Apex Trader Funding vs Topstep
Head to head on price, cost to get funded, rules, payouts and trust, read on both firms' own pages. Checked October 31, 2026.
Verdict: Apex Trader Funding wins 5 of the 7 points the data decides, Topstep 2. Apex Trader Funding leads on trustpilot, cheapest plan to start, cheapest $100k plan, lowest cost to get funded (est.). Topstep leads on proptested safety score, first payout. Points the data cannot decide are left unmarked.
Questions traders ask
Which is cheaper, Apex Trader Funding or Topstep?
Apex Trader Funding has the cheaper entry plan: Apex Trader Funding starts at $79.90 (Intraday Trail No Activation Fee) and Topstep at $85 (Trading Combine, No Activation Fee), checked October 31, 2026. The cost-to-funded estimate in the table is the better guide, because it counts resets and fees against each plan's pass odds.
Which pays out faster, Apex Trader Funding or Topstep?
Topstep allows the earlier first payout: Apex Trader Funding after 5 days, Topstep after 3 days. Cycles: Apex Trader Funding Every 5 qualifying trading days, up to weekly; max 6 payouts per Performance Account; Topstep XFA: after 5 winning days or 3 traded days by chosen path; Live: daily after 30 winning days.
Which has stricter rules?
Apex Trader Funding allows 0 of the five trading rules PropTested tracks (news, EAs, copy trading, overnight, weekend) and Topstep allows 0. 16 of Apex Trader Funding's 34 setups have no evaluation consistency rule, against 0 of 24 at Topstep.
Is Apex Trader Funding or Topstep more trusted?
On Trustpilot Apex Trader Funding scores higher: Apex Trader Funding 4.2 from 21,513 reviews, Topstep 3.7 from 15,022. PropTested's safety score adds payout proof, rules and the company behind the firm.