Aqua Futures vs Topstep
Side-by-side rules, fees and payout terms. Rows with differences are highlighted; anything we could not verify is marked as such.
| Rule | Aqua Futures | Topstep |
|---|---|---|
| Drawdown modelⓘ | Trailing end-of-day | Trailing end-of-day |
| Profit splitⓘ | 90/10 | 90/10 |
| Payoutsⓘ | Flex funded: reward after 5 winning days of $200-$300; | On request, no fixed cycle. |
| Consistency ruleⓘ | 50% best-day cap | 55% best-day cap |
| Daily loss limitⓘ | None | Yes |
| News tradingⓘ | Unverified | Allowed |
| Weekend holdingⓘ | Unverified | Not allowed |
| Min. trading daysⓘ | Unverified | Unverified |
| Activation / PA feeⓘ | None | $149 one-time |
| Data feed feeⓘ | Unverified | Unverified |
| Reset feeⓘ | Varies / unverified | $49 |
| Payout bufferⓘ | Not captured; | No mandatory minimum balance after payout is stated; |
| Contract scalingⓘ | Max position 50K 4 contracts/40 micros, 100K 8/80, 150K 12/120. | Combine max position: 50K = 5 minis/50 micros; |
| Platforms | Unverified | TopstepX |
| Entry price | from $129 | from $49 / month |
| Promo code | AUTUMN (25% off) | None known |
| Last verified | 2026-10-07 | 2026-10-07 |
Highlighted rows differ between firms. Green = trader-friendly, red = restrictive, “Unverified” = we could not confirm it from the firm’s public rules.
True cost to first payout
Aqua Futures
Flex 100K — true cost to first payout
Assumes you pass without resets and reach your first payout in about 2 months.
- Evaluation fee · with code AUTUMN (list 265)
- $198.75
- Activation / PA fee · none
- $0
- Data feed
- Unverified
- Total (known costs only)
- $198.75
Not included — unverified: data feed fee.
Reset fee: unverified / varies by size. Payout buffer: Not captured; payout cap per reward $1,000/$1,500/$2,000.
Topstep
Trading Combine 100K — true cost to first payout
Assumes you pass without resets and reach your first payout in about 2 months.
- Evaluation fee × 2 mo · 99/mo subscription
- $198
- Activation / PA fee · one-time
- $149
- Data feed
- Unverified
- Total (known costs only)
- $347
Not included — unverified: data feed fee.
Reset fee: $49. Payout buffer: No mandatory minimum balance after payout is stated; payouts capped at 50% of balance (and the per-size caps above).
FAQ
Does Aqua Futures have a trailing drawdown?
Aqua Futures uses a trailing drawdown that updates at end of day (EOD) on its main program.
Does Aqua Futures have a consistency rule?
Yes — 50% best-day cap. Flex challenge: 50%
Is news trading allowed at Aqua Futures?
This depends on program and phase; we could not verify a single answer.
Does Topstep have a trailing drawdown?
Topstep uses a trailing drawdown that updates at end of day (EOD) on its main program.
Does Topstep have a consistency rule?
Yes — 55% best-day cap. Trading Combine: best single day must stay at or below 55% of the profit target
Is news trading allowed at Topstep?
Yes, with possible restrictions on funded accounts. Check Topstep’s current rules.