Prop firms · 7 min read

Apex vs Topstep (2026): which is harder to pass?

Apex Trader Funding vs Topstep splits on three rules that decide who passes: Topstep runs a 50% best-day consistency cap in the Combine and a subscription model ($49/month for the 50K), while Apex 4.0 has no consistency rule in the evaluation, sells EOD and intraday trailing as separate products, and cuts funded PA size to 2 of 6 contracts on a 50K at the start. Neither is “stricter” overall — they’re strict about different strategy shapes. Details verified September 2026.

Rule	Apex Trader Funding	Topstep
Drawdown (evaluation)	EOD trailing or intraday trailing — sold as separate products since the March 2026 (4.0) rulebook	Maximum Loss Limit, EOD trailing on the Combine ($2,000 on 50K)
Drawdown (funded)	Same model as purchased; floor locks at starting balance + $100	EOD trailing on Express Funded and Live
Daily loss limit	None on evaluation accounts — the only major futures firm without one	No universal DLL on the Combine (optional on some configurations); the Live Funded Account runs a DLL that adjusts with balance (help.topstep.com)
Consistency	None in evaluation; 50% at payout on Performance Accounts (no single day above half of accumulated PA profit since last payout)	50% Consistency Target on the Combine: best day may not exceed half of the profit target, or the target increases
Minimum days and payout gate	1 day on evaluation (day-count minimum removed post-4.0); 5 qualifying days per payout on PA	None on the Combine (can pass in 2 sessions); 5 winning days of $150+ per Express payout; daily payouts unlock after 30 winning days ($150+) in the Live account
Contract cap (50K)	Evaluation up to 6; PA opens at 2, tops out at 4	5 minis / 50 micros in the Combine; the XFA opens at 2 lots
Scaling plan	Funded tiers below evaluation caps; full tier after balance clears start + drawdown + $100 (~$52,600 on 50K)	Express Funded Account only: max position set by current balance, XFA starts at $0; on a 50K, 2 lots, 3 above $1,500, 5 from $2,000, released between sessions. Replaced by Dynamic Live Risk Expansion in Live (help.topstep.com, Sep 2026)
Automation	Allowed in evaluation; fully automated systems prohibited on PA/Live, semi-automated with trader present permitted	Bots and EAs allowed in Combine and funded; no setup support; HFT and algorithmic scalping excluded
Copy trading	Own accounts allowed on evaluation and funded; up to 20 Performance Accounts per household	Native copier in TopstepX; must run on the device you are logged in from, no VPS; around 5 accounts
News	see card	No-news window applies
Payout	On request, 6-request ladder, $500 minimum, 5–11 days processing; 100% of first $25,000 per account then 90/10	Express: per-request caps $2,000–$6,000 by size; Live: uncapped; 1–3 days ACH/Wise; 90/10 from first dollar on accounts opened after 12 January 2026 (100% of first $10,000 only on earlier accounts)
Profit split	100% first $25k then 90/10	90/10 (new accounts)

Every rule, every cell taken from the two rules cards (verified September 2026). Where a firm does not publish a rule clearly, the cell says so rather than guessing. The same dimensions are filterable across all 16 firms on the comparison table.

The difference that decides it

Topstep gives you a tighter drawdown ($2,000 vs $2,500 on a 50K) against the same $3,000 target — on paper harder. But Topstep’s floor locks permanently once it reaches your starting balance, and there is no consistency rule once funded. Apex trails further before locking and then applies 50% consistency at every payout.

So the difficulty sits in different places. Apex is easier to pass (no consistency rule in the evaluation, no minimum days) and harder to withdraw from. Topstep is harder to pass (50% best-day cap while evaluating) and cleaner afterwards.

If your daily P&L is uneven, that asymmetry matters more than the drawdown gap.

Apex after the March 2026 rebuild

The changes worth knowing: legacy accounts were retired and replaced by two clear products — EOD trailing and intraday trailing. The consistency threshold moved from 30% to 50% for new purchases. The MAE rule and the 5:1 risk-reward restriction were removed. Resets disappeared: you buy a new evaluation instead. The evaluation runs 30 calendar days, and after passing you have 7 days to activate the Performance Account.

Pick EOD, not intraday, if you run a strategy that lets winners develop. The intraday product tracks peak unrealized equity, so a trade that runs in your favour and comes back tightens the floor permanently — you get charged for a profit you never banked. The EOD product recalculates once at 4:59:59 PM ET on the closing balance. Full breakdown in EOD vs intraday trailing drawdown.

Topstep’s cost structure is the hidden variable

Topstep bills monthly rather than as a one-time evaluation fee. That is cheaper if you pass quickly and more expensive if the evaluation drags. Apex front-loads the cost into the evaluation plus activation, then charges a monthly fee on the funded account. Neither is cheaper in the abstract — it depends on how long you take.

One detail people miss: Topstep closes inactive accounts. If you plan to run a strategy that trades infrequently, check the inactivity window before you buy.

Which one for a systematic strategy?

Both permit automation in the evaluation, but the funded stages differ — Apex restricts the Performance Account to semi-automated execution with oversight, while Topstep’s permission carries through — so for a fully automated pipeline the tech policy is a deciding factor alongside the drawdown model and the consistency rule. Choose Apex EOD if you want no rules while evaluating and can live with 50% consistency at payout. Choose Topstep if you would rather absorb the consistency cap once, during the evaluation, and have an unrestricted funded account afterwards.

Either way the sizing has to come off the drawdown limit rather than the account size — a 50K Apex account is a $2,500 risk budget, a 50K Topstep account is $2,000. Our portfolio configurations are calibrated per tier for exactly this reason. See also MyFundedFutures vs Topstep and Apex vs MyFundedFutures.

The full mapping of which rule reads which strategy number is in which prop firm rules can a systematic strategy actually pass. Guides: how to pass Apex and how to pass the Topstep Combine; the wider field is in best futures prop firms 2026, or answer five questions in the prop firm match.

Rules cards for every major firm →

Every Apex rule on one card: Apex rules card →

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FAQ

Is Apex or Topstep easier to pass?

Apex is easier to pass: no consistency rule during the evaluation and no minimum trading days, though it runs on a 30-day limit. Topstep applies a 50% best-day consistency cap while you evaluate. The trade-off reverses once funded, where Apex applies 50% consistency at payout and Topstep does not.

What changed at Apex in March 2026?

Apex retired legacy accounts and replaced them with two products, EOD trailing and intraday trailing. The funded consistency rule moved from 30% to 50% for new purchases, the MAE rule and 5:1 risk-reward restriction were removed, and account resets were discontinued in favour of buying a new evaluation.

Which has the smaller drawdown, Apex or Topstep?

Topstep. On a 50K account Topstep allows $2,000 against Apex's $2,500, with the same $3,000 profit target. Topstep's floor also locks permanently once it reaches the starting balance.

Can I run an automated strategy on both?

Mostly, with an Apex asterisk. Topstep permits bots and EAs, excluding high-frequency and scalping algorithms. Apex permits automation in the evaluation, but the post-4.0 rules restrict the funded Performance Account to semi-automated execution with the trader present — fully unattended automation is not permitted. Verify current terms for your specific account type before going live.

Verified August 2026. Prop firm rules change often and several firms rewrote their rulebooks in 2026. Confirm every figure on the firm’s official site before purchasing an evaluation.

Is Topstep stricter than Apex?

Topstep is stricter on profit distribution (50% best-day cap); Apex is stricter on funded size (PA opens at a third of evaluation caps). A high win-rate, even-days strategy barely notices Topstep’s cap; an asymmetric one structurally fails it and may prefer Apex.

Apex vs Topstep — which is better for scalpers?

Scalpers with quick exits and low giveback tolerate intraday trailing well, which opens Apex’s intraday product; on Topstep the EOD model is forgiving intraday, but the consistency cap punishes one outsized session. The deciding number is your best-day share of monthly profit.

Topstep vs Apex for swing or overnight trades?

Check holding rules per firm on their current documentation before anything else; the drawdown model matters second (EOD models are kinder to positions that fluctuate intraday).

Performance figures are a combination of live-tracked and modeled results. Past performance does not guarantee future results. Not financial advice.