Select 2 or more firms to compare evaluation costs, drawdown rules, profit splits, payout structures, and trading restrictions across all 14 CME futures prop trading firms.
Specific tiers and funded paths from the selected firms, ranked with public-rule fit and blockers visible.
Why this plan/path
This is a partial fit: $226 to first payout, payout access 85/100.
10 public evidence blockers still reduce confidence. Missing values are not treated as favorable.
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Why this plan/path
This is a partial fit: $254 to first payout, payout access 85/100.
6 public evidence blockers still reduce confidence. Missing values are not treated as favorable.
Why this plan/path
This is a partial fit: $261 to first payout, payout access 85/100.
10 public evidence blockers still reduce confidence. Missing values are not treated as favorable.
| Category | Topstep ✓ Verified Apr 11, 2026 | Trade Day· Intraday ✓ Verified Apr 6, 2026 |
|---|---|---|
| Account Size | $50K | $50K |
| Overall Score | ||
| Trader Friendliness | 69/100Good | 59/100Fair |
| Cost Summary | ||
| Eval Cost | $49/mo | $125/mo$87/mo30% offSAVE30 |
| Total to Start | $198(first mo + activation) | $264$226(first mo + activation) |
| Monthly Cost (Funded) | — | — |
| Activation Fee | $149 | $139 |
| Reset Fee | $49 | $80 |
| Evaluation Rules | ||
| Profit Target | $3,000 (6%) | $3,000 (6%) |
| Min Trading Days | 2 days | 5 days |
| Min Days to Funded | 2 days | 5 days |
| Pass Rate | 12.4% | 28.2% |
| Drawdown Rules | ||
| Type | EOD Trailing | Intraday Trailing |
| Max Drawdown | $2,000(4%) | $2,000(4%) |
| Daily Loss Limit | $1,000 | None |
| DLL Breach Type | Soft | N/A |
| Lock Behavior | Locks at $50,000 after $2,000 profit | Locks at $50,000 after $2,000 profit |
| Strictness | Moderate | Moderate |
| Trading Restrictions | ||
| News Trading | No explicit news trading restriction. CBOT commodity market pause 7:45-8:30 AM CST on TopstepX (exchange-level, no orders accepted during pause). No swing trading allowed — all positions must close by 3:10 PM CT daily. | ±2min window T1 news trading profits are stripped on funded accounts. No explicit flat-before/after window — profits from T1 data releases are confiscated if found in breach. Evaluation accounts are not affected. |
| Automation | Banned | Semi-Auto Only |
| Hedging | Banned | Banned |
| Overnight Holds | ||
| Must Be Flat By | 3:10 PM CT | 3:50 PM CT |
| Inactivity Limit | — | — |
| Weekend Holding | Must Flat | Must Flat |
| Account Rolling | No Restriction | No Restriction |
| Min Payout | $125 | $250 |
| Funded Account | ||
| Payout Accessibility | 78/100 | 96/100 |
| Consistency Rule | None | None |
| Funded Rules | ||
| Funded Consistency | None | None |
| Funded DLL | $1,000(soft) | None |
| Buffer Requirement | None | $2,000 |
| Activation Fee | $149 | $139 |
| Min Profitable Days | 5 days | None |
| Profit Split | 90% | 80%(Up to $50K lifetime) 90%($50K-$100K lifetime) 95%($100K+ lifetime) |
| Payout Frequency | Daily | On Demand |
| Max Payout | $5,000 | — |
| Winning Days | 5 days | — |
| Days Between Payouts | 5 trading days | — |
| Qualifying Day Min | $150/day | — |
| Max Payout % | 50% of profit | — |
| Day 1 Payouts | No | Yes |
| Min Payout | $125 | $250 |
| Withdrawal Fee | $30 | $15 |
| Processing Time | 1-3 business days | Within 24 hours (before 5:30 PM CT) |
| Payout Methods | Wire/ACH ($30), Wise (Free) | Wire (US) (Free), Wire (International) ($15), Crypto L1 ($2.50 + gas), Crypto L2 (Free) |
| Max Contracts | 5 full / 50 micro | 5 full / 50 micro |
| Max Accounts | 5 accounts | 6 accounts |
| Platforms | TopstepX, Tradovate, NinjaTrader, TradingView, Quantower | NinjaTrader, Tradovate, TradingView, Jigsaw, Quantower |
| Buffer Required | No buffer | Yes — must clear buffer before payouts |
| Buffer Amount | — | $2,000 |
| Min Payout | $125 | $250 |
| Max Per Request | $5,000 | — |
| Withdrawal Fee | $30 | $15 |
| Post-Payout DD | Converts to Static ($0) | — |
| Account Lifecycle | ||
| Max Funded Accounts | Unlimited | Unlimited |
| Inactivity Limit | None | None |
| Quick Math | ||
| True Cost to Start | $198 $49/mo eval + $149 activation | $264$226 $87/mo eval + $139 activation (SAVE30) |
| Daily Profit Target | $1,500/day over 2 days | $600/day over 5 days |
| First Payout Timeline | ~10 days 2d eval + 5d winning + 3d processing | ~35 days 5d eval + 30d processing |
| Best Profit Split | 90% | 95% |