A vs B · as of 29 Oct 2026
Apex Trader Funding vs Topstep: the rules compared
Apex Trader Funding and Topstep rule by rule, each with its source. Data as of 29 Oct 2026. No winner, no score: you decide which rule matters to you.
Where they differ
The rows where the two don't say the same thing. Everything else is in the table below.
- List price
- Apex Trader FundingUS$590 one-time
- TopstepUS$49 / month
- Activation fee
- Apex Trader FundingUS$129
- TopstepUS$149
- Reset fee
- Apex Trader FundingUS$60
- TopstepUS$49
- Cost per 1,000 buffer
- Apex Trader FundingUS$359.50 / 1,000 USD
- TopstepUS$99 / 1,000 USD
- Daily loss limit
- Apex Trader Funding– Not found
- Topstepnone
- Max loss
- Apex Trader FundingUS$2,000, trailing (end of day)
- TopstepUS$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).
- Minimum trading days
- Apex Trader Funding1 days
- Topstep2 days
- Time limit
- Apex Trader Funding– Not found
- Topstepunlimited
- Consistency rule
- Apex Trader Fundingnone
- Topstep55 %: best day ÷ total profit (keep trading until met)
- Account type after passing
- Apex Trader FundingSimulated account
- TopstepSimulated, possibly live later
- Daily loss limit
- Apex Trader Funding– Not found
- Topstepnone
- Max loss
- Apex Trader Funding– Not found
- TopstepUS$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.
All rules side by side
| Rule | EOD Trail · 50K 2026-03-01-new-products Open this snapshot in workspaceoperatingAs of 29 Oct 2026 | Trading Combine (Standard Path) · 50K observed-2026-10-29 Open this snapshot in workspaceoperatingAs of 29 Oct 2026 |
|---|---|---|
| Price and buffer | ||
| Programme | EOD Trail (Futures evaluation) | Trading Combine (Standard Path) (Futures evaluation) |
| Account size (simulated) | US$50,000 | US$50,000 |
| List price | US$590 one-time List price before the standing coupon (see deals). Source · checked 29 Oct 2026 · Extract from the firm's page | US$49 / month Source · checked 29 Oct 2026 |
| Activation fee | ||
| Reset fee | ||
| Data fee | none Real-time data and NinjaTrader licence included per the configurator. Source · checked 29 Oct 2026 · Extract from the firm's page | |
| Loss bufferAccount size × the evaluation's max loss (instant: the account's). This much simulated loss ends the account. | US$2,000 | US$2,000 |
| Cost per 1,000 bufferPrice plus activation fee ÷ (buffer / 1,000). Subscriptions count one month. A metric, not a rating. | US$359.50 / 1,000 USD | US$99 / 1,000 USD 1 month of subscription plus activation |
| Target ÷ bufferSum of all phase targets ÷ max loss, both in the same account currency. Lower means less target per unit of buffer. | 1.5 | 1.5 |
| Evaluation (challenge) | ||
| Profit target phase 1 | US$3,000 From the product data of the homepage pricing configurator; the help centre blocked automated requests (manual check pending). Source · checked 29 Oct 2026 · Extract from the firm's page | US$3,000 Source · checked 29 Oct 2026 |
| Daily loss limit | Not found: Not found: the firm does not publish this, or we could not confirm it. | 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. Source · checked 29 Oct 2026 |
| Max loss | US$2,000, trailing (end of day) From the product data of the homepage pricing configurator; the help centre blocked automated requests (manual check pending). Source · checked 29 Oct 2026 · Extract from the firm's page | 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). Source · checked 29 Oct 2026 |
| Minimum trading days | ||
| Time limit | Not found: Not found: the firm does not publish this, or we could not confirm it. | unlimited Source · checked 29 Oct 2026 |
| Consistency rule | none Homepage: "NO Eval consistency rules". The configurator data still contains a "30%" field — contradiction, manual check pending. Source · checked 29 Oct 2026 | 55 %: best day ÷ total profit (keep trading until met) Source · checked 29 Oct 2026 |
| After passing | ||
| Account type after passing | Simulated account Per Apex all accounts run in a simulated environment with virtual funds; a live invite is possible per the homepage. Source · checked 29 Oct 2026 | 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. Source · checked 29 Oct 2026 |
| Daily loss limit | Not found: Not found: the firm does not publish this, or we could not confirm it. | 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. Source · checked 29 Oct 2026 |
| Max loss | Not found: Not found: the firm does not publish this, or we could not confirm it. | 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. Source · checked 29 Oct 2026 |
| Consistency rule | 50 %: other formula (other consequence) Source · checked 29 Oct 2026 | none Standard path has no consistency rule. On the optional Consistency path: largest day ≤ 40% of net profit to be payout-eligible. Source · checked 29 Oct 2026 |
| Trading days per payout | 5 trading days (Winning day of at least USD 150 net (Standard path); Consistency path: 3 trading days.) Source · checked 29 Oct 2026 | |
| Profit split | 100 % "100% Requested Rewards – No split in Sim Funded" (new products only). Source · checked 29 Oct 2026 | 90 % Traders who joined the new dashboard before 12 Jan 2026 keep 100% of the first USD 10,000. Source · checked 29 Oct 2026 |
| First payout | Not found: Not found: the firm does not publish this, or we could not confirm it. | After 5 winning days of USD 150+ (Standard) or 3 trading days with 40% consistency (Consistency path). Source · checked 29 Oct 2026 |
| Payout cadence | Not found: Not found: the firm does not publish this, or we could not confirm it. | per cycle: Again after each further 5 winning days; positive net profit since the last payout is required. Source · checked 29 Oct 2026 |
| Minimum payout | US$500 From the product data of the homepage pricing configurator; the help centre blocked automated requests (manual check pending). Source · checked 29 Oct 2026 · Extract from the firm's page | |
| Payout cap | Not found: Not found: the firm does not publish this, or we could not confirm it. | 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. Source · checked 29 Oct 2026 |
| Payout fees | Not found: Not found: the firm does not publish this, or we could not confirm it. | Not found: Not found: the firm does not publish this, or we could not confirm it. |
| Conversion deduction | Not found: Not found: the firm does not publish this, or we could not confirm it. | Not found: Not found: the firm does not publish this, or we could not confirm it. |
| Fee refund | Not found: Not on the fetchable pages. | Not found: Not found: the firm does not publish this, or we could not confirm it. |
| Scaling | Not found: Not found: the firm does not publish this, or we could not confirm it. | Not found: Not found: the firm does not publish this, or we could not confirm it. |
| Inactivity | Not found: Not found: the firm does not publish this, or we could not confirm it. | Not found: Not found: the firm does not publish this, or we could not confirm it. |
| Trading rules | ||
| News trading | Not found: Not found: the firm does not publish this, or we could not confirm it. | restricted Prohibited: purposefully trading the full maximum position size into a major scheduled news event. Source · checked 29 Oct 2026 |
| Holding overnight | Not found: Not found: the firm does not publish this, or we could not confirm it. | Not found: Rule on holding past session close not confirmed. |
| Over the weekend | Not found: Not found: the firm does not publish this, or we could not confirm it. | Not found: Not found: the firm does not publish this, or we could not confirm it. |
| EAs / bots | Not found: Not found: the firm does not publish this, or we could not confirm it. | Not found: Not found: the firm does not publish this, or we could not confirm it. |
| Copy trading | Not found: Not found: the firm does not publish this, or we could not confirm it. | Not found: Not found: the firm does not publish this, or we could not confirm it. |
| Hedging | Not found: Not found: the firm does not publish this, or we could not confirm it. | Not found: Not found: the firm does not publish this, or we could not confirm it. |
| Leverage | n/a | n/a |
| Max risk per trade | Not found: Not found: the firm does not publish this, or we could not confirm it. | Not found: Not found: the firm does not publish this, or we could not confirm it. |
| Max contracts | Not found: Not found: the firm does not publish this, or we could not confirm it. | 5 Minis / 50 Micros Source · checked 29 Oct 2026 |
| Trading commission | Not found: The Rithmic and Tradovate help pages give different values per platform and are over a year old. No current value confirmed. | 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. Source · checked 05 Nov 2026 |
| Firm and access | ||
| Firm status | operating Source · checked 29 Oct 2026 | operating Source · checked 29 Oct 2026 |
| Regulator warning list | no listing recorded | no listing recorded |
| Operator per the terms | Apex Trader Funding Inc. (US) Source · checked 29 Oct 2026 | 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. Source · checked 29 Oct 2026 |
| Founded | ||
| Residence CH | Not found: Country list not fetchable (manual check). | |
| Residence DE | Not found: Country list not fetchable (manual check). | restricted Germany: Express Funded Account possible (up to USD 200,000 total payouts), but no Live Funded Account. Source · checked 29 Oct 2026 |
| Residence AT | Not found: Country list not fetchable (manual check). | |
| Residence GB | Not found: Not found: the firm does not publish this, or we could not confirm it. | Not found: Not found: the firm does not publish this, or we could not confirm it. |
| Residence US | Not found: Country list not fetchable (manual check). | |
| Identity check (KYC) | Not found: Not on the fetchable pages. | other timing: Identity verification after the first purchase, required before the second purchase (new accounts, resets). Source · checked 29 Oct 2026 |
| Platforms | Rithmic, Tradovate, WealthCharts, NinjaTrader Vendor Rithmic, Tradovate or WealthCharts; NinjaTrader licence included. Source · checked 29 Oct 2026 · Extract from the firm's page | |
| Pay with | Not found: Not on the fetchable pages. | card, google-pay, apple-pay Visa, Mastercard, American Express, Discover; no PayPal. Source · checked 29 Oct 2026 |
| Payout via | Not found: Not on the fetchable pages. | Not found: Payout methods not on the fetched pages. |
| Refunds | Not found: Not on the fetchable pages. | 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. Source · checked 29 Oct 2026 |
| Commission for PropCrab | no, no partner agreement | no, no partner agreement |
| Rules apply | from 01 Mar 2026, for new purchases Legacy accounts bought before 1 Mar 2026 keep their rules per Apex ("No retroactive changes") and stay on recurring billing. | since 29 Oct 2026 (first seen), scope not stated |
We don't crown a winner: which rule matters depends on how you trade. The table only shows what the firms themselves publish.
Prices are shown in the currency the firm quotes. Only when you pick EUR or CHF does an approximate value at the ECB euro reference rate appear below; the firm's price is what counts.
Sources
Every cell names its source. The firm profiles list all sources and open questions:
More comparisons
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