Topstep Alternatives
Five futures prop firms that differ from Topstep on how you pay, how payouts work, which platforms you can use and whether automation is allowed.
Traders look beyond Topstep mainly because the Trading Combine is a monthly subscription that rebills until the trader passes, at $49 a month for 50K on the Standard path plus a $149 activation fee after passing, or $95 a month with no activation fee, at list price in September 2026. Each Express Funded payout is limited to half the balance, capped at $2,000 on a 50K Standard account. Trading centres on the TopstepX platform, automation is only possible through a paid API, and positions must be flat by 3:10 pm Central time.
Each alternative offers futures evaluations on CME Group products and differs from Topstep on at least one of those points. Prices are list prices at the time of review, and every firm runs frequent discounts.
Topstep alternatives compared
| Firm | Cheapest 50K at list price | Steps | Drawdown type | Split |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Topstep | $49 a month plus $149 activation | One | End of day trailing | 90% |
| Apex Trader Funding | $249 once plus $59 activation (Intraday) | One | Intraday trailing, or end of day from $590 | 100% |
| Tradeify | $145 once (Growth) | One | End of day trailing | 90% |
| My Funded Futures | $153 once (Builder) | One | End of day trailing | 80% on Builder, 90% on Rapid |
| Take Profit Trader | $170 a month plus $130 activation | One | End of day in the test, intraday when funded | 80%, 90% on PRO+ |
| TradeDay | $131 a month (Quick Pay Intraday) | One | Intraday trailing, or end of day on Fast Pass | 50% below $4,000 profit, then 80% |
Apex Trader Funding
Apex Trader Funding charges a one time fee instead of a subscription and pays 100% of approved payouts. On 50K, the Intraday version lists at $249 and the EOD version at $590, plus a $59 or $90 activation fee, and at the time of review the site showed coupons of one tenth of list. Traders can hold up to 20 Performance Accounts and trade on Tradovate, Rithmic with NinjaTrader, or WealthCharts. The limits are strict: evaluations expire after 30 days with no resets, each account closes after six payouts, and automation is banned. Trustpilot shows 4.2 from 21,149 reviews. It suits fast, discretionary traders who run several accounts. See Apex vs Topstep.
Tradeify
Tradeify sells one time evaluations with no activation fee, from $145 for Growth 50K and $165 for Select 50K, and uses end of day trailing drawdown on every account. It offers Tradovate with NinjaTrader and TradingView, Rithmic platforms and WealthCharts at the same price, and allows bots the trader can prove they own. Select Daily funded accounts can request a payout on any day once a buffer is cleared, capped at $1,250 on 50K. Positions can stay open until 4:45 pm Eastern, and Trustpilot shows 4.4 from 4,858 reviews. Tradeify reports that 17.2% of its evaluations were completed between August 2025 and July 2026. It suits traders who want third party platforms and a single fee. See Topstep vs Tradeify.
My Funded Futures
My Funded Futures charges once, with no activation fee and no renewals. Its Rapid 50K costs $209 and pays 90/10, with daily payout requests from 24 hours after the first funded trade once profit clears a $2,100 buffer. Rapid switches to an intraday trailing drawdown once funded, while Rapid EOD keeps end of day drawdown at the same price. Builder costs $153 and pays 80/20 every 48 hours. Platforms include Tradovate, NinjaTrader, TradingView, Quantower and ATAS, and Trustpilot shows 4.9 from 22,049 reviews. Tier 1 news trading is not allowed on Rapid funded accounts. The firm reports that 19.97% of evaluation participants completed the objectives. It suits traders who want frequent payouts on a one time fee. See My Funded Futures vs Topstep.
Take Profit Trader
Take Profit Trader also bills monthly, at $170 for its 50K Test plus a $130 activation fee, but its payout policy is different. PRO accounts can withdraw on any day from the first, with no payout window and no maximum, once the balance is above a buffer of the starting balance plus the drawdown. The split is 80%, or 90% on invitation only PRO+ live accounts, and the PRO drawdown trails intraday. More than a dozen platforms are supported through CQG and Rithmic, but bots are banned and PRO accounts must be flat around FOMC, Non Farm Payrolls and CPI. Open positions are closed automatically at 4:55 pm Eastern. The firm reports that 36.22% of tests taken in 2025 were passed. It suits manual traders who want flexible withdrawals. See Topstep vs Take Profit Trader.
TradeDay
TradeDay bills monthly with no activation fee, from $131 for a 50K Quick Pay Intraday evaluation, $175 for Quick Pay end of day and $189 for Fast Pass. Quick Pay funded accounts can be paid from the first funded day with no buffer, but the split is 50% until account profit reaches $4,000 and 80% after, and the funded drawdown trails intraday. Fast Pass keeps end of day drawdown throughout and pays 80%. TradeDay supports Tradovate, a free NinjaTrader licence, TradingView and many Rithmic platforms, allows automation the trader built themselves, and blocks trading around Tier 1 releases. It reports a 36% evaluation pass rate for January to June 2026 and a Trustpilot rating of 4.6 from 1,440 reviews. It suits traders who want early access to profit or a wide platform choice.
How to choose
Start with how you want to pay. Apex, Tradeify and My Funded Futures charge once, which suits traders who take more than a month to pass, while Take Profit Trader and TradeDay bill monthly like Topstep. Then look at the funded drawdown, since several firms switch to intraday trailing once funded, which is explained in futures prop firm drawdown rules. Finally, compare payout caps and timing against how you expect to withdraw.
Two further rules narrow the list. Traders who automate should look at Tradeify, My Funded Futures or TradeDay, since Apex and Take Profit Trader ban bots. News traders should check each funded account: Take Profit Trader PRO, My Funded Futures Rapid and TradeDay all restrict trading around major US releases, while Tradeify places no restriction on news.
Read the Topstep review, filter every firm in the comparison table, or browse more comparisons and the futures prop firms hub.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which Topstep alternatives charge a one time fee?
Apex Trader Funding, Tradeify and My Funded Futures sell evaluations for a single fee with no monthly rebilling. Tradeify and My Funded Futures charge no activation fee, while Apex adds a $59 or $90 activation fee on its Standard versions. Take Profit Trader and TradeDay bill monthly until the trader passes, as Topstep does.
Which Topstep alternative gives the quickest access to profit?
Take Profit Trader allows withdrawals from the first PRO day once the balance clears its buffer, with no cap. TradeDay Quick Pay allows payouts from the first funded day with no buffer, at a 50% split until profit reaches $4,000. My Funded Futures Rapid allows daily requests from 24 hours after the first funded trade once a buffer is cleared.
Can I use NinjaTrader at these Topstep alternatives?
Yes. Apex supports NinjaTrader through Rithmic, Tradeify through its Tradovate connection, and My Funded Futures lists NinjaTrader directly. Take Profit Trader supports it through CQG, and TradeDay provides a free NinjaTrader licence through CQG. Topstep centres on its own TopstepX platform, with a Quantower connection covered in its help centre.
Which alternatives keep end of day drawdown once funded?
Tradeify uses end of day trailing drawdown on every account. My Funded Futures keeps it on Rapid EOD, Builder and Pro, and TradeDay on Fast Pass. Apex EOD Performance Accounts trail end of day and stop at the starting balance plus $100. Take Profit Trader PRO, standard Rapid and TradeDay Quick Pay switch to intraday trailing once funded.
Do any Topstep alternatives allow automated trading?
Tradeify allows bots if the trader can prove sole ownership, My Funded Futures allows automated strategies that do not exploit simulated fills, and TradeDay allows systems the trader built on supported platforms, up to 200 trades a day. Apex and Take Profit Trader ban automation. Topstep allows it only through its paid TopstepX API.