Topstep vs Maven Trading – Elite Prop Firms Comparison
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Introduction
Topstep and Maven Trading target very different traders. Topstep, founded in Chicago in 2012, is the original CME-futures prop firm – it works exclusively in US futures, runs entirely on its own TopstepX platform, and has paid out more than a billion dollars to funded traders. Maven Trading, founded in Canada in 2022 by Jon Alexander, is a budget-friendly Forex/CFD multi-asset firm with one of the lowest entry prices in the industry: its Mini account starts at just $13. Maven supports cTrader, Match Trader, and MetaTrader 5, scales accounts to $1,000,000, and offers swap-free accounts for Islamic-finance-compliant traders. If you trade futures, the answer is Topstep. If you trade Forex, indices CFDs, or want the cheapest possible way to test a prop model, Maven Trading is the better fit.
Quick Facts
| Feature | Topstep | Maven Trading |
|---|---|---|
| 
| |
| Founded | 2012 | 2022 |
| Profit Split | 100% first $10,000, then 90/10 | 80% on Instant, 1-Step, 2-Step and 3-Step; 70% on Mini and on the prediction-markets line. Cut permanently to 50% by a first M2 Account Saver breach. |
| Maximum Account Size | $150,000 | $1,000,000 |
| Evaluation Phases | 1 | 1, 2 or 3 (Instant and Mini: none; prediction markets: 1) |
| Trustpilot Rating | 3.4 | — |
| Expert Grade | 9 | 8.2 |
Program Types
| Program | Topstep | Maven Trading |
|---|---|---|
| Entry Level Program | Yes | 1-Step, 2-Step, 3-Step, Mini |
| Advanced Program | — | Instant |
| Scaling Options | No | Yes |
| Demo Account | No | Yes |
Rules & Assessment
| Criteria | Topstep | Maven Trading |
|---|---|---|
| Profit Target | 6% | 8% (1-Step); 8% then 5% (2-Step); 3% per phase (3-Step); 6% then 8% (Omo); 4% (Buy Now Pay Later); 9% (prediction markets); 3% to withdraw (Instant and Mini) |
| Maximum Drawdown | Trailing MLL: $2,000-$4,500 | 5% trailing (1-Step); 8% static (2-Step and Omo evaluation, 8% trailing once funded); 3% static (3-Step); 3% trailing (Instant and Mini); 10% evaluation and 8% funded (Buy Now Pay Later) |
| Minimum Trading Days | 5 | 3 profitable days of 0.5% per phase and when funded (2-Step); 4 per phase (Omo); none stated on 1-Step, 3-Step, Instant, Mini or Buy Now Pay Later |
| News Trading | Yes | No, except on Instant accounts. No opening or closing within 2 minutes either side of a red-folder release, and profit taken in that window fails the challenge |
Fees & Pricing
| Option | Topstep | Maven Trading |
|---|---|---|
| CFD $2,000 Account | Not offered | USD 15 / Standard 1-Step / One-time |
| CFD $5,000 Account | Not offered | USD 19 / Standard 1-Step / One-time |
| CFD $10,000 Account | Not offered | USD 37 / Standard 1-Step / One-time |
| CFD $20,000 Account | Not offered | USD 68 / Standard 1-Step / One-time |
| CFD $50,000 Account | Not offered | USD 170 / Standard 1-Step / One-time |
| CFD $100,000 Account | Not offered | USD 380 / Standard 1-Step / One-time |
| Futures $50K Account | USD 49 / Trading Combine / Monthly | Not offered |
| Futures $100K Account | USD 99 / Trading Combine / Monthly | Not offered |
| Futures $150K Account | USD 149 / Trading Combine / Monthly | Not offered |
| Coupons / Discount | Topstep discount | Maven Trading discount |
Platforms & Markets
| Feature | Topstep | Maven Trading |
|---|---|---|
| Trading Platforms | TopstepX | MetaTrader 5, Match-Trader |
| Forex | Yes | Yes |
| Stocks | No | No |
| Indices | Yes | Yes |
| Commodities | Yes | Yes |
| Cryptocurrencies | No | Yes |
| Bonds | Yes | No |
| EA/Algo Trading | Yes | Permitted, but HFT, tick scalping, arbitrage, grid and gap trading and copy trading are prohibited |
Payout
| Feature | Topstep | Maven Trading |
|---|---|---|
| Payout Terms | Bi-weekly via ACH, wire, or Rise; $50 minimum | Every 10 business days from first trade; direct bank transfer or Rise ($20 fee, and the only option in the UK, Ireland, Spain, France and others); capped at $10,000 per 30-day rolling cycle across all accounts, with the balance reset to starting after payment |
| See all prop firm payouts → | ||
Verdict
| Key Element | Topstep | Maven Trading |
|---|---|---|
| Strengths | Industry pioneer, generous first $10K profit split, no time limits, EAs permitted, no daily loss limit, $1B+ paid to traders | Cheapest credible entry on the site, from $13 for a $2,000 evaluation; no time limit on the Standard and Instant lines; 80% split on four of six programmes; challenge fee refunded in full on the third withdrawal; unusually detailed published rulebook; zero swap and no commission on indices, commodities and ETFs |
| Weaknesses | Monthly subscription fees compound, $149 activation fee, TopstepX platform exclusive, futures-only, trailing MLL can catch intraday profit-takers | Withdrawals capped at $10,000 per 30-day rolling cycle across all accounts, with the balance reset afterwards; M2 Account Saver permanently cuts the split to 50% on a 2% drawdown breach and deactivates on a second; Omo drawdown turns trailing once funded; no payout statistics published at all; $4 round-trip FX commission; $20 Rise fee and Rise is the only option in much of Europe |
| Best For | Serious futures traders seeking established firm with forgiving evaluation | Traders proving a strategy cheaply at $2,000 to $20,000 who withdraw modestly, stay away from red-folder news and can absorb round-trip commission. Not for anyone planning to withdraw more than $10,000 a month. |
Conclusion and Final Recommendation
Choose Topstep if you want news trading allowed and coverage of bonds that the other does not offer. Choose Maven Trading if a larger funded ceiling at $1M, a cheaper entry, from USD 15 and coverage of cryptocurrencies that the other does not offer matter 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 Topstep’s programs?
Topstep distinguishes Express Funded Account Standard and Consistency paths, followed by a separate Live Funded Account stage. Topstep official rules.
What should I know about Maven Trading’s programs?
Maven lists several products, including Standard 1-Step and Mini. Their targets, consistency conditions and payout frequencies differ. Maven Trading official rules.
How do payouts differ between Topstep and Maven Trading?
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.
The displayed Standard 1-Step configuration lists an 80% share and a ten-business-day payout frequency. Mini lists a 70% share and a separate 24-hour frequency with consistency conditions. Maven Trading official rules.
Which account rules matter when comparing Topstep and Maven Trading?
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.
Standard 1-Step displays an 8% target, 5% maximum loss and 3% daily loss. Those figures are not interchangeable with Mini or other Maven products. Maven Trading official rules.
Is Topstep or Maven Trading automatically the better choice?
No. Each firm wins on a different axis. Topstep has market access the other lacks, namely bonds and unrestricted news trading. Maven Trading has the larger funded ceiling at $1M and the cheaper entry at USD 15. 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.
How We Compared Topstep and Maven Trading
Both firms on this page carry a JoinProp Rating out of 10. We produce that rating with the same 9-factor methodology we apply to every firm we review: payout reliability (20%), fee structure (15%), drawdown rules (15%), profit split (15%), evaluation terms (10%), trading rules (10%), support access and responsiveness (5%), scaling plan (5%), and track record and transparency (5%).
The inputs come from our firm reviews, not from this page. For each firm we work from the current terms and conditions rather than marketing pages, track rule and pricing changes over time, and read payout and support reports across Trustpilot, Reddit and Discord, looking for recurring patterns rather than isolated complaints. Every firm is re-checked at least every 90 days, or sooner after a material change. Affiliate relationships have no effect on any rating, and ratings are never sold.
The tables above show the evidence behind those factors. A few rows, including trading platforms, available instruments, maximum account size and demo availability, are there to help you judge fit and do not affect either rating.
Read our full ranking methodology