Skip to content
SAVE ON PROP FIRMSTrade More. Spend Less.

Topstep vs TradeDay

Topstep wins, 3 rounds to 0. It has fewer rules that can end the account, can pay you sooner and puts more in your pocket per payout. Topstep vs TradeDay, compared on price, drawdown, consistency rules and payouts, with every discount applied.

Updated November 6, 2026

Firm 1
Topstep
EvaluationEnd-of-Day drawdown$95 all-in
Firm 2
TradeDay
EvaluationEnd-of-Day drawdown$95 all-in
Change a firm, plan or size and the card rescores.

The verdict

Topstep
TradeDay
3to0

Topstep wins, 3 rounds to 0. It has fewer rules that can end the account, can pay you sooner and puts more in your pocket per payout.

  1. 1. Cost to get funded: Tie
  2. 2. Room to trade: Tie
  3. 3. Rules that can end it: Topstep
  4. 4. Speed to first payout: Topstep
  5. 5. Payday: Topstep

Five rounds, one point each. Most points wins; a level card goes to the cheaper account. How we score

Choose Topstep if

  • you want fewer rules that can fail the account
  • you want your first payout as soon as possible
  • you want the biggest payouts

Choose TradeDay if

It does not win a round here, so pick it only for something outside these five, like its platforms or how it lets you trade.

SOPF50% offGet TradeDay →
Disclaimer: We do our best to keep account prices, activation fees, and promo codes accurate and up to date. But prop firms can change their offers at any time. To be safe, always double-check the firm's website before you buy to make sure everything still matches.

Topstep vs TradeDay, round by round

The five things that decide whether a funded account works for you, in the order you live them.

Round 1Tie

Cost to get funded

The price after the discount code, plus any activation fee. Most traders fail at least once, so the cheaper account is also cheaper to try again.

How it is scored: Lower all-in price wins
Topstep$95
TradeDay$95

Both cost $95 all-in to get funded.

Round 2Tie

Room to trade

The drawdown is the line that ends the account. A line that moves less, with more room under it, means a normal pullback does not blow the account.

How it is scored: Static beats end-of-day beats intraday, then more room wins
Topstep
End-of-Day
$2,000 of room
TradeDay
End-of-Day
$2,000 of room

Both use an end-of-day drawdown, which only moves when the trading day closes, and both let you lose $2,000 before the account fails.

Round 3Topstep

Rules that can end it

These are the rules that fail accounts or hold back payouts even when you are in profit. Fewer tripwires, fewer ways to lose the account.

How it is scored: Fewer of these rules wins

Topstep has one of these rules. TradeDay adds a consistency rule on payouts.

Round 4Topstep

Speed to first payout

Days from buying the account to asking for your first payout, if everything goes right.

How it is scored: Fewer days wins
Topstep7 days
TradeDay8 days

Topstep can pay you after 7 days at the earliest: 2 days to pass, then 5 profitable days to the first payout. TradeDay takes 8: 3 days to pass, then 5 profitable days to the first payout.

Round 5Topstep

Payday

The most one payout can put in your pocket: the payout cap times your share. A high split means little if the cap is low.

How it is scored: More money from one payout wins
Topstep$1,80090% split
TradeDay$1,20080% split

Topstep: up to $2,000 a payout at 90%, so $1,800 to you. TradeDay: up to $1,500 a payout at 80%, so $1,200 to you.

Topstep vs TradeDay side by side

The rules that matter most for both accounts, checked 6 Nov 2026 against each firm's own rules.

TopstepTradeDay
All-in price
$95
$95$189 list
Activation fee
None
None
Profit target
$3,000
$3,000
Max drawdown
$2,000 · EOD
$2,000 · EOD
Daily loss limit
None
None
Days to pass
2
3
Days to payout
5
5
Profit split
90%
80%
Maximum payout
$2,000
$1,500
Payout buffer
None
None
Funded consistency
None
45%
Contract limits
5 Mini / 50 Micro
5 Mini / 50 Micro
Every other ruleFunded contracts, scaling, payout days and the rest.
TopstepTradeDay
P/D ratio
1.50
1.50
Max funded accounts
5
3
Funded drawdown
$2,000 · EOD
$2,000 · EOD
Funded daily loss
None
None
Funded contracts
5 Mini / 50 Micro
5 Mini / 50 Micro
Contract scaling
Yes
Yes
Minimum payout
$125
$250
Payout day type
Profitable Days
Profitable Days
Progressive payouts
No
No
How each firm lets you tradeNews, overnight holds, bots and more. Not scored: it depends on your style.
TopstepTradeDay
News trading
With limitsNews trading is not blacked out, but purposefully trading your full Maximum Position Size directly into a scheduled major news event is a prohibited trading strategy.
With limitsTier-1 releases (FOMC, CPI, NFP, oil/gas inventories, crop reports) auto-liquidate positions 2 min before and reopen 2 min after; all other news trading is unrestricted.
Swing trading
Not allowed
Not allowed
Copy trading
Allowed
Allowed
Algorithmic trading
With limitsAutomated strategies/bots are allowed via TopstepX or the ProjectX API, subject to Prohibited Conduct/Trading Strategies and a standing platform-wide ban on high-frequency trading (HFT).
With limitsAutomated trading must run on a supported platform (NinjaTrader, Tradovate, TradingView, Jigsaw, Quantower); third-party purchased bots and direct API access are banned.
Scalping
With limitsNo stated minimum hold time or tick count, but scalping algorithms designed to exploit unrealistic SIM fills or preferential queue position are treated as prohibited SIM abuse.
With limitsGeneral scalping is fine; bans HFT-automated scalping, over 200 trades/day, queue-gaming, and microscalping where sub-10-second trades dominate account activity/profit.
Hedging
Not allowed
Not allowed
Company detailsPlatforms, payments and who runs each firm. Not scored.
TopstepTradeDay
Platforms
TopstepX, Quantower
NinjaTrader, TradingView, Tradovate, Quantower, ATAS, Sierra Chart, MotiveWave, Bookmap, R|Trader Pro, WealthCharts, EdgePro X, Finamark, Jigsaw, VolFix, MultiCharts
Payments accepted
Credit/Debit Card
Credit/Debit Card, PayPal, Apple Pay, Google Pay
Payout methods
ACH, Wire, Wise, Aeropay
Wire, Crypto, Rise
Support
Email, Live Chat, Discord, Telephone
Email, Live Chat
Country
US
US
Year formed
2012
2020
CEO
Michael Patak
James Thorpe

More matchups

Every other firm against these two, on the same five rounds.

Topstep vs TradeDay FAQ

Q1

Is Topstep better than TradeDay?

Yes. For the accounts compared here, Topstep wins more of the five rounds that matter to a funded trader: cost, room to trade, rules, payout speed and payday. The better pick still depends on what you need most, so the verdict lists what each account is best for.
Q2

What is the difference between Topstep and TradeDay?

TradeDay has a consistency rule on payouts and Topstep does not. Each round on this card explains one difference in plain words. The card on this page shows both accounts round by round, with every discount applied. Swap either account at the top of the page to compare a different size or plan.
Q3

Which is cheaper, Topstep or TradeDay?

Neither: Topstep and TradeDay cost the same to get funded for the accounts compared here, counting the current discount code and any activation fee charged after you pass. With the price level, the other four rounds decide the card. Promotions change often, so the gap can open up from week to week.
Q4

Is Topstep or TradeDay better for beginners?

Topstep is the better start for a new trader here, because it wins more of the three rounds that decide whether you get funded: what a try costs, how much room the drawdown gives you and how many rules can end the account. New traders fail more often, so the cost of trying again matters.
Q5

Which pays out faster, Topstep or TradeDay?

Topstep can pay you sooner than TradeDay, counting the days to pass the evaluation and the days to the first payout request, the way each firm publishes them. A payout buffer or a consistency rule can add time on top of the minimum. Both firm pages list every rule in full.
Q6

Which has the easier drawdown, Topstep or TradeDay?

Neither: Topstep and TradeDay both use an end-of-day drawdown, which only moves when the trading day closes, with the same room before the account fails, for the accounts compared here. The drawdown ends more accounts than any other rule, so it matters more than the profit target.
Q7

Does Topstep or TradeDay have a consistency rule?

Yes. Both Topstep and TradeDay have a consistency rule on the accounts compared here, which caps how much of your profit one day can carry. The rules round on the card shows whether it applies to passing, to payouts, or to both. What a consistency rule is is explained in the glossary.
Q8

Is there a discount code for Topstep and TradeDay?

Yes. Code SOPF works at both Topstep and TradeDay, and every price on this page already has it applied. The code pages for Topstep and TradeDay list every current offer, with the date each one was last checked. Codes change often, so check them before you buy.

How the card is scored

Five rounds, one point each. The account that wins the most rounds wins the card, and a level card goes to the cheaper account. A round without the numbers for both sides scores nobody and says so.

  1. Round 1

    Cost to get funded

    The evaluation after the discount code, plus any activation fee charged when you pass. Lower wins.

    All-in price, explained
  2. Round 2

    Room to trade

    The drawdown, the line that ends the account. Static beats end-of-day, which beats intraday trailing. Same kind? More room wins.

    Drawdown, explained
  3. Round 3

    Rules that can end it

    A daily loss limit, a consistency rule to pass, one on payouts, and a payout buffer. Fewer wins.

    Consistency rule, explained
  4. Round 4

    Speed to first payout

    Days to pass plus days to the first payout, counted the way each firm publishes them. Fewer wins.

    Payout cycle, explained
  5. Round 5

    Payday

    The most one payout can put in your pocket: the payout cap times your split. More wins.

    Profit split, explained

Platforms, news rules and the rest depend on how you trade, so they are on every card for reference and never scored. Prices come from the same data as the board and the firm pages, so a number here always matches the rest of the site.

Newsletter

Stay Ahead of Every Deal

Get notified when promo codes drop, firms change rules, or new accounts launch.

Community

Discord Community

... online... members
Join Now