Compare / Apex vs Topstep
Apex Trader Funding vs Topstep
The two most popular futures-only prop firms compared. Both score Good — the differences come down to challenge fee refundability, payout cap structure, and drawdown model.
| — | Apex Trader Funding 76 Good | Topstep 67 Good |
|---|---|---|
| Score Dimensions | ||
| Payout Integrity30% | 7.0 | 6.3 |
| Rules Integrity22% | 7.3 | 6.3 |
| Rules Stability8% | 7.0 | 6.0 |
| Business Viability18% | 8.0 | 9.0 |
| Platform & Execution9% | 7.5 | 4.0 |
| Cost Fairness10% | 6.0 | 4.5 |
| Specifications | ||
| Payout Split | 100% on first $25,000 lifetime profits, then 90/10 | 90% (flat for new traders as of Jan 12, 2026) |
| Max Funded | $300,000 (up to 20 accounts simultaneously) | $150,000 (Express Funded Account) |
| Payout Cap | $4,000/payout at step 6 on $100K EOD. Account closes after 6 payouts — new eval required. | $2,000/payout Standard, $3,000/payout Consistency — new $50K accounts from Apr 28, 2026 |
| Drawdown Model | EOD Trailing — ratchets up with peak end-of-day balance, closed balance basis | Trailing EOD MLL — ratchets up with peak end-of-day balance, never resets down |
| Min Days | 5 qualifying days per payout cycle (each day must hit minimum daily profit threshold) | 5 winning days required before payout request |
| Challenge Fee | One-time: ~$399 eval + $139 PA activation ($538 total on $100K EOD). Frequent 70-90% discount periods. | $49–$149/month subscription |
| Fee Refundable | No — one-time fee, not refunded on first payout | No — subscription model, no refund on payout |
| News Trading | Allowed — no restrictions on futures news trading | Allowed — no restrictions on futures news trading |
| Platforms | NinjaTrader, Tradovate (Rithmic-based) | TopstepX (proprietary, mandatory as of 2026) |
| Payout Schedule | On demand after 5 qualifying days — 1-3 business days processing | On demand after 5 winning days — processed 1-3 business days |
| Visit → | Visit → | |
The Verdict
Best for cost-conscious traders: Apex. Their refundable challenge fee (returned on first payout) meaningfully reduces the risk of the evaluation process. At 90% split, they also edge out Topstep on pure take-home math for high earners. Best for platform and community: Topstep.Their deeper integration with NinjaTrader and Sierra Chart, plus their established education community, makes them the safer default for traders new to funded accounts. The $3K/month cap only hurts once you're already consistently hitting it.