1. Evaluation Models and Program Variety
Both firms offer a wide range of paths to funding, including Instant Funding, 1-Step, 2-Step, and 3-Step evaluations. However, their internal structures differ:
- AquaFunded provides a more balanced "Standard" vs "Pro" distinction across almost all its steps. The "Pro" versions generally offer higher drawdown limits but often come with more complex trailing drawdown rules.
- QT Funded categorizes its programs into "Prime", "Power", and "Instant". The "Power" accounts are designed for lower-cost entry with aggressive profit targets (6% + 6%), whereas "Prime" offers more traditional parameters.
- Scaling Potential: AquaFunded has a significantly higher ceiling for growth, allowing traders to scale up to $4,000,000 based on a 12% profit over three months. QT Funded focuses on a total max allocation of $400,000, which is more restrictive for high-capital traders.
2. Drawdown Logic: Static vs. Trailing
The way drawdown is calculated is perhaps the most critical difference for a trader's longevity:
- AquaFunded's Risk Profile: Most of their modern plans (Instant, 1-Step, 2-Step Pro) utilize a Trailing Drawdown based on the highest value between equity and balance. This means as your account grows, your "floor" moves up, making it harder to secure profits once you are in a drawdown phase. Only the Instant Standard and 3-Step plans use static drawdown.
- QT Funded's Risk Profile: Their "Prime" and "Power" plans use Static Drawdown, which is objectively superior for traders. The loss limit is fixed relative to the starting balance, giving the trader more breathing room as the account grows. However, their "Instant" plans do use trailing drawdown, similar to AquaFunded.
3. Operational Rules and Trading Restrictions
Both firms implement rules to control risk, but QT Funded is notably more "hands-on" with execution requirements:
- Stop Loss (SL) Requirement: QT Funded mandates a Stop Loss be placed within 60 seconds of opening any trade on funded accounts. AquaFunded has no SL requirement, offering more flexibility for manual traders.
- Stacking and Layering: QT Funded strictly prohibits having three or more open positions on the same asset simultaneously (funded accounts). AquaFunded allows stacking, making it a better choice for traders who scale into positions.
- News Trading: Both firms penalize news trading on standard plans. They use a 10-minute window (5 mins before and 5 mins after high-impact news) where trades cannot be opened or closed. The consequence in both firms is usually profit removal rather than account termination, though QT Funded’s "Prime On Demand" plan removes this restriction entirely.
4. Unique Risk Management: Wave Stop vs. Maximum Risk Limit
Both firms have automated mechanisms to prevent catastrophic losses, but they function differently:
- AquaFunded's Wave Stop: This is a "soft breach" system. If open trades reach a 2% loss, all positions are closed. The first time this happens, your profit split is reduced to 50%; the second time, the account is closed. This provides a safety net but penalizes your earnings.
- QT Funded's Maximum Risk Limit: This is more rigid. If floating PnL drops below 2% to 2.5% (depending on the plan) of the balance, the account is closed permanently. This acts as a hard stop on volatility.
5. Payout Reliability and Consistency Rules
- Payout Speed: AquaFunded offers a 24-hour payout guarantee (business days) or an extra $1,000 reward. This is one of the strongest liquidity guarantees in the industry.
- Payout Frequency: QT Funded offers "On Demand" payouts for specific plans, which is faster than AquaFunded’s standard 14-day cycle (or 7 days with a paid add-on).
- Withdrawal Caps: AquaFunded imposes a $10,000 cap on the first two withdrawals for accounts $200K or larger. This is a significant "hidden" condition for high-stakes traders to consider.
- Consistency Rule: Both firms have consistency rules to prevent "gambling" a single news event. AquaFunded limits a single day to 20-25% of total profits, while QT Funded is more lenient at 25-35%.
6. Leverage and Asset Conditions
- Indices Trading: QT Funded offers 20:1 leverage on indices, which is double what AquaFunded offers (10:1). For index specialists, QT Funded provides significantly more buying power.
- Crypto Trading: AquaFunded offers up to 2:1 leverage, whereas QT Funded limits it to 1:1, making AquaFunded slightly better for crypto swing traders.
- Commissions: QT Funded is cheaper at $4 per lot across all assets, compared to AquaFunded’s $5 per lot on Forex and Metals.
7. Summary: Which Firm to Choose?
Choose AquaFunded if:
- You are a high-volume trader looking for massive scaling potential (up to $4M).
- You want the security of a payout guarantee (the $1,000 late fee protection).
- You prefer a firm with no mandatory Stop Loss and the ability to stack multiple positions on one asset.
- You want access to a wider variety of platforms like cTrader and MT5 simultaneously.
Choose QT Funded if:
- You prefer Static Drawdown (available on Prime/Power), which offers more protection for your capital over time.
- You are an Indices trader who needs higher leverage (20:1).
- You want the possibility of On Demand payouts rather than waiting for fixed cycles.
- You are disciplined enough to manage a mandatory Stop Loss within 60 seconds and want lower commissions ($4/lot).
