On the $100K 2-Step Standard, AquaFunded is the better pick for most traders: it costs $281 after code AUTUMN vs $347 at Blue Guardian, gives you a wider 5% daily loss limit and an easier 5% Phase 2 target, and pays a 90% split. Blue Guardian still makes sense if you want a firm that has been around longer (founded 2021 vs 2023) or a payout cap that only applies from $200K.
Both are United Arab Emirates-based CFD firms with 25% off and the same 8% static max loss on this plan. The real differences: daily loss, Phase 2 target, split, payout fees and funded-stage rules.
- Cheaper: AquaFunded, $281 vs $347 for $100K (about $66 less).
- Easier rules: AquaFunded, 5% daily loss and 8% / 5% targets vs 4% daily loss and 8% / 4% targets at Blue Guardian. The 4% Phase 2 target is Blue Guardian’s one edge.
- Better payouts: AquaFunded, a 90% split with no processing fee vs 85% minus a 3% payout fee at Blue Guardian. Both pay every 14 days.
Side-by-Side Comparison: $100K 2-Step Standard
| Feature | AquaFunded | Blue Guardian |
|---|---|---|
| Plan compared | 2-Step Standard | 2-Step Standard |
| Price after code | $281 (code AUTUMN, 25% off) | $347 (code INSIDE, 25% off) |
| Regular price | $375 | $463 |
| Profit target (Phase 1 | Phase 2) | 8% | 5% | 8% | 4% |
| Max drawdown | 8% Static | 8% Static |
| Daily loss limit | 5% | 4% |
| Minimum trading days | Check the firm’s site | Check the firm’s site |
| Consistency rule | None | None |
| Open-loss protection (funded) | Wave Stop at 2%: soft breach, keep trading | Guardian Shield at 2%: first hit cuts split to 50%, second breaches |
| Profit split | 90% (up to 100% with add-on) | 85% (up to 90% with add-on) |
| Payout frequency | Every 14 days (7 days or on demand with add-on) | Every 14 days (weekly with add-on) |
| Payout fee | None stated; challenge fee 100% refundable | 3% processing fee on all payouts |
| FX leverage (2-Step) | 1:100 | 1:50 |
| News trading | Allowed in evaluation; funded profit within 5 min of high-impact news capped at 0.5% per cycle | Allowed in evaluation; no trading 5 min before/after high-impact news once funded |
| Platforms | MT5, cTrader, Match Trader, TradeLocker | MT5, Match Trader, TradeLocker |
Price: AquaFunded Is About $66 Cheaper
With code AUTUMN, the AquaFunded $100K 2-Step Standard drops from $375 to $281. With code INSIDE, the Blue Guardian $100K 2-Step Standard drops from $463 to $347.
AquaFunded also advertises a 100% refundable challenge fee, so if you get funded the fee comes back to you. Blue Guardian does not list a refund in our data, so check its site before you assume one.
If price matters more than rules, both firms have cheaper $100K 2-Step options: AquaFunded 2-Step Pro at $209 (10% | 5% targets, 10% Trailing drawdown, 50% consistency once funded) and Blue Guardian 2-Step Nano at $179 (8% | 5% targets, 10% Static drawdown, 3% daily loss, 80% split, 50% consistency once funded and payouts capped at 2% per cycle). Cheaper, but with tighter conditions.
Rules & Drawdown
Max loss is identical: both plans use an 8% static drawdown, so your floor sits at $92,000 and does not trail up as you make profit. That is the friendliest type of drawdown for swing and intraday traders alike.
Daily loss favours AquaFunded. You get 5% per day at AquaFunded vs 4% at Blue Guardian. On $100K that is $5,000 vs $4,000 of room on a bad day, which matters most if you hold through volatile sessions.
Targets are close. Phase 1 is 8% at both firms. Phase 2 is 5% at AquaFunded and 4% at Blue Guardian, so Blue Guardian asks for $1,000 less profit in the second phase. Neither plan has a consistency rule during the evaluation or once funded, and both allow news trading during the challenge.
Funded-stage protection is where they really differ. Both firms close open trades when they hit a 2% loss. At AquaFunded this “Wave Stop” is a soft breach and you can keep trading straight away. At Blue Guardian the “Guardian Shield” is stricter: the first hit cuts your profit split to 50%, and a second hit breaches the account. If you sometimes let losing trades run, AquaFunded is far more forgiving.
Other rules worth knowing: Blue Guardian may flag trades closed in under 2 minutes as tick scalping, and both firms ban all-or-nothing trades, using more than 80% of margin on one trade and switching strategy after you pass. Both deactivate accounts after 30 days without trading.
Payouts
Both firms pay every 14 days with a $100 minimum, and both pay out by Crypto and Rise Works. The difference is how much you keep. AquaFunded pays 90% on this plan with up to 100% as an add-on. Blue Guardian pays 85% with up to 90% as an add-on, and charges a 3% processing fee on every payout.
Example: on a $5,000 profit, AquaFunded pays you $4,500 at 90%. Blue Guardian pays $4,250 at 85%, and the 3% fee takes it a little lower.
One point in Blue Guardian’s favour: AquaFunded caps the first two payouts at $10,000 each on $100K accounts and above, while Blue Guardian only applies that cap from $200K.
Platforms & Trading Conditions
AquaFunded offers MT5, cTrader, Match Trader, TradeLocker. Blue Guardian offers MT5, Match Trader, TradeLocker. MT5, Match Trader and TradeLocker are available at both, so most traders can keep their setup. cTrader users should pick AquaFunded.
AquaFunded gives more leverage on 2-Step accounts: 1:100 on FX and 1:20 on metals, indices and commodities, vs 1:50 on FX and 1:10 on indices and commodities at Blue Guardian. Commissions are the same at both: $5 per lot on FX and commodities, none on indices and crypto. Both allow EAs and copy trading between your own accounts.
Pros & Cons
AquaFunded
- Pro: cheaper at $281 for $100K, with a 100% refundable fee.
- Pro: 5% daily loss and 90% split (up to 100% with add-on).
- Pro: Wave Stop is a soft breach, with no split cut.
- Pro: cTrader available and 1:100 FX leverage.
- Con: first two payouts capped at $10,000 on $100K accounts.
- Con: younger firm (founded 2023), and Phase 2 needs 5%.
Blue Guardian
- Pro: longer track record (founded 2021).
- Pro: easier 4% Phase 2 target.
- Pro: no payout cap on $100K accounts.
- Con: more expensive at $347, with an 85% split and a 3% payout fee.
- Con: tighter 4% daily loss, and Guardian Shield cuts your split to 50% on the first hit.
- Con: no trading within 5 minutes of high-impact news once funded.
Which Should You Choose?
AquaFunded — you want the lowest price ($281), more daily loss room, a higher split with no payout fee, and a softer open-loss rule. The trade-offs are a 5% Phase 2 target and a $10,000 cap on your first two payouts.
Blue Guardian — you value a firm running since 2021, want the easier 4% Phase 2 target, or expect a big first payout on $100K. You pay more ($347), keep less per payout, and need to respect the stricter Guardian Shield and news rules once funded.
Want more detail? Read our full AquaFunded review and Blue Guardian review, browse all forex prop firms, see more prop firm comparisons such as E8 Markets vs BrightFunded, or grab every current code on our prop firm discount codes page. Always confirm the latest rules on the AquaFunded website before you buy.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which is cheaper, AquaFunded or Blue Guardian?
AquaFunded. The $100K 2-Step Standard costs $281 with code AUTUMN, vs $347 at Blue Guardian with code INSIDE. Both are 25% off.
Which has easier rules on the $100K 2-Step?
AquaFunded gives more room: 5% daily loss vs 4%, and a soft-breach Wave Stop. Blue Guardian has the easier Phase 2 target (4% vs 5%). Both use an 8% static max loss and no consistency rule.
Which pays a higher profit split?
AquaFunded pays 90% on this plan (up to 100% with an add-on). Blue Guardian pays 85% (up to 90% with an add-on) and charges a 3% processing fee on payouts. Both pay every 14 days.
Can you trade news at AquaFunded and Blue Guardian?
Yes during the challenge at both. Once funded, AquaFunded caps profit from trades within 5 minutes of high-impact news at 0.5% per cycle, while Blue Guardian does not allow trading 5 minutes before or after high-impact news.
What discount codes work for AquaFunded and Blue Guardian?
Use AUTUMN for 25% off AquaFunded and INSIDE for 25% off Blue Guardian. Open the firm through our link, choose the plan and paste the code at checkout.
Ready to start your $100K challenge?
Get AquaFunded for $281 with AUTUMN or Blue Guardian for $347 with INSIDE.
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.
