Topstep, reviewed: the original trading combine, twelve years in

Topstep is the firm most futures traders have heard of. It has run its Trading Combine since 2012, which makes it one of the oldest evaluation-based funding programs still operating. Longevity is the pitch. Here is what the numbers say.

How it works

The Trading Combine is a monthly subscription, not a one-time fee. You pass a single-phase evaluation, then trade an Express Funded Account (XFA), with a path to a Live Funded Account. Three sizes: 50K, 100K, 150K.

A 50K Combine runs $49 a month with a $149 activation fee when you get funded, or $85 a month with no activation fee. The target is $3,000, on a $2,000 end-of-day trailing drawdown, with a $1,000 daily loss limit and a 50 percent consistency rule.

What is genuinely good

Reputation is the real product. Topstep has a long public track record, responsive support, and a large education library, which matters if you are new. The drawdown is end-of-day trailing, friendlier than a real-time trail. Payouts are on demand once you qualify, with a low $125 minimum, and the split is a clean 90/10 for anyone signing up in 2026.

The fine print

Three things to weigh. First, the monthly subscription means a slow pass costs more than the sticker; you pay every month you are still in the Combine. Second, the 50 percent consistency rule applies, so one huge day cannot carry your account. Third, the funded path is staged: you start on an Express Funded Account and must clear requirements, including five winning days of at least $150, before payouts, and early withdrawals are capped per request. The 90/10 split is real, but the road to a live account has gates.

Bottom line

Topstep is the safe, established choice: a proven firm with strong support and a clean 90/10 split, weighed against a monthly cost and a staged funded path that rewards patience over one big trade. If you value a long track record over the lowest price, it earns its reputation.