TradeDay vs Topstep: which prop firm is better?
By Modestas R. · Updated
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The short answer
TradeDay is the cheaper start with its own code, has no activation fee and supports twelve platforms, but its Quick Pay route pays only 50% until an account has more than $4,000 in profit. Topstep pays 90% from the first payout, keeps an end-of-day drawdown once funded and has a looser consistency rule.
Choose TradeDay if
- ✓You want the cheapest start: about $65.50 for a 50K month with TDNEW
- ✓You want payouts from day one with no buffer (Quick Pay)
- ✓You trade on NinjaTrader, Tradovate, TradingView or another of 12 platforms
- ✓You copy trades across accounts, including from personal accounts
Choose Topstep if
- ✓You want 90% of every payout from the first one
- ✓You want an end-of-day drawdown on the funded account
- ✓You want a looser consistency rule (55% instead of 30% or 45%)
- ✓You want to trade through major news, with size limits
TradeDay vs Topstep side by side
| Feature | TradeDay | Topstep |
|---|---|---|
| Our rating | 4.0 / 5 | 4.9 / 5 |
| Founded | 2020, Chicago, Illinois, USA | 2012, Chicago, Illinois |
| Evaluation price from | $100/mo | $49/mo |
| 50K evaluation price | $131 / month | $49 / month |
| Activation fee | None | $149 |
| 50K profit target | $3,000 | $3,000 |
| 50K max drawdown | $2,000 | $2,000 |
| 50K daily loss limit | None | Optional, chosen at checkout |
| 50K max contracts | 5 minis | 5 minis |
| Evaluation drawdown | Intraday or EOD | EOD |
| Funded drawdown | Intraday | EOD |
| Consistency rule | Yes | Yes |
| Minimum trading days | 5 (Quick Pay) or 3 (Fast Pass) | 2 |
| Profit split | 50–80% | 90% |
| Payouts | Quick Pay: from day one; Fast Pass: after 5 profitable days | After 5 winning days (Standard) or 3 days (Consistency); daily in Live |
| Max funded accounts | 5 | 5 |
| Platforms | Tradovate, NinjaTrader, TradingView, Jigsaw, R|Trader Pro, Quantower, ATAS, MotiveWave, Bookmap, Sierra Chart, MultiCharts, WealthCharts | TopstepX, Quantower |
| News trading | Restricted | Allowed |
| Overnight positions | Not allowed | Not allowed |
| Public promo code | TDNEW | None |
50K accounts at list price; see the cost section for prices with current codes. TradeDay: Quick Pay with intraday drawdown. Topstep: Standard path. Data from each firm's official website and help center, checked October 25, 2026.
How they score
Our methodologyCost 25%
Rules 25%
Payouts 20%
Trust 20%
Platforms 10%
Cost: TradeDay vs Topstep
Both Chicago firms bill evaluations as a monthly subscription with no time limit. TradeDay charges no activation fee; Topstep charges $149 on its Standard path or nothing on its more expensive No Activation Fee path. TradeDay publishes its own best-price code, TDNEW, which showed 50–55% off list prices on October 25, 2026. Topstep does not publish a sitewide code of its own; codes from its affiliate creators take 20% off the first month.
| 50K account | TradeDay Quick Pay (intraday) | Topstep |
|---|---|---|
| Evaluation, list price | $131 per month | $49 per month (Standard) or $95 per month (No Activation Fee) |
| Evaluation with a code (Oct 25, 2026) | About $65.50 per month (TDNEW) | $39.20 first month on Standard (20% creator code) |
| Activation fee | None | $149 on Standard, none on No Activation Fee |
| Pass in one month, cheapest route | About $65.50 | $95 (No Activation Fee) |
| Reset | Same as the monthly price | $49 (Standard) or $95 (No Activation Fee) |
With its own code, TradeDay is the cheaper start. Without it, TradeDay lists at $131 a month, so Topstep is cheaper. TradeDay's end-of-day Quick Pay and Fast Pass versions list at higher prices. Codes change, so check the price at checkout.
Rules and drawdown
| 50K evaluation | TradeDay Quick Pay | TradeDay Fast Pass | Topstep |
|---|---|---|---|
| Profit target | $3,000 | $3,000 | $3,000 |
| Maximum drawdown | $2,000, intraday or end-of-day | $2,000, end-of-day | $2,000, end-of-day trailing |
| Max contracts | 5 minis | 5 minis | 5 minis |
| Consistency rule | No day above 30% of profit | No day above 45% of profit | Best day below 55% of the target |
| Minimum days | 5 | 3 | 2 |
| Funded drawdown | Intraday (always) | End-of-day | End-of-day |
The targets, drawdowns and contract limits are the same. Topstep's consistency rule is the loosest, and it needs the fewest days. At both firms a day that breaks the consistency rule raises your target instead of failing you; our consistency rule guide shows the math.
Watch the funded drawdown at TradeDay: Quick Pay always switches to an intraday trailing drawdown once funded, even if you passed on an end-of-day evaluation. Fast Pass and Topstep keep an end-of-day drawdown. See our trailing drawdown guide.
Payouts: TradeDay vs Topstep
| 50K funded account | TradeDay Quick Pay | TradeDay Fast Pass | Topstep Express Funded Account |
|---|---|---|---|
| Profit split | 50% until the account has $4,000+ profit, then 80% | 80% | 90% |
| When you can withdraw | From day one, no buffer | After 5 profitable days of $150+ | After 5 winning days of $150+ (Standard) or 3 days (Consistency) |
| Payout limits | $250 minimum | $250 minimum | $2,000 (Standard) or $3,000 (Consistency) cap, up to 50% of balance |
| Max funded accounts | 5 | 5 | 5 |
Topstep pays the higher split from the first payout. TradeDay's Quick Pay lets you withdraw from day one, but you keep only 50% until the account holds more than $4,000 of profit: on a 50K account with $3,000 of profit, a $1,000 request pays you $500. TradeDay processes requests sent before 5:30 PM CT within one business day.
Both have live programs. TradeDay reviews Quick Pay accounts for Funded Live at $10,000 of gross profit; live traders pay professional data fees of $156 a month per exchange. Topstep's Risk Team calls traders up to a Live Funded Account with no dollar cap.
Platforms and trading rules
TradeDay supports twelve platforms, including Tradovate, NinjaTrader, TradingView, Jigsaw, R|Trader Pro, Quantower, ATAS, Sierra Chart and Bookmap, with CQG or Rithmic data. Topstep runs on TopstepX, with Quantower as the only alternative.
- News: TradeDay closes positions 2 minutes before tier 1 releases such as FOMC, CPI and NFP. Topstep allows news trading but bans trading your full maximum size into major scheduled news.
- Automation: both allow your own automated strategies; TradeDay bans purchased algos and bots.
- Daily close: TradeDay closes positions 10 minutes before the daily close; Topstep requires you to be flat by 3:10 PM CT.
- Copy trading: TradeDay allows it, including from your personal accounts; Topstep allows copiers across your own accounts.
Trust and track record
Both firms are based in Chicago. Topstep has run its Trading Combine since 2012, says it has paid more than $1.5 billion to traders and owns Topstep Brokerage, a separate introducing broker and NFA member. TradeDay has operated since 2020, says it has paid more than $10 million to funded traders and publishes its pass rate: 36% of traders passed its evaluation from January to June 2026.
Both publish detailed public help centers, which we used for this comparison.
Bottom line
Pick TradeDay if you want the cheapest start with TDNEW, no activation fee, payouts from day one or one of its twelve platforms, and you can accept a 50% split on Quick Pay until $4,000 of profit. Pick Topstep if you want 90% from the first payout, an end-of-day funded drawdown, the loosest consistency rule and a longer track record. For every rule in detail, read our full TradeDay review and Topstep review.
TradeDay vs Topstep FAQ
Is TradeDay or Topstep better?+
Topstep scores higher in our rating (4.9 against 4.0), mainly on rules and payouts: a 90% split from the first payout, an end-of-day funded drawdown and a looser consistency rule. TradeDay is the better choice if you want a cheaper start, no activation fee and a much wider choice of platforms.
Which is cheaper, TradeDay or Topstep?+
TradeDay, with its own code. On October 25, 2026 TDNEW took about 50% off, so a 50K Quick Pay evaluation cost about $65.50 a month (list $131), with no activation fee. Topstep's cheapest one-month pass is $95 on its No Activation Fee path.
What profit split do TradeDay and Topstep pay?+
Topstep pays 90% in the Express Funded Account. TradeDay Fast Pass pays 80%. TradeDay Quick Pay pays 50% until the account has more than $4,000 of profit, and 80% after that.
Does TradeDay or Topstep have a stricter consistency rule?+
TradeDay. No single day may be more than 30% (Quick Pay) or 45% (Fast Pass) of total profit, against 55% of the profit target at Topstep. At both firms, a larger day raises your target instead of failing you.
Are TradeDay and Topstep both in Chicago?+
Yes. Topstep has run its Trading Combine in Chicago since 2012, and TradeDay has operated from Chicago since 2020.
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Trading futures involves substantial risk of loss and is not suitable for everyone. This comparison is for information only and is not financial advice. Firms change their rules often, so confirm the current terms before you buy.