Topstep Review 2026: Trading Combine Prices, the 55% Rule and Payouts Explained
PickMyFuturesProp · 2026-09-26
Topstep is the biggest name in futures funding: a monthly Trading Combine from $49, one end-of-day loss rule, a 55% best-day target and a $0-start funded account. Here's what it really costs, how the payout paths work, and who it suits.
Topstep is the name most traders hear first. It has been running for 15 years, says it has paid out more than $1.4 billion, and runs a 174,000-member Discord. It is also the firm whose model most others copied: a monthly evaluation (the Trading Combine), a simulated funded account (the Express Funded Account, or XFA), and a path to a Live Funded Account with real capital. Here is how the current version works and what it actually costs.
The Trading Combine: one rule, two objectives
The Trading Combine comes in 50K, 100K and 150K, and the whole rulebook fits on a card:
- The rule: don't hit the Maximum Loss Limit ($2,000 / $3,000 / $4,500). It trails your end-of-day balance upward and locks once it reaches your starting balance — but it is monitored live, so an intraday dip on open P&L that touches it still ends the day.
- Objective 1: reach the profit target ($3,000 / $6,000 / $9,000).
- Objective 2: the 55% Consistency Target — your best day must stay at or below 55% of your profit. Go over and your target rises (best day ÷ 0.55), so the minimum pass is two days.
There is no daily loss limit by default. You can add one at checkout ($1,000 / $2,000 / $3,000); it pauses you for the day rather than failing you, and under a limited-time offer it doubles your funded payout caps. Contract limits are 5 / 10 / 15 minis (micros at 10:1).
What it costs: two paths
You pick a pricing path at purchase and can't change it later:
- Standard: $49 / $99 / $199 a month, plus a one-time $149 activation fee for each funded account you earn.
- No Activation Fee: $95 / $149 / $229 a month, nothing to pay when you pass (and $10 / $20 / $30 off a month if you add the daily loss limit).
Resets cost the same as a month on your path. The break-even is simple: on the 50K, Standard is cheaper unless you need more than about three months to pass. There is no public discount code; new traders can use any existing trader's referral code for 15% off the first purchase.
The Express Funded Account
After passing, the XFA starts at a $0 balance — the 50K/100K/150K is buying power, not cash — and the Maximum Loss Limit trails from -$2,000 (on 50K) until your balance reaches $2,000, then locks at $0. At activation you choose a payout path:
- Standard: request a payout after 5 winning days of $150+; up to 50% of your balance, capped at $2,000 / $3,000 / $5,000 per request.
- Consistency: request after 3 trading days with your best day at or below 40% of profit; caps of $3,000 / $4,000 / $6,000.
Both pay 90/10 with a $125 minimum, and you can hold up to five XFAs. After your first payout the loss limit resets to $0, so the remaining balance becomes your cushion.
Live: where the caps disappear
The Live Funded Account is the goal Topstep keeps pointing at: payouts are not capped, and after 30 winning days you unlock daily access to up to 100% of your profits. Live traders pay professional market-data fees, and a daily loss limit is automatic there.
So who's it for?
- Traders who want the most established brand and a simple one-rule evaluation.
- Budget starters: $49 is the cheapest way into a big-name 50K, as long as you pass within a few months.
- Traders aiming for real capital, since Topstep's Live path is its main selling point.
Who should look elsewhere: anyone who wants one-time pricing, daily payouts from day one, or a funded account that starts with a balance. Topstep's 3.6 Trustpilot score is also worth reading through before you commit. Line it up against Tradeify, TradeDay and MFFU in the comparison tool at your size.
Current Topstep plans and prices
Verified against Topstep's own site on 2026-09-26. Prices are today's promo price at the representative account size.
| Account | Size | Price | Target | Max drawdown | Drawdown type | Daily loss limit | Split | Activation |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Trading Combine — Standard | $50K | $49/mo | $3,000 | $2,000 | EOD Trailing / EOD Trailing | None | 90/10 | $149 |
| Trading Combine — No Activation Fee | $50K | $95/mo | $3,000 | $2,000 | EOD Trailing / EOD Trailing | None | 90/10 | None |
Topstep trading hours and news rules
Flat by 3:10 PM CT every weekday, no overnight holds; news trading allowed, but trading your full maximum position size into scheduled major news is prohibited.
From Topstep's official help center, checked 2026-09-27. See also: overnight holding · automated trading · account limits
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