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Topstep vs Apex Trader Funding: subscription or one-time fee?

Updated 2026-10-26

Short answer

Topstep fits traders who want a $49 monthly start and an uncapped Live account. Apex fits traders who want one-time fees, no evaluation consistency rule and 100% payout splits, but each Apex funded account closes after 6 payouts. Topstep's minimum payout is $125; Apex's is $500.

At a glance	Topstep	Apex Trader Funding
Trader rating	3.7 (14,989)	4.2 (21,420)
Cheapest plan	$49/mo ($50K)	$167/mo ($25K)
Plans we track	10	34
Account sizes	$1.5K, $25K, $50K, $100K, $150K, $250K	$25K, $50K, $100K, $150K, $250K, $300K
Evaluation types	1 Step	1 Step
Max loss types	Static, EOD Trailing	EOD Trailing, Intraday Trailing
Daily loss limit	90% of plans	24% of plans
Best standard split	90%	100%
Years operating	14	5
Code right now	None	None

Cheapest plan at each size

The lowest list price each firm charges at that account size, with that plan's rules.

Size	Firm	Plan	Price	Target	Max loss	Daily limit	Split
$25K	Topstep	Topstep - Static Trading Combine - 1-Step 25K	$75	8%	4% Static	$500	90%
	Apex Trader Funding	Apex Trader Funding - Rithmic - Legacy - 1-Step - 25K	$167/mo	6%	6% Intraday Trailing	None	100%
$50K	Topstep	Topstep - Standard - 1-Step 50K	$49/mo	6%	4% EOD Trailing	$1,000	90%
	Apex Trader Funding	Apex Trader Funding - Rithmic - Legacy - 1-Step - 50K	$197/mo	6%	5% Intraday Trailing	None	100%
$100K	Topstep	Topstep - Standard - 1-Step 100K	$99/mo	6%	3% EOD Trailing	$2,000	90%
	Apex Trader Funding	Apex Trader Funding - Rithmic - Legacy - 1-Step - 100K	$297/mo	6%	3% Intraday Trailing	None	100%
$150K	Topstep	Topstep - Standard - 1-Step 150K	$199/mo	6%	3% EOD Trailing	$3,000	90%
	Apex Trader Funding	Apex Trader Funding - Rithmic - Legacy - 1-Step - 150K	$497/mo	6%	3.3% Intraday Trailing	None	100%
$250K	Topstep	Topstep - Freedom Trading Combine - 1-Step 250K	$499	6%	4% EOD Trailing	$5,000	90%
	Apex Trader Funding	Apex Trader Funding - Rithmic - Legacy - 1-Step - 250K	$597/mo	6%	2.6% Intraday Trailing	None	100%

Pick Topstep if…

You want the cheaper start: a 50K Trading Combine is $49/month on the Standard path
You want the lowest cash-out bar: Topstep's minimum payout is $125, Apex's is $500
You want an uncapped ceiling: Topstep's Live Funded Account has no payout caps, and 30 winning days unlocks daily access to 100% of profits
You want the same end-of-day trailing loss limit in the Combine and the Express Funded Account

Full Topstep review →

Pick Apex Trader Funding if…

You want one-time fees: Apex's new products have no recurring billing and no reset fees
You want no evaluation consistency rule and the option to pass in a single day
You want 100% of every approved payout on the new Performance Accounts, not a 90/10 split
You want scale: up to 20 accounts, with a choice of EOD or intraday drawdown products

Full Apex Trader Funding review →

How do payouts compare?

Topstep's Express Funded Account (XFA) pays 90% with two paths. The Standard path needs 5 winning days of $150 or more, and you can request 50% of the balance up to a cap ($2,000 on a 50K, $5,000 on a 150K). The Consistency path needs 3 days at 40% consistency with higher caps ($3,000 to $6,000). The minimum payout is $125. Live Funded payouts are uncapped.

Apex's new Performance Accounts pay 100% of approved amounts, but eligibility is stricter: 5 qualifying days of at least $250 each on the 50K EOD account ($200 on the Intraday version), a 50% consistency check per request, and a $500 minimum payout. A permanent safety net of $52,100 on a 50K (drawdown plus $100) means the smallest allowed request needs a $52,600 balance. Each account is limited to 6 payouts, capped at $1,500 to $3,000 per request on a 50K depending on product and payout number, and then the account closes.

Which rules catch traders out?

At Topstep, the 55% best-day rule is the classic trap: if one day earns more than 55% of your profit target, your target increases instead of you passing. The Maximum Loss Limit trails on end-of-day balances and never comes back down, and it is enforced intraday, including on unrealized losses.

At Apex, the Intraday product's drawdown trails your peak balance in real time, including unrealized gains, so giving back open profits can breach it. Both new funded account types enforce a tier-based daily loss limit intraday. And the 6-payout lifetime cap means a funded account is temporary by design.

How do the funded accounts differ?

Topstep's XFA starts at $0 with the loss limit trailing until it locks at $0, which happens when the balance reaches $2,000 of profit (50K) or after your first payout, whichever comes first. A scaling plan limits contracts as you rebuild. The Live Funded Account is a separate stage with a mandatory daily loss limit and uncapped payouts; Topstep's risk team decides call-ups at its discretion.

Apex's Performance Account keeps the same size and drawdown model as the evaluation you passed (EOD or Intraday), adds tier-based contract scaling and an intraday-enforced daily loss limit, and keeps the safety net for the account's whole life. An inactivity rule applies. After the sixth payout the account closes, and you qualify again through a new evaluation.

Test both plans in our pass probability calculator.

Frequently asked questions

Is Topstep or Apex cheaper for a 50K account?

They bill differently. Topstep's 50K is $49/month plus a $149 activation fee when you pass (Standard path), or $95/month with no activation fee. Apex's new products charge a one-time 30-day fee with no activation fee and no resets; a failed evaluation means buying a new one.

Which firm pays out faster?

Topstep's Standard path needs 5 winning days of $150 or more (its Consistency path needs 3 days at 40% consistency); Apex requires 5 qualifying days of $250 or more each on the 50K EOD account. Topstep's $125 minimum is lower than Apex's $500.

Do both firms have a consistency rule?

Yes, in different places. Topstep applies a 55% best-day rule in the Trading Combine and a 40% rule on its Consistency payout path. Apex skips consistency in the evaluation but applies a 50% consistency check to every payout request.

Can I keep the funded account indefinitely?

At Apex, no: each Performance Account closes after 6 approved payouts, so you requalify through a new evaluation. Topstep's Express Funded Account has no payout-count limit, and its Live Funded Account removes payout caps entirely.

Prices are list prices from each firm's own site at our last update. Rankings are never paid. Prop trading can cost you every fee you pay.