Lean Topstep if
Best fit
Traders who want the most established structure and can work within payout objectives.
Think twice if
You need the old first-$10K profit split as a new trader, or you dislike payout caps and objective changes.
Topstep vs Earn2Trade
A source-backed, side-by-side look at how Topstep and Earn2Trade treat drawdown, payouts, pricing, and the rules that actually decide whether you keep a funded account.
Quick verdict
Lean Earn2Trade if
Best fit
Traders who want a no-minimum-days evaluation with an education-heavy path.
Think twice if
You need a flat 90% payout split from day one.
Topstep vs Earn2Trade: rules at a glance
Every value below is pulled from each firm's official sources. Confirm live figures at checkout. New to the terms? See the key terms below.
| Rule | Topstep | Earn2Trade |
|---|---|---|
| Account sizes | $50K, $100K, $150K | TCP $25K/$50K/$100K; Gauntlet Mini $50K/$100K/$150K/$200K |
| Evaluation pricing | Standard path: $49/$99/$199 per month. No Activation Fee path: $95/$149/$229 per month. | TCP25 starts at $150/month. GAU50 starts at $170/month. |
| Activation fee | $149 on Standard path after passing; $0 on No Activation Fee path. | Not. |
| Profit targets | $3K, $6K, $9K profit target by account size. | TCP25: $1.75K; GAU50: $3K. Larger plan tables are available on product pages. |
| Drawdown | EOD trailing Maximum Loss Limit of $2K/$3K/$4.5K; monitored in real time. | Evaluation and LiveSim use EOD drawdown; Live can use trailing drawdown. Open equity still matters intraday. |
| Daily loss limit | Optional in Trading Combine/XFA; required on Live Funded Accounts. Responsible Trading Discount applies to No Activation Fee path with fixed DLL. | TCP25 DLL $550; GAU50 DLL $1.1K. |
| Consistency rule | Trading Combine best day must be at or below 50% of total profit. Optional XFA Consistency path uses 40% and can qualify in 3 trading days. | Maintain 30% consistency rule during Evaluation (both TCP and Gauntlet Mini). |
| Min trading days | As little as 2 days to pass the Trading Combine if consistency and target are met. | No minimum trading days -- Evaluation, LiveSim, and Live tiers all list "No Minimum Trading Days" on the live product pages (corrected from a previously recorded 10-day minimum). |
| Payout | New traders joining on or after Jan. 12, 2026 receive 90% of approved payouts. XFA Standard requires 5 winning days of $150+; XFA Consistency can qualify with 3 trading days and 40% consistency. | Tiered profit split, not flat 80/20: TCP25 pays 50% under $1,500 cumulative profit, 80% over; GAU50 pays 50% under $2,250, 80% over (same tiering scales with plan size on LiveSim and Live accounts). Earn2Trade publishes 2025 exam and withdrawal stats in product-page disclaimers. |
| Coupon | Built-in discount — no promo code to enter | No public code (verify at checkout) |
How the rules differ
Drawdown. Topstep: EOD trailing Maximum Loss Limit of $2K/$3K/$4.5K; monitored in real time. Earn2Trade: Evaluation and LiveSim use EOD drawdown; Live can use trailing drawdown. Open equity still matters intraday.
Payouts. Topstep: New traders joining on or after Jan. 12, 2026 receive 90% of approved payouts. XFA Standard requires 5 winning days of $150+; XFA Consistency can qualify with 3 trading days and 40% consistency. Earn2Trade: Tiered profit split, not flat 80/20: TCP25 pays 50% under $1,500 cumulative profit, 80% over; GAU50 pays 50% under $2,250, 80% over (same tiering scales with plan size on LiveSim and Live accounts). Earn2Trade publishes 2025 exam and withdrawal stats in product-page disclaimers.
Cost beyond the sticker. Topstep runs a Monthly subscription with path choice model — New-account payout caps and 90% split materially affect expected value. Earn2Trade runs a Monthly subscription evaluation with education bundle model — No minimum trading days, but the tiered 50%/80% profit split (not a flat 80/20) trails the flat 90% splits many newer firms offer.
Frequently asked
Is Topstep or Earn2Trade cheaper for a funded futures evaluation?
Topstep: Standard path: $49/$99/$199 per month. No Activation Fee path: $95/$149/$229 per month. Activation: $149 on Standard path after passing; $0 on No Activation Fee path. Earn2Trade: TCP25 starts at $150/month. GAU50 starts at $170/month. Activation: Not. Net cost depends on current sales and activation fees, so confirm the final total at checkout.
What is the difference between Topstep and Earn2Trade drawdown rules?
Topstep: EOD trailing Maximum Loss Limit of $2K/$3K/$4.5K; monitored in real time. Earn2Trade: Evaluation and LiveSim use EOD drawdown; Live can use trailing drawdown. Open equity still matters intraday.
Does Topstep or Earn2Trade have a daily loss limit?
Topstep: Optional in Trading Combine/XFA; required on Live Funded Accounts. Responsible Trading Discount applies to No Activation Fee path with fixed DLL. Earn2Trade: TCP25 DLL $550; GAU50 DLL $1.1K.
What are the payout rules for Topstep vs Earn2Trade?
Topstep: New traders joining on or after Jan. 12, 2026 receive 90% of approved payouts. XFA Standard requires 5 winning days of $150+; XFA Consistency can qualify with 3 trading days and 40% consistency. Earn2Trade: Tiered profit split, not flat 80/20: TCP25 pays 50% under $1,500 cumulative profit, 80% over; GAU50 pays 50% under $2,250, 80% over (same tiering scales with plan size on LiveSim and Live accounts). Earn2Trade publishes 2025 exam and withdrawal stats in product-page disclaimers.
Do Topstep or Earn2Trade have a consistency rule?
Topstep: Trading Combine best day must be at or below 50% of total profit. Optional XFA Consistency path uses 40% and can qualify in 3 trading days. Earn2Trade: Maintain 30% consistency rule during Evaluation (both TCP and Gauntlet Mini).
Sources
Official help, pricing, and payout pages used for this comparison.
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Key terms
- EOD (end-of-day) drawdown
- Your maximum-loss line trails on your balance at the daily close, not your highest intraday equity. Open profit you give back during the day does not pull the line up against you.
- Trailing drawdown
- Your maximum-loss line trails your highest intraday equity, so profit you reach and then give back can move the line up against you.
- Daily loss limit (DLL)
- A cap on how much you can lose in a single trading day — some firms call it a Daily Loss Guard. A few make it optional during the evaluation.
- Consistency rule
- Caps how much of your total profit can come from a single best day, so one outlier session can't carry a pass or a payout.
- Activation fee
- A one-time fee to turn a passed evaluation into a funded account, charged on top of the evaluation price.
- Profit split
- The share of payouts you keep. A 90/10 split means you keep 90% and the firm keeps 10%.
- XFA / PA
- Firm-specific funded-account names: XFA is Topstep's Express Funded Account; PA is Apex's Performance Account.
- Sim-funded / LiveSim
- Simulated-funded accounts — you trade firm capital in a simulated environment, not your own live money, until later stages.
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Comparison research, not investment advice. Funded-account rules, pricing, payout schedules, and coupons change without notice — figures here reflect the dataset last reviewed July 18, 2026. Always confirm current terms on the firm's official site before purchasing an evaluation.