Head to head · Futures
Apex Trader Funding vs Topstep
Every figure below comes from each firm's own site and is scored by the same published formula. A firm's commercial relationship with us changes nothing here.
The short answer
Apex Trader Funding scores 7.8/10 on the PFM Score, Topstep 7.7/10.
Apex Trader Funding leads on Trading Conditions (7.8 vs 7.4).
Choose Apex Trader Funding if…
- you'd rather not pay a monthly fee (Topstep charges $49)
- you want a larger account (up to $300K vs $150K)
Choose Topstep if…
- you want it cheaper to get funded on a $50K account ($198 vs at least $550 in month one)
- you run EAs or bots (Apex Trader Funding doesn't allow them)
- you want same-day payouts (Apex Trader Funding doesn't offer them)
Side by side
✓ marks the firm ahead on that metric, by the rules on our methodology page — a fact, not a recommendation. "At least" means a fee or step isn't published (or we haven't verified it yet); the real figure can only be higher, so it's never counted as a lead. Costs are list prices, not promos.
| Metric | Apex Trader Funding | Topstep |
|---|---|---|
| Score | ||
| PFM Score | 7.8/10 (#13 of 25) (ahead) | 7.7/10 (#15 of 25) |
| Payout Integrity | 8.3 | 8.3 |
| Rule Clarity | 6.9 | 6.9 |
| Trading Conditions | 7.8 (ahead) | 7.4 |
| Rules & payouts | ||
| Drawdown | End-of-day · $2K | End-of-day · $2K |
| Profit split | 90% | 90% |
| Payout processing | 2 days | 2 days |
| Minimum path to first payout | at least 8 trading days | Not verified |
| Profit target | 6% ($3,000 on $50K) | 6% ($3,000 on $50K) |
| Costs — $50K account | ||
| Entry fee | $550 | $49 (ahead) |
| Monthly fee | None (ahead) | $49 |
| Activation fee | Not disclosed | $149 |
| Cost to get funded (month one) | at least $550 | $198 (ahead) |
| Trading conditions | ||
| Platforms | Rithmic, Tradovate, NinjaTrader, TradingView | TopstepX, NinjaTrader, Tradovate, TradingView |
| Account sizes | $25K–$300K | $50K–$150K |
| News trading | Yes | Yes |
| Weekend holding | No | No |
| EAs / bots | No | Yes (ahead) |
| Scaling plan | Yes | Yes |
| Same-day payouts | No | Yes (ahead) |
| The firm | ||
| Founded | 2021 | 2012 |
| Based in | Austin, TX · United States | Chicago, IL · United States |
Sources
- Apex Trader Funding — official site ↗ · pricing page screenshot, Sep 14, 2026, 19:56 UTC · inputs last verified Sep 14, 2026
- Topstep — official site ↗ · pricing page screenshot, Sep 14, 2026, 20:07 UTC · inputs last verified Sep 14, 2026
Terms change. Always confirm the current rules and prices on the firm's own site before you buy an evaluation.
Latest on these firms
Apex Trader Funding · 3 June 2026
Apex Trader Funding: 90% split on an end-of-day drawdown
Topstep · 3 June 2026
Topstep: 90% split on its own TopstepX platform
Apex Trader Funding · 28 May 2026
Apex adds 5-pack bundles and zero-activation 'All-In-One' pricing
Topstep · 12 May 2026
Topstep enables instant payouts with Aeropay
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