The configuration cheat sheet for running HuntersAlgo on an Apex Trader Funding account. Everything here is mechanical: Apex publishes the rules, the math is straightforward, and HuntersAlgo enforces the rules consistently. The only thing this guide doesn't decide for you is which strategy to run; that depends on your own analysis of which mechanic fits the contract you're trading.
Verify these numbers against apextraderfunding.com before you start an evaluation. Apex updates rules quarterly. The configuration on this page reflects the published policy as of May 2026.
Apex account rules at a glance
| Account size | Profit target | Trailing drawdown | Daily loss limit | Eval cost (monthly) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| $50K | $3,000 | $2,500 | $1,500 | $167 |
| $100K | $6,000 | $3,000 | $2,000 | $207 |
| $150K | $9,000 | $5,000 | $2,500 | $297 |
The trailing drawdown is the binding constraint on every Apex account. Everything below works backwards from it.
HuntersAlgo daily-loss cap (suite-wide)
Set the strategy daily-loss parameter to roughly 60% of the Apex daily limit. The buffer covers the gap between strategy flat and the broker P&L update lag.
| Account size | Apex daily loss limit | HuntersAlgo daily-loss cap |
|---|---|---|
| $50K | $1,500 | $900 |
| $100K | $2,000 | $1,200 |
| $150K | $2,500 | $1,500 |
If you're running multiple HuntersAlgo strategies simultaneously, set the cap on each instance such that the SUM stays under the 60% threshold (e.g., on a $50K account with 2 strategies running, $450 cap each).
Daily trade cap
Cap each strategy at 3 to 5 trades per day. This bounds the worst-case sequence inside the trailing drawdown and prevents revenge-trading streaks on choppy days.
| Account size | Recommended daily trade cap (per strategy) |
|---|---|
| $50K | 3 |
| $100K | 4 |
| $150K | 5 |
Drawdown-relative position sizing
Work backwards from the trailing drawdown to a safe contract count. Worst case: a sequence of max-loss trades. Stay below 60% of the trailing DD on any rolling-week window.
NQ — HunterBreakOut default 12-tick stop ($240/contract)
| Account size | Trailing DD | 60% of DD | Max contracts (3 consecutive losses) | Recommended |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| $50K | $2,500 | $1,500 | 2 contracts ($720 worst-case 3-stop sequence is 29% of DD) | 1 NQ (comfortable) |
| $100K | $3,000 | $1,800 | 2 contracts | 1-2 NQ (1 comfortable, 2 borderline) |
| $150K | $5,000 | $3,000 | 4 contracts | 2-3 NQ |
ES — typical 8-tick stop ($100/contract)
| Account size | Recommended |
|---|---|
| $50K | 2-3 ES |
| $100K | 3-4 ES |
| $150K | 5-6 ES |
Micro contracts (MNQ, MES) — for smaller accounts
If your trailing drawdown is too tight for full-size contracts, switch to micros. MNQ is 1/10th the contract value of NQ. Same logic, scaled down.
News-window blackouts
Apex bans automated trading from two minutes before to two minutes after high-impact economic releases on PA accounts. Configure HuntersAlgo session blackouts for these:
| Event | Day | NY time | Duration |
|---|---|---|---|
| CPI | Tuesday | 8:30 AM | -2 to +2 min |
| NFP | First Friday | 8:30 AM | -2 to +2 min |
| FOMC rate decision | Wednesday | 2:00 PM | -2 to +30 min (extra buffer) |
| ISM Manufacturing | First business day | 10:00 AM | -2 to +2 min |
| Retail Sales | Mid-month | 8:30 AM | -2 to +2 min |
| GDP | Quarterly | 8:30 AM | -2 to +2 min |
Confirm the current news list on Apex's site before each PA day. Apex updates the blackout list periodically.
Force-close time
Most HuntersAlgo deployments on Apex use a 3:55 PM ET force-close. Apex doesn't ban holding through the cash close at 4:00 PM, but it adds gap-risk that the strategies aren't designed for.
| Strategy | Recommended force-close (NY time) |
|---|---|
| All NQ/ES strategies | 3:55 PM |
| HunterGC (gold) | 1:25 PM (gold pit close) |
| HunterSI (silver) | 1:25 PM (silver pit close) |
| HunterICT / HunterKillShot (multi-session) | 3:55 PM if NY-only; later if your config covers London/Asia overnight |
Sim vs PA — what changes
The eval runs on Tradovate sim with simulated fills. Once you pass and move to PA, you connect to the live data feed but still trade through Apex on Tradovate or Rithmic. Three things change:
- Slippage is real. Sim fills assume midpoint or marketable; PA fills hit the actual queue.
- Partial fills are real. A 3-contract entry might fill 2 immediately and 1 a few seconds later at a different price.
- Session-open queues are real. The first 30 seconds of NY cash-open is a particularly bad time to expect clean fills.
Most subscribers see a 5-15% gap between eval and PA on the first month as fills settle in. Paper-trade for 5-7 days on the PA connection profile before scaling up to your full configured position size.
Putting it together: a $50K Apex evaluation setup
Here's a sample first configuration for someone running HunterBreakOut on a $50K Apex eval, NQ contract:
- Daily loss limit: $900 (HuntersAlgo) — Apex's $1,500 minus 40% buffer
- Daily trade cap: 3
- Position size: 1 NQ contract
- Stop: Default 12 ticks
- Take profit: Default fixed-tick or trailing
- Session window: 9:35 AM ET to 3:55 PM ET (skip the 5-minute open chop, force-close before equity close)
- News blackouts: All entries above (CPI, NFP, FOMC, ISM, Retail Sales, GDP)
- Strategy mode: Off_Strategy_Execution (default — let the strategy fire on its own signals)
Run this on Tradovate sim for 5 days as a final dry-run before paying for the eval.
What this cheat sheet doesn't decide for you
- Which strategy to run. That's a function of which contract you're trading and which regime you expect. Read the methodology page and the strategy detail pages. HunterBreakOut is the only strategy with a published backtest; HunterORB, HunterICT, and HunterKillShot are likely good fits for Apex eval-passers based on session-windowed mechanics.
- Whether to use one strategy or several. A portfolio of strategies smooths drawdown variance. It also concentrates regime-mismatch risk if all of them are trend-following or all of them are mean-reverting.
- When to scale up contract size on PA. Apex publishes scaling rules; HuntersAlgo enforces only what you configure.
Related
- Apex + HuntersAlgo deep-dive page — full FAQ, sizing math, sim-vs-PA differences
- Position calculator — compute contract count for any account / stop / DD combination
- Prop firm vs personal account guide
- Why automate?
Apex Trader Funding rules update quarterly. This cheat sheet is informational and reflects published policy as of May 2026. Verify current rules at apextraderfunding.com before relying on this for any live deployment. Past performance is not indicative of future results. See disclosures.