Rules compared
| Rule | Topstep | Take Profit Trader |
|---|---|---|
| Market | Futures | Futures |
| Phases | One-phase | One-phase |
| Eval cost (mid tier) | $165 | $150 |
| Profit target | 6% | 6% |
| Max drawdown | Trailing (EOD) · 4% | Static · 3% |
| Daily loss limit | 2% (optional) — ends the day, not the account | None |
| Consistency rule | None | 50% |
| Min trading days | 2 | 5 |
| Max days | Unlimited | Unlimited |
| Profit split | 90% | 80% |
| Payout buffer | 1% | 3% |
| Trailing on funded | Yes | No |
| Payout frequency | Every 4 days | Every 7 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 | Take Profit Trader |
|---|---|---|
| Pass rate | 58.5% | 57.2% |
| Payout rate (if passed) | 46.6% | 38.3% |
| Joint withdrawal probability | 27.3% | 21.9% |
| Expected P&L over 50 challenges | $8.9k | $16.5k |
| Failures from drawdown breach | 58% | 44% |
| 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.
Take Profit Trader: TPT is one of the friendlier eval structures — static drawdown, no daily loss on core plans, generous max days. The Test carries a 50% consistency rule (your best day must be under half of total net profit), which mainly slows down traders who make most of their profit in one big day. Where it costs you is the profit split and payout cadence versus more aggressive competitors.
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 Take Profit Trader easier to pass?+
In our simulation of a balanced 50%-win-rate trader, Topstep passes 58.5% of the time and Take Profit Trader passes 57.2% — so Topstep is the easier evaluation for that profile. The gap is driven mostly by drawdown type (Trailing (EOD) vs Static) and the number of phases.
Which is cheaper, Topstep or Take Profit Trader?+
The mid-tier evaluation costs $165 at Topstep and $150 at Take Profit Trader. Sticker price is the wrong comparison though: over 50 attempted challenges our simulation nets $8.9k at Topstep versus $16.5k at Take Profit Trader, because a cheaper eval you fail more often is not cheaper.
Which pays out more reliably, Topstep or Take Profit Trader?+
Conditional on passing, our model gives Topstep a 46.6% chance of reaching a first payout versus 38.3% at Take Profit Trader. End to end — pass and withdraw — that is 27.3% vs 21.9%. Profit splits are 90% and 80%.
What is the biggest rule difference between Topstep and Take Profit Trader?+
Topstep uses a trailing (eod) drawdown of 4% with a 2% daily loss limit (ends the day only, not the account); Take Profit Trader uses a static drawdown of 3% with no daily loss limit. Take Profit Trader 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.
Run my simulationMore Topstep comparisons
Based on publicly listed rules as of 2026-09-28. Independent — not affiliated with Topstep or Take Profit Trader. Rules change; verify before paying. Simulations are estimates, not guarantees.