Head to head
Apex Trader Funding vs Topstep
Two Futures prop firms compared on price, rules and payouts. Every figure comes from the PropFirmTrading database, with verified discount codes applied.
Data checked by Oliver · Updated 20 October 2026
★ 4.2 · 5 yrs · 🇺🇸
- From
- $19.90
- Max funding
- $150K
- Deal
- −90%
- Code
- PROPFT
The short version
- Cheapest at 100K
- Apex Trader Funding $39.90 (Topstep $99)
- First challenge
- Apex Trader Funding
- Scaling up
- Neither clearly
- Swing trader
- Neither clearly
The rulebook that matches the trader’s style should decide.
Side by side at 100K
The cheapest program each firm sells at 100K, the size both firms offer that is closest to $100K.
Rule friction is the PropFirmTrading reading of how many rules can end an account by accident. Low means fewer.
Where Apex Trader Funding and Topstep differ
Price at 100K
Apex Trader Funding $39.90
Topstep $99
$59 between cheapest and dearest, per attempt
Maximum loss
Apex Trader Funding 3%, Intraday Trail
Topstep 3%, Trailing
Wider buffer, more room for a losing run; static beats trailing
Drawdown per 1 of target
Apex Trader Funding 0.50
Topstep 0.50
Higher means the target is small next to the room to fail
Total profit target
Apex Trader Funding 6% in 1 phase
Topstep 6% in 1 phase
Lower total, shorter evaluation
Trustpilot
Apex Trader Funding 4.2
Topstep 3.6
The review pages explain what sits behind each score
Where Apex Trader Funding and Topstep differ (full text)
Price is the clearest difference at the 100K size. Apex Trader Funding Intraday Trail (Standard) costs $39.90 with the code applied, and Topstep Trading Combine (Standard) costs $99. The gap is $59 per attempt, so a trader who needs three attempts pays about $177 more at Topstep.
Both programs allow a maximum loss of 3% ($3,000), but the drawdown is Intraday Trail at Apex Trader Funding and Trailing (MLL / One Rule) at Topstep.
Apex Trader Funding applies a 50% (funded, until 6th payout) consistency rule and Topstep applies a 50% (Combine) consistency rule. A consistency rule caps how much of the profit may come from one day, which slows down traders with occasional large wins.
The cheapest way to test either firm is Apex Trader Funding Intraday Trail (Standard) 25K at $19.90 or Topstep Trading Combine (Standard) 50K at $49. Small accounts share the rulebook of the larger ones, so they show how a firm behaves at low cost.
On Trustpilot, Apex Trader Funding holds 4.2 from 20,967 reviews and Topstep holds 3.6 from 14,750 reviews. The review pages linked below explain what sits behind each score.
Apex Trader Funding programs
One row per program, at the size closest to $100K.
Topstep programs
One row per program, at the size closest to $100K.
Rules side by side
Firm-wide rules as each firm publishes them. Some rules vary by program, and the firm profiles carry the full text.
Which firm fits which trader
A reading of the data for three common situations. The rulebook that fits the trader's style matters more than any single figure.
A first challenge on a small budget
New to prop firms and paying to learn a rulebook at the lowest cost.
The data favours
Apex Trader Funding
- The entry ticket is $19.90 at Apex Trader Funding against $49 at Topstep.
- Its cheapest program also allows 0.67 of drawdown per 1 of target, so a learner has more room.
A consistent trader scaling up
Has passed evaluations before and cares about the share of profit kept and the ceiling on funding.
The data favours
Neither firm clearly
The two firms are close on the figures that matter for this profile, so the rules table above should decide.
A swing trader holding for days
Uses wider stops and needs room for positions to move against the entry before they work.
The data favours
Neither firm clearly
The two firms are close on the figures that matter for this profile, so the rules table above should decide.
Questions traders ask about Apex Trader Funding and Topstep
What does a 100K challenge cost at Apex Trader Funding and Topstep?
Apex Trader Funding Intraday Trail (Standard) 100K costs $39.90 with code PROPFT (list price $399). Topstep Trading Combine (Standard) 100K costs $99. Prices are checked daily and may change.
Which firm allows more drawdown at 100K?
Apex Trader Funding allows 3% ($3,000), Intraday Trail and Topstep allows 3% ($3,000), Trailing (MLL / One Rule). The daily loss limit is not listed at Apex Trader Funding and not listed at Topstep.
Do Apex Trader Funding and Topstep allow news trading?
Apex Trader Funding: Allowed for your normal trading strategy Prohibited: 'news trading' strategies that chase the market or place two-sided orders to gamble the outcome of news Topstep: Restricted around Tier 1 news (CPI, FOMC rate decision, FOMC press conference, NFP) in Trading Combines and Express Funded accounts: no new mini positions in…
How often do Apex Trader Funding and Topstep pay out?
Apex Trader Funding: EOD: 5 winning days of $100/$250/$300/$350+ (25K/50K/100K/150K) Intraday: 5 winning days of $100/$200/$250/$300+ (25K/50K/100K/150K) Plus a 50% Consistency… Topstep: Express Funded Standard: after 5 winning days of $150+ | request 50% of balance up to $5,000 Express Funded Consistency: 3 days with 40% target | request 50%…
Which firm suits a first prop firm challenge, Apex Trader Funding or Topstep?
On price and drawdown room the data favours Apex Trader Funding. The entry ticket is $19.90 at Apex Trader Funding against $49 at Topstep. Its cheapest program also allows 0.67 of drawdown per 1 of target, so a learner has more room. Both firms are viable, and the rulebook that fits the trader's style matters more than the cheaper ticket.
Apex Trader Funding
Intraday Trail (Standard) · 100K
$39.90$399
Code PROPFT
Related comparisons
Read more on each firm
Prices and codes are checked daily and rules with each database update. PropFirmTrading may earn a commission when a reader buys through its links, at no extra cost to the reader.