Complete Topstep Prop Firm Guide

Topstep is one of the original futures proprietary trading firms, founded by Michael Patak and launched in 2012 in Chicago¹. The firm is credited with creating the Trading Combine evaluation model that has become an industry standard¹. Topstep holds a Trustpilot rating of 3.4 from over 13,600 reviews¹³.

Topstep offers three account sizes from $50,000 to $150,000², a proprietary platform called TopstepX with integrated TradingView charting⁷, and a 90/10 profit split⁸. Automated trading is supported through the TopstepX API¹¹.

Company Overview

Topstep operates out of Chicago and has been funding futures traders since 2012¹. The company was originally Patak Trading Partners (founded 2010), rebranded to TopstepTrader in 2012, and became Topstep in 2020¹. The firm trades exclusively CME futures products including equity indices, commodities, currencies, interest rates, and micro contracts⁶.

Evaluation Program

Topstep uses a one-step evaluation called the Trading Combine³. Traders must hit a profit target while staying within maximum loss and daily loss limits. The evaluation can be passed in as few as 2 trading days³.

Trading Combine Tiers

Topstep offers three account sizes²³:

• $50,000 Account: $3,000 profit target, $2,000 max loss, $1,000 daily loss limit, up to 5 contracts³⁴⁵
• $100,000 Account: $6,000 profit target, $3,000 max loss, $2,000 daily loss limit, up to 10 contracts³⁴⁵
• $150,000 Account: $9,000 profit target, $4,500 max loss, $3,000 daily loss limit, up to 15 contracts³⁴⁵

TopstepX accounts created or reset after August 25, 2024 have no daily loss limit⁵. The daily loss limit still applies on NinjaTrader, Quantower, Tradovate, and TradingView⁵.

Consistency Target

Your best trading day must be less than 50% of total profits to pass the evaluation³. If your best day exceeds 50%, the profit target increases³. This consistency target applies only to the Trading Combine, not to funded accounts³.

Two Pricing Paths

Topstep offers two pricing structures²:

• Standard Path: $49/$99/$149 per month plus a $149 activation fee after passing²
• No Activation Fee Path: $109/$159/$209 per month with $0 activation fee²

Profit Split and Payouts

Topstep offers a 90/10 profit split (trader keeps 90%)⁸. For traders who joined before January 12, 2026, the first $10,000 in payouts is paid at 100%, then 90/10⁸. Traders who joined on or after January 12, 2026 receive the straight 90/10 split from the start⁸.

The minimum payout request is $125⁸. Payout processing takes 1-3 business days via Wise or ACH, and 3-5 business days via wire transfer⁸.

Express Funded Account Paths

After passing the Trading Combine, traders receive an Express Funded Account with two payout eligibility paths⁷:

• XFA Standard: 5 winning days of $150+ for payout eligibility, maximum payout $5,000⁷
• XFA Consistency: 3 days traded with 40% consistency target, maximum payout $6,000⁷

Traders can hold up to 5 Express Funded Accounts simultaneously⁷.

Trading Rules

• All positions must be closed by 3:10 PM CT daily⁶
• Day trading only — no overnight or weekend positions⁶
• Maximum loss limit per account (trailing, locks at initial balance)⁴
• Daily loss limit enforced on non-TopstepX platforms⁵
• Position size limits per account tier (5/10/15 contracts)⁹
• Prohibited: manipulation, account stacking, exploiting sim fills¹⁰

Supported Platforms

• TopstepX: Proprietary platform with TradingView charting, no daily loss limit, lowest commissions⁵
• NinjaTrader: Advanced charting and strategy execution⁶
• Tradovate: Browser-based trading with TradersPost compatibility⁶

Automation with TradersPost

Topstep accounts can be connected to TradersPost through Tradovate. Traders can send alerts from TradingView directly to their Topstep account for automated order execution.

Topstep explicitly supports automated trading through the TopstepX API¹¹. Legitimate automated strategies are permitted, but exploitative automation (scalping algorithms that game sim fills, HFT, mass data entry) is prohibited¹⁰. All automated trading must run from a personal device — VPS and VPN usage is prohibited¹¹.

Pros and Cons

Advantages

• Most established futures prop firm (launched 2012)¹
• Can pass evaluation in as few as 2 days³
• TopstepX platform has no daily loss limit⁵
• Automated trading explicitly supported via API¹¹
• No activation fee path available²
• TradersPost compatible through Tradovate
• Starting evaluation price as low as $49/month²

Disadvantages

• Maximum account size of $150,000²
• Daily loss limits on non-TopstepX platforms⁵
• XFA payout caps ($5,000-$6,000 per request)⁷
• No VPS or VPN allowed for automated trading¹¹
• Activation fee of $149 on Standard Path²

Conclusion

Topstep's longevity and reputation make it a trusted choice for futures traders¹. The ability to pass in 2 days³, the TopstepX platform with no daily loss limit⁵, and explicit support for automated strategies¹¹ differentiate it from competitors.

Verify current rules and pricing directly on the Topstep website before purchasing an evaluation.

¹ Topstep - About Us
² Topstep Help Center - Pricing
³ Topstep Help Center - Consistency Target
⁴ Topstep Help Center - Maximum Loss Limit
⁵ Topstep Help Center - Daily Loss Limit
⁶ Topstep Help Center - Trading Hours and Products
⁷ Topstep Help Center - Express Funded Account Parameters
⁸ Topstep Help Center - Payout Policy
⁹ Topstep Help Center - Maximum Position Size
¹⁰ Topstep Help Center - Prohibited Conduct
¹¹ Topstep Help Center - TopstepX API Access
¹³ Trustpilot - Topstep