FTMO vs TopStep: Program Comparison
Compare the selected programs, rules, total costs and payout conditions.
Quick Verdict
FTMO and TopStep serve different product/market scopes. Compare the exact permitted instruments and account terms before comparing costs or software.
Head-to-Head Comparison
| Metric | FTMO | TopStep |
|---|---|---|
| Company information | Directory lists 2015, Prague, Czech Republic; check the current legal counterparty and terms. Age and location do not certify payout safety. | Directory lists 2012, Chicago, USA; check the current legal counterparty and terms. Age and location do not certify payout safety. |
| Market / product scope | Forex / CFD | Futures |
| Program cost | Listed directory fee: $89; verify the current product, options and full cost with the firm. | Listed directory fee: $49; verify the current product, options and full cost with the firm. |
| Account size / product scope | $10,000 to $200,000 in the directory snapshot; verify the current product. | $50,000 to $150,000 in the directory snapshot; verify the current product. |
| Profit split | 80% | 90% (first $10K), then 90% thereafter |
| Payouts | Monthly (on-demand after first) | Weekly (after 5 winning days, 30%+ above starting balance) |
| Challenge model | 2-step (Challenge + Verification) | 1-step Trading Combine |
| Platforms / permission | MT4, MT5, cTrader, DXtrade in the directory snapshot; confirm current program access and permission. | TopstepX, NinjaTrader, TradingView, Tradovate in the directory snapshot; confirm current program access and permission. |
FTMO Pros
- Longest-running major prop firm: proven track record since 2015
- Strong reputation and reliable payouts (TrustPilot 4.8)
- Generous 80% profit split, scalable to 90%
- Allows EAs, scalping and news trading on most accounts
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
Program Fit to Verify
FTMO: Serious traders who value reputation and payout reliability over cheap fees.
TopStep: Futures day traders who can pass a 1-step combine manually (no algos).
Test Both Against Your Strategy Before You Pay
EA Hub can illustrate selected preset checks using supplied backtest results. It does not establish that a strategy would pass either firm. Verify current product rules, intraday equity behavior, costs, permission and payout eligibility separately.
Read the service description and terms separately. Neither account ownership nor software availability authorizes a third party to trade or copy into either firm. Check the proposed arrangement against both firms’ current rules before connecting.
Full FTMO and TopStep Reviews
Frequently Asked Questions
Which is cheaper, FTMO or TopStep?
FTMO: Listed directory fee: $89; verify the current product, options and full cost with the firm. TopStep: Listed directory fee: $49; verify the current product, options and full cost with the firm. Compare equivalent program sizes, add-ons, access periods, activation and repeat costs; there is no universal cheapest product from these two brand names.
How do their payout shares compare?
FTMO: 80% TopStep: 90% (first $10K), then 90% thereafter Compare the exact program, caps, buffers and eligibility. No payout or future result is guaranteed.
Can I run the same EA on both?
FTMO: Check current product-specific EA, copying and account-access permission. TopStep: Check current product-specific EA, copying and account-access permission. Shared platform names or a recompilation do not establish permission or equivalent behavior.
Which firm is safer or more reputable?
This comparison does not establish payout safety. Company age, a parent-company relationship, review scores and location do not by themselves establish regulation, financial stability or enforceability of a payout. Check the legal counterparty, current contract and independently supportable evidence rather than inferring a winner.
What should a swing trader compare?
Check permitted holding periods, current session-closing deadlines and how each account calculates and enforces its loss floor. An end-of-day update can still be enforced against open losses intraday. Compare the exact stage and product rather than assuming that all trailing floors follow unrealized peaks.
Can I use accounts at both firms?
Check both firms' current personal-use, maximum-allocation, copying, device and strategy rules before any connection. Owning an account does not establish permission to copy a third party or have someone else trade it. More accounts do not guarantee diversified risk or payouts.