How you lose the account
The loss of a funded account in both firms is triggered by the breach of specific risk parameters, though the "triggers" differ significantly in their level of automation and severity.
- Blueberry Funded: You lose the account if you exceed the daily or maximum drawdown limits. However, they also implement a "Risk Per Trade Idea" rule (1% for Flex, 1.5% for others) where multiple violations lead to termination. In the Flex 1-Step program, news trading violations are cumulative: the third strike results in account closure. Inactivity for 30 days also triggers a breach.
- Funded Trading Plus: Account termination occurs upon hitting drawdown limits or 30 days of inactivity. A unique risk here is the "Symbol Loss Limit" in the 2-Step Classic program, which acts as a hard breach if you lose too much on a single instrument in one day. Unlike Blueberry, copy trading is strictly prohibited and will lead to account loss.
Maximum drawdown
The maximum drawdown is the ultimate "floor" of your account. The calculation method determines how much room you actually have to breathe.
- Blueberry Funded:
- 1-Step and 2-Step (Prime/Step 2): Use a Static Drawdown. This is the safest for the trader because the floor never moves.
- Instant accounts: Use a Trailing Drawdown, which follows your highest reached balance.
- Numerical Example: On a $100,000 Prime account (10% static), your floor is $90,000. Even if you grow the account to $110,000, your floor remains $90,000, giving you a $20,000 cushion.
- Funded Trading Plus:
- 1-Step Express and Instant: Use a Relative Trailing Drawdown (6%) that "locks" at the initial balance once you have earned the equivalent of the drawdown.
- 2-Step Classic: Uses an 8% Static Drawdown.
- Numerical Example: On a $100,000 1-Step Express account (6% trailing), your initial floor is $94,000. If you grow to $102,000, your floor moves to $95,880. However, once you reach $106,000, the floor locks at $100,000 and stops trailing.
Daily drawdown
The daily drawdown is often the rule that catches traders off guard, as it is reset every 24 hours.
- Blueberry Funded: The daily limit is calculated based on the highest value between equity and balance at the start of the day. This is a higher risk for the trader, as floating profits (equity) can pull your daily floor higher, making it easier to breach if the market retraces.
- Numerical Example: If you start the day with $100,000 balance but have $2,000 in floating profits (Equity $102,000), a 4% daily limit will be calculated from $102,000. Your daily floor is $97,920.
- Funded Trading Plus: The daily limit is Balance-based. This is generally considered more trader-friendly as it ignores floating profits for the calculation of the daily floor.
- Numerical Example: If you start the day with $100,000 balance and $2,000 floating profit, the 4% limit is calculated only from the $100,000 balance. Your daily floor is $96,000, regardless of the equity spike.
Rules beyond drawdown
There are "invisible" risks that do not depend on the total loss but on how you execute your trades.
- Blueberry Funded:
- Risk Per Trade Idea: A strict limit (1% to 1.5% of initial size). If a trade (or group of trades on the same asset) exceeds this loss, it is a violation.
- Consistency Rule: Only applies to Instant Lite (15%). Other accounts have no consistency rule.
- News Trading: Flex 1 Step prohibits opening/closing trades 5 minutes around news. Other accounts have a 2-minute restriction.
- Funded Trading Plus:
- Consistency Rule: Very relevant in the 2-Step Classic (50% rule) and Activation Accounts (25% for payouts).
- Symbol Loss Limit: Specifically for the 2-Step Classic, you cannot lose more than 3% on a single symbol in a day.
- Stop Loss: Not mandatory in either firm, which is a risk in itself if the trader lacks discipline.
Risk that comes from the setup
The technology and the "where" you trade affect execution risk (slippage and spreads).
- Blueberry Funded: Offers MetaTrader 4, 5, TradeLocker, and DXTrade. They use their own broker (Blueberry Markets). Trading "Synthetics" is an exclusive option, but these are algorithmically generated instruments with simulated volatility, adding a layer of non-market risk.
- Funded Trading Plus: Offers MT5, DXTrade, MatchTrader, and cTrader. They use Gooey Trade as a provider. The risk here is the lack of "Instant" weekend holding (prohibited), which could lead to forced closures on Fridays at 4:30 PM EST, potentially at unfavorable prices.
What is at stake and what you recover
The price of the challenge is the first loss you assume.
- Blueberry Funded: Prices range from $30 (Prime $2.5k) to $1,600 (Flex $200k). No refunds are offered on any plan. This means the fee is a 100% sunk cost from the moment of purchase.
- Funded Trading Plus: Offers a low-barrier entry with "Activation Accounts" for only $4, but you must pay a significant activation fee ($179 to $969) after passing. Other programs have standard fees. They do offer refunds within 14 days (if no trades were placed) and a fee refund upon reaching 10% profit on funded accounts (except Master/Prestige).
Frequently asked questions
Which firm has a higher risk of account loss due to news trading, Blueberry Funded or Funded Trading Plus?
Blueberry Funded carries a higher risk for news trading, especially in its Flex 1 Step program. In this plan, opening or closing positions 5 minutes before or after high-impact news is strictly penalized; the third violation results in total account termination. Funded Trading Plus, on the other hand, allows news trading without restrictions on most of its plans, significantly reducing the risk of a "technical" breach during volatile events.
Is the daily drawdown more restrictive at Blueberry Funded or Funded Trading Plus?
The daily drawdown at Blueberry Funded is more restrictive because it is calculated based on the highest value between balance and equity. This means that if you have floating profits, your daily loss limit is calculated from that peak, leaving you less room if the market turns. Funded Trading Plus uses a balance-based daily drawdown, which is safer for the trader as it does not penalize you for floating equity gains at the start of the day.
Which firm offers a better "safety net" for the maximum drawdown, Blueberry Funded or Funded Trading Plus?
It depends on the chosen plan, but Blueberry Funded offers a superior safety net in its 1-Step and 2-Step Prime challenges by using a Static Drawdown. This means the loss limit never moves from its initial level. Funded Trading Plus primarily uses a Trailing Drawdown for its 1-Step and Instant programs; although it eventually "locks" at the starting balance, it initially moves up as you make profits, reducing your effective cushion compared to a static model.
Between Blueberry Funded and Funded Trading Plus, which one is more expensive to lose?
In terms of initial risk, Blueberry Funded is more expensive because it does not offer refunds of the evaluation fee. If you fail the challenge or lose the funded account, the money spent is gone. Funded Trading Plus offers a fee refund on its standard evaluations once the trader reaches 10% profit in the funded stage. However, Funded Trading Plus's "Activation Accounts" involve a high psychological risk, as the trader only pays $4 to start but must risk up to $969 in activation fees once the challenge is passed.
