Blue Guardian 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 | Blue Guardian | Topstep |
|---|---|---|
| Drawdown modelⓘ | Trailing end-of-day | Trailing end-of-day |
| Profit splitⓘ | 90% | 90/10 |
| Payoutsⓘ | First payout 3 days after first trade | On request, no fixed cycle. |
| Consistency ruleⓘ | 40% best-day cap | 55% best-day cap |
| Daily loss limitⓘ | Yes | Yes |
| News tradingⓘ | Allowed | Allowed |
| Weekend holdingⓘ | Unverified | Not allowed |
| Min. trading daysⓘ | 1 days | Unverified |
| Activation / PA feeⓘ | None | $149 one-time |
| Data feed feeⓘ | Unverified | Unverified |
| Reset feeⓘ | $104 | $49 |
| Payout bufferⓘ | Standard funded buffer: 25K $1,600; | No mandatory minimum balance after payout is stated; |
| Contract scalingⓘ | Standard max contracts: 25K 1 mini/10 micro; | Combine max position: 50K = 5 minis/50 micros; |
| Platforms | MetaTrader 5, TradeLocker, Match-Trader, NinjaTrader, Tradovate | TopstepX |
| Entry price | from $115.50 | from $49 / month |
| Promo code | BG25 (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
Blue Guardian
100K Standard — true cost to first payout
Assumes you pass without resets and reach your first payout in about 2 months.
- Evaluation fee · with code BG25 (list 330)
- $247.50
- Activation / PA fee · none
- $0
- Data feed
- Unverified
- Total (known costs only)
- $247.50
Not included — unverified: data feed fee.
Reset fee: $104. Payout buffer: Standard funded buffer: 25K $1,600; 50K $2,100; 100K $3,600; 150K $5,100.
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 Blue Guardian have a trailing drawdown?
Blue Guardian uses a trailing drawdown that updates at end of day (EOD) on its main program.
Does Blue Guardian have a consistency rule?
Yes — 40% best-day cap. Futures Standard: no consistency rule in the challenge, no time limit;
Is news trading allowed at Blue Guardian?
Yes, with possible restrictions on funded accounts. Check Blue Guardian’s current rules.
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.