direct is $689, whereas WhitePips Futures Instant is $899.
What you pay while trading
Operating the account isn't free, and these costs eat into your net profit.
Alpha Futures charges commissions of $0.99 per side for Mini contracts and $0.29 for Micros, plus exchange fees. It also offers optional costs like Level 2 data for $41 per month.
WhitePips Futures includes market data for the first 30 days. After that, you must pay $35 every 30 days to keep the data active. If you are a professional subscriber, this cost jumps to $540 a month. While they don't publish a fixed payout fee, bank and network charges for withdrawals are paid by the trader.
What mistakes cost you
In this industry, the cost of a mistake is the price of a reset or a new challenge.
- Resets: At Alpha Futures, resetting a $50,000 Advanced evaluation costs $189. They even offer "Qualified Resets" for Zero and Standard accounts (e.g., $499 for a $50k Zero account) if you fail after being funded. WhitePips Futures allows a restart within 14 days for the original price (e.g., $179 for $50k).
- Drawdown impact: Alpha Futures uses End-of-Day (EOD) trailing drawdown across all plans, which is more forgiving. WhitePips Futures uses EOD for One Step but applies Intraday trailing drawdown on peak equity for Instant accounts. This means an open profit that turns into a loss can cost you the account at WhitePips Futures Instant, whereas at Alpha Futures, only the closed balance at the end of the day matters.
What it costs to get paid
The real cost of a firm often lies in how much of your profit you can actually touch.
Alpha Futures has a 90% profit split. To withdraw, you need 5 winning days of at least $200. There are maximum withdrawal limits (e.g., $3,000 for a $50k Standard account) until you reach the "Live" stage.
WhitePips Futures also offers a 90% split but introduces a "mandatory buffer" for One Step accounts. This buffer is equal to the maximum loss and stays in the account—you can never withdraw it. This is a significant capital cost as it locks your first few thousand dollars of profit. For Instant accounts, you must hit a profit milestone (e.g., $3,000 on a $50k account) before each payout.
Where each one hides its cost
Alpha Futures hides its cost in the consistency rules and add-ons. The Standard plan has a 50% consistency rule in evaluation, and removing it for the qualified phase costs an extra $70 per month.
WhitePips Futures hides its cost in the recurring data fees and the "Soft Limit" daily drawdown. Reaching the daily limit stops your trading for the day, which represents an opportunity cost. Additionally, their scalping rule limits trades under 30 seconds to a maximum of 50% of total profit; exceeding this delays your payout, effectively locking your liquidity.
Cheapest for whom
WhitePips Futures is the cheapest for disciplined, fast-moving traders who can pass an evaluation in under 30 days to avoid recurring data fees and who don't mind leaving a permanent buffer in the account.
Alpha Futures is the cheapest for those who prefer to pay a higher entry fee to avoid evaluations (Direct Plan) and for traders who need the safety of EOD drawdown to avoid losing accounts due to intraday volatility.
Frequently asked questions
Which firm is cheaper to start a $100,000 evaluation, Alpha Futures or WhitePips Futures?
WhitePips Futures is generally cheaper with a one-off fee of $299 for its One Step account. Alpha Futures offers the Standard plan for $239 monthly, which is cheaper only if you pass in the first month. If you take two months to pass, Alpha Futures becomes more expensive ($478) compared to the $299 plus a $35 data fee at WhitePips Futures.
Between Alpha Futures and WhitePips Futures, which one has more expensive data fees?
Alpha Futures can be more expensive if you need Level 2 data, which costs $41 per month as an add-on. WhitePips Futures includes 30 days of data for free, then charges a flat $35 every 30 days for non-professionals. However, for professional traders, WhitePips Futures is significantly more expensive at $540 per month.
Which firm allows you to withdraw profits faster, Alpha Futures or WhitePips Futures?
Alpha Futures allows up to 4 withdrawals per month after 5 winning days of $200 or more. WhitePips Futures allows withdrawals "on demand" once conditions are met, but requires 3 profitable days (+0.25%) and a mandatory buffer for One Step accounts, or 5 profitable days and a specific profit milestone for Instant accounts. Alpha Futures is generally more predictable for regular income.
Are news trading rules more restrictive at Alpha Futures or WhitePips Futures?
Both firms are similarly restrictive in their funded/qualified phases. Both Alpha Futures and WhitePips Futures prohibit opening or closing orders within 2 minutes before and 2 minutes after high-impact news (red news). However, Alpha Futures is more lenient in its Advanced Qualified and all Evaluation accounts, where it places no restrictions on news trading.
