Topstep currently offers 3 challenge programs. Select a challenge type and account size below to compare profit targets, drawdown limits, payout frequency, and the full consistency rule — all sourced directly from Topstep's official documentation and kept up to date.

Challenge Details

Topstep Challenge: 1 Step

Challenge Fee

$49/month + $149 activation (or $95/month, no activation fee)

Profit Target

$3,000

Max Daily Loss

None (optional $1,000)

Max Total Loss

$2,000 (eod trailing)

Profit Split

90%

Payout Frequency

Every 5 winning days ($150+)

Consistency Rule

55% (Combine); optional 40% payout path (funded)

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

How Topstep challenges work

A Topstep challenge is a paid evaluation phase where you trade simulated capital under Topstep's rules — profit targets, daily drawdown, max drawdown, and time limits. Pass the evaluation and you're moved to a funded account where you trade Topstep's actual capital and keep a percentage of profits as your payout. Most challenge fees are refunded with your first successful payout.

Topstep's evaluation structure (1-step, 2-step, or instant-funding) depends on which program you pick. Each challenge card above shows the exact steps, the profit target per phase, the time limit (if any), the daily and overall drawdown limits, and the profit split you'll earn once funded. We pull these values directly from Topstep's official rulebook and keep them up to date.

Industry-wide pass rates on prop firm challenges sit around 10%. The traders who pass most consistently treat the challenge as a paid stress test of an already-profitable strategy — not as a way to learn one. If you're newer to trading, the Topstep matcher tool can help you find a challenge with rules that fit your style before paying for the evaluation.

Frequently Asked Questions about Topstep Challenges

A Topstep challenge is the paid evaluation phase where you prove you can hit a profit target without breaching drawdown rules. Once you pass, you're funded — you trade Topstep's actual capital and keep a percentage of profits as your payout. Most challenge fees are refunded with your first successful payout.
Topstep typically offers multiple formats — both one-step and two-step evaluations are common across the industry, and some firms also offer instant-funding options. The exact structure depends on which account size and program you pick. The challenge cards above show the current steps, profit targets, and time limits for each tier.
Profit splits in this industry typically range from 70% to 90% to the trader. Higher splits are usually unlocked through Topstep's scaling plan after consistent payouts. The exact current split for each program is shown on the main Topstep review page along with payout frequency and minimum payout amounts.
Most prop firms enforce both a daily drawdown limit (around 4–5%) and a maximum overall drawdown (around 8–10%). The make-or-break detail is whether the overall drawdown is static (calculated from starting balance) or trailing (follows equity highs). Each challenge card above shows Topstep's exact rule for that account size — read it carefully before paying.
You lose the challenge fee. Most firms — including Topstep — offer discounted reset options if you want to retry without paying the full price again. If you breach by a small margin in the final phase, some firms grant a free reset on a case-by-case basis. Contact Topstep's support directly if you think you qualify.
News trading rules vary across firms and across Topstep's individual programs. Most prop firms restrict trading during high-impact news (NFP, FOMC, CPI) and some require positions to be closed before weekend gaps. Topstep's specific trading rules are listed on the main Topstep review page in the Trading Rules section.

On this page