Topstep vs Take Profit Trader

Topstep and Take Profit Trader (TPT) both sell a one-step futures evaluation on a monthly subscription. Both use an end-of-day trailing drawdown in the evaluation. They split apart once you are funded: Topstep pays out in capped requests, while TPT lets PRO traders withdraw daily. This comparison uses rules and prices checked on each firm's official site and help center on 3 November 2026.

At a glance

Topstep

• Program: Trading Combine, then an Express Funded Account (XFA), then a possible Live Funded Account (LFA).
• Sizes: 50K, 100K and 150K.
• Billing: monthly, on a Standard Path or a No Activation Fee Path.
• Drawdown: end-of-day trailing Maximum Loss Limit.
• Daily loss limit: optional in the Combine and XFA.
• Platform: TopstepX only.
• Split: 90/10.

Take Profit Trader

• Program: a one-step Test, then a simulated PRO account, then an invite-only live PRO+ account.
• Sizes: 25K, 50K, 75K, 100K and 150K.
• Billing: monthly for the Test, plus a one-time PRO fee unless a promo waives it.
• Drawdown: end-of-day in the Test, intraday in PRO, end-of-day in PRO+.
• Daily loss limit: none in the Test.
• Platforms: NinjaTrader, TradingView, Tradovate, R|Trader, Quantower, MotiveWave and others.
• Split: 80/20 in PRO, 90/10 in PRO+.

Prices and activation fees

Topstep

Topstep's pricing article lists two paths. You can't switch paths after purchase.

• Standard Path: $49 (50K), $99 (100K) or $199 (150K) a month, plus a $149 activation fee for each XFA you earn.
• No Activation Fee Path: $95 (50K), $149 (100K) or $229 (150K) a month, with $0 activation.
• Daily loss limit discount: adding a daily loss limit at checkout takes $10, $20 or $30 a month off the No Activation Fee Path. That is why Topstep's No Activation Fee page shows $85, $129 and $199.
• Resets: priced the same as the monthly fee for each path and size.
• Most fees are non-refundable, per the help center.

Take Profit Trader

• Test: $150 (25K), $170 (50K), $245 (75K), $330 (100K) and $360 (150K) a month, per our Take Profit Trader rules database. TPT's homepage says a failed Test costs "at MOST, $360".
• PRO activation: the homepage lists a one-time $130 fee.
• Current deal: code NOFEE50 gives 50% off Test accounts for life and no PRO activation fee, per TPT's homepage and promo pages. No end date is stated.
• Resets: from $79, depending on size.

What this means: at 50K, Topstep's Standard Path is the cheapest monthly price at $49. The $149 activation fee is due only if you pass. TPT's 50K costs more per month, but NOFEE50 halves it and removes the PRO fee. Both bill until you pass or cancel, so speed matters. Current codes are on our prop firm discounts page.

Profit targets and drawdown

Topstep Trading Combine

• Targets: $3,000 (50K), $6,000 (100K), $9,000 (150K).
• Maximum Loss Limit: $2,000, $3,000 and $4,500.
• The limit trails your end-of-day balance but is enforced in real time. Open losses count.
• It locks once it reaches your starting balance.
• Max position: 5, 10 or 15 contracts (or 10 times as many micros).
• Consistency target: your best day should stay below 55% of the profit target.
• Minimum days: none formal; Topstep says you can pass in as few as two days.
• Size-by-size detail is on our Topstep 50K Standard Path rules page.

Take Profit Trader Test

• Targets: 6% of the account: $1,500, $3,000, $4,500, $6,000 and $9,000.
• Maximum trailing drawdown: $1,500, $2,000, $2,500, $3,000 and $4,500, per TPT's help center.
• It is calculated at the end of the day and stops trailing at the starting balance.
• Minimum days: 3.
• Consistency: no single day may make up 50% or more of your profit. A breach doesn't fail you. You keep trading until your best day falls below half.

What this means: at 50K, 100K and 150K the two firms set the same targets and the same drawdown amounts. The 25K and 75K sizes exist only at TPT. To see where your floor sits after a good day, use our drawdown calculator.

Daily loss limits

This is a real difference between the two firms.

• Topstep: the daily loss limit is optional in the Combine and XFA. If you add one, it is $1,000 (50K), $2,000 (100K) or $3,000 (150K). Hitting it is a pause, not a rule break. Trading resumes at the next session. The choice is fixed at checkout. In the Live Funded Account the limit is automatic.
• Take Profit Trader: TPT's current promo pages say the Test has "no daily loss limits". The end-of-day drawdown is the only loss limit.

Topstep rewards an added limit with a lower price and, for now, bigger payout caps. TPT gives you no daily limit at all, so you need your own daily stop.

Payouts

Topstep

Topstep's payout policy sets two XFA paths:

• Standard: five winning days of $150 or more before each payout.
• Consistency: three trading days, with your best day at 40% or less of total profit.
• Caps per request: 50% of the balance, up to $2,000 / $3,000 / $5,000 (Standard) or $3,000 / $4,000 / $6,000 (Consistency) for 50K / 100K / 150K.
• Traders who add a daily loss limit when buying a new Combine get doubled caps, as a limited-time offer.
• Live Funded Account: no dollar cap. Daily payouts unlock after 30 winning days.
• Minimum and fees: $125 minimum. ACH and wire cost $30; Aeropay and Wise carry no Topstep fee.

Take Profit Trader

• PRO: withdrawals from day one, daily, with no maximum amount.
• You keep 80% of profit above a buffer equal to your drawdown.
• Withdrawing from inside the buffer closes the account and pays 50%.
• PRO+: a live account by invitation after a review. It has a 90/10 split, no buffer and an end-of-day drawdown. No fee to move up.
• Methods: Plaid or ACH in the US; PayPal or Wise abroad. TPT says payouts typically arrive within one business day.

What this means: TPT has the more flexible withdrawal timing. Topstep has the higher split from the first funded account, but caps each request. For more on buffers and caps, see our payout rules guide.

Funded account rules

• Topstep XFA: the Maximum Loss Limit keeps its end-of-day logic and is set to $0 after your first payout. A Scaling Plan caps your contracts by balance.
• TPT PRO: the drawdown becomes intraday, so it follows open profit as well as closed balance. There is no consistency rule.
• TPT PRO+: you must place at least one trade a week to keep the account active.

Platforms and trading hours

• Topstep: its help center says TopstepX is the only platform. You must be flat by 3:10 PM CT each weekday. No overnight or weekend holds, and no forex.
• Take Profit Trader: NinjaTrader, TradingView and Tradovate on CQG data; R|Trader, Quantower and MotiveWave on Rithmic. TPT says it supports 15+ platforms. Our database lists overnight holding as not allowed; check TPT's help center for the exact close time.
• News: Topstep bans placing your full maximum position into a major scheduled release. TPT allows news trading in the Test but blocks trading around listed major events on PRO and PRO+.

Downsides of each

Topstep

• One platform only. If you rely on NinjaTrader or TradingView, that is a dealbreaker.
• Payout caps on every XFA request.
• The Standard Path adds $149 per funded account.
• Monthly billing until you pass or cancel.

Take Profit Trader

• Higher list prices per month than Topstep at every shared size.
• PRO uses an intraday drawdown and an 80% split.
• Pulling money from inside the buffer ends the account.
• PRO+ is invite-only, with no published criteria weighting.

Who each suits

• Budget-first traders at 50K: Topstep Standard Path, if you accept the activation fee on passing.
• Traders who want no activation fee: either firm. Compare Topstep's No Activation Fee Path with TPT under NOFEE50.
• Traders who want a built-in daily stop: Topstep, with the optional limit.
• Traders who want frequent, small withdrawals: Take Profit Trader PRO.
• NinjaTrader, TradingView or Quantower users: Take Profit Trader.
• Traders who want 25K or 75K sizes: Take Profit Trader.

For full detail, read our Topstep review, the Topstep Trading Combine rules guide and our Take Profit Trader review.

Common questions

Which is cheaper, Topstep or Take Profit Trader?

At list prices, Topstep. Its 50K Standard Path is $49 a month against $170 at TPT. With NOFEE50, TPT's 50K price is halved, and its PRO fee is waived. Your real cost depends on how many months you take and whether you pass.

Does either firm have a daily loss limit?

Topstep's is optional in the Combine and XFA, and it pauses you rather than failing you. TPT's Test has no daily loss limit. Both still have a trailing maximum drawdown.

Which pays out faster?

TPT PRO accounts can withdraw from day one once you are above the buffer. Topstep XFAs need five $150 winning days, or three days on the Consistency path, before each request.

Can I use TradingView at either firm?

Yes at TPT, which lists TradingView on CQG data. No at Topstep, which says TopstepX is its only platform.

Related reading

• Tradeify vs Take Profit Trader
• Topstep vs My Funded Futures
• Trailing vs Static Drawdown: What's the Difference?
• Daily Loss Limits Explained: Balance vs Equity

Prices and rules were checked on Topstep's and Take Profit Trader's official sites on 3 November 2026. Firms change terms often, so confirm current prices and rules on the firm's site before you buy. This is educational content, not financial advice; trading involves risk. FundedKings may earn a commission when you buy through our links, at no extra cost to you. See our affiliate disclosure.