Topstep vs Trade Day

Topstep is $66 cheaper to get started. Topstep charges $49/mo (monthly subscription) plus a $149 activation fee. Trade Day charges $125/mo (monthly subscription) plus a $139 activation fee.

Topstep uses EOD Trailing drawdown at 4% ($2,000 buffer once locked at initial), while Trade Day uses .

Topstep gets you funded faster, with an estimated ~10 days to first payout (2d eval + 5d winning + 3d processing). Consistency rules also affect pacing: Topstep caps your best day at 50% of total profit, while Trade Day caps at 30% — a looser rule means you may need fewer trading days in practice.

Topstep offers up to 100% profit split(Daily payouts, $125 min), while Trade Day offers up to 95%(On Demand payouts, $250 min). The 5 percentage point difference in profit split can add up significantly over time — on a $10,000 profit, that's $500 more in your pocket.

When comparing withdrawal frequency, the gap between payouts matters. Topstep requires 5 profitable trading days between each withdrawal — at 20 trading days per month, that works out to roughly 4 payouts per month. Trade Day has no minimum profitable days requirement between withdrawals.

Trade Day requires clearing a buffer zone before your first payout — you must earn above your starting balance plus the drawdown amount before any withdrawal is allowed. has no buffer requirement, meaning payouts are available from day one.

Topstep is a stronger fit for scalpers and day traders (automation & bots allowed). Explore all trading styles to see which firms match your approach.

Based on $500/day profit, 20 trading days/month, 55% win rate

At $500/day profit, Topstep reaches break-even on day 12 while Trade Day reaches it on day 12. Topstep costs $66 less to get started. Trade Day projects $2,724/mo more in funded earnings.