While data fees are covered during the evaluation for non-professional traders, funded trading accounts incur specific costs:
LiveSim® Accounts: Non-professionals pay a one-time activation fee of $139 (covering all four CME exchanges). This fee is not an out-of-pocket expense — it is deducted only from the trader's first profitable withdrawal. If a trader does not make a withdrawal, they will not be expected to pay this fee. Professionals pay $140 per month per exchange.
Live Accounts: Data fees are $140 per month per exchange for Rithmic users, and $156 per month per exchange for NinjaTrader users. CME charges are per-calendar-month and are not prorated.
Commissions: Traders are responsible for FCM commissions, NFA fees, and exchange fees per trade.