Apex Trader FundingVSTopstep
Side-by-side comparison of rules, fees, profit splits, and payout data to help you choose the best firm.
A
Apex Trader Funding
4.4(17,600)
4.3/5
Overall Score
80% OFF
T
Topstep
4.5(3,200)
4.5/5
Overall Score
20% OFF
Feature
Apex Trader Funding
Topstep
Trustpilot Rating
4.4/5 (17,600)
4.5/5 (3,200)BETTER
Market
Futures
Futures
Founded
2021
2012
HQ
🇺🇸 United States
🇺🇸 United States
Profit Split
90-100%BETTER
90-90%
Max Allocation
$150K (transitions to live after 6 payouts)
$150K
Evaluation Steps
1-Step
1-Step
Profit Target
6%
6%
Starting Price
$118
$49BETTER
Time Limit
unlimited
unlimited
Max Daily Loss
No Limit
2%
Max Drawdown
4%
4%
Drawdown Type
TRAILING
EOD
Min Trading Days
1BETTER
2
News Trading
✅ Yes
✅ Yes
EA / Bots
✅ Yes
❌ No
Weekend Holding
❌ No
❌ No
Consistency Rule
⚠️ Yes
⚠️ Yes
Platforms
NinjaTrader, Tradovate, TradingView
TopstepX, TradingView
Total Paid Out
$120.0MBETTER
$30.0M
Avg. Payout Time
about 24 hours
about 18 hours
Hidden Rules Comparison
Apex Trader Funding (6 rules)
🟡 Activation Fee ($79-$99)
A one-time activation fee of $79 (25K-100K) or $99 (150K) is required within 7 days of passing the evaluation.
🔴 NEW: One-Time Fee, 30-Day Expiry
Apex switched from monthly subscriptions to one-time evaluation fees in March 2026. Accounts expire after 30 days — no resets, no recurring billing.
🔴 Weekly Payout Caps
Payouts are capped per request: $1,000-$2,500 (1st payout) scaling up to $1,000-$5,000 (6th payout) depending on account size. Account closes after 6 payouts.
🔴 50% Consistency Rule
No single trading day can account for 50% or more of total profit on the Performance Account (PA).
🟡 Safety Net Requirement
Account balance must reach 'Starting Capital + Max Drawdown + $100' before a payout can be requested.
🟡 Minimum Daily Profit to Count
A day only counts as a 'trading day' if net profit reaches minimum thresholds: $100 (25K), $200 (50K), $250 (100K), $300 (150K).
Topstep (5 rules)
🔴 Activation Fee ($149)
Standard path requires a $149 one-time activation fee after passing the Trading Combine. 'No Activation Fee' path has higher monthly fees ($109-$209 vs $49-$149).
🔴 Best Day Rule (50%)
No single trading day can account for 50% or more of total profits (Standard path). The Consistency path tightens this to 40%.
🔴 EOD Trailing Drawdown
The Maximum Loss Limit trails your end-of-day balance high. It only stops trailing once it reaches the initial starting balance. TopstepX has removed the Daily Loss Limit.
🟡 Payout Requires 5 Winning Days
Standard path requires 5 winning days ($150+ net profit each) before a payout. Consistency path requires only 3 winning days.
🟡 Withdrawal Caps
Withdrawals are capped at 50% of account balance, up to $5,000 per request (Standard) or $6,000 (Consistency path).