Elite Trader Funding 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 | Elite Trader Funding | Topstep |
|---|---|---|
| Drawdown modelⓘ | Trailing intraday | Trailing end-of-day |
| Profit splitⓘ | Up to 100% in sim-funded until $25,000 lifetime payouts, then LIVE ELITE 80/20 | 90/10 |
| Payoutsⓘ | Payout cycles after Active Trade Days | On request, no fixed cycle. |
| Consistency ruleⓘ | Unverified | 55% best-day cap |
| Daily loss limitⓘ | None | Yes |
| News tradingⓘ | Unverified | Allowed |
| Weekend holdingⓘ | Unverified | Not allowed |
| Min. trading daysⓘ | 5 days | Unverified |
| Activation / PA feeⓘ | $157 one-time | $149 one-time |
| Data feed feeⓘ | Unverified | Unverified |
| Reset feeⓘ | $47 | $49 |
| Payout bufferⓘ | Safety net: realized profit equal to max drawdown + $100 permanently removes drawdown for… | No mandatory minimum balance after payout is stated; |
| Contract scalingⓘ | Fixed max position per account; | Combine max position: 50K = 5 minis/50 micros; |
| Platforms | TradingView, NinjaTrader, Rithmic, Tradovate, Tickblaze | TopstepX |
| Entry price | from $167 / month | from $49 / month |
| Promo code | None known | 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
Elite Trader Funding
150K 1 Step — true cost to first payout
Assumes you pass without resets and reach your first payout in about 2 months.
- Evaluation fee × 2 mo · 297/mo subscription
- $594
- Activation / PA fee · one-time
- $157
- Data feed
- Unverified
- Total (known costs only)
- $751
Not included — unverified: data feed fee.
Reset fee: $47. Payout buffer: Safety net: realized profit equal to max drawdown + $100 permanently removes drawdown for payout eligibility; LIVE ELITE minimum payout $250; sim payout cap $25,000 per trader then go live.
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 Elite Trader Funding have a trailing drawdown?
Elite Trader Funding uses a trailing drawdown that updates intraday on its main program.
Does Elite Trader Funding have a consistency rule?
We could not verify a consistency rule from the firm’s public rules.
Is news trading allowed at Elite Trader Funding?
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.