Rules compared
| Rule | Topstep | Elite Trader Funding |
|---|---|---|
| Market | Futures | Futures |
| Phases | One-phase | One-phase |
| Eval cost (mid tier) | $165 | $175 |
| Profit target | 6% | 6% |
| Max drawdown | Trailing (EOD) · 4% | Trailing (EOD) · 5% |
| Daily loss limit | 2% (optional) — ends the day, not the account | None |
| Consistency rule | None | 30% |
| Min trading days | 2 | 1 |
| Max days | Unlimited | Unlimited |
| Profit split | 90% | 90% |
| Payout buffer | 1% | 4% |
| Trailing on funded | Yes | No |
| Payout frequency | Every 4 days | Every 14 days |
Simulated outcomes, same trader
Identical balanced archetype (50% win rate, 1.2R average winner, 3 trades a day), thousands of simulated evaluations against each firm's exact ruleset.
| Metric | Topstep | Elite Trader Funding |
|---|---|---|
| Pass rate | 58.5% | 58.6% |
| Payout rate (if passed) | 46.6% | 36.6% |
| Joint withdrawal probability | 27.3% | 21.4% |
| Expected P&L over 50 challenges | $8.9k | $35k |
| Failures from drawdown breach | 58% | 53% |
| Failures from daily loss | 0% | 0% |
Which should you pick?
Topstep: Topstep is the industry veteran with a clean funded structure and a 90% Express Funded split. The daily loss limit is optional and hitting it only ends that day's session — it is not a violation — so the trailing end-of-day max loss, on both the Combine and the funded account, is the rule that actually ends accounts. Payouts need 5 winning days of $150+ or the 40% consistency path.
Elite Trader Funding: ETF is the classic Apex-style ruleset with tweaks — trailing-until-target, no daily loss, high theoretical pass rate for scalpers. Consistency and multiple funded-account rules matter more than the eval itself. Frequent promo pricing makes cost-adjusted EV attractive.
On the numbers above, Topstep is the better expected-value choice for a balanced profile — but archetypes are not you. A scalper and a swing trader can flip this ranking entirely, because drawdown type punishes lumpy P&L far more than frequent small P&L. Run your own drawdown numbers first, then simulate your real stats.
Frequently asked
Is Topstep or Elite Trader Funding easier to pass?+
In our simulation of a balanced 50%-win-rate trader, Topstep passes 58.5% of the time and Elite Trader Funding passes 58.6% — so Elite Trader Funding is the easier evaluation for that profile. The gap is driven mostly by drawdown type (Trailing (EOD) vs Trailing (EOD)) and the number of phases.
Which is cheaper, Topstep or Elite Trader Funding?+
The mid-tier evaluation costs $165 at Topstep and $175 at Elite Trader Funding. Sticker price is the wrong comparison though: over 50 attempted challenges our simulation nets $8.9k at Topstep versus $35k at Elite Trader Funding, because a cheaper eval you fail more often is not cheaper.
Which pays out more reliably, Topstep or Elite Trader Funding?+
Conditional on passing, our model gives Topstep a 46.6% chance of reaching a first payout versus 36.6% at Elite Trader Funding. End to end — pass and withdraw — that is 27.3% vs 21.4%. Profit splits are 90% and 90%.
What is the biggest rule difference between Topstep and Elite Trader Funding?+
Topstep uses a trailing (eod) drawdown of 4% with a 2% daily loss limit (ends the day only, not the account); Elite Trader Funding uses a trailing (eod) drawdown of 5% with no daily loss limit. Topstep is the stricter ruleset for most trading styles.
Compare both firms using YOUR trading stats
Log your trades in the journal, push your real win rate and R-multiple into the simulator, and see which of these two rulesets you actually clear.
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Based on publicly listed rules as of 2026-09-28. Independent — not affiliated with Topstep or Elite Trader Funding. Rules change; verify before paying. Simulations are estimates, not guarantees.