PROP FIRM COMPARISON • UPDATED SEPTEMBER 2026

Topstep vs Tradeify — Which Should You Pick in 2026?

Two US futures firms, both 1-step, both trailing your drawdown at the end of the day — the split is speed versus track record. Tradeify sells 1-day, 3-day and instant paths, runs no minimum trading days on Lightning and no consistency rule on the Growth evaluation; Topstep requires a minimum of 2 trading days and caps your best day at 55% of the profit target. Topstep is the older and far larger operation, while Tradeify is newer, rates 4.5 on Trustpilot against Topstep's 3.6, and is one of the few futures firms with an explicit bot allowance.

Quick verdict

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

Pick Tradeify if: Futures traders wanting flexible eval lengths (1-day/3-day/instant) with explicit bot allowance via ownership proof + live setup video.

Cheapest entry goes to Topstep; highest Trustpilot rating goes to Tradeify.

Read the Topstep review →  ·  Read the Tradeify review →

Side-by-side comparison

TopstepTradeify
Cheapest challenge$49$99
Account model1-step Trading Combine1-step (futures)
Profit targetSee full rule summary below$1.5K / $3K / $6K / $9K (25K/50K/100K/150K), $14K on the Forge 300K
Max drawdownSee full rule summary below$1K/$2K/$3.5K/$5K EOD trailing (Growth) / $1K/$2K/$3K/$4.5K EOD (Select) / $1K/$2K/$4K/$5.25K trailing (Lightning) - 3-4% range. The Forge 300K is the exception: a static $8,000 end-of-day Max Loss Limit in the evaluation, $6,000 (Daily) or $8,000 (Flex) once funded
Daily drawdownSee full rule summary below$600/$1.25K/$2.5K/$3.75K (Growth - DLL upgrades to trailing at 6% profit) / None during Select Eval / None or path-specific (Lightning) / $4,000 on the Forge 300K evaluation
Consistency ruleSee full rule summary belowNone Growth Eval, 35% Funded / 40% Select Eval, None Funded / 20% progressive Lightning (up to 30%) / 40% on the Forge 300K evaluation only, none once funded
Profit split90% (100% first $10K for pre-Jan-2026 accounts)90%
Payout schedule1-3 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.Daily (7-day-a-week processing via Rise) · Daily (max $4,000 per request, $5,100 buffer) or Flex every 5 days (max $10,000) - choice is permanent
EA / botsAutomated 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.Microscalping rule: >50% of trades and profit must come from holds >10 seconds
Trustpilot3.6 (14,811)4.5 (4,691)
Best discount codeSee full rule summary belowSEP (40% off, max 5 uses, then 30% off - all plans on tradeify.co (Select/Growth/Lightning))
PropfirmDeals tierTier ATier C
Full rule summary1-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 sizeTopstepTradeify
$50K$49$145
$100K$99$255
$150K$199$369

At the $100K size, Topstep lists at $99 against Tradeify's $255 — 61% apart before codes. Social proof tilts to Tradeify (4.5/5 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):

Topstep vs Tradeify — FAQ

Which is cheaper, Topstep or Tradeify?

Topstep is cheaper to start: its cheapest challenge lists at $49 versus $99 at Tradeify — about 51% less before discount codes.

Which pays out faster, Topstep or Tradeify?

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. — Tradeify: Daily (7-day-a-week processing via Rise) · Daily (max $4,000 per request, $5,100 buffer) or Flex every 5 days (max $10,000) - choice is permanent. Always confirm the current payout policy on the firm's official terms before buying.

Does Topstep or Tradeify have a consistency rule?

Topstep: not documented on our current audit. Tradeify: None Growth Eval, 35% Funded / 40% Select Eval, None Funded / 20% progressive Lightning (up to 30%) / 40% on the Forge 300K evaluation only, none once funded. A consistency rule caps how much of your total profit one day may contribute — a real constraint if your profit comes in bursts.

What discount codes work for Topstep and Tradeify?

Tradeify: code SEP (40% off, max 5 uses, then 30% off - all plans on tradeify.co (Select/Growth/Lightning)). 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 Topstep and Tradeify?

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. Tradeify: Microscalping rule: >50% of trades and profit must come from holds >10 seconds. 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 Topstep and Tradeify 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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