Topstep rules
Topstep sells 7 futures prop accounts that AlgoLift has on record: Trading Combine (50K to 150K), $49 to $199 a month and Topstep Labs (25K to 250K), $75 to $499 once.
Its drawdown is end of day and static, depending on the account. 3 of 7 accounts have a daily loss limit. The trader keeps 90% of the profit.
Topstep allows automated trading, with conditions.
Trading Combine · 50K
Make $3,000 before you lose $2,000
- No daily loss limit
- Daily loss limit
- 55%
- Best day
- 2 trading days
- Minimum days
- No time limit
- Time limit
- 5 contracts
- Contracts
- $2,000, end of day
- Funded drawdown
- 90%
- Profit split
- Allowed with conditions
- Bots
What it costs
- Evaluation
- $49 a month
- Activation when you pass
- $149
- Reset
- $49
Funded · first payout
5 winning days of $150 or more
Largest payout: $2,000. You keep 90%.
Automated trading at Topstep: Allowed with conditions
Topstep allows automated and algorithmic trading with conditions. Bots and automated strategies may trade through the TopstepX / ProjectX API, under the platform rules, with high-frequency trading banned, orders sent from the trader's own device, and not on Live Funded Accounts.
Verified, checked 21 Oct 2026 · Source: help.topstep.com
Platforms: TopstepX, Topstep's own platform; Quantower can connect through TopstepX credentials for the Combine and XFA (not Live).
What AlgoLift knows about the Topstep 50K Combine
With no edge at all, how does this account treat you?
4,000 simulated years of a coin-flip trader (no edge, no costs) through every rule. Pick how much a typical day moves.
Daily swing
An attempt passes
27%
chance per evaluation
Days to pass
49
median, when it passes
Paid at least once
53%
in a year, buying again after a fail
Net a year
−$233
79% of years end down
The mean over 4,000 years. In a typical year most no-edge traders still lose money: the share is under Net a year.
Trading small costs time, not much else
At $100 a day an attempt passes 14% of the time and takes 189 trading days. At $300 a day the odds are 27% and the wait falls to 49. There is no clock, so slow is allowed; a monthly fee is what punishes it.
Its best size for a no-edge trader: $1,600 a day
There a trader with no edge averages +$3,402 a year after every fee, and 38% of simulated years still end down. The rulebook, not the trader, is paying: the cap on losses and the payouts on lucky runs.
It reproduces Topstep's own 2025 figures
Topstep published 17% of Combines passed, 52% of people funded and 33% of funded people paid. The simulator gets 16.2%, 53.2% and 34.6% for traders slightly behind after costs, sizing big and quitting early.
Simulated results. They have inherent limitations. Read the full statementHide the statement
These results are based on simulated or hypothetical performance results that have certain inherent limitations. Unlike the results shown in an actual performance record, these results do not represent actual trading. Also, because these trades have not actually been executed, these results may have under-or over-compensated for the impact, if any, of certain market factors, such as lack of liquidity. Simulated or hypothetical trading programs in general are also subject to the fact that they are designed with the benefit of hindsight. No representation is being made that any account will or is likely to achieve profits or losses similar to these being shown.
Against the other 50K accounts
Number 2 of 13 for a trader with no edge
- My Funded Futures Rapid 50K+$3,703
- Topstep 50K Combine+$3,402
- TradeDay QP EOD 50K+$1,843
- Tradeify Select Daily 50K+$1,783
- TradeDay QP Intraday 50K+$1,687
- My Funded Futures Pro 50K+$1,227
- Apex Intraday 50K+$1,225
- Tradeify Select Flex 50K+$1,093
- Take Profit Trader 50K Test+$833
- Apex EOD 50K+$408
- Tradeify Growth 50K−$191
- My Funded Futures Builder 50K−$223
- TradeDay Fast Pass 50K−$408
Net a year at each account’s best size, a coin-flip trader with no edge, after every fee.
Topstep plans and their key rules
Trading Combine: 50K, 100K, 150K. Topstep Labs: 25K, 250K, 50K, . Open a plan for every rule, from the evaluation to payouts and fees.
| Plan | Size | Profit target | Max drawdown | Daily loss limit | Consistency | Min days | First payout after | Split | Evaluation fee | Activation | Automated trading | To funded |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Topstep 50K Combine Trading Combine | 50K | Verified, checked 21 Oct 2026: $3,000 | Verified, checked 21 Oct 2026: $2,000, end of day | Verified, checked 21 Oct 2026: No daily loss limit | Verified, checked 21 Oct 2026: 55% | Verified, checked 21 Oct 2026: 2 trading days | Verified, checked 21 Oct 2026: 5 winning days of $150 or more | Verified, checked 21 Oct 2026: 90% | Verified, checked 21 Oct 2026: $49 a month | Verified, checked 21 Oct 2026: $149 | Verified, checked 21 Oct 2026: Allowed with conditions | $198 |
| Topstep 100K Combine Trading Combine | 100K | Verified, checked 21 Oct 2026: $6,000 | Verified, checked 21 Oct 2026: $3,000, end of day | Verified, checked 21 Oct 2026: No daily loss limit | Verified, checked 21 Oct 2026: 55% | Verified, checked 21 Oct 2026: 2 trading days | Verified, checked 21 Oct 2026: 5 winning days of $150 or more | Verified, checked 21 Oct 2026: 90% | Verified, checked 21 Oct 2026: $99 a month | Verified, checked 21 Oct 2026: $149 | Verified, checked 21 Oct 2026: Allowed with conditions | $248 |
| Topstep 150K Combine Trading Combine | 150K | Verified, checked 21 Oct 2026: $9,000 | Verified, checked 21 Oct 2026: $4,500, end of day | Verified, checked 21 Oct 2026: No daily loss limit | Verified, checked 21 Oct 2026: 55% | Verified, checked 21 Oct 2026: 2 trading days | Verified, checked 21 Oct 2026: 5 winning days of $150 or more | Verified, checked 21 Oct 2026: 90% | Verified, checked 21 Oct 2026: $199 a month | Verified, checked 21 Oct 2026: $149 | Verified, checked 21 Oct 2026: Allowed with conditions | $348 |
| Topstep Labs 25K Static Topstep Labs · not simulated yet | 25K | Verified, checked 21 Oct 2026: $2,000 | Verified, checked 21 Oct 2026: $1,000, static | Verified, checked 21 Oct 2026: $500 | Verified, checked 21 Oct 2026: 55% | Not stated by the firm, checked 16 Oct 2026: Not stated by the firm | Verified, checked 21 Oct 2026: 5 winning days of $150 or more | Verified, checked 21 Oct 2026: 90% | Verified, checked 21 Oct 2026: $75 once | Verified, checked 21 Oct 2026: $0 | Verified, checked 21 Oct 2026: Allowed with conditions | $75 |
| Topstep Labs 250K Freedom Topstep Labs · not simulated yet | 250K | Verified, checked 21 Oct 2026: $15,000 | Verified, checked 21 Oct 2026: $10,000, end of day | Verified, checked 21 Oct 2026: $5,000 | Verified, checked 21 Oct 2026: 55% | Not stated by the firm, checked 16 Oct 2026: Not stated by the firm | Verified, checked 21 Oct 2026: 5 winning days of $150 or more | Verified, checked 21 Oct 2026: 90% | Verified, checked 21 Oct 2026: $499 once | Verified, checked 21 Oct 2026: $0 | Verified, checked 21 Oct 2026: Allowed with conditions | $499 |
| Topstep Labs 50K Static Topstep Labs · not simulated yet | 50K | Verified, checked 21 Oct 2026: $4,000 | Verified, checked 21 Oct 2026: $2,000, static | Verified, checked 21 Oct 2026: $1,000 | Verified, checked 21 Oct 2026: 55% | Not stated by the firm, checked 16 Oct 2026: Not stated by the firm | Verified, checked 21 Oct 2026: 5 winning days of $150 or more | Verified, checked 21 Oct 2026: 90% | Verified, checked 21 Oct 2026: $149 once | Verified, checked 21 Oct 2026: $0 | Verified, checked 21 Oct 2026: Allowed with conditions | $149 |
| Topstep Labs 1.5K/3K/6K Challenges Topstep Labs · not simulated yet | Not stated by the firm, checked 16 Oct 2026: Not stated by the firm | Not stated by the firm, checked 16 Oct 2026: Not stated by the firm | Verified, checked 21 Oct 2026: No daily loss limit | Verified, checked 21 Oct 2026: No consistency rule | Not stated by the firm, checked 16 Oct 2026: Not stated by the firm | Not stated by the firm, checked 16 Oct 2026: Not yet verified | Not stated by the firm, checked 16 Oct 2026: Not stated by the firm | Not stated by the firm, checked 16 Oct 2026: Not stated by the firm | Verified, checked 21 Oct 2026: $0 | Verified, checked 21 Oct 2026: Allowed with conditions | Not yet verified |
Topstep's drawdown, day by day
On the Topstep 50K Combine the end of day floor trails $2,000 behind the best close and stops at the $50,000 starting balance.
Play your days against itTopstep's consistency rule
Trading Combine and Topstep Labs: the best day at most 55% of the evaluation profit; going over raises the target.
Rules for every Topstep account
What Topstep sets once for all its accounts: the trading day, trading restrictions, conduct and payout fees. A plan’s own rules come first on its page.
Account
- Instruments
What the account may trade: the exchanges or product list, and any products excluded.
CME Group futures only, no spot forex: equity index (ES, NQ, RTY, YM, NKD and their micros, MBT, MET), currency futures, grains and livestock, energy, metals and Treasury futures. Some metals are barred (SI, HG, PL at 0 contracts) and others capped, per the Risk Adjustments article.
Verified, checked 21 Oct 2026Source: help.topstep.com
- Micros per mini
How many micro contracts count as one E-mini toward a contract limit.
10
Verified, checked 21 Oct 2026Source: help.topstep.com
- Trading day starts
When the firm's trading day begins. A trade after this time counts toward the next trading day for every daily rule: daily loss, consistency, winning days and minimum days.
18:00 New York time
Verified, checked 21 Oct 2026Source: help.topstep.com
- Trading day
The firm's trading day as it states it, from its open to its close, with the time zone it uses.
17:00 Central time to 15:10 Central time
Verified, checked 21 Oct 2026Source: help.topstep.com
- A trading day counts when
What makes a day count toward minimum trading days: any day with a trade, or only a day with at least a set profit.
Any day with a trade
Verified, checked 21 Oct 2026Source: help.topstep.com
- Profit for a trading day to count
The profit a day must make to count as a trading day, when a trading day counts only with a minimum profit; null when any day with a trade counts.
None
Verified, checked 21 Oct 2026Source: help.topstep.com
- Hitting the daily loss limit
What happens when the daily loss limit is reached: trading stops for the day and the account stays open, or the account fails; null when there is no daily loss limit.
Trading stops for the rest of the day; the account stays open
Verified, checked 21 Oct 2026Source: help.topstep.com
Evaluation
- Floor checked against open profit
True when touching the drawdown floor at any moment, open profit and loss included, fails the evaluation, even when the floor itself is set at the end of the day.
Yes
Verified, checked 21 Oct 2026Source: help.topstep.com
Funded account
- Floor checked against open profit
True when touching the drawdown floor at any moment, open profit and loss included, closes the funded account.
Yes
Verified, checked 21 Oct 2026Source: help.topstep.com
- Funded account resets
How many times a failed funded account can be restarted for a fee without a new evaluation; null when it cannot.
None
Verified, checked 21 Oct 2026Source: help.topstep.com
1 rule not recorded yet(show)
- Simulated stage profit cap: not stated by the firm
Payouts
- Payout fees · Funded account
What the firm charges to send a payout, by method (bank transfer, wire, crypto); null when it charges nothing.
ACH $30; wire $30; Aeropay no fee; prop to brokerage no fee; Wise no fee.
Verified, checked 21 Oct 2026Source: help.topstep.com
- Payout processing time · Funded account
Business days the firm takes to send a payout once it is approved.
3
Verified, checked 21 Oct 2026Source: help.topstep.com
2 rules not recorded yet(show)
- Early withdrawal: not stated by the firm
- Buffer paid when the account closes: not stated by the firm
Fees
- Funded account reset fee · Funded account
The price to restart a failed funded account without a new evaluation; null when that is not offered.
None
Verified, checked 21 Oct 2026Source: help.topstep.com
- Market data fee
A monthly fee for market data the trader pays to the firm or the platform; null when data is included.
None
Verified, checked 21 Oct 2026Source: help.topstep.com
- Commissions
The commissions the firm sets per contract, by contract size.
On TopstepX: $1.00 a round turn for minis and $0.50 for micros, plus a $0.02 NFA fee and exchange fees (all in, ES and NQ $3.78, MES and MNQ $1.22), deducted from the balance on each fill. The Live Funded Account runs $0.72 to $2.04 plus exchange fees.
Verified, checked 21 Oct 2026Source: help.topstep.com
Trading restrictions
- Automated trading
Whether bots, automated strategies and algorithmic execution may trade the account. Not allowed means a strategy tested on AlgoLift can only be traded there by hand.
Allowed with conditions
Bots and automated strategies may trade through the TopstepX / ProjectX API, under the platform rules, with high-frequency trading banned, orders sent from the trader's own device, and not on Live Funded Accounts.
Verified, checked 21 Oct 2026Source: help.topstep.com
- News trading
Whether trading through major economic releases is allowed, restricted to outside a window around them, or not allowed.
Restricted around releases
Verified, checked 21 Oct 2026Source: help.topstep.com
- News rule
The window around releases and the releases it covers, when news trading is restricted.
Five minutes before to five minutes after CPI, NFP and unemployment (7:30 CT), the FOMC decision (1:00 CT) and the FOMC press conference (1:30 CT): no new opening trades in equity index and metal minis, micros capped by account size, energies, rates and FX unaffected; existing positions may be managed. The $1.5K, $3K and $6K Challenges may not trade in the window at all.
Verified, checked 21 Oct 2026Source: help.topstep.com
- Trading hours
The hours in which the account may trade, New York time; null when it may trade whenever the exchange is open.
18:00 to 16:10 New York time
Verified, checked 21 Oct 2026Source: help.topstep.com
- Flat by
The time every position must be closed (or is closed by the firm) each day, New York time; null when positions may be held past the close.
16:10 New York time
Verified, checked 21 Oct 2026Source: help.topstep.com
- Holding overnight
Whether a position may be held from one trading day into the next.
Not allowed
Verified, checked 21 Oct 2026Source: help.topstep.com
- Holding over the weekend
Whether a position may be held over the weekend.
Not allowed
Verified, checked 21 Oct 2026Source: help.topstep.com
- Hedging
Whether opposite positions in the same or related instruments may be held at once, in one account or across accounts.
Allowed with conditions
Verified, checked 21 Oct 2026Source: help.topstep.com
- Copy trading
Whether trades may be copied between accounts: allowed, only between the trader's own accounts at the firm, or not allowed.
Only between the trader's own accounts
Verified, checked 21 Oct 2026Source: help.topstep.com
- Accounts at once
The most accounts of any kind a trader may hold at once; null when there is no limit.
None
Verified, checked 21 Oct 2026Source: help.topstep.com
- Evaluations at once · Evaluation
The most evaluations a trader may hold at once (or buy in a month, when the firm says so in the note); null when there is no limit.
None
Verified, checked 21 Oct 2026Source: help.topstep.com
- Funded accounts at once · Funded account
The most funded accounts a trader may hold at once; null when there is no limit.
5
Verified, checked 21 Oct 2026Source: help.topstep.com
- Live accounts at once · Live account
The most live accounts a trader may hold at once; null when there is no limit.
1
Verified, checked 21 Oct 2026Source: help.topstep.com
- Executions a day
The most order executions allowed in one trading day; null when there is no limit.
None
Verified, checked 21 Oct 2026Source: help.topstep.com
- Shortest trade
The shortest time a trade may be held, when the firm restricts very short trades; null when there is no such rule.
None
Verified, checked 21 Oct 2026Source: help.topstep.com
- Price limits
Restrictions on trading near an exchange price limit, and what a breach costs.
Holding a position within 2% of a product's price limit is prohibited conduct; the help centre tells traders to stop trading once a product is within 2% of its limit.
Verified, checked 21 Oct 2026Source: help.topstep.com
- Prohibited strategies
Trading practices the firm forbids (for example exploiting data delays, coordinated trading, or holding to avoid the rules), as it lists them.
Account stacking; deliberately draining a Live account; software, AI, ultra-fast systems or mass data entry for an unfair edge; trading unlike real markets; orders outside the best bid or offer; full maximum size into a scheduled major release; exploiting simulator fills, queue position, gaps or missing slippage; price exploitation of display errors or feed delays; spoofing; external or slow data feeds; coordinated trading and cross-account hedging; exploiting platform bugs; dodging geographic restrictions; positions within 2% of a price limit; trading for others; VPNs and identity masking; high-frequency trading.
Verified, checked 21 Oct 2026Source: help.topstep.com
- Virtual servers
Whether the account may be traded from a virtual private server or a remote machine.
Not allowed
Verified, checked 21 Oct 2026Source: topstep.com
1 rule not recorded yet(show)
- Loss per trade: not stated by the firm
Conduct
- Identity check
When the firm checks the trader's identity: before purchase, before funding, or before the first payout.
Identity verification (photo ID and selfie with Veriff) must be completed before a second purchase; trading continues, but no further purchases go through until it is done, and Topstep may ask for re-verification at any time.
Verified, checked 21 Oct 2026Source: help.topstep.com
- Breaking a rule
What the firm does when a rule is broken (a soft breach that pauses the day, a hard breach that closes the account, profits withheld), as it states it.
A Combine that hits its loss limit is liquidated for the day and needs a reset; an XFA that hits it is closed for good (Back2Funded may apply). The daily loss limit only stops the day. Prohibited conduct can bring a warning, a deleted trading day, an account reset, permanent closure, or a delayed or denied payout, and the terms allow profits and other accounts' withdrawals to be forfeited.
Verified, checked 21 Oct 2026Source: help.topstep.com
- Firm's discretion
Decisions the firm reserves to itself (reviews before a payout or a live move, closing accounts it judges to break the spirit of the rules).
Topstep reviews conduct case by case and may act at its sole discretion against trading it judges uncommercial or irresponsible, reject payouts where it suspects abuse, close positions or accounts at any time, and decides Live call-ups and call-downs through its Risk Team.
Verified, checked 21 Oct 2026Source: help.topstep.com
What changed at Topstep
No change to Topstep's rules has been published yet. Every rule above shows the day it was last checked.
About Topstep.
Trading Combine (50K to 150K) costs $49 to $199 a month and Topstep Labs (25K to 250K) costs $75 to $499 once. The least it costs to reach a funded account on the first attempt is $75, on the Topstep Labs 25K Static ($75 evaluation).
Trading Combine: end of day and Topstep Labs: static and end of day. An end-of-day drawdown trails the highest balance at the day's close; an intraday one trails the highest balance reached at any moment, open profit included; a static one never moves.
In the evaluation, Trading Combine: none and Topstep Labs: $500 to $5,000 a day on some sizes. Each plan's page has the funded account's limit and what happens when it is hit.
Trading Combine, first payout after 5 winning days of $150 or more, with a 90% split. Topstep Labs, first payout after 5 winning days of $150 or more, with a 90% split.
Topstep allows automated and algorithmic trading with conditions. Bots and automated strategies may trade through the TopstepX / ProjectX API, under the platform rules, with high-frequency trading banned, orders sent from the trader's own device, and not on Live Funded Accounts.
Up to 5, by Topstep's own terms.
- Topstep vs Apex
- Topstep vs My Funded Futures
- Topstep vs Tradeify
- Topstep vs TradeDay
- Topstep vs Take Profit Trader
- Topstep vs Alpha Futures
- Topstep vs Bulenox
- Topstep vs Earn2Trade
- Topstep vs FundedNext Futures
- Topstep vs Lucid Trading
- help.topstep.com/en/articles/10296582-prohibited-conduct16 Oct 2026
- help.topstep.com/en/articles/10305426-prohibited-trading-strategies-at-topstep16 Oct 2026
- help.topstep.com/en/articles/10490293-daily-loss-limit-in-the-trading-combine-and-express-funded-account16 Oct 2026
- help.topstep.com/en/articles/10657969-live-funded-account-parameters16 Oct 2026
- help.topstep.com/en/articles/11187768-topstepx-api-access16 Oct 2026
- help.topstep.com/en/articles/11748475-dynamic-live-risk-expansion16 Oct 2026
- help.topstep.com/en/articles/12060405-back2funded-rules-guidelines-and-how-it-works16 Oct 2026
- help.topstep.com/en/articles/12578731-how-idv-identity-verification-works16 Oct 2026
- help.topstep.com/en/articles/13613539-risk-adjustments-high-risk-high-volatility16 Oct 2026
- help.topstep.com/en/articles/13747047-understanding-hedging16 Oct 2026
- help.topstep.com/en/articles/13747178-live-funded-account-call-up-and-call-down-process16 Oct 2026
- help.topstep.com/en/articles/14289835-topstep-pricing-and-payment-questions16 Oct 2026
- help.topstep.com/en/articles/15520357-topstep-labs16 Oct 2026
- help.topstep.com/en/articles/8284117-topstep-refund-policies16 Oct 2026
- help.topstep.com/en/articles/8284128-what-is-a-reset16 Oct 2026
- help.topstep.com/en/articles/8284179-quantower-connection-instructions16 Oct 2026
- help.topstep.com/en/articles/8284197-trading-combine-parameters16 Oct 2026
- help.topstep.com/en/articles/8284204-what-is-the-maximum-loss-limit16 Oct 2026
- help.topstep.com/en/articles/8284206-when-and-what-products-can-i-trade16 Oct 2026
- help.topstep.com/en/articles/8284208-consistency-at-topstep16 Oct 2026
- help.topstep.com/en/articles/8284213-topstepx-commissions-and-fees16 Oct 2026
- help.topstep.com/en/articles/8284215-express-funded-account-parameters16 Oct 2026
- help.topstep.com/en/articles/8284217-express-funded-account-activation16 Oct 2026
- help.topstep.com/en/articles/8284223-what-is-the-scaling-plan16 Oct 2026
- help.topstep.com/en/articles/8284233-topstep-payout-policy16 Oct 2026
- topstep.com/express-funded-account-rules16 Oct 2026
- topstep.com/labschecked by hand
- topstep.com/terms-of-use16 Oct 2026
- topstep.com/topstep-prop16 Oct 2026
Replay of trade 1210 from an AlgoLift engine backtest of a research strategy on NQ, 13 February 2025: real bars, the trade still open.
Simulated results. They have inherent limitations. Read the full statementHide the statement
These results are based on simulated or hypothetical performance results that have certain inherent limitations. Unlike the results shown in an actual performance record, these results do not represent actual trading. Also, because these trades have not actually been executed, these results may have under-or over-compensated for the impact, if any, of certain market factors, such as lack of liquidity. Simulated or hypothetical trading programs in general are also subject to the fact that they are designed with the benefit of hindsight. No representation is being made that any account will or is likely to achieve profits or losses similar to these being shown.
Test yours
That is Topstep with no edge. Now try yours.
Backtest your strategy, then watch it pass, fail and get paid under every Topstep rule on this page.
- 1Describe it to Algo, or build it yourself
- 2Backtest it on years of real futures data
- 3Replay every trade under your firm's rules
Rules checked against the firms’ own pages, most recently on 21 October 2026. This is a summary of each firm’s published rules, not financial advice and not a recommendation of any firm. Firms change their rules and prices; read the firm’s own page before you buy. Facts are paraphrased and linked to their source. Firm names are used only to say which firm a rule belongs to; they belong to their owners, and AlgoLift is not affiliated with or endorsed by any firm.