The ruleset
| Account sizes | $50k · $100k · $150k |
| Eval cost (mid tier) | $165 |
| Phases | One-phase |
| Profit target | 6% |
| Max drawdown | Trailing (EOD) · 4% |
| Daily loss limit | 2% |
| Consistency rule | None |
| Min trading days | 2 |
| Max days | Unlimited |
| Profit split (funded) | 100% |
| Payout buffer | 1% |
| Min profitable days (funded) | 5 |
| Trailing on funded | Yes |
| Payout frequency | Every 4 days |
Simulated results
Three trader profiles, 10,000 simulated evaluations each against Topstep's exact rules. Pass rate is the eval only. Payout is conditional on passing. Joint withdrawal is the probability of reaching a first payout end-to-end. P&L is expected value over 50 attempted challenges at the mid-tier account.
Why traders fail this challenge
Failure breakdown from the balanced-archetype simulation. This is what typically ends a Topstep run — not what traders think ends it.
Rules explained
How Topstep's drawdown works
Topstep uses a trailing (eod) drawdown of 4% of the starting balance. End-of-day trailing only ratchets against your closing equity, which is materially easier than intraday trailing. See trailing drawdown explained for the full mechanics.
How the daily loss limit is calculated
Topstep caps intraday drawdown at 2% of the account. It's evaluated end-of-day on realised P&L, and a single losing session over the cap ends the challenge — not just the day.
Consistency rule
Topstep has no consistency rule on the standard evaluation. See the consistency rule explained for the full mechanics and how it changes your real pass rate.
Is Topstep worth it?
Topstep is the industry veteran and has the cleanest funded-account structure — no consistency rule at any stage, real payouts on schedule. The Trading Combine is one of the tougher single-phase evaluations because of the strict daily loss and the trailing max loss on both eval and funded. Traders who blow up on daily-loss gates elsewhere blow up here too.
Frequently asked
What is Topstep's trailing drawdown?+
Topstep uses a trailing (eod) drawdown of 4% of the starting balance. This is the single biggest driver of long-run pass rate for most traders.
What win rate do you need to pass Topstep?+
Not a fixed number. Our simulator runs three archetypes against Topstep's exact rules: the balanced 50%-win-rate trader passes 0.5% of the time; the scalper archetype and swing archetype produce meaningfully different numbers on the firm page above. Passing is a function of edge, variance, and how the ruleset punishes lumpy P&L — not win rate in isolation.
How much does Topstep cost long-term?+
The mid-tier Topstep evaluation is $165. Over 50 attempted challenges, our balanced-archetype simulation nets -$8k — that's eval fees paid on failures netted against payouts collected on the joint 0.5% of runs that reach a withdrawal.
Does Topstep have a consistency rule?+
No consistency rule on the evaluation for the standard plan. Verify current terms — firms add and remove these rules regularly.
Is Topstep worth it in 2026?+
Topstep is the industry veteran and has the cleanest funded-account structure — no consistency rule at any stage, real payouts on schedule. The Trading Combine is one of the tougher single-phase evaluations because of the strict daily loss and the trailing max loss on both eval and funded. Traders who blow up on daily-loss gates elsewhere blow up here too.
Run YOUR numbers against Topstep's ruleset
The archetypes above are examples. Feed your own win rate, average win/loss and trades per day into the simulator to see your real pass and payout probability at Topstep.
Run my simulationCompare futures firms
Based on publicly listed rules as of 2026-07-15. Independent — not affiliated with Topstep. Rules change; verify with the firm before paying. Simulations are estimates based on a barrier-crossing model of daily P&L, not guarantees.