True Cost Calculator

See how much it truly costs to get funded at Topstep, including multiple failed attempts.

Fee

$248

Split to you

90%

Account

$100K

How many attempts?

Drag to model your worst-case scenario

2attempts
1Best
2
3
4
5Worst
Total Spent

$496

2 attempts × $248 fee

Net Cost

$496

No fee refund on this plan

Break-Even

0.55%

Profit needed on $100K after 90% split

Fees shown in USD. Break-even is the minimum profit % you need on your funded account to cover all challenge costs.

AI Review

Topstep is a Chicago-based futures prop firm operating since 2012. Traders pass the single-phase Trading Combine to earn a funded account, trade CME-group futures on the proprietary TopstepX platform, and keep 90% of profits with instant payout options.

Leverage and Platforms

Tradeable Asset Classes

  • Futures

Available Trading Platforms

  • T
    TopstepX

Restricted Countries & Regions

AFAfghanistan
DZAlgeria
AOAngola
BYBelarus
BFBurkina Faso
MMMyanmar
BIBurundi
CICôte d'Ivoire
CUCuba
CDDemocratic Republic of Congo
HTHaiti
IRIran
IQIraq
KEKenya
XKKosovo
LBLebanon
LYLibya
MLMali
MAMorocco
NINicaragua
NGNigeria
KPNorth Korea
PKPakistan
RURussia
SOSomalia
SSSouth Sudan
SDSudan
SYSyria
TRTurkey
UAUkraine
VEVenezuela
YEYemen

Check the firm website for the full and up-to-date list. Full list at Topstep.

Trading Rules

Rules change without notice and vary by account type. Confirm with the firm before you trade.

ALLOWED

Scalping

Scalping algorithms that exploit sim fills are banned.

RESTRICTED

Expert Advisors (EAs)

Allowed in the Combine and Express Funded via the TopstepX API. Not possible on Live Funded. VPS banned.

Copy Trading

Between your own Combine/Express accounts only. Not on Live Funded. Never with other traders.

News Trading

No need to flatten for news. Banned: full max size into major news, and new equity/metal mini trades ±5 min of CPI.

NOT ALLOWED

HFTWeekend Holding

Arbitrage

Exploiting price-display errors or data-feed delays.

Hedging Across Accounts

Opposite positions across accounts, even brief overlaps or correlated pairs.

Overnight Holding

All positions closed by 3:10 PM CT each weekday.

Account Stacking

Blowing one account and repeating the same risk on another.

Prohibited Conduct

Spoofing, trading outside the best bid/offer, coordinated trading, trading within 2% of price limits, VPN/VPS.

Not published by the firm: Hedging.

From our firm record — not independently re-verified

Frequently Asked Questions

Topstep is a futures-focused prop firm based in Chicago, US, operating since 2012. It offers evaluations through its Trading Combine on the TopstepX platform, covering CME, COMEX, NYMEX and CBOT futures. Funded traders keep 90% of their payouts, and the firm reports a 99.26% payout approval rate.
The Trading Combine is billed monthly, with two paths. Standard: $49 / $99 / $199 a month (50K / 100K / 150K) plus a one-time $149 activation fee after you pass. No Activation Fee: $95 / $149 / $229 a month with nothing to pay when you pass.
Topstep lets funded traders keep 90% of their payouts, which the firm markets as "up to 90%." It also reports a 99.26% payout approval rate.
Topstep's main program is the Trading Combine (Standard or No Activation Fee path), which leads to an Express Funded Account and then a Live Funded Account. It comes in $50K, $100K and $150K sizes, with contract limits of 5, 10 and 15 minis (50, 100 and 150 micros). Topstep also runs limited-time 'Labs' products.
Topstep uses an end-of-day trailing Max Loss Limit: $2,000 on $50K, $3,000 on $100K and $4,500 on $150K. In the Combine, your best day must stay at or below 55% of the profit target; going over raises the target rather than failing the account.
Topstep restricts trading to futures on the CME, COMEX, NYMEX and CBOT exchanges. Trading stocks, options, forex, spot crypto and CFDs is prohibited on Topstep accounts.
On the standard option, you can request a payout after 5 winning days of $150 or more; the Consistency option allows requests after 3 trading days with a 40% consistency requirement. US traders can get instant payouts via Aeropay (RTP). ACH and Wise take 1–3 business days, and wire takes 5–10.
RTA is an opt-in Daily Loss Limit added when you buy the Combine. In return, payout caps are doubled (a limited-time offer), and the No Activation Fee path is $10–$30 a month cheaper.

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