Topstep vs Alpha Capital – Elite Prop Firms Comparison
Introduction
Topstep and Alpha Capital come from opposite sides of the prop world. Topstep, founded in Chicago in 2012, is the original CME-futures prop firm – futures-only, runs on its proprietary TopstepX platform, with more than a billion dollars paid out to funded traders. Alpha Capital Group (Companies House #13719951, founded November 2021 in London) is a UK-based multi-asset Forex/CFD firm offering 1-Step, 2-Step, and 3-Step evaluation paths, $0-commission marketing across Forex / indices / commodities / crypto, account sizes from $5,000 to $200,000, and scaling up to $2,000,000. The two firms barely overlap on instruments and target different traders, so the right pick depends mostly on what you trade.
Quick Comparison |
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| Feature | Topstep | Alpha Capital |
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| Founded | 2012 (Chicago, IL) | 2021 (London, United Kingdom) |
| Trustpilot Rating | 3.4/5 (13,872+ reviews, April 2026) | Not specified in current review |
| Account Sizes | $50K – $150K Trading Combine® | $5,000 – $200,000 (scaling to $2,000,000) |
| Profit Split | 100% on first $10K, 90/10 thereafter | 80% across all programs |
| Evaluation Style | Trading Combine® (single-phase) | 1-Step, 2-Step, or 3-Step Alpha Evaluation |
| Review | Read full review | Read full review |
Program Types – Which experience fits your goals? |
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|---|---|---|
| Program | Topstep | Alpha Capital |
| Standard Evaluation | Trading Combine® at $50K, $100K or $150K | Alpha Evaluation in 1-Step, 2-Step, and 3-Step |
| Express / Single-Step | Combine is single-phase by default | 1-Step Alpha Evaluation – single-phase |
| Instant Funding | Not offered | Not offered |
| Educational Support | Discord (150K+ traders), live trading rooms, daily sessions | Active Discord community |
| Account Scaling | Limited beyond largest Combine size | 25% account increase every 10% profit; up to $2,000,000 |
Assessment Criteria – How can you pass the test? |
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|---|---|---|
| Criteria | Topstep | Alpha Capital |
| Profit Target (Phase 1) | Single profit target per Combine size | Varies by program (1/2/3-Step) |
| Profit Target (Phase 2) | N/A – single phase | 2-Step and 3-Step use lower per-phase targets |
| Maximum Daily Loss | None – no daily loss limit | Per-program daily loss rules apply |
| Maximum Trailing Drawdown | Trailing MLL (end-of-day only); stops trailing at starting balance | Per-program drawdown rules |
| Minimum Trading Days | 5 trading days | No fixed minimum trading days |
| Time Limit | None | Unlimited trading period – no time pressure |
| Consistency Rule | Best day cannot exceed 50% of total profits at payout | No copy trading, no hedging across accounts, no arbitrage |
Fees and Pricing – How much will you pay? |
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|---|---|---|
| Option | Topstep | Alpha Capital |
| Entry Level | $50K Combine: monthly subscription | $5,000 Account – from £39 |
| Mid Tier | $100K Combine: higher monthly subscription | $10,000 / $25,000 / $50,000 – scaling pricing |
| Premium | $150K Combine: highest monthly subscription | $100,000 / $200,000 – premium account tiers |
| Reset Fee | Continued monthly subscription pays the reset | Reset pricing published on the firm’s site |
| Refundable? | $149 activation fee path or No-Activation-Fee path | One-time fee model; failed challenges forfeited |
| Coupons | Learn More | Coupon Code |
| Review | Read full review | Read full review |
Platforms/Tools – What can you use? |
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|---|---|---|
| Platform | Topstep | Alpha Capital |
| Trading Platforms | TopstepX only (new accounts since July 2025) | Industry-standard Forex/CFD platforms |
| Data Feed | Included with TopstepX | Included via platform providers |
| Mobile Trading | Mobile-browser support | Available via supported platforms |
| Custom Indicators | TradingView charting + Tilt™ indicator | Standard MT4/MT5 indicator libraries |
| Automated Trading | EAs permitted | EAs permitted; copy trading and arbitrage prohibited |
| News Feed | Integrated within TopstepX | Available via platform providers |
Available Markets/Products |
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|---|---|---|
| Market | Topstep | Alpha Capital |
| Forex | Not offered | Major, minor, and exotic currency pairs |
| Index Futures / Indices | ES, NQ and full CME index suite | Major global indices (CFDs) |
| Energy / Commodities | CL and full CME energy complex | Energies and commodity CFDs |
| Metals | GC and CME metals | Gold, silver and other metals |
| Crypto | Not offered on standard accounts | Cryptocurrency CFDs ($0 commission per Alpha homepage) |
| Stocks | Not offered | Not specified in current review |
| Total Coverage | Full CME futures suite | Multi-asset Forex / indices / commodities / crypto |
Technical Capabilities/Performance |
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|---|---|---|
| Feature | Topstep | Alpha Capital |
| Execution Speed | Direct via TopstepX infrastructure | Standard for industry-grade Forex/CFD platforms |
| Automated Trading | EAs permitted | EAs permitted; copy trading prohibited |
| Order Types | Standard futures order set (Market, Limit, Stop, OCO) | Full Forex/CFD order set across supported platforms |
| Platform Reliability | Established since 2012, $1B+ payouts processed | Founded 2021; UK-based ACG registered at Companies House |
| Data Feed Quality | TopstepX-bundled data feed | Provider-bundled retail-grade feeds |
| Trading Hours | Standard CME futures sessions | 24/5 across most CFD instruments; weekend holding permitted |
Support and Community |
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|---|---|---|
| Support Feature | Topstep | Alpha Capital |
| Customer Support Hours | Live chat, email, phone, SMS, WhatsApp | Standard support channels via the firm’s contact desk |
| Response Time | Same-day during business hours | Standard SLAs (not specified) |
| Live Coaching | Daily live trading sessions, webinars | Active Discord community; trader-friendly policies |
| Trading Community | 150,000+ Discord members | Vibrant Discord community |
| Educational Resources | Multiple tracks, courses, podcasts | Trader-development focus, fair-dealing reputation |
| Success Stories | $1B+ in cumulative payouts | Bi-weekly payouts; PayPal, bank wire, and crypto methods |
Conclusion and Final Recommendation |
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| Key Element | Topstep | Alpha Capital |
| Strengths | Longest live track record in futures, deep education ecosystem, no daily loss limit, EAs permitted | Aggressive scaling to $2M, weekend holding allowed, unlimited time, $0 commission marketing, UK-registered entity |
| Weaknesses | Monthly subscription compounds; TopstepX-only platform; CME futures only | 80% profit split (lower than Topstep on early profits); no copy trading; not regulated |
| Best For | Futures traders who want pedigree and the best US-futures evaluation experience | Forex / multi-asset traders who want a UK-based firm with aggressive scaling and weekend holding |
| Final Grade | 4.4/5 | 4.2/5 |
| Discount Codes | – | Coupon Code |
| Review | Read full review | Read full review |
FAQ
Are Topstep and Alpha Capital offering the same instruments?
No. Topstep is CME Group futures only (ES, NQ, CL, GC and similar). Alpha Capital offers Forex, indices CFDs, commodities, metals, and crypto. The two firms barely overlap on instruments; pick based on what you actually trade.
Which firm has the better profit split on early payouts?
Topstep edges Alpha Capital on the first $10,000 of cumulative profits – the trader keeps 100% on Topstep versus 80% on Alpha. Past $10K, Topstep moves to 90/10, while Alpha stays at 80% across all programs.
Can I hold positions over the weekend?
Topstep’s standard rules don’t impose a weekend-holding restriction for funded accounts. Alpha Capital explicitly allows weekend holdings without restrictions, making it suitable for swing strategies.
Can I use EAs or automated strategies?
Both firms permit EAs. Topstep allows them with no specific restriction. Alpha Capital permits EAs but prohibits copy trading, hedging across multiple accounts, and arbitrage strategies.
How quickly can I get a payout?
Topstep funded accounts can request bi-weekly payouts after a minimum holding period; daily payouts unlock after 30 consecutive winning days. Alpha Capital runs a bi-weekly cycle with multiple withdrawal methods including crypto (1–2 days), PayPal, and bank wire (3–5 days).
How was this 2 companies Comparison Created?
1. We Collect
We pull each firm’s public-facing rules, fees, drawdown parameters, profit splits, platforms, and supported markets from their official documentation and our own JoinProp reviews.
2. We Examine
Each criterion is normalised so the two firms are compared on the same axis – for example, “drawdown” is broken down into trailing vs static, intraday vs end-of-day, and any reset conditions.
3. We Score
Where one firm offers a meaningfully better term – lower fees, broader markets, more permissive rules – we identify it and explain the trade-off.
4. You Choose
The conclusion is written so you can match a firm to your trading style: instrument coverage, evaluation tolerance, and payout cadence are the three filters most traders should care about.
