Apex Trader Funding vs Topstep – Prop Firm Comparison
Published: · Last updated:
By JoinProp
Introduction
Apex Trader Funding and Topstep offer futures evaluation routes with simulated funded stages and separate live-account arrangements. Current Apex EOD and Intraday Performance Accounts pay 100% of approved requests; Topstep generally pays a 90% trader share. Legacy exceptions and payout caps mean those headline percentages are not directly interchangeable.
Rules checked on 27 September 2026: current Apex EOD/Intraday accounts run from $25K to $150K in nominal size. Larger Legacy tiers have separate terms. Both firms offer futures, including equity-index and currency contracts, rather than individual shares or spot Forex. Fees and discounts retain their existing snapshot.
Quick Facts
| Feature | Apex Trader Funding | Topstep |
|---|---|---|
| 
| |
| Founded | 2021 | 2012 |
| Profit Split | 100% Profit Split - With Six Payouts: 100% | 90% trader share; first-$10,000 lifetime-profit exception for traders who joined the new dashboard before Jan 12, 2026 |
| Maximum Account Size | Current EOD/Intraday: $150K nominal account size; larger Legacy tiers have separate terms | $150,000 |
| Evaluation Phases | 1 | 1 |
| Trustpilot Rating | 4.4 | 3.4 |
| Expert Grade | 8.8 | 9 |
Program Types
| Program | Apex Trader Funding | Topstep |
|---|---|---|
| Entry Level Program | Yes | Yes |
| Advanced Program | Yes | Not available |
| Scaling Options | Yes | No |
| Demo Account | Not available | No |
Rules & Assessment
| Criteria | Apex Trader Funding | Topstep |
|---|---|---|
| Profit Target | Current EOD/Intraday: 6% ($1,500/$3,000/$6,000/$9,000 by size) | Trading Combine Parameters - 50,000: 3,000 Trading Combine Parameters - 100,000: 6,000 Trading Combine Parameters - 150,000: 9,000 |
| Maximum Drawdown | The Product Line - EOD Trail: End-of-day trailing The Product Line - Intraday Trail: Real-time intraday trailing | Trailing MLL: $2,000-$4,500 |
| Minimum Trading Days | Current EOD/Intraday evaluations can pass in one trading day; payout eligibility requires 5 qualifying profit days | Trading Combine can pass in as few as 2 days, subject to 55% consistency; funded payout paths have separate day requirements |
| News Trading | Yes | Yes |
| Daily Loss Limit | The Product Line - EOD Trail: Yes ($1,000 on 50K) The Product Line - Intraday Trail: None | Trading Combine Parameters - 50,000: Optional (1,000) Trading Combine Parameters - 100,000: Optional (2,000) Trading Combine Parameters - 150,000: Optional (3,000) |
| Maximum Contracts | Not available | Trading Combine Parameters - 50,000: 5 (50 micros) Trading Combine Parameters - 100,000: 10 (100 micros) Trading Combine Parameters - 150,000: 15 (150 micros) |
Fees & Pricing
| Option | Apex Trader Funding | Topstep |
|---|---|---|
| Futures $25K Account | Intraday Trail / USD 167 / One-time Official Standard one-pack list price. Activation fee after passing: USD 69. Source Checked 2026-08-10 EOD Trail / USD 390 / One-time Official Standard one-pack list price. Activation fee after passing: USD 99. Source Checked 2026-08-10 | Not listed in review pricing source |
| Futures $50K Account | Intraday Trail / USD 249 / One-time Official Standard one-pack list price. Activation fee after passing: USD 79. Source Checked 2026-08-10 EOD Trail / USD 490 / One-time Official Standard one-pack list price. Activation fee after passing: USD 129. Source Checked 2026-08-10 | Trading Combine / USD 49 / Monthly Standard Trading Combine monthly price. Source Checked 2026-08-10 |
| Futures $100K Account | Intraday Trail / USD 399 / One-time Official Standard one-pack list price. Activation fee after passing: USD 99. Source Checked 2026-08-10 EOD Trail / USD 790 / One-time Official Standard one-pack list price. Activation fee after passing: USD 139. Source Checked 2026-08-10 | Trading Combine / USD 99 / Monthly Standard Trading Combine monthly price; tier was marked temporarily on hold when verified. Source Checked 2026-08-10 |
| Futures $150K Account | Intraday Trail / USD 599 / One-time Official Standard one-pack list price. Activation fee after passing: USD 129. Source Checked 2026-08-10 EOD Trail / USD 1490 / One-time Official Standard one-pack list price. Activation fee after passing: USD 159. Source Checked 2026-08-10 | Trading Combine / USD 199 / Monthly Standard Trading Combine monthly price. Source Checked 2026-09-27 |
| Refund Policy | Not available | Not available |
| Coupons / Discount | Apex Trader Funding discount | Topstep discount |
Platforms & Markets
| Feature | Apex Trader Funding | Topstep |
|---|---|---|
| Trading Platforms | Rithmic, Tradovate, WealthCharts, NinjaTrader, TradingView, Quantower, and 8 more | TopstepX; Quantower connectivity for Trading Combine and Express Funded accounts |
| Forex | Currency futures, not spot Forex | Currency futures, not spot Forex |
| Stocks | No individual shares; equity-index futures only | No |
| Indices | Yes | Yes |
| Commodities | Yes | Yes |
| Cryptocurrencies | Not available | No |
| Bonds | Yes | Yes |
| EA/Algo Trading | Manual order entry required; own-account copying and native risk orders permitted only under the User Agreement | Yes |
Payout
| Feature | Apex Trader Funding | Topstep |
|---|---|---|
| Payout Terms | Current EOD/Intraday PAs: $500 minimum, 5 qualifying profit days, below-50% best-day consistency, lifetime safety net and size/type-specific caps; maximum 6 payouts. Legacy rules differ. | $125 minimum; eligibility by funded-account path, not a bi-weekly schedule. XFA Standard: 5 winning days of $150+; XFA Consistency: 3 trading days and 40% consistency. Balance limits, account caps and method availability apply. |
| See all prop firm payouts → | ||
Verdict
| Key Element | Apex Trader Funding | Topstep |
|---|---|---|
| Strengths | Choice of EOD or Intraday evaluation; up to 20 PAs subject to household limits; 100% of approved current simulated-PA payouts. EOD has a daily loss limit; Intraday evaluation does not. | Trading Combine has no maximum completion deadline while the subscription remains active; automated strategies permitted subject to rules; 90% current trader share; Standard or Consistency Express payout paths. Daily-loss-limit arrangements vary. |
| Weaknesses | 30-day current evaluations with no resets; funded scaling tiers; 50% PA consistency threshold; lifetime payout safety net; six-payout PA limit; no holding through market close | Recurring Combine subscription; $149 XFA activation on Standard pricing path; futures-only; end-of-day trailing MLL can be breached intraday on unrealised losses |
| Best For | Serious futures day traders seeking scalability and capital protection | Serious futures traders seeking established firm with forgiving evaluation |
Conclusion and Final Recommendation
Consider Apex Trader Funding if you want to choose between EOD and Intraday drawdown evaluations. Compare each plan’s payout safety net and caps before choosing. Choose Topstep if a cheaper entry, from USD 49 matters more to you. Neither firm is better in the abstract. The right choice depends on your strategy, your budget and the instruments you trade, so read both full reviews before you commit. Verify current rules and pricing on each firm’s own site before purchasing.
Frequently asked questions
What should I know about Apex Trader’s programs?
Apex separates current EOD and Intraday accounts from Legacy accounts. Current evaluations have a 6% target, 30 calendar days of access and no minimum trading-day requirement; they can pass in one day. EOD evaluations have a daily loss limit, while Intraday evaluations do not. Apex Trader official rules.
What should I know about Topstep’s programs?
The Trading Combine can pass in as few as two days, subject to its 55% consistency target. Express Funded Account Standard and Consistency payout paths have separate day requirements, followed by a separate Live Funded Account stage. Topstep official rules.
How do payouts differ between Apex Trader and Topstep?
Current EOD approved requests have a 100% split and a $500 minimum. Eligibility requires five qualifying profitable days, account-size balance thresholds and the consistency condition. Apex Trader official rules.
The current payout policy lists a 90/10 split and a $125 minimum. Standard requires five winning days of $150 or more; Consistency requires three days and a 40% consistency target. Requests are subject to account-size caps. Topstep official rules.
Which account rules matter when comparing Apex Trader and Topstep?
No single winning day may represent 50% or more of cycle profit. Only profit above the safety net can be requested, per-request caps apply, and the Performance Account closes after six payouts. Apex Trader official rules.
Express payouts are generally limited to 50% of account balance up to the applicable cap. Legacy eligibility and optional daily-loss-limit arrangements can change the caps or split treatment. Topstep official rules.
Is Apex Trader or Topstep automatically the better choice?
No. Apex offers EOD and Intraday evaluation routes; Topstep separates its Trading Combine, Express and Live stages. The current Apex EOD/Intraday range tops out at $150K nominal size, while Legacy tiers use separate rules. Neither firm offers individual stock trading through these futures programs. Topstep has the cheaper entry at USD 49. Which of those matters more depends on how you actually trade, so compare how each firm measures drawdown, the total fee once add-ons and resets are included and platform availability, rather than the headline numbers. If you fail an evaluation, do not assume either firm offers a fixed reset discount: check the reset terms for the specific account you bought.
Official sources: Apex EOD evaluation, Intraday evaluation, Apex manual-order and copying rules, Apex instruments and product types, Topstep Combine parameters and Topstep instruments.
How We Compared Apex Trader and Topstep
Both firms carry a JoinProp Rating out of 10, scored on the same nine weighted factors, led by payout reliability at 20%, then fee structure, drawdown rules and profit split at 15% each. The scores come from our own firm reviews, built from each firm’s current terms rather than its marketing pages and re-checked at least every 90 days. Affiliate relationships have no effect on any rating, and ratings are never sold. The tables above are the evidence behind those scores. Read our full ranking methodology.
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