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Data refreshed 24 Sep 2026 · Compiled by David Ispiryan · Apex Trader Funding facts verified by BrokerCatalogue research desk (from the firm's own site) on 2026-09-24 · Blue Guardian facts verified by BrokerCatalogue research desk (from the firm's own site) on 2026-09-24
AI visibility score 16.7 / 100 · AI visibility rank #6 · Founded 2021
Apex Trader Funding is a proprietary trading firm based in Austin, United States, founded in 2021. It offers one-step evaluations on futures. Funded accounts go up to $150,000 (up to 20 accounts).…
Open the Apex Trader Funding profileAI visibility score 8.3 / 100 · AI visibility rank #12 · Founded 2021
Blue Guardian is a proprietary trading firm based in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, founded in 2021. It offers one-step, two-step, instant-funding evaluations on forex, indices, commodities, crypto, futures. Funded accounts go up…
Open the Blue Guardian profileApex Trader Funding (Austin, United States, founded 2021) scores 16.7 / 100 on the Q3 2026 AI Visibility Index (rank #6 of 76 prop firms), named in 23% of AI answers, runs One-step evaluations, funds accounts up to $150,000 (up to 20 accounts), pays a 90% (100% of first $25,000) profit split and offers NinjaTrader, Rithmic, Tradovate, WealthCharts. Blue Guardian (Dubai, United Arab Emirates, founded 2021) scores 8.3 / 100 on the Q3 2026 AI Visibility Index (rank #12 of 76 prop firms), named in 1% of AI answers, runs Instant funding, One-step, Two-step evaluations, funds accounts up to $400,000, pays a up to 90% (100% on select plans) profit split and offers DeepCharts, Match-Trader, MT5, NinjaTrader, TradeLocker, TradingView, Tradovate.
Scored on 9 measurable dimensions where both prop firms have verified data. Dimensions missing for either side are excluded rather than guessed. This is a data summary, not a recommendation.
| Criteria | Apex Trader Funding | Blue Guardian |
|---|---|---|
| AI visibility score | 16.7 / 100 | 8.3 / 100 |
| AI visibility rank | #6 | #12 |
| Named in AI answers | 23% | 1% |
| AI sentiment (0–100) | 21 | 7 |
| Founded | 2021 | 2021 |
| Headquarters | Austin, United States | Dubai, United Arab Emirates |
| Evaluation models | One-step | Instant funding, One-step, Two-step |
| Asset classes | Futures | Commodities, Crypto, Forex, Futures, Indices |
| Platforms | NinjaTrader, Rithmic, Tradovate, WealthCharts | DeepCharts, Match-Trader, MT5, NinjaTrader, TradeLocker, TradingView, Tradovate |
| Maximum allocation | $150,000 (up to 20 accounts) | $400,000 |
| Profit split | 90% (100% of first $25,000) | up to 90% (100% on select plans) |
| Challenge fee from | Not verified | $54 ($5K Instant) |
| Account sizes | $25k, $50k, $100k, $150k | $5k, $10k, $25k, $50k, $100k, $200k, $300k, $400k |
| Payout frequency | every 5 trading days | on demand (Instant) / every 7 days (1-Step, 2-Step) |
| Daily drawdown limit | none | 3% (Instant plan, $3,000 on $100K) |
| Maximum drawdown | trailing (end-of-day or intraday, by account type) | trailing 6% (Instant plan) |
| Minimum trading days | 1 | Not verified |
| Time limit | none | none |
| News trading | Yes | Restricted |
| Weekend holding | No | Yes |
| EAs / algos allowed | Restricted | Yes |
| Status | active | active |
Highlighted cells mark the stronger value where a direction is objectively better (e.g. more licences, lower fees). "Not verified" means the field is not yet in our catalogue for that prop firm — we never fill gaps with estimates.
| Engine | Apex Trader Funding | Blue Guardian |
|---|---|---|
| ChatGPT | 10.2 | 0.9 |
| Perplexity | 25.8 | 5.4 |
| Gemini | 32.8 | 5.5 |
| Claude | 17.3 | 7.8 |
| Google AI Mode | 12.9 | 6.3 |
| Google AI Overview | 25.5 | 8.6 |
| Google top-10 | 0 | 23.6 |
Scores 0–100 from the Pipswire AI Visibility Index, Q3 2026. Higher means the engine names the firm more often and more favourably.
Apex Trader Funding scores higher on the Q3 2026 Pipswire AI Visibility Index (16.7 / 100 vs 8.3 / 100), which measures how often ChatGPT, Perplexity, Gemini, Claude and Google name a firm when traders ask which prop firm to use.
Apex Trader Funding pays 90% (100% of first $25,000); Blue Guardian pays up to 90% (100% on select plans) (as published on each firm's site when we last checked).
Apex Trader Funding: NinjaTrader, Rithmic, Tradovate, WealthCharts. Blue Guardian: DeepCharts, Match-Trader, MT5, NinjaTrader, TradeLocker, TradingView, Tradovate.
Apex Trader Funding: maximum drawdown trailing (end-of-day or intraday, by account type), daily none. Blue Guardian: maximum drawdown trailing 6% (Instant plan), daily 3% (Instant plan, $3,000 on $100K).
Risk warning: prop firms are not regulated brokers or investment firms. Evaluations are paid, fees are usually non-refundable, most accounts are simulated, and a firm can change its rules or stop paying out. Most participants fail the evaluation. Nothing on this page is financial advice; read the firm's terms before you pay. Full risk disclosure.