Overview
Straight to it: Topstep has been running since 2012 out of Chicago Illinois US, with entry starting around $49/month (50K Combine) + activation fee. It’s a firm we keep an eye on because the rules and payouts have stayed consistent. The full breakdown of evaluation, platforms, and payouts is below.
Getting funded runs through a One-Step Combine (futures) evaluation, with drawdown tracked on a Daily loss limit + EOD trailing basis — worth understanding before you start, since it decides how much room you really have on a bad day. You’ll be trading on NinjaTrader, Tradovate, Rithmic, TSTrader, keeping 100% first $25K then split of what you make. The firm advertises Standard cycle payouts. The tabs above break each of these down — rules, platforms, and payout experience — with the fine print that actually matters.
✅ What We Like
- Operating continuously since 2012 — the longest run of any futures prop firm, period
- The subscription model, $49 a month for the 50K Combine, makes repeated attempts cheap
- Real educational depth, especially useful if futures specifically are new to you
- Up to 5 Express Funded accounts, $750,000 combined
❌ What Could Be Better
- Daily loss limit plus an end-of-day trailing drawdown together — that combination is less forgiving than Apex's intraday-only approach
- No weekend holding
- Even the fastest Combine option needs a 2-day minimum, so there's a floor on how quickly you can move through it
- Month after month of subscription fees can add up to more than a one-time evaluation fee elsewhere, if you need a few tries
Score Breakdown
Evaluation Rules
The drawdown here is trailing, calculated end-of-day — the floor ratchets up with your closed-day balance but ignores intraday swings. You can ride a position up and give some back within the session without moving your limit. Less punishing than intraday trailing, but your buffer still shrinks as you profit, so plan withdrawals accordingly.
Trading Rules at a Glance
| Rule | Status |
|---|---|
| News Trading | Allowed ✓ |
| Weekend Holding | Not Allowed |
| EAs / Robots | Restricted |
| Copy Trading | Restricted |
| Challenge Fee Refundable | No |
| Drawdown Type | Daily loss limit + EOD trailing |
Trading Platforms
Supported by Topstep — check the firm's site for platform-specific account details.
Payouts
Payout reliability matters more than any headline number — a generous split means nothing if withdrawals stall. Topstep was processing withdrawals in Standard cycle when we last verified this review. If you've withdrawn from this firm recently and your experience differs, use the report link at the bottom of this review.
Our Honest Verdict
A firm that's paid traders consistently for over a decade is simply a different risk category than one that's three years old, and that's worth more than people give it credit for. The subscription pricing rewards traders who pass on the first or second try and quietly punishes everyone else. The dual drawdown rule is also the strictest stacking of restrictions on this entire futures list — go in knowing that.
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