Topstep vs SabioTrade – Elite Prop Firms Comparison
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Introduction
Topstep and Sabio Trade approach prop trading from very different angles. 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. Sabio Trade, founded in 2021 and based in Dublin, Ireland (operated by CODEVIL IT ENGINEERING LIMITED), is a multi-asset Forex/CFD firm that runs its own SabioTraderoom platform – no MetaTrader at all – with access to 250-plus instruments. Sabio runs a single 1-Step evaluation with a 10% profit target, refunds the challenge fee on your first payout, and pays weekly. The instrument set, evaluation model, and platform all diverge significantly between the two firms, so the right pick depends on what you trade.
Quick Facts
| Feature | Topstep | SabioTrade |
|---|---|---|
| 
| |
| Founded | 2012 | 2021 |
| Profit Split | 90% trader share; first-$10,000 lifetime-profit exception for traders who joined the new dashboard before Jan 12, 2026 | Challenge Fees - Single Account (1:30 Leverage) — Essential: 80% Challenge Fees - Single Account (1:30 Leverage) — Plus: 80% Challenge Fees - Single Account (1:30 Leverage) — VIP PRO: 90% Challenge Fees - Single Account (1:30 Leverage) — Advanced: 90% Challenge Fees - Single Account (1:30 Leverage) — Ultimate: 90% Challenge Fees - Single Account (1:30 Leverage) — Prime: 90% Challenge Fees - Single Account (1:30 Leverage) — Supreme: 90% Challenge Fees - Day Trading (1:100 Leverage) — Flash: 90% Challenge Fees - Day Trading (1:100 Leverage) — Blaze: 90% Challenge Fees - Day Trading (1:100 Leverage) — Daybreak: 90% Challenge Fees - Day Trading (1:100 Leverage) — Surge: 90% Challenge Fees - Day Trading (1:100 Leverage) — Apex: 95% The Product Line — Essential: 80% The Product Line — Plus: 80% The Product Line — Advanced: 90% The Product Line — Ultimate: 90% The Product Line — Prime: 90% Payouts: 80% (Essential, Plus) or 90% (Advanced, Ultimate, Prime) |
| Maximum Account Size | $150,000 | $1,000,000 |
| Evaluation Phases | 1 | 1 |
| Trustpilot Rating | 3.4 | — |
| Expert Grade | 9 | 8.5 |
Program Types
| Program | Topstep | SabioTrade |
|---|---|---|
| Entry Level Program | Yes | Yes |
| Advanced Program | — | Yes |
| Scaling Options | No | No |
| Demo Account | No | Yes |
Rules & Assessment
| Criteria | Topstep | SabioTrade |
|---|---|---|
| Profit Target | Trading Combine Parameters — 50,000: 3,000 Trading Combine Parameters — 100,000: 6,000 Trading Combine Parameters — 150,000: 9,000 | The Product Line — Essential: 10% The Product Line — Plus: 10% The Product Line — Advanced: 10% The Product Line — Ultimate: 10% The Product Line — Prime: 10% |
| Maximum Drawdown | Trailing MLL: $2,000-$4,500 | The Product Line — Essential: 6% trailing The Product Line — Plus: 6% trailing The Product Line — Advanced: 6% trailing The Product Line — Ultimate: 6% trailing The Product Line — Prime: 6% trailing |
| Minimum Trading 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 | No |
| Daily Loss Limit | Trading Combine Parameters — 50,000: Optional (1,000) Trading Combine Parameters — 100,000: Optional (2,000) Trading Combine Parameters — 150,000: Optional (3,000) | The Product Line — Essential: 5% The Product Line — Plus: 5% The Product Line — Advanced: 5% The Product Line — Ultimate: 5% The Product Line — Prime: 5% |
| Maximum Contracts | 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 | Topstep | SabioTrade |
|---|---|---|
| CFD $50K Account | Not listed in review pricing source | Listed challenge / USD 289 / One-time |
| CFD $100K Account | Not listed in review pricing source | Listed challenge / USD 479 / One-time |
| CFD $200K Account | Not listed in review pricing source | Listed challenge / USD 939 / One-time |
| Futures $50K Account | Trading Combine / USD 49 / Monthly Standard Trading Combine monthly price. Source Checked 2026-08-10 | Not listed in review pricing source |
| Futures $100K Account | Trading Combine / USD 99 / Monthly Standard Trading Combine monthly price; tier was marked temporarily on hold when verified. Source Checked 2026-08-10 | Not listed in review pricing source |
| Futures $150K Account | Trading Combine / USD 199 / Monthly Standard Trading Combine monthly price. Source Checked 2026-09-27 | Not listed in review pricing source |
| Refund Policy | — | No |
| Coupons / Discount | Topstep discount | SabioTrade discount |
Platforms & Markets
| Feature | Topstep | SabioTrade |
|---|---|---|
| Trading Platforms | TopstepX; Quantower connectivity for Trading Combine and Express Funded accounts | QuadCode proprietary platform |
| Forex | Currency futures, not spot Forex | Yes |
| Stocks | No | Yes |
| Indices | Yes | Yes |
| Commodities | Yes | Yes |
| Cryptocurrencies | No | Yes |
| Bonds | Yes | — |
| EA/Algo Trading | Yes | No |
Payout
| Feature | Topstep | SabioTrade |
|---|---|---|
| Payout Terms | $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. | Weekly, 24-hour processing, $1 crypto minimum |
| See all prop firm payouts → | ||
Verdict
| Key Element | Topstep | SabioTrade |
|---|---|---|
| Strengths | 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. | One-step evaluation, No monthly fees, 7-day trial account, Weekly payouts within 24 hours, $1 crypto minimum, 250+ instruments |
| Weaknesses | Recurring Combine subscription; $149 XFA activation on Standard pricing path; futures-only; end-of-day trailing MLL can be breached intraday on unrealised losses | 6% trailing drawdown tested against equity, First payout deletes drawdown buffer, Breach forfeits all unpaid profits, 90% split can be cut to 70%, Scalping and EAs prohibited, Proprietary platform only, No refunds |
| Best For | Serious futures traders seeking established firm with forgiving evaluation | Discretionary swing traders comfortable with proprietary platforms |
Conclusion and Final Recommendation
Choose Topstep if you want a cheaper entry, from USD 49 and news trading allowed. Choose Sabio Trade – Elite if a larger funded ceiling at $1M, a demo account to test the platform first and coverage of stocks and 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 Sabio Trade’s programs?
SabioTrade publishes an assessment with a 10% target, 5% daily loss limit and 6% trailing drawdown. Its plans have different balances and reward shares. Sabio Trade official rules.
How do payouts differ between Topstep and Sabio Trade?
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.
Essential and Plus list 80%; Advanced, Ultimate and Prime list 90%. Withdrawals may be requested every seven days after the requirements are met and positions are closed. Sabio Trade official rules.
Which account rules matter when comparing Topstep and Sabio Trade?
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.
There is no overall assessment deadline, but 30 days of inactivity can deactivate an account. After a withdrawal, trailing drawdown is set at the starting balance, so the remaining equity cushion matters. Sabio Trade official rules.
Is Topstep or Sabio Trade automatically the better choice?
No. The two firms lead on different things: Topstep has the cheaper entry at USD 49 and unrestricted news trading, while Sabio Trade – Elite has the larger funded ceiling at $1M and market access the other lacks, namely stocks and cryptocurrencies. 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 Sabio Trade
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.