Take Profit Trader vs Topstep
Rule-by-rule comparison from each firm's own website, last verified . The marked figure is the stronger one on that line.
Quick take
- Cheaper entry: Topstep ($49 vs $150).
- Faster payout cycle: Take Profit Trader (Daily / on demand).
- Higher Trustpilot rating: Take Profit Trader (4.4).
- Overall PA Score: Take Profit Trader 7.3 vs Topstep 6.4.
Take Profit Trader stronger on 3Topstep stronger on 3of 9 lines where both publish a comparable figure
| Take Profit Trader7.3 PA Score | Topstep6.4 PA Score | |
|---|---|---|
| PA Score | 7.3 (stronger figure) | 6.4 |
| Trustpilot | 4.411,068 (stronger figure) | 3.714,989 |
| Founded | Not published | 2012 (stronger figure) |
| HQ | Windermere, FL, United States | Chicago, IL |
| Markets | Futures | Futures |
| Challenge types | 1-step | 1-step |
| Entry fee from | $150 | $49 (stronger figure) |
| Cost per $1K allocation | $2.4 | $0.98 (stronger figure) |
| Largest account | $150K | $150K |
| Profit target | 6% | 6% |
| Daily loss limit | none | optional (automatic in Live Funded) |
| Max drawdown | $1,500-$4,500 | $2,000-$4,500 |
| Drawdown type | EOD trailing (Test); intraday trailing (PRO) | EOD trailing (locks at starting balance) |
| Profit split | 80% up to 90% | 90% |
| Leverage | Not published | Not published |
| Platforms | TradingView, NinjaTrader, Tradovate, Rithmic, R|Trader, Quantower, Bookmap, MultiCharts, MotiveWave, Trade Navigator, VolFix, ATAS, Investor R/T, Finamark, Jigsaw | TopstepX |
| Payout frequency | Day-one and daily withdrawals in PRO once balance exceeds the buffer (= max drawdown); no min profitable days, no payout windows, no max withdrawal | after 5 winning days $150+ (Standard) or 3 days w/ 40% consistency (Consistency path) |
| First payout (days) | 0 (stronger figure) | 3 |
| Min trading days | 3 | 2 |
| Consistency rule | Test only: best day must be <50% of total net profit; no consistency rule in PRO/PRO+ | 55% best-day rule in Combine; 40% on XFA Consistency path |
| News trading | Restricted | Not published |
| Weekend holding | Restricted | Not published |
| Discount code | 40% off the Test subscription for life + no PRO activation fee | Not published |
| Visit site (opens Take Profit Trader in a new tab) | Visit site (opens Topstep in a new tab) |
Not published means we could not find the figure on the firm's own site. Sources are listed on each firm page.
Which should you choose?
Take Profit Trader scores 7.3/10 and Topstep 6.4/10, a clear but not huge gap. Both are futures prop firms, so the rule differences below are like for like. Which one is better depends on how you trade, so here is who each firm suits, based only on what they publish.
Pick Take Profit Trader if
- you want a faster payout cycle (daily / on demand)
- you need TradingView, NinjaTrader and Tradovate
Pick Topstep if
- you want the cheaper way in ($49 vs $150 for the smallest account)
- you care about cost per $1K of account ($0.98 vs $2.4)
- you want the longer track record (operating since 2012)
- you weigh firm-reported payouts ($1.5B+ paid out to prop firm traders)
Price at each account size
Cheapest program each firm sells at the sizes both offer.
| Account | Take Profit Trader | Topstep |
|---|---|---|
| $50K | $170 | $49 |
| $100K | $330 | $99 |
| $150K | $360 | $199 |
Payouts
Take Profit Trader: Day-one and daily withdrawals in PRO once balance exceeds the buffer (= max drawdown); no min profitable days, no payout windows, no max withdrawal. First payout after 0 days. Methods: Plaid (US bank, real-time/ACH), Wise, PayPal, Routable (international bank).
Topstep: after 5 winning days $150+ (Standard) or 3 days w/ 40% consistency (Consistency path). First payout after 3 days. Methods: Prop-to-brokerage (US), Aeropay (US), Wise (China, Canada, UK), ACH (US, $30 fee), Wire/SWIFT ($30 fee). The firm reports "$1.5B+ paid out to prop firm traders" (homepage, checked 31 Oct 2026).
Firm-reported payout totals are the firms' own figures. We have not audited them.
Rule changes
No rule changes logged for either firm since tracking began. Any change will show here and on the rule-change log.
Legit check
Track record, review volume, payout terms and restrictions for each firm, on one page each: Is Take Profit Trader legit? · Is Topstep legit?
FAQ
Which is cheaper, Take Profit Trader or Topstep?
Smallest published entry fee: Take Profit Trader $150, Topstep $49. Cheapest per $1K of account: Take Profit Trader $2.4, Topstep $0.98.
Which pays out faster, Take Profit Trader or Topstep?
Take Profit Trader: Day-one and daily withdrawals in PRO once balance exceeds the buffer (= max drawdown); no min profitable days, no payout windows, no max withdrawal. Topstep: after 5 winning days $150+ (Standard) or 3 days w/ 40% consistency (Consistency path).
Which has the higher profit split?
Take Profit Trader: 80% up to 90%; Topstep: 90%. Headline splits often need scaling or an add-on.
Which is better for beginners, Take Profit Trader or Topstep?
On our six-point beginner checklist Take Profit Trader meets 2 and Topstep meets 1. The checklist is explained on the best prop firms for beginners page.
Are Take Profit Trader and Topstep legit?
Both publish their rules and are listed with sources. See the evidence pages: propanalyse.com/firms/take-profit-trader/legit/ and propanalyse.com/firms/topstep/legit/.