At $100K, Blue Guardian is the better pick for most one-phase traders: its 1-Step Standard costs $298 with code INSIDE, asks for a 9% target instead of 10%, gives you a 4% daily loss instead of 3% and pays an 85% split. BrightFunded is the better pick if you want to grow one account for the long run: no payout minimum or processing fee, bank transfers, a 15% bonus on your evaluation profit and a scaling plan with no upper limit that can take your split to 100%.
We compare the BrightFunded 1-Step Challenge (the plan its RALLY30 code discounts by 30%) with the Blue Guardian 1-Step Standard, both at $100,000. Both use a 6% trailing max loss, so the real differences are the daily limit, the target, the funded-stage safety rules and how you get paid.
- Cheaper: Blue Guardian, $298 vs €348. (BrightFunded bills in euros).
- Easier evaluation: Blue Guardian. A 9% target and 4% daily loss vs 10% and 3%, and no 5-day minimum stated.
- Better payouts: split decision. Blue Guardian pays 85% from day one; BrightFunded pays 80% but has no minimum, no fee and a path to 100%.
Side-by-Side Comparison: $100K 1-Step
| Feature | BrightFunded | Blue Guardian |
|---|---|---|
| Plan compared | 1-Step Challenge | 1-Step Standard |
| Price after code | €348 (code RALLY30, 30% off) | $298 (code INSIDE, 25% off) |
| Regular price | €497 | $398 |
| Profit target | 10% | 9% |
| Max drawdown | 6% Trailing (locks at starting balance once equity is 6% up) | 6% Trailing (locks at starting balance; keep a 1% buffer) |
| Daily loss limit | 3% | 4% |
| Minimum trading days | 5 (none with add-on) | Check the firm’s site |
| Consistency rule | None stated | None in the evaluation |
| Profit split | 80% (90% add-on; 100% after 3 scale-ups) | 85% (up to 90% with add-on) |
| Payout frequency | First after 30 days, then every 14 days (weekly add-on) | Every 14 days (weekly add-on) |
| Payout minimum / fee | No minimum | $100 minimum; 3% processing fee |
| Payout methods | Bank Transfer, Crypto | Crypto, Rise Works |
| News trading | Free in evaluation; funded profit within 5 min of major news deducted (48h+ holds exempt) | Free in challenge; no trading 5 min around high-impact news once funded |
| FX leverage | 1:100 | 1:50 |
| Platforms | MT5, cTrader, DXtrade | MT5, Match Trader, TradeLocker |
Price: Blue Guardian Costs Less
With code INSIDE, the Blue Guardian $100K 1-Step Standard drops from $398 to $298 (25% off). With code RALLY30, the BrightFunded $100K 1-Step drops from €497 to €348 (30% off). BrightFunded bills in euros, so convert at your card’s rate before comparing.
BrightFunded’s promo is tiered: RALLY30 gives 30% on the 1-Step, while the 2-Step Bright uses RALLY25 and the 2-Step Classic RALLY15. If two phases suit you, the $100K 2-Step Bright costs €358 (8% | 5% targets, 8% Static). On the Blue Guardian side, the 1-Step Nano is the budget option at $240 for $100K (10% target, 6% Trailing, weekly payouts), but it adds a 50% consistency rule in both the challenge and the funded stage.
Rules & Drawdown
Same max loss, different daily room. Both firms use a 6% trailing max loss on $100K, which starts $6,000 below your balance and follows your equity up. At BrightFunded it locks at the starting balance once equity is 6% above it; at Blue Guardian it also locks at the starting balance, and you must keep a 1% profit buffer, because withdrawing everything closes the account. The daily limit is where Blue Guardian pulls ahead: 4% ($4,000) vs 3% ($3,000) at BrightFunded.
Targets and time. Blue Guardian asks for 9% ($9,000) and has no consistency rule in the evaluation. BrightFunded asks for 10% ($10,000) and needs at least 5 trading days, where a trade must stay open a minute to count, unless you buy the add-on that removes the minimum. Both deactivate accounts after 30 days without a trade.
Funded safety rules. Blue Guardian’s Guardian Shield may close your trades automatically when open losses reach 2% on the 1-Step Standard; the first hit cuts your split to 50% and the second breaches the account. BrightFunded lists no equivalent, but bans hedging, grid trading, tick scalping and HFT. At Blue Guardian, trades closed in under 2 minutes may be flagged as tick scalping.
Payouts
Blue Guardian pays 85% every 14 days, or weekly with an add-on, with a $100 minimum and a 3% processing fee on every payout. The $10,000 payout caps only apply to $200K–$400K accounts, so a $100K trader has no cap. Payouts go out by crypto or Rise Works.
BrightFunded pays 80% (90% with an add-on). Your first payout comes after 30 days, then every 14 days, or weekly with an add-on. There is no minimum, and you can take crypto (USDC on ERC-20) or a bank transfer in euros. Two extras stand out: grow a funded account by 10% and you get a 15% reward on the profit you made in the evaluation, added to a new funded account; and the scaling plan adds 30% of the original size each time you qualify (profitable in 2 of 4 months, 10% total profit, at least 2 payouts), with no upper limit and a 100% split after three scale-ups.
Platforms & Trading Conditions
BrightFunded offers MT5, cTrader, DXtrade; Blue Guardian offers MT5, Match Trader, TradeLocker. MT5 is the only overlap, so cTrader users should pick BrightFunded and TradeLocker or Match Trader users Blue Guardian.
BrightFunded gives more leverage on its 1-Step: 1:100 on FX, 1:40 on metals and energy, 1:20 on indices and 1:5 on crypto. Blue Guardian’s 1-Step allows 1:50 on FX, 1:20 on indices and commodities and 1:2 on crypto. Commissions favour BrightFunded on forex at $3 per lot vs $5 per lot at Blue Guardian; indices are commission-free at both. Blue Guardian allows EAs and copiers on your own accounts; BrightFunded allows rule-following EAs in the evaluation but prohibits automated tools once funded, so check its terms before running a bot.
Pros & Cons
BrightFunded
- Pro: no payout minimum, no processing fee and bank transfers in euros.
- Pro: 15% evaluation profit reward and unlimited scaling up to a 100% split.
- Pro: 1:100 FX leverage, $3 per lot FX commission and cTrader access.
- Con: €348 for $100K, billed in euros, and a 10% target.
- Con: tighter 3% daily loss and a 5-day minimum without the add-on.
- Con: first payout only after 30 days; funded news profit within 5 minutes is deducted.
Blue Guardian
- Pro: cheaper at $298 with INSIDE (25% off all accounts).
- Pro: easier evaluation: 9% target, 4% daily loss, no consistency rule.
- Pro: 85% split from the start, no payout cap at $100K, EAs and copiers allowed.
- Con: 3% fee and $100 minimum on every payout; no bank transfer.
- Con: Guardian Shield cuts your split to 50% after a 2% open loss once funded.
- Con: no trading 5 minutes around high-impact news on funded accounts; 1:50 FX leverage.
Which Should You Choose?
BrightFunded — you plan to keep one account for months and want the long-term upside: no payout fees or minimum, bank payouts, a 15% evaluation reward and scaling with no ceiling. You pay €348, need 10% with only a 3% daily limit, and wait 30 days for the first payout.
Blue Guardian — you want the cheaper, easier pass: $298, a 9% target, 4% daily loss and an 85% split right away. Accept the 3% fee on every payout, the Guardian Shield and the news blackout once funded.
Want more detail? Read our full BrightFunded review and Blue Guardian review, browse all forex prop firms, see more prop firm comparisons such as E8 Markets vs BrightFunded and AquaFunded vs Blue Guardian, or grab every current code on our prop firm discount codes page. Always confirm the latest rules on the BrightFunded website before you buy.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is BrightFunded or Blue Guardian cheaper?
Blue Guardian. Its $100K 1-Step Standard costs $298 with code INSIDE, vs €348 for the BrightFunded $100K 1-Step with code RALLY30.
Which has easier rules on the $100K 1-Step?
Blue Guardian: a 9% target and 4% daily loss vs 10% and 3% at BrightFunded. Both use a 6% trailing max loss that locks at the starting balance.
Which firm pays a higher profit split?
Blue Guardian pays 85% on the 1-Step Standard (up to 90% with an add-on). BrightFunded pays 80%, 90% with an add-on and 100% after scaling three times.
Does Blue Guardian charge a payout fee?
Yes. Blue Guardian charges a 3% processing fee on all payouts, with a $100 minimum. BrightFunded has no payout minimum.
What discount codes work for BrightFunded and Blue Guardian?
Use RALLY30 for 30% off the BrightFunded 1-Step and INSIDE for 25% off all Blue Guardian accounts. Open the firm through our link, pick the plan and paste the code at checkout.
Ready to start your $100K challenge?
Get Blue Guardian for $298 with INSIDE or BrightFunded for €348 with RALLY30.
This article is for information and education only and is not financial advice. Trading futures, forex and CFDs carries a high risk of loss. InsidePropFirm may earn a commission when you buy through our links, at no extra cost to you.
