Apex Trader Funding vs TopStep: Which Prop Firm Wins in 2026?
Side-by-side breakdown of rules, fees, payouts and who should pick which.
Quick Verdict
Apex Trader Funding and TopStep both have strong cases — the tiebreaker is your trading style. See the side-by-side table below and the "who should pick which" section for an honest answer.
Head-to-Head Comparison
| Metric | Apex Trader Funding | TopStep |
|---|---|---|
| Founded | 2021 | 2012 |
| HQ | Austin, Texas, USA | Chicago, USA |
| Market | Futures | Futures |
| Minimum fee | $137 | $49 |
| Account size range | $25,000 – $300,000 | $50,000 – $150,000 |
| Profit split | 100% (first $25K), then 90% thereafter | 90% (first $10K), then 90% thereafter |
| Payouts | Twice monthly | Weekly (after 5 winning days, 30%+ above starting balance) |
| Challenge model | 1-step Evaluation | 1-step Trading Combine |
| Platforms | Rithmic, Tradovate, NinjaTrader, TradingView | TopstepX, NinjaTrader, TradingView, Tradovate |
Apex Trader Funding Pros
- 100% profit split on first $25K — best in industry
- No daily drawdown limit — only trailing overall DD
- Up to 20 accounts per trader (stack earnings)
- Allows EAs and automated strategies on eval (not funded)
TopStep Pros
- Oldest and most established futures prop firm (2012)
- Highest profit split in futures space (90%)
- 1-step combine — pass once, get funded
- Regulated (SEC/CFTC adjacent), payouts reliably processed
Who Should Pick Which?
Pick Apex Trader Funding if: Experienced futures scalpers/day traders who want to stack multiple accounts.
Pick TopStep if: Futures day traders who can pass a 1-step combine manually (no algos).
Test Both Against Your Strategy — Before You Pay
Run your backtest through JPTradingCapital's Prop Firm Checker — we evaluate your trades against Apex Trader Funding's and TopStep's exact rulesets and tell you which one your strategy would actually pass.