Top One Futures vs Apex Trader Funding
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: Top One Futures ($39 vs $167).
- Higher headline split: Apex Trader Funding (100%).
- Faster payout cycle: Top One Futures (Daily / on demand).
- Higher Trustpilot rating: Top One Futures (4.8).
- Overall PA Score: Top One Futures 7.8 vs Apex Trader Funding 6.8.
Top One Futures stronger on 6Apex Trader Funding stronger on 2of 9 lines where both publish a comparable figure
| Top One Futures7.8 PA Score | Apex Trader Funding6.8 PA Score | |
|---|---|---|
| PA Score | 7.8 (stronger figure) | 6.8 |
| Trustpilot | 4.85,282 (stronger figure) | 4.221,430 |
| Founded | Not published | 2021 (stronger figure) |
| HQ | Cheyenne, WY, United States | Austin, TX (mailing address) |
| Markets | Futures, Indices, Commodities, Forex, Crypto (stronger figure) | Futures, Indices, Commodities |
| Challenge types | 1-step, instant | 1-step |
| Entry fee from | $39 (stronger figure) | $167 |
| Cost per $1K allocation | $0.78 (stronger figure) | $4.98 |
| Largest account | $150K | $150K |
| Profit target | 6% | 6% |
| Daily loss limit | $500-$1,850 depending on size (none on Elite Access evaluation) | none (Intraday); $500-$2K (EOD) |
| Max drawdown | $1,000 / $2,000 / $3,000 / $4,500 (Elite Daily) | $1,000-$4,000 |
| Drawdown type | EOD trailing | intraday trailing or EOD trailing |
| Profit split | 90% | 100% (stronger figure) |
| Leverage | Not published | Not published |
| Platforms | Tradovate, NinjaTrader, TradingView, BlackArrow, WealthCharts | Rithmic, Tradovate, NinjaTrader, WealthCharts |
| Payout frequency | Elite Daily: daily from funded Day 1; Elite Access: every 5 profitable days; Instant/Ignite: each time the payout profit target is hit with consistency met | every 5 qualifying trading days (up to weekly) |
| First payout (days) | 1 (stronger figure) | 5 |
| Min trading days | Not published | 0 |
| Consistency rule | Elite Daily: 40% on the evaluation only. Elite Access: none on the evaluation, 40% funded. Instant Sim Funded: 20%. Ignite: 15% | 50% (PA payouts); none in eval |
| News trading | Restricted | Not published |
| Weekend holding | Restricted | Not published |
| Discount code | 50% off Elite Daily and Ignite, 45% off Instant (Halloween) | 90% off all evals (Intraday, EOD, Legacy, any size) |
| Visit site (opens Top One Futures in a new tab) | Visit site (opens Apex Trader Funding 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?
Top One Futures scores 7.8/10 and Apex Trader Funding 6.8/10, a wide 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 Top One Futures if
- you want the cheaper way in ($39 vs $167 for the smallest account)
- you care about cost per $1K of account ($0.78 vs $4.98)
- you want a faster payout cycle (daily / on demand)
- you need TradingView and BlackArrow
- you weigh firm-reported payouts (Paid out to traders $31,053,814)
Pick Apex Trader Funding if
- a higher headline split matters (100%)
- you need Rithmic
- review volume matters to you (21,430 Trustpilot reviews vs 5,282)
- you want the longer track record (operating since 2021)
Price at each account size
Cheapest program each firm sells at the sizes both offer.
| Account | Top One Futures | Apex Trader Funding |
|---|---|---|
| $25K | $178 | $167 |
| $50K | $39 | $249 |
| $100K | $398 | $790 |
| $150K | $549 | $1.2K |
Payouts
Top One Futures: Elite Daily: daily from funded Day 1; Elite Access: every 5 profitable days; Instant/Ignite: each time the payout profit target is hit with consistency met. First payout after 1 days. Methods: Rise: bank, Rise: crypto. The firm reports "Paid out to traders $31,053,814" (homepage, checked 31 Oct 2026).
Apex Trader Funding: every 5 qualifying trading days (up to weekly). First payout after 5 days.
Firm-reported payout totals are the firms' own figures. We have not audited them.
Rule changes
| Date | Firm | Field | Was | Now |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Apex Trader Funding | Discount codeOffers | SAVENOW (90% off all evals (time-limited banner)) | SAVENOW (90% off all evals (Intraday, EOD, Legacy, any size)) |
Legit check
Track record, review volume, payout terms and restrictions for each firm, on one page each: Is Top One Futures legit? · Is Apex Trader Funding legit?
FAQ
Which is cheaper, Top One Futures or Apex Trader Funding?
Smallest published entry fee: Top One Futures $39, Apex Trader Funding $167. Cheapest per $1K of account: Top One Futures $0.78, Apex Trader Funding $4.98.
Which pays out faster, Top One Futures or Apex Trader Funding?
Top One Futures: Elite Daily: daily from funded Day 1; Elite Access: every 5 profitable days; Instant/Ignite: each time the payout profit target is hit with consistency met. Apex Trader Funding: every 5 qualifying trading days (up to weekly).
Which has the higher profit split?
Top One Futures: 90%; Apex Trader Funding: 100%. Headline splits often need scaling or an add-on.
Which is better for beginners, Top One Futures or Apex Trader Funding?
On our six-point beginner checklist Top One Futures meets 2 and Apex Trader Funding meets 0. The checklist is explained on the best prop firms for beginners page.
Are Top One Futures and Apex Trader Funding legit?
Both publish their rules and are listed with sources. See the evidence pages: propanalyse.com/firms/topone-futures/legit/ and propanalyse.com/firms/apex-trader-funding/legit/.