TopStep Review 2026
The futures-specific industry leader — manual traders only.
Quick Facts
- Founded
- 2012
- Headquarters
- Chicago, USA
- Market
- Futures
- Platforms
- TopstepX, NinjaTrader, TradingView, Tradovate
- Account sizes
- $50,000 – $150,000
- Minimum fee
- $49
- Profit split
- 90% (first $10K), then 90% thereafter
- Payouts
- Weekly (after 5 winning days, 30%+ above starting balance)
- Challenge model
- 1-step Trading Combine
Challenge Rules Breakdown
| Program | Profit Target | Max DD | Daily DD | Min Days | Time Limit | DD Type |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| TopStep 50K Combine | 6% | 4% | 2% | 2 | Unlimited | trailing |
| TopStep 150K Combine | 6% | 3% | 2% | 2 | Unlimited | trailing |
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
Cons
- Trailing drawdown is stricter than forex firms — loss limit moves up as you profit
- Futures only — no forex, crypto, or stocks
- No EA/automated trading on funded accounts (live audit required)
- Daily loss limit resets EOD — cannot hold losing positions overnight
Who Is TopStep Best For?
Futures day traders who can pass a 1-step combine manually (no algos)
Test Your Strategy Against TopStep Rules
JPTradingCapital's backtest engine runs your EA or manual strategy against TopStep's exact Phase 1 rules and shows whether you would have passed — before you spend a cent on a challenge.