Topstep Review 2026: An In-Depth Guide - Rules, Payouts, and Discount

Topstep Quick Overview

Topstep Review 2026 examines a futures prop firm that has operated since 2012 from its Chicago headquarters. The firm runs a subscription-based Trading Combine that leads to funded accounts for CME futures traders.

Topstep charges monthly fees between $49 and $209 based on account size. Funded traders receive a 90 percent profit split with weekly payouts after meeting minimum winning days. The firm states it has distributed more than $1.4 billion in payouts overall.

Platform updates in 2025 and 2026 produced mixed trader feedback. You can compare Topstep against 47 other futures prop firms on Lune's directory for the latest pricing and rules. Always check the current challenge contract before you begin any evaluation.

Current Deals & Promo Codes

Topstep offers one active discount code for new traders. The code SAVE20 provides 20 percent off monthly Trading Combine subscriptions on every account size.

Promo codes in the prop firm space change frequently. Check the Topstep site or Lune's prop firm directory before you start a challenge.

What is Topstep?

Company Background

Topstep began operations in 2012 and maintains its headquarters in Chicago. The firm focuses solely on futures trading through CME products.

It uses a subscription-based Trading Combine evaluation that leads to funded accounts. Monthly fees range from $49 to $209 depending on the chosen account size between $50,000 and $150,000.

Topstep reports more than $1.4 billion in total payouts to over 7,000 traders who receive weekly distributions. Its Trustpilot score sits between 3.4 and 3.7 out of 5 based on roughly 14,000 reviews as of late 2026.^[1]

The firm holds NFA registration as an introducing broker with no disciplinary actions listed. Combine pass rates range from 10 to 17 percent, while only 5 to 7 percent of traders maintain consistent long-term profitability.

Key Differentiators

Topstep uses a one-step evaluation model and places emphasis on consistency rather than multiple challenge phases. It offers a 90/10 profit split on funded accounts and permits scalping.

Unlike many newer prop firms, Topstep supplies extensive free education through TopstepTV and maintains an active Discord community with more than 174,000 members. Payouts require only three to five winning days with a $150 minimum after approval.

Recent platform issues with TopstepX in 2025 and 2026 have drawn criticism, including outages that resulted in trader liquidations and lower review scores. Payout caps and stricter enforcement on rules such as copy trading have also appeared in complaints.

One observation not often highlighted in other reviews is how Topstep's trailing drawdown limits (2 to 4.5 percent depending on size) sit tighter than the industry median of 5 to 6 percent for similar one-step futures programs. This increases the challenge for high-volume traders.

Topstep remains one of the longest-running futures prop firms, but recent operational changes mean traders should verify current rules directly before committing.

How Topstep Works in 2026

Evaluation Process

Topstep uses a one-step Trading Combine to evaluate traders. You begin by selecting an account size and paying a monthly subscription. The firm offers six plans ranging from the $50,000 Standard Path at $49 per month to the $150,000 Standard Path at $149 per month.

1. Sign up on the Topstep website and choose your account size.
2. Pay the subscription fee plus any activation cost. The Standard Path 100K plan costs $99 monthly with a $149 activation fee.
3. Trade the evaluation account while staying inside the rules. The 100K plan requires a $6,000 profit target, a $2,000 daily loss limit, and a $3,000 trailing max loss.
4. Hit the profit target without breaching limits. Topstep reports a Combine pass rate of roughly 10 to 17 percent.

Consider a sample journey on the 100K Standard Path. A trader begins with the $99 subscription. Over 12 trading days the account reaches exactly $6,000 in realized profit while the trailing drawdown stays above $3,000. The account qualifies for funding.

Funded Account Phase

Once funded, traders move to an Express Funded Account that pays a 90/10 profit split. Payouts are available weekly after three to five winning days that meet a $150 minimum. The same 100K account keeps the $2,000 daily loss limit and $3,000 trailing max loss.

Topstep also offers No Activation Fee paths. The 100K version costs $159 monthly with no activation fee and identical profit and drawdown targets.

Traders who pass the Combine often use external tools to track multiple accounts and enforce risk rules automatically.

Lune's prop firm comparison page lists Topstep alongside 46 other futures firms and includes real challenge data for side-by-side review. The platform also connects to TopstepX accounts through its cloud connections layer, giving traders automated risk controls and journaling without extra software.

Topstep Account Options & Pricing

Topstep structures its evaluations around six Trading Combine plans. Each plan uses a one-step process with trailing drawdown rules. Traders pay a monthly subscription to access the platform and attempt to meet profit targets while staying within loss limits.

The Standard Path plans deliver the strongest price-to-account ratio. A $150,000 account costs roughly $1 per $1,000 of buying power when activation is included. The no-activation options raise monthly fees by 40 to 60 percent with no other rule changes.

Traders should calculate total first-month cost before choosing. Standard 50K runs $198 upfront while the no-activation 50K runs $109 with higher ongoing expense. Lune's prop firm comparison tool at lunefi.com/prop-firm/topstep lets you line up these numbers against 47 other firms in one view.

Profit splits sit at 90 percent for funded accounts across all sizes. Payout frequency is weekly once minimums are met. Always verify current rules directly because Topstep has adjusted drawdown calculations and payout caps in recent years.

Rules of the Topstep Program

Trading Rules

Topstep runs a one-step Trading Combine for all account sizes. You pick from $50,000, $100,000, or $150,000 programs. Each requires a profit target, daily loss limit, and trailing drawdown.

Profit targets range from $3,000 on the $50K account to $9,000 on the $150K account. Daily loss limits sit at $1,000, $2,000, or $3,000 respectively. The trailing drawdown starts at $2,000 for the smallest size and reaches $4,500 for the largest.

Scalping is allowed. There is no consistency rule. Minimum trading days are not required. News trading, overnight holding, and weekend holding rules are not specified in the current program documents.

Risk Management Rules

Topstep enforces a trailing drawdown that moves up with your account equity. It locks in gains once you hit the profit target. The daily loss limit resets each trading day and cannot be exceeded.

All accounts carry a monthly subscription fee. The $50K Standard Path costs $49 per month plus a $149 activation fee. Larger sizes scale up to $149 monthly plus the same activation fee. Some no-activation-fee paths cost more per month.

Profit split starts at 90/10 once you reach Express Funded status. Payouts process weekly after three to five winning days, subject to minimums and caps.

What This Means For You

The trailing drawdown forces steady risk control. A $150K account gives you only $4,500 of breathing room. One bad session can wipe out weeks of progress. The lack of a consistency rule helps aggressive traders, yet the low pass rate of 10-17 percent shows most still fail.

Topstep focuses only on CME futures. If you need multi-asset support or faster platform options, compare it against other firms on Lune's prop firm directory.

Payout Structure & Profit Sharing

Topstep uses a 90/10 profit split on funded accounts. Traders keep 90 percent of profits while the firm takes 10 percent. This structure applies to new Express Funded Accounts and remains consistent across the Standard Path and No Activation Fee Path options.

Payouts occur weekly once certain conditions are met. Traders typically need 3 to 5 winning days with a minimum profit threshold around $150. Payout caps and other limits may apply depending on account size and performance history.

Consider a trader who generates $5,000 in profits on a $150,000 account. Under the 90/10 split the trader receives $4,500 while Topstep keeps $500. This example assumes all weekly payout rules and minimum day requirements have been satisfied.

Topstep reports over $1.4 billion in total payouts to more than 7,000 traders each week. The firm is NFA-registered and has operated since 2012, which supports its payout track record in independent reviews.

For traders comparing multiple firms side by side, Lune's prop firm directory at lunefi.com/prop-firm shows how Topstep's weekly cadence and 90 percent trader share stack up against the 47 other platforms it tracks.