Market Data Fees at Futures Prop Firms
Why futures data costs money, when firms charge for it, and how to add it to your total cost.
By Prop Firm Duel · · updated Sep 27, 2026
A market data fee is a charge for the live futures price data you trade on. Exchanges license that data, and some prop firms pass the cost on to traders, usually once you're funded. Others include it in the price, so it's worth checking before you compare programs.
Key takeaways
- Futures exchanges charge for real-time data, and someone has to pay for it.
- Many firms include data during the evaluation and charge for it once you're funded, often monthly.
- Forex and crypto programs rarely charge data fees, because they don't use exchange-licensed data.
- A monthly data fee adds up across a funded account's life, so include it in your total cost.
Why does market data cost money?
Futures exchanges sell licenses for their real-time price data. When you trade futures, the prices on your screen come under one of those licenses. The cost is small per user, but it's real, and a prop firm with thousands of traders has to decide whether to absorb it or pass it on.
Forex and crypto work differently. Most forex and crypto programs use prices from the firm's own platform or liquidity sources, so there's no exchange license to pass on. That's why data fees are almost entirely a futures cost.
When are data fees charged?
Data fees usually follow one of three patterns:
- Included throughout: the firm covers data in both the evaluation and the funded account.
- Included in the evaluation, charged when funded: the most common pattern. The fee starts once you're trading for payouts.
- Charged throughout: less common, and usually tied to a particular platform or data feed.
Most data fees are billed monthly for as long as the account is open. Some platforms also charge their own data or license fees, separate from the firm.
How a data fee changes your total cost
Say a funded account carries a monthly data fee. Over six months of trading, that fee is paid six times. If you're comparing two programs whose evaluation prices differ by $50, a monthly data fee on the cheaper one can erase the difference within a few months. Add it to your total with the All-in Cost tool, or compare programs side by side, before you decide.
How to check a program's data fee
- Search the firm's pricing page and FAQ for "data", "market data" or "exchange fees".
- Check whether it applies in the evaluation, the funded account or both.
- Check whether your trading platform charges a separate data fee.
If the firm doesn't say, ask support before you buy, and keep the answer in writing.
Common questions
Why do futures prop firms charge data fees but forex firms don't?
Futures trade on exchanges that license their price data. Forex and crypto programs usually don't, so there's nothing to pass on.
Can I avoid data fees?
Choose a program that includes data in its price. Check the pricing page, and compare total costs rather than evaluation prices.
Are data fees refundable?
Usually not, since they cover data you've already received. For every fee a program can charge, see how much a prop firm costs and our guide to futures prop firms.
Futures trading involves substantial risk of loss and is not suitable for everyone. Prop firm evaluations and most funded accounts trade in a simulated environment, and payouts depend on meeting each firm's rules. Everything on this site is general education, not financial advice. Rules and prices change: always read the firm's current terms before you buy. We have no affiliate or paid relationship with any firm listed. Our disclosure.