Topstep vs Take Profit Trader — Funded Futures Rules, Payouts & Pricing (2026)

Quick verdict

Lean Topstep if

Best fit

Traders who want the most established structure and can work within payout objectives.

Think twice if

You need the old first-$10K profit split as a new trader, or you dislike payout caps and objective changes.

Lean Take Profit Trader if

Best fit

Traders who like EOD drawdown and clear target/drawdown tables.

Think twice if

You need 90/10 without discretionary PRO+ upgrade or dislike buffer requirements.

Topstep vs Take Profit Trader: rules at a glance

Every value below is pulled from each firm's official sources. Confirm live figures at checkout. New to the terms? See the key terms below.

Rule	Topstep	Take Profit Trader
Account sizes	$50K, $100K, $150K	$25K, $50K, $75K, $100K, $150K
Evaluation pricing	Standard path: $49/$99/$149 per month. No Activation Fee path: $95/$149/$229 per month.	Current checkout pricing requires direct refresh.
Activation fee	$149 on Standard path after passing; $0 on No Activation Fee path.	Not.
Profit targets	$3K, $6K, $9K profit target by account size.	$1.5K, $3K, $4.5K, $6K, $9K.
Drawdown	EOD trailing Maximum Loss Limit of $2K/$3K/$4.5K; monitored in real time.	EOD trailing drawdown: $1.5K/$2K/$2.5K/$3K/$4.5K.
Daily loss limit	Optional in Trading Combine/XFA; required on Live Funded Accounts. Responsible Trading Discount applies to No Activation Fee path with fixed DLL.	No separate official DLL.
Consistency rule	Trading Combine best day must be at or below 50% of total profit. Optional XFA Consistency path uses 40% and can qualify in 3 trading days.	Rule 5 exists in official rule list; detail needs next-pass capture.
Min trading days	As little as 2 days to pass the Trading Combine if consistency and target are met.	Not.
Payout	New traders joining on or after Jan. 12, 2026 receive 90% of approved payouts. XFA Standard requires 5 winning days of $150+; XFA Consistency can qualify with 3 trading days and 40% consistency.	PRO account profit split is 80/20 and requires clearing the buffer zone equal to maximum drawdown before normal withdrawals. PRO+ invitation path advertises 90/10 and no buffer requirement.
Coupon	Built-in discount — no promo code to enter	NOFEE50 (official code)

How the rules differ

Drawdown. Topstep: EOD trailing Maximum Loss Limit of $2K/$3K/$4.5K; monitored in real time. Take Profit Trader: EOD trailing drawdown: $1.5K/$2K/$2.5K/$3K/$4.5K.

Payouts. Topstep: New traders joining on or after Jan. 12, 2026 receive 90% of approved payouts. XFA Standard requires 5 winning days of $150+; XFA Consistency can qualify with 3 trading days and 40% consistency. Take Profit Trader: PRO account profit split is 80/20 and requires clearing the buffer zone equal to maximum drawdown before normal withdrawals. PRO+ invitation path advertises 90/10 and no buffer requirement.

Cost beyond the sticker. Topstep runs a Monthly subscription with path choice model — New-account payout caps and 90% split materially affect expected value. Take Profit Trader runs a Evaluation purchase with PRO buffer economics model — Normal PRO withdrawals require the account balance to clear the buffer; inside-buffer withdrawals can pay a lower split if the account terminates early.

Frequently asked

Is Topstep or Take Profit Trader cheaper for a funded futures evaluation?

Topstep: Standard path: $49/$99/$149 per month. No Activation Fee path: $95/$149/$229 per month. Activation: $149 on Standard path after passing; $0 on No Activation Fee path. Take Profit Trader: Current checkout pricing requires direct refresh. Activation: Not. Net cost depends on current sales and activation fees, so confirm the final total at checkout.

What is the difference between Topstep and Take Profit Trader drawdown rules?

Topstep: EOD trailing Maximum Loss Limit of $2K/$3K/$4.5K; monitored in real time. Take Profit Trader: EOD trailing drawdown: $1.5K/$2K/$2.5K/$3K/$4.5K.

Does Topstep or Take Profit Trader have a daily loss limit?

Topstep: Optional in Trading Combine/XFA; required on Live Funded Accounts. Responsible Trading Discount applies to No Activation Fee path with fixed DLL. Take Profit Trader: No separate official DLL.

What are the payout rules for Topstep vs Take Profit Trader?

Topstep: New traders joining on or after Jan. 12, 2026 receive 90% of approved payouts. XFA Standard requires 5 winning days of $150+; XFA Consistency can qualify with 3 trading days and 40% consistency. Take Profit Trader: PRO account profit split is 80/20 and requires clearing the buffer zone equal to maximum drawdown before normal withdrawals. PRO+ invitation path advertises 90/10 and no buffer requirement.

Sources

Official help, pricing, and payout pages used for this comparison.

Topstep pricing and promo-code help Topstep Trading Combine parameters Topstep consistency target and XFA consistency Topstep payout policy Take Profit Trader profit targets Take Profit Trader EOD drawdown Take Profit Trader PRO withdrawal rules Take Profit Trader homepage promo Take Profit Trader affiliate program

Compare every rule before you buy an evaluation

Firm rules, payouts, and coupons change often. Read the rule risk first, then pick the firm that fits how you actually trade.

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Key terms

EOD (end-of-day) drawdown: Your maximum-loss line trails on your balance at the daily close, not your highest intraday equity. Open profit you give back during the day does not pull the line up against you.
Trailing drawdown: Your maximum-loss line trails your highest intraday equity, so profit you reach and then give back can move the line up against you.
Daily loss limit (DLL): A cap on how much you can lose in a single trading day — some firms call it a Daily Loss Guard. A few make it optional during the evaluation.
Consistency rule: Caps how much of your total profit can come from a single best day, so one outlier session can't carry a pass or a payout.
Activation fee: A one-time fee to turn a passed evaluation into a funded account, charged on top of the evaluation price.
Profit split: The share of payouts you keep. A 90/10 split means you keep 90% and the firm keeps 10%.
Buffer: Profit you have to build (and usually keep above) before withdrawals unlock. Firm- and plan-specific.
XFA / PA: Firm-specific funded-account names: XFA is Topstep's Express Funded Account; PA is Apex's Performance Account.

More funded-firm comparisons

Comparison research, not investment advice. Funded-account rules, pricing, payout schedules, and coupons change without notice — figures here reflect the dataset last reviewed May 22, 2026. Always confirm current terms on the firm's official site before purchasing an evaluation.