Alpha Futures vs Topstep: the rules compared

Standard Account (Futures evaluation)

Trading Combine (Standard Path) (Futures evaluation)

US$129 / month

US$49 / month

none

US$149

US$109

US$49

none

Level 1 data included; Level 2 costs USD 38 per month.

US$64.50 / 1,000 USD

1 month of subscription plus activation

US$99 / 1,000 USD

1 month of subscription plus activation

US$2,000, trailing (end of day). Lock: Follows the highest end-of-day balance and stops at the starting balance; per the firm it does not slide to 0 on payouts.

US$2,000, trailing (end of day). Lock: Rises with the end-of-day balance, never falls; locks once it reaches the starting balance. Monitored intraday in real time (unrealised P&L included).

2 days

"You can pass in as few as two days" (follows from the 55% rule).

unlimited

50 %: best day ÷ total profit (keep trading until met)

55 %: best day ÷ total profit (keep trading until met)

Simulated account

"Qualified Account" in a simulated environment; payouts are called performance fees.

Simulated, possibly live later

The Express Funded Account is a simulated account of TopstepTrader LLC (starts at USD 0, size = buying power). A Live Funded Account with TopstepFunded LLC capital is a possible later step.

US$1,000, other basis, 18:00 ET, daily stop only, account continues

Daily Loss Guard: positions are flattened and the account locked until the next trading day; the account is not lost.

none

No mandatory daily limit. Optional at purchase (USD 1,000 / 2,000 / 3,000): it only forces a break until the next session, not a rule violation.

US$2,000, trailing (end of day). Lock: Follows the highest end-of-day balance and stops at the starting balance; per the firm it does not slide to 0 on payouts.

US$2,000, trailing (end of day). Lock: Starts at −limit below USD 0, locks at USD 0; permanently at USD 0 after the first payout.

40 %: best day ÷ profit since last payout (payout waits until met)

none

Standard path has no consistency rule. On the optional Consistency path: largest day ≤ 40% of net profit to be payout-eligible.

5 trading days (Winning days of at least USD 200.)

5 trading days (Winning day of at least USD 150 net (Standard path); Consistency path: 3 trading days.)

After 5 winning days of USD 150+ (Standard) or 3 trading days with 40% consistency (Consistency path).

per cycle: Up to 4 times a month, each after 5 winning days.

per cycle: Again after each further 5 winning days; positive net profit since the last payout is required.

US$500

US$125

Per request at most 50% of profit; maximum 50K USD 3,000, 100K USD 4,000, 150K USD 5,000.

Per request at most 50% of the balance, capped: 50K USD 2,000 (Standard) / 3,000 (Consistency), 150K USD 5,000 / 6,000. No cap in the Live Funded Account.

Minis: US$1 per contract round trip plus exchange fees · Micros: US$0.50 per contract round trip plus exchange fees

Per Topstep this applies on TopstepX to the Trading Combine, Express Funded and Live Funded. The exchange fee per product and a USD 0.02 NFA fee come on top; Topstep's all-in round-trip examples: ES USD 3.78, MES USD 1.22.

Alpha Futures Limited (GB)

TopstepTrader, LLC (US)

TopstepTrader LLC operates the Trading Combine and Express Funded Account (simulation). The brokerage is a separate regulated offer for own money; it does not make the challenge regulated.

2012

Launch of Topstep Trader in 2012.

accepted

Not on the restricted list.

restricted

Germany: Express Funded Account possible (up to USD 200,000 total payouts), but no Live Funded Account.

accepted

Not on the restricted list; UK firm.

after passing the evaluation: KYC before a Qualified Account is issued and before payouts; can be done at any time in advance.

other timing: Identity verification after the first purchase, required before the second purchase (new accounts, resets).

Own platform, TradingView, WealthCharts, Volumetrica, Quantower

Platform choice cannot be changed after purchase.

TopstepX

The Express Funded Account runs on TopstepX (ProjectX).

card, google-pay, apple-pay

Visa, Mastercard, American Express, Discover; no PayPal.

ach, bank-transfer, wise, rise

ACH (US), wire, SWIFT, Wise, Rise; all payments in USD.

"All sales are final" — no refunds; per the KYC page an exception applies if you fail KYC screening.

Generally no refunds. 14-day satisfaction guarantee only for the very first Trading Combine (max one monthly payment, not passed). Forgotten renewal: report within 28 days with no trading. No refunds on resets, activation fee, Back2Funded.