PROP FIRM COMPARISON • UPDATED SEPTEMBER 2026

Apex Trader Funding vs Topstep — Which Should You Pick in 2026?

Apex Trader Funding and Topstep both fund Futures traders in 2026, but they price and pay very differently. Entry starts at $49 (Topstep) against $167. Splits run 100% of every approved payout versus 90% (100% first $10K for pre-Jan-2026 accounts). The tables below hold every rule, price and verified code side by side.

Quick verdict

Pick Apex Trader Funding if: futures · day trading · multi account scaling · no daily loss traders.

Pick Topstep if: futures · disciplined day traders · long term careers · ninjatrader traders.

Cheapest entry goes to Topstep; highest Trustpilot rating goes to Apex Trader Funding.

Read the Apex Trader Funding review →  ·  Read the Topstep review →

Side-by-side comparison

Apex Trader FundingTopstep
Cheapest challenge$167$49
Account model1-step Evaluation1-step Trading Combine
Profit targetSee full rule summary belowSee full rule summary below
Max drawdownSee full rule summary belowSee full rule summary below
Daily drawdownSee full rule summary belowSee full rule summary below
Consistency ruleSee full rule summary belowSee full rule summary below
Profit split100% of every approved payout90% (100% first $10K for pre-Jan-2026 accounts)
Payout schedule24-48h via Deel (ACH/Plane) — automatic, no manual review · 24-48h via Deel — automated · On-demand payouts; 30-day evaluation window1-3 business days approval; $125 minimum payout request. Every request is capped at 50% of your account balance, up to the dollar cap for your size. · XFA Standard: 5 winning days of $150+. XFA Consistency: 3 days at the 40% consistency target. Live Funded: 5 winning days of $150+ per cycle, daily payouts unlocked after 30 winning days.
EA / botsProhibited; automated or algorithmic trading of any kind is not allowedAutomated strategies ALLOWED with conditions — Topstep gives no setup/troubleshooting support and makes no exceptions for errant trades. Trade copiers across multiple accounts are explicitly permitted. TopstepX API Access (powered by ProjectX) is a live paid product, $29/mo. HARD BLOCK: all trading must originate from your personal device — VPS, VPNs and remote servers are prohibited by the Terms of Use and running automation on a VPS can get you suspended or removed. Scalping algos built to exploit SIM fills are separately banned.
Trustpilot4.2 (21,092)3.6 (14,811)
Best discount codeSAVENOW (90% off any size evaluation)See full rule summary below
PropfirmDeals tierTier ATier A
Full rule summaryApex 4.0 (March 1, 2026 overhaul): 1-step eval, choice of EOD trailing OR Intraday trailing drawdown, no daily loss limit on the Intraday EVALUATION (EOD eval has a fixed DLL of $500/$1K/$1.5K/$2K); once funded, BOTH PA types carry a tier-based DLL that grows with profit (25K $500→$1,250, 50K $1K→$3K, 100K $1,750→$3,500, 150K $2,500→$4K) — hitting it liquidates and pauses trading for the session, it is not a breach, profit target 6% of account, one-time eval fee replaces monthly subscription, 30-day deadline, 50% consistency rule on PA payouts (legacy was 30%), 100% payout split (no tier ramp), 5 qualifying days per payout cycle, $500 min payout, automatic payouts via Deel within 24-48h, per-payout dollar caps with a hard maximum of 6 payouts per PA (the PA closes after the 6th), up to 20 PAs held active at the same time.1-step Trading Combine. Standard Path $49/$99/$199 per month + $149 activation per funded account, or No Activation Fee Path $95/$149/$229 per month. 6% profit target ($3,000/$6,000/$9,000), Maximum Loss Limit $2,000/$3,000/$4,500 that trails your END-OF-DAY balance (not intraday peaks) and locks static once it reaches your starting balance, plus an optional Daily Loss Limit $1,000/$2,000/$3,000. Breaches are still detected intraday on unrealized P&L. Minimum 2 trading days - a one-day pass is not possible. Consistency Target: best single day at or below 55% of the PROFIT TARGET ($1,650/$3,300/$4,950) - raised from 50% in September 2026, and the old undisclosed buffer was removed at the same time; go over and your profit target is raised rather than the account failed (the 40% figure is the separate XFA payout objective, measured against total net profit, and needs 3 trading days). All positions must be flat by 3:10 PM CT. 90/10 split (pre-Jan-2026 traders grandfathered at 100% of the first $10K). Each XFA payout request is 50% of balance up to a per-size cap ($2K/$3K/$5K Standard, $3K/$4K/$6K Consistency) - Live Funded payouts are uncapped. Since June 2, 2026 a Daily Loss Limit added at Combine purchase doubles those caps.

Price ladder — cheapest challenge per account size

Lowest list price across every model each firm sells at that size. Green marks the cheaper firm; discount codes lower both further.

Account sizeApex Trader FundingTopstep
$50K$249$49
$100K$399$99
$150K$599$199

At the $100K size, Topstep lists at $99 against Apex Trader Funding's $399 — 75% apart before codes. Social proof tilts to Apex Trader Funding (4.2/5 vs 3.6/5 on our Trustpilot estimates).

Discount codes

Lower your entry cost with a current verified code (see the full prop firm discount codes list):

Apex Trader Funding vs Topstep — FAQ

Which is cheaper, Apex Trader Funding or Topstep?

Topstep is cheaper to start: its cheapest challenge lists at $49 versus $167 at Apex Trader Funding — about 71% less before discount codes.

Which pays out faster, Apex Trader Funding or Topstep?

Apex Trader Funding: 24-48h via Deel (ACH/Plane) — automatic, no manual review · 24-48h via Deel — automated · On-demand payouts; 30-day evaluation window — Topstep: 1-3 business days approval; $125 minimum payout request. Every request is capped at 50% of your account balance, up to the dollar cap for your size. · XFA Standard: 5 winning days of $150+. XFA Consistency: 3 days at the 40% consistency target. Live Funded: 5 winning days of $150+ per cycle, daily payouts unlocked after 30 winning days. Always confirm the current payout policy on the firm's official terms before buying.

What discount codes work for Apex Trader Funding and Topstep?

Apex Trader Funding: code SAVENOW (90% off any size evaluation). Codes rotate — every code on this site is re-checked against the firm's own site on a rolling cycle, and each one carries its own check date.

Can you use EAs or bots on Apex Trader Funding and Topstep?

Apex Trader Funding: Prohibited; automated or algorithmic trading of any kind is not allowed. Topstep: Automated strategies ALLOWED with conditions — Topstep gives no setup/troubleshooting support and makes no exceptions for errant trades. Trade copiers across multiple accounts are explicitly permitted. TopstepX API Access (powered by ProjectX) is a live paid product, $29/mo. HARD BLOCK: all trading must originate from your personal device — VPS, VPNs and remote servers are prohibited by the Terms of Use and running automation on a VPS can get you suspended or removed. Scalping algos built to exploit SIM fills are separately banned. Automation rules change more often than prices — confirm the current policy in the firm's terms before you deploy a bot on a paid account.

Bottom line

Both Apex Trader Funding and Topstep are reputable choices in 2026 — the right pick depends on your strategy, drawdown tolerance and budget. Use the table above to match each firm's rules to how you actually trade, then grab the current code before checkout.

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