Topstep is the oldest online prop firm for futures traders. They offer a useful service to traders who want to earn a funded futures trading account, but there are better alternatives. In this guide I rank and review the best Topstep alternatives.
3 Firms to Choose vs Topstep
1. TakeProfit Trader
Better Payout Policy - Anytime, From Day 1, and Great Deals
Price: Starts at $150/mo before discounts
TakeProfit trader boasts of allowing payouts from day 1, whereas Topstep makes you jump through a bunch of hoops.
Of course, you still have to earn their funded account and rack up some profits in it, in order to have something to withdraw.
I recommend you start with the $25K plan for $150/mo since it has the best ratio of profit-target to drawdown amount (1:1). If you need more space to trade, the $150K account gives you that.
What's Better Than Topstep:
- Withdraw your profits starting day 1. The only requirement is clearing the buffer. Topstep makes you clear the buffer and have 5 +$200 days between each payout, and users have reported payout delays.
- Payouts get processed automatically, so you can withdraw profits anytime you want and get paid the same day, as opposed to waiting for Topstep's approval and payout process.
What's Worse Than Topstep:
- Evals and Pro+ accounts have EOD (end of day) drawdowns, but the Pro (sim-funded) account uses unrealized P&L to set your drawdown amount.
Get it if anytime profit withdrawals are a top priority for you and you have the discipline to stop yourself from hitting the daily loss limit.
I recommend you start with the $25K plan for $150/mo since it has the best ratio of profit-target to drawdown amount (1:1). If you need more space to trade, the $150K account gives you that.
Better Payout Policy - No Setup Fees on Funded Accounts, & More
Price: Starts at $136 (less with coupon)
Launched in 2022, BluSky has grown to be a favored alternative to Topstep for many traders. They don't charge a setup fee for funded accounts, and they offer anytime payouts.
I recommend you start with the $50k plan and be sure to check out their trading contests for the chance to win cash and funded accounts.
What's Better Than Topstep:
- Request payout anytime, most requests are processed same-day.
- No setup fee on funded accounts, but like Topstep, when you get upgraded to a live brokerage account you'll have CME data fees.
What's Worse Than Topstep:
- If you're a fan of Toptep's "Topstep+" platform, you won't get that here.
I recommend you start with the $50k plan and be sure to check out their trading contests for the chance to win cash and funded accounts.
To see the best deal, check out BluSky discount code.
The Best Instant-Funded Futures Prop. Great target/drawdown ratios and more
Price: Starts at $549 (one time payment) before discounts
Tradeify stands out quite differently from Topstep, but it deserves a mention here because of the impressive benefits.
Tradeify sells Straight-to-Sim-Funded accounts, a.k.a, instant-funded accounts. So, you sign up and pay, and they give you a funded account you can get paid on. They give you a 100% profit split for your first $15,000 in profits.
Yes, you have to follow some rules and hit your profit target to get paid, you don't have to pass an eval.
There's no monthly fee and no secondary funding fee.
After several payouts, at their discretion, they'll seek to move you to a live account which has a 90% split.
What's Better Than Topstep:
- Trade a funded account starting day 1. No evaluations or tests. Much more below.
- 1:1 Drawdown to Profit-Target ratio on all accounts!
- EOD drawdowns give you more room to trade!
What's Worse Than Topstep:
- The upfront cost is a little higher than other firms, and currently must be paid through WISE/ACH/Wire. Still a good value when compared to other firms' eval fee + funded account activation fees.
Get it if you're ready to trade a funded account without jumping through any hoops.
I recommend you start with the $100K plan for $629/mo or the $150K plan for $699. But all plans have a 1:1 drawdown : profit-target ratio