Entry price
The cost of starting a challenge varies significantly based on the account size and the number of evaluation steps. For small accounts, Blueberry Funded is the more economical choice, but for professional-sized balances, E8 Markets takes the lead.
- $10,000 Accounts: Blueberry Funded offers its 1-Step evaluation for $82.5, whereas E8 Markets charges $88 for its One (1-step) plan and $88 for its Pro plan.
- $25,000 Accounts: Blueberry Funded costs $165 (1-Step or Prime), while E8 Markets is more expensive at $188 (One) or $198 (Pro).
- $100,000 Accounts: The tables turn at this level. E8 Markets costs $488 (One) or $568 (Pro). Blueberry Funded is significantly more expensive at $605 for the 1-Step and $650 for the Prime challenge.
- Instant Funding: Blueberry Funded provides instant access to a $50,000 Lite account for $420, a path E8 Markets does not offer, as they focus exclusively on evaluations.
What you pay while trading
Execution costs are an ongoing expense that can drain your funded balance faster than the subscription fee itself. E8 Markets is the cheaper firm for high-frequency traders due to its lower commission structure.
- Forex Commissions: E8 Markets charges $5 per lot, while Blueberry Funded charges $7 per lot. Over hundreds of trades, this $2 difference represents a significant portion of your profit target.
- Metals and Indices: E8 Markets charges $6 per lot on metals and indices. Blueberry Funded is more expensive for metals at $7 per lot but offers a competitive advantage for index traders with $0 commissions.
- Swap Fees: Both firms charge swaps by default. However, E8 Markets offers a Swap-free add-on for a +10% price increase, whereas Blueberry Funded does not have a swap-free option available.
What mistakes cost you
In prop trading, the "cost" of a mistake is the loss of the account and the price of a reset. Blueberry Funded provides more flexibility for those who fail, whereas E8 Markets offers a simple discount.
- Reset Cost: E8 Markets provides a 10% discount on new evaluations after a breach. Blueberry Funded allows you to reset your account directly from the stage you reached (Phase 1, Phase 2, or even Funded) through the dashboard, saving you the time of restarting the entire evaluation.
- Drawdown Type: Blueberry Funded 1-Step and 2-Step accounts use static drawdown, which is "cheaper" for the trader because the loss limit does not move up as you make profit. E8 Markets uses dynamic drawdown on its One plan and trailing drawdown on its Signature plan, which effectively "tightens" your room for error as your balance grows.
- Risk Limits: Blueberry Funded enforces a strict 1.5% risk limit per trade idea on most accounts. Breaking this rule can lead to account termination, a high price to pay for a technical oversight.
What it costs to get paid
Getting your money out also has its own set of costs, mostly measured in time and minimum requirements. E8 Markets is superior for traders who need liquidity quickly.
- Payout Frequency: E8 Markets Pro accounts allow for daily payouts once you reach 1% profit. Blueberry Funded requires you to wait 14 days, though you can pay a +20% add-on fee at checkout to reduce this to 7 days.
- Withdrawal Minimums: Blueberry Funded has a flat $100 minimum. E8 Markets varies by method: $50 via Plane but $250 via Rise.
- Profit Buffer: E8 Markets Signature accounts have a "hidden" cost where you must leave a buffer in the account equal to your dynamic drawdown before you can withdraw, meaning your first profits are not immediately accessible.
Where each one hides its cost
Every firm has a mechanism to protect its margins. Blueberry Funded hides its costs in expensive add-ons. If you want faster payouts and higher risk limits, you could end up paying 40% more than the base price. They also have a maximum withdrawal cap of $2,000 for crypto, which could force you into other payment methods with different fees.
E8 Markets hides its cost in the profit split selection. While they advertise up to 100% profit split, this is an option you must pay for at checkout, increasing your initial investment. Additionally, their consistency rules on Signature (35%) and One (40%) plans act as a "time cost," preventing you from withdrawing a large windfall from a single lucky trade.
Cheapest for whom
Blueberry Funded is the cheapest option for beginner traders starting with small balances ($5,000 to $10,000) and for those who intend to use the 110% payout option to move capital into a live Blueberry Markets account.
E8 Markets is the cheapest for professional traders targeting $100,000 or $200,000 accounts who trade frequently and need to minimize commission drag. It is also the better choice for those who prioritize daily cash flow through the Pro account's daily payout system.
Frequently asked questions
Which firm is cheaper for a $100,000 evaluation, Blueberry Funded or E8 Markets?
E8 Markets is significantly cheaper for this account size. Their "One" 1-step evaluation costs $488, while Blueberry Funded charges $605 for its 1-Step evaluation of the same size. This makes E8 Markets the more cost-effective choice for traders looking for high capital allocation.
Between Blueberry Funded and E8 Markets, which one has lower trading commissions?
E8 Markets offers lower ongoing costs for most traders. They charge $5 per lot on Forex and $6 on metals and indices. In contrast, Blueberry Funded charges $7 per lot on both Forex and metals, though they do offer $0 commissions on indices, making them cheaper only for index-exclusive traders.
Who pays out faster, Blueberry Funded or E8 Markets?
E8 Markets is the winner for speed. Their Pro accounts offer daily payouts once you have at least 1% profit. Blueberry Funded has a standard payout frequency of 14 days, which can only be reduced to 7 days or "on-demand" by paying for an additional add-on at the time of purchase.
Which firm offers a better deal on account resets, Blueberry Funded or E8 Markets?
Blueberry Funded offers a more comprehensive reset system. While E8 Markets provides a simple 10% discount on a new evaluation, Blueberry Funded allows traders to reset their account from the specific stage they reached (Phase 1, 2, or Funded) directly through the dashboard, which saves the trader from having to repeat the entire evaluation process from scratch.
