Traders searching for an Earn2Trade alternative are rarely unhappy with prop trading in general — they have a specific friction point with Earn2Trade’s model: the monthly subscription cost, the trailing drawdown rule, the limited platform options, or the futures-only instrument universe. Each of these pain points has a different best-fit solution, and no single alternative wins across all four. Earn2Trade is a legitimate, well-regarded platform with a genuine educational component through its bundled CME Group courses. The question is whether those specific features justify the tradeoffs for your trading style and goals.
Earn2Trade Overview
Earn2Trade offers two main evaluation programs: the Gauntlet Mini and the Gauntlet. The Gauntlet Mini uses an end-of-day (EOD) drawdown rule and is available in account sizes from $25K to $200K, starting at approximately $150/month. The Gauntlet uses a trailing max drawdown — stricter intraday — and starts at approximately $250/month. Both programs offer an 80% profit split upon passing and require traders to use either Finamark or R|Trader Pro as their platform.
Genuine strengths:
- Bundled CME Group educational courses included with every evaluation — meaningful value for traders still building their prop trading knowledge base
- Clear, structured evaluation rules with defined profit targets and drawdown limits
- 80% profit split with no time limit on funded accounts
- Active community and established track record since 2016
Common limitations traders report:
- Monthly subscription model means a slow evaluation (3+ months) is significantly more expensive than a one-time-fee competitor
- Trailing drawdown on the Gauntlet catches traders who run up intraday profits and then give some back — even if they close the day profitable
- Platform restriction to Finamark and R|Trader Pro excludes traders already using NinjaTrader, Sierra Chart, or other established platforms
- Futures-only: no forex, indices (non-futures), or commodities — a hard stop for multi-asset traders
Why Traders Switch to JournalPlus
JournalPlus is not a prop firm — it is a trading journal that works alongside whichever prop firm you choose. Traders add JournalPlus to their workflow because evaluation platforms track whether you broke the rules; JournalPlus tracks why, when, and under what conditions you are most at risk of breaking them.
Track the Metrics That Determine Your Funded Future
Prop firm evaluations fail on a small number of bad days, not a bad edge. JournalPlus makes the numbers that matter visible in real time: your daily P&L against your daily loss limit, your remaining drawdown cushion, and your session-by-session win rate. If your cushion is $800 and your average losing trade is $300, JournalPlus shows you that you have room for two more losers before you are in danger — not in a spreadsheet you check after the session, but in a dashboard you review while trading.
One Tool Across Every Prop Firm
If you move from Earn2Trade to Apex Trader Funding to TopStep — or run evaluations at multiple firms simultaneously — your journal stays consistent. Import trade history from Finamark (CSV export), from NinjaTrader, or from any broker. Your performance data is not siloed inside a single firm’s interface.
Lifetime Pricing Removes Recurring Cost Pressure
Earn2Trade’s monthly subscription creates a compounding cost. At $150/month, a 3-month evaluation costs $450 before the funded stage. JournalPlus costs $159 once, with no monthly fee ever. Adding JournalPlus to your evaluation costs less than one month of the Gauntlet Mini — and the analytics it provides are available for every subsequent evaluation and funded account indefinitely.
Consistency Scores Are the Real Evaluation Metric
Many prop firms now include a consistency requirement alongside the profit target. Earn2Trade’s Gauntlet requires that no single day account for more than 30% of your total profits. JournalPlus tracks this automatically: after each session, it shows each day’s contribution to your running total so you can see if a single big day is putting you at risk of failing the consistency check even while being profitable overall.
Post-Evaluation Performance Analytics
Passing the evaluation is step one. Maintaining a funded account requires sustained discipline over months. JournalPlus provides session-level breakdowns — which hours are your best, which instruments are dragging your average down, and whether your drawdown events cluster around specific market conditions. These patterns are not visible inside a basic trade log.
Feature Comparison
| Feature | Earn2Trade | JournalPlus |
|---|---|---|
| Product type | Prop firm evaluation platform | Trading journal and analytics |
| Pricing model | $150–$350/month subscription | $159 one-time, lifetime |
| Platform support | Finamark, R | Trader Pro only |
| Instrument support | CME futures only | Futures, forex, equities, options |
| Drawdown type | Trailing (Gauntlet) / EOD (Mini) | Tracks your cushion in real time |
| Profit split | 80% flat | N/A |
| Educational content | Bundled CME Group courses | Performance analytics and journaling |
| Consistency tracking | Basic (platform rule enforcement) | Automatic daily contribution tracking |
| Session win rate by hour | Not available | Built-in |
| Multi-account tracking | Single evaluation at a time | Unlimited accounts |
Pricing Comparison
Earn2Trade vs. Alternatives: $50K Account Tier
The $50K account is the most common evaluation size for full-time futures traders. Here is what each platform costs for a single pass attempt at this tier:
| Platform | $50K Evaluation Cost | Model |
|---|---|---|
| Earn2Trade Gauntlet Mini | ~$200/month | Monthly subscription |
| Earn2Trade Gauntlet | ~$300/month | Monthly subscription |
| TopStep | ~$250/month | Monthly subscription |
| Apex Trader Funding | ~$167 (promo) | One-time fee per attempt |
| JournalPlus | $159 (one-time) | Lifetime journal, any firm |
Cost scenario — 3 months to pass at $50K:
A trader takes 3 months to pass the Earn2Trade Gauntlet Mini at $50K: 3 x $200 = $600 total evaluation cost. On Apex Trader Funding at promo pricing ($167 per attempt), three reset attempts cost $501. TopStep at $250/month for 3 months costs $750.
The gap widens sharply if it takes 6 months. Earn2Trade at $200/month for 6 months = $1,200. Apex at $167 per attempt for 6 attempts = $1,002 — but realistically, many traders need 2–4 attempts, not one per month.
JournalPlus adds $159 once, regardless of how many evaluations you attempt.
Profit Split Over Time
| Firm | Profit Split | Payout Structure |
|---|---|---|
| Earn2Trade | 80% flat | Standard payout cycle |
| TopStep | 100% first $10K, then 90% | Better for consistent producers |
| Apex Trader Funding | 100% first $25K, then 90% | Best headline number, shorter track record |
| FTMO | 80% (scaling to 90%) | Monthly payouts, multi-asset |
For a funded trader generating $3,000/month: at 80% (E2T), take-home is $2,400. At 90% (TopStep after $10K threshold), take-home is $2,700. The $300/month difference adds up to $3,600/year — more than the cost difference between most evaluation programs.
Earn2Trade’s refund policy: subscription months are non-refundable, and a failed evaluation requires purchasing a new subscription to restart.
How to Switch to JournalPlus
- Export your Earn2Trade trade history. Inside Finamark or R|Trader Pro, navigate to the trade history or account statement section and export as CSV. Both platforms support this export.
- Set up your JournalPlus account. Create an account at JournalPlus and add a new account for your current or upcoming evaluation. Name it with the firm and account size (e.g., “E2T Gauntlet Mini $50K”) to keep funded and evaluation accounts separate.
- Import your CSV. Use the JournalPlus CSV importer to map your trade fields. Futures trades from Finamark use standard CME contract fields that map automatically.
- Configure your daily loss limit and drawdown target. Enter your evaluation’s daily loss limit and starting drawdown cushion. JournalPlus will display remaining cushion on your dashboard every session.
- Review your session analytics before your next evaluation. Look at win rate by time of day, average winner vs. average loser size, and which sessions produced your drawdown events. These patterns tell you where to tighten discipline before restarting.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is JournalPlus better than Earn2Trade?
They are not in the same category. Earn2Trade funds traders’ accounts after passing an evaluation. JournalPlus tracks trading performance and helps traders pass evaluations more consistently. Traders use both together.
Can I import from Earn2Trade into JournalPlus?
Yes. Export your trade history from Finamark or R|Trader Pro as a CSV and import it directly into JournalPlus. The importer handles standard CME futures fields automatically.
How much does JournalPlus cost compared to Earn2Trade?
Earn2Trade’s Gauntlet Mini starts at $150/month per evaluation attempt. JournalPlus costs $159 once, with no subscription and no reset fees. Over a 12-month period, Earn2Trade evaluation costs alone could reach $1,800 or more depending on pass time — JournalPlus remains $159 total.
Does Earn2Trade use trailing or EOD drawdown?
The Gauntlet uses trailing max drawdown — stricter intraday. The Gauntlet Mini uses end-of-day drawdown. If intraday volatility is part of your strategy, the Gauntlet Mini or TopStep (which also uses EOD drawdown) is more compatible than the Gauntlet.
What is the best Earn2Trade alternative for forex traders?
FTMO. Earn2Trade only supports CME futures. FTMO supports forex pairs, indices, commodities, and cryptocurrencies across MetaTrader 4/5 and cTrader. See the FTMO alternative page for a full comparison.
What is the best Earn2Trade alternative for futures traders who want lower cost?
Apex Trader Funding during a promotion offers one-time evaluation fees as low as $67–$97 for a $25K account, compared to Earn2Trade’s $150/month. The tradeoff is fewer educational resources and a shorter company track record. See Take Profit Trader as another one-time-fee option.
Should I journal during my Earn2Trade evaluation?
Tracking your daily P&L, drawdown cushion, and session patterns during an evaluation — not just after passing — is one of the highest-leverage habits funded traders develop. JournalPlus makes this data visible in real time so you can make decisions before you breach a limit, not after.
For additional comparisons in the prop firm space, see the MyForexFunds alternative, The 5%ers alternative, and Apex Trader Funding alternative pages.